Onobrakpeya, YCT Rector, others eulogises Omoighe @ 60

…charge youths to study hard
When the academic community, including friends and well-wishers of Mike Omoighe converged at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium, Yaba College of Technology YCT, last Thursday to celebrate a man termed as a great scholar and formidable artist, emotional encomiums filled the air.

Mike who turned sixty last week is an art lecturer at Yaba College of Technology, a prolific painter whose art practice spanned for decades.

He was honoured with a birthday lecture organised by the School of Art, Design & Printing, YCT, the Society of Nigerian Artists SNA and the Culture & Creative Art Forum CCAF, under a lecture theme: Celebrate Mike @ 60, delivered by a guest speaker, Prof. Ben Ohaezeagwu.

Notable speakers who paid tribute to this veteran artist/scholar include Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya; Engr Obafemi Omokungbe, Rector; Yaba College of Technology; Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Dean, School of Art, Design & Printing, YCT;

Dr. Kunle Filani, former Rector, Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka; Bernard Aina, former Dean YCT; President, SNA represented by former Lagos chair, Dotun Alabi; current Lagos SNA chairman, Idowu Sonaiya and host of others.

Renowned visual artist, scholar and pioneer member Society of Nigeria Artsts SNA, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya found it most honourabe to be present while one of his protégés is been celebrated. According to him, Mike has been a good teacher both in formal and informal sector.

Caption: From left: Yabatech Rector Engr. Femi Omokungbe; Mike Omoighe, celebrant and guest during the art exhibition tour to honour Omoighe @ 60

“Well I am very happy for Mike because what’s happening today is an attainment of continuity which gives and inspires confidence for those coming behind and for those of us who has gone past our summer and now in our winter period.

It is a very good thing and we are celebrating one of our own. Mike is a hero. He has done so well in artistic productivity, and also in passing down the knowledge to the younger ones as a teacher.

He has taught in the academic world and also participated in the informal world which is art workshops. He was one of the pioneer participants and director in the harmattan workshop in Delta State. Since that time, younger people has drawn from his enthusiasm, his scholarly deeds and other things.”

Speaking further, Prof Onobrakpeya also admonished young artists who want to remain steadfast in art to emulate the resilient attitude of Mike Omoighe to achieve height. “What Omoighe has attained is a good example for the youths.

The youths have to study. Being creative is not enough. And in studying, you have to lean on mentors and study them and imbibe in their personality and also you have to work with your collegues, attend exhibitions, participate in exhibitions and by so doing, you will be able to discover patrons.

Once you discover a platform, hang on to that patron because they own the possibility of elevating you and making art something for you to grow forward on,” says Prof Onobrakpeya.

The guest lecturer, Professor Ben Ohaezeagwu, head of Graphoanalysis studies, University of St. Louis, Akonabe, Benin Republic made an impressive graphic detailing of Mike’s lifestyle; both as an academic, artist, and a peculiar resolute person.

His analysis which perhaps, sound obscure to many was highly inspiring as he detailed back to back Mike’s formation stage to the present through indept focus on his handwriting.

Read Also: SMO Curators Lagos, make lists of Contemporary African Art Fair in London

According to Prof. Ben, underneath Mike’s handwriting style lies his personae and it also forms his creative ingenuity.

The Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Engr. Obafemi Omokungbe described Mike Omoighe as a fantastic artist: one who expresses his inner mind in his art. “I have known Mike for more than 30 years now. I know him as an artist. And his works speaks for him.

Just like Dr. Kunle Filani said, he expresses his inner mind in his works. His combinations of colours are also fantastic. Like I said, the little I know about art is from the people like Mike. And it has been inspiring for me.

In the world of art in Nigeria today, there are Zaria School, Yaba School, Nsukka School and others, and Mike happens to belong to the Yaba artists.

It is wonderful to have him in the college both as ex-student and as a lecturer. Celebrating him today as one of our own in this institution is a plus for the community,” says Engr. Obafemi Omokungbe.

Bernard Aina, former Head of Department and Dean, School of Art Design and Printing, Yaba College of Technology said, “Mike Omoighe has always been a hard working child.

I knew him as far back as 1981 when he finished his National Youth Service Corps NYSC. His first place of work is at my place where I was working at the Federal Government College Ojo as the acting Vice Principal.

I have known him to be very serious minded person when it comes to art. And he has his unique way of painting which he has maintained ever since.

It’s over 40 years now and he is still maintaining it. I give him credit for still maintaining that style of painting. “Fortunately, we have to meet again in Yaba college of Technology as a staff colleague.

I thank God for bringing us together because we worked together like a jolly friends and also being an ex-student of this place makes our working together easier.

We both understood the background; what it was then, now and what it should be. With that, we are able to relate very well,” Aina said.

For Dr. Kunle Filani, former Rector, Federal College of Education, (Technical) Akoka, I think celebrating an individual is a remarkable thing for whatever thing the person has done.

For Mike Omoighe, we see him as an artist first who have achieved tremendously in the number of exhibitions he has done and in teaching he has been doing as lecturer in Yabatech, and the intellectual articulations of his writings which has to do with that of culture.

He has also been a leading person in administration, as a Head of department, Dean, Director of School. You can see that he has imparted so much, not only on his own personal staff but in the teaching ability he has also done. That’s why he is been celebrated today.

Also, I see this as a new beginning for the art community. We have been celebrating people when they reach certain age, in their own contribution towards the development in the art and culture.

But the significance of these is that we should encourage the leaders to show more commitments to art practice, theory, and propagations of artistic ideals.

The art is like still in a pariah. Many people still don’t know. Up till now, it is the parts of the noise we are making, that people don’t know what the artist should stand for thereby, discouraging their children from even studying art which is also a discipline like any other one.

Art should be viewed with a bifocal focus: a focus for theoretical knowledge and knowledge for skill acquisition that suppose to be an advantage.

People should also remember that the artist gives credence to visibility to ideas, whether in shaping products, or shaping the society. There is no product without artistic input. If society should look at it from that perspective, they should begin to respect the artist.

To a large extent, they should decide on their visual articulations and visual perspectives. We think that we should propagate such ideals and to encourage people to have an aesthetic eyes to appreciate art,” Dr. Filani said.