Three legendary Nigerian artists — Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, Chief Jimoh Buraimoh, and Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya — have been honoured by the U.S. Mission with the U.S. Exchange Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, in commemoration of 50 years of artistic collaborations between the United States and Nigeria, recognized the three iconic artists, who first travelled to the United States over 50 years ago as participants of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
The ceremony was a gathering of a distinguished audience, including political and business leaders, diplomats, academic figures, arts curators and collectors, as well as alumni of various U.S. government exchange programmes.
U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills presented each of the artists with a commemorative certificate, honouring their exceptional commitment to their artistic craft, dedicated mentorship of emerging creatives, and invaluable contributions that have strengthened the bonds between the people of the United States and Nigeria.
In his remarks, Ambassador Mills noted the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting programmes and initiatives that nurture cultural exchange, promote artistic expression, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen the capacity of Nigerian artists and professionals across the creative industries. He highlighted the role of U.S. government exchange programme alumni in having a positive impact on their communities in many fields, including the creative economy.
“Art has the power to connect people and communities across the world,” Ambassador Mills said. “This is why we supported these programs 50 years ago, we support them now, and we will continue supporting them far into the future.”
One of the awardees and founder of Nigeria’s renowned Nike Art Gallery, Davies-Okundaye, has mentored students worldwide in the traditional art of adire and batik. Her works are displayed internationally, including at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC. “Participating in the U.S. government exchange program has significantly impacted my life, opening up new opportunities and perspectives that have shaped my career path and personal development,” Davies-Okundaye said.
Awardee and celebrated bead painter, Buraimoh, whose artwork has been exhibited globally and who has taught at prestigious institutions, including the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine and universities in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles, said he was “very happy to see this day”.
“Going to the U.S. on an exchange program 50 years ago in 1974 was truly transformative, giving me an opportunity to share my work widely and mentor the next generation of artists,” he said.
Prof. Onobrakpeya, who, at 92, continues to be a towering figure in the Nigerian visual art scene, working across painting, printmaking, installation, and sculpture, noted that the award recognition was a challenge to up-and-coming artists to remain dedicated to their craft.
“I am very excited and encouraged. I will continue to pay it forward by nurturing future talent in the industry,” he said.
Notable as the illustrator for Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease, Prof. Onobrakpeya has exhibited globally, including the current exhibition “The Mask and the Sword” at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, and remains one of West Africa’s most celebrated 20th-century artists.
The event – organized by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Rele Arts Foundation; Curator of African Art at the High Museum of Art, Lauren Tate Baeza; with support from Delta Airlines – highlighted the historic U.S.-Nigeria people-to-people connections in the visual arts as well as the 50-year Sister Cities partnership between Lagos and Atlanta.
