By Brown Chimezie
Oladapo David Agboola is not your average textile artist. He has honed his skills to design and create unique textile abstractions, using African motifs, traditional patterns, intricate geometrical design, and Batik painting.
Although he specialises in Adire Tie and Dye textile but not limited to just textile, as he utilises various mediums to express his innate and unique brand. This is in addition to his unparalleled skills using textile.
The accomplished painter, sculptor and sketch artist was born and raised in the ancient city of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria, popularly known as “the Land of Indigo/Dye”. The city quite naturally presented to him the opportunity to be exposed to training from an early age.
He acquired skills in traditional techniques of African Heritage Fabrics and other art mediums under the tutelage of some of Nigeria’s artists such as Adenle Segun, a textile artist, and Wole Collins, who is a sculptor.
He developed a keen interest in creating African Batik and Tie Dye fabrics for his growing international, as well as local clientele. His fervent interest was fueled by his belief in having a utilitarian use and purpose for his art other than just showcasing beauty.
Considering the fact that cloth is essential to the human body, Agboola believes that he could continue the culture by telling the history of African ancestors, lifestyles and deities by utilizing Batik painting and pen and ink drawing as a medium which was inspired by renowned artists like SEVEN SEVEN of blessed memory who was popularly known for his pen and ink craft.
Among the great artists who had contributed to his success sits first and foremost his beautiful mother, Mrs. Jayeola Agboola, who has been very supportive and has made a great impact upon his life not only as an Artist but also as a woman with integrity. He equally regards Chief (Mrs) Nike Okundaye the founder of Nike art Center as his role model.
While speaking about his style in a chat with the press, Agboola said that “his unique individual style and brand is rooted in traditional techniques where he has incorporated a modern twist into his designs that places his work into its own genre.
“This level of quality and ingenuity causes my work to stand out among others. My unique style has supported my ability to acquire clientele from the private sector individual to the business sector, as well as from the textile manufacturing industry, while my unique brand has enabled my work to be exhibited in many textile art fairs and exhibitions regionally, nationally, and internationally.
“The Adire Heritage Festival Lagos and Chevron Estate Fall Bazaar, Lagos, in October 2018, were national venues in which I participated. The focus of my work is diversity, inclusion, and the human impact upon global societies and environments,” he said.
The wearable artist has conducted government commissioned Art Workshops for both youth and adults which has led to the creation of employment and a source of income for many adults. He is also a tutor and mentor to many college students who apprentices under his tutelage at his small art gallery and workshop in Ondo. His Authentic African Art Int’l Gallery, located at 171 Canon Adeyemi Road beside Oduduwa Junction, Ondo city, Ondo State, displays a varied collection of unique artworks.
A student of the Yoruba language at the Adeyemi College of Education, Agboola is also a member of the Lagos Studies Association (LSA) where he was part of the presenters that spoke on “Adire, fashion and Yoruba modernity” at the Lagos State University Nigeria, among other roundtables and annual meetings from around the world.
On how the art communities had received his works, Ogboola said: “People from all art communities had been interacting with my works both home and abroad especially when they see me as a young artist working to promote the culture through my traditional art and Adire fabrics which is a type of cloth that portray the Yoruba culture and the visual art at large. Presently my Oladapo Authentic African art Int’l brand registered under CAC since 2019 produce all types of art and fabrics for export to different parts of the country.”
He hinted that the challenges in his art stems from lack of sponsorship adding that many people preferred to invest in already established brands rather than budding artists.
“It is difficult for an upcoming artist but I pushed myself to the limit to ensure that I show people what I’m capable of by sponsoring free workshops for schools from the money I realised from my artworks, which has attracted people that are interested and willing to partner and collaborate with me.
“To the glory of God, I have partnered with a few organisations in the USA, Cameroon and Nigeria. Some of them are Garifuna International indigenous film festival 501 c3 non profit (GIIFF USA), Ladekoju home of Art and culture (Nigeria),
“Palace of Olowu Kuta (Nigeria), O8sis9 USA, One Tikar One people USA and Cameroon. And by the special grace of God in the next five years, I see myself as a popular and a successful artist. I say this because I am not relenting in the art business. My goal is to continue to do more and to earn more recognition with my art both from Nigeria and the world at large.
“Art is not the only thing I am doing to make money. It is a passion. I also teach art and impact the lives of young people through workshops so they can grow into it and become whoever they want to be as the future of this generation. I am presently working with some organisations, which I hope to continue with my curator Robin Williams. I consider him to be my manager and curator for the Oshogbo Art And Heritage exhibition.She is the Inaugural Director of Garfield Park Arts Center, Indianapolis, Senior Director and Curator, Fulton County Arts & Culture , Atlanta and Director, New Orleans Jazz Institute, University of New Orleans.
«She has also worked in different sectors of art. She assisted me with the privilege of participating with my art in the African unity festival held at Indy global village USA and also in May 2023 for the exhibition preview of the Osogbo school of art through her organization Nolaworld Music And Artwerk and the Indy Global Village.
“I will be a feature artist for the Osogbo art and Heritage exhibition at the same venue in October 2023 where I will be showcasing my works and doing workshops, and both of us working together would provide a soft landing for me in addition to my hard work. By the grace of God I hope to become one of the most respected visual artists in the next five.” Agboola claimed.
An award winning and socially responsible artist, his recognitions included the Best Young Textile Artist in Osun State awarded by the National Gallery of Art Nigeria (NGA)in 2017 and 2018 respectively, the Adire Prestige Award of Recognition in 2021 for his tireless effort in promoting African culture and heritage (Iroko Award), and Merit award as the cultural Ambassador by the Noble family club (NFC) 2021.
Agboola has also earned a reputation as the most culturally industrious student of the year 2021 awarded by the Students Union Government of Adeyemi college of education Ondo where he’s studying. He equally added his first foreign solo exhibition to his colourful resume from November 16, 2021 – December 23, 2021 through the presentation of his works at “One Tikar One People Festival of Return” in Cameroon. And most recently, he was awarded the Best Promoter of African Culture 2022 by the Languages Student Association of Adeyemi College of Education Ondo.
On the social responsibility front, his non government organisation under the auspices of Oladapo Authentic African Arts international, in collaboration with Ladekoju Arts and Culture foundation, recently provided a one day free training in Adire making for over 100 youths and the Less – privileged particularly students, men and women in Osogbo Osun State capital.
The free training programme aims to improve the lives of the down – trodden in the society, and took place at the foremost Arts Icon Old Building of late Madam Suzzan Wenger on Ibokun road Osogbo.
He stated that the gesture was a special way of touching lives positively adding that he was inspired to carry out the free workshop programme in order to assist the younger ones and to contribute his own quota in alleviating the rate of poverty among the youths in the community and nip in the bud the growing rate of fake Adire production within Oshogbo. He noted that through this effort, our teeming youths will be self employed and later employers of labour.
Agboola reiterated his commitment to promote Yoruba culture and traditions by creating new ideas, pointing out that the Adire making endeavor will strengthen and also empower youths to be productive and independent.“
“This is an innovation that l started many years ago. And l have been doing this free workshop for young people so that they can make a living out of it and improve on their skills, and to promote Yoruba culture.”