Nigerian Festival in Nairobi, October-November 2017

The National Museum of Kenya, ‘’Where Heritage Lives On’’ and the African Heritage House, are hosting the 2017 Nigerian Festival in Nairobi.

From October to November 2017 a city-wide celebration of Nigeria contemporary art and textile heritage will have part of its activities in the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi.

The first Nigerian Festival in Nairobi was in 1972, which also included a street festival and a fashion show with all-African models, all African (Nigerian) textiles, and African Heritage House jewellery. This is the second Nigerian Festival in Nairobi. It includes nearly 100 artworks on display at the National Museum of Kenya, the Nairobi Gallery, and Alliance Francaise.

The artists include printmaker, painter and sculptor Bruce Onobrakpeya, Muraina Oyelami, Nike Olaniyi Seven Seven Davies Okundaye, Jacob Afolalabi, and Jimoh Buraimoh who incorporates beadwork into his artwork.

Eketeke and Erevbuye by Bruce Onobrakpeya

Priests by Jimoh Buraimoh

Untitled by Jimoh Buraimoh

Halloween by Muraina Oyelami

Spirit of the Forest by Jacob Afolalabi

The King of the Last Kingdom of the Things that Exist by Jacob Afolalabi

by Jimoh Buraimoh

Onijo by Nike Seven Seven Okundaye

by Nike Seven Seven Okundaye

The exhibition also incudes ‘’Adire’’ cloth, which is ‘’tie and dye’’ of indigo patterned starch resistant cotton cloth (similar to batik).

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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