How Nigeria’s Biafran war silently influences Nedum Udeze’s wildlife art

Nedum Udeze is a graduate of Civil Engineering and Construction Management, but his passion actually lies in arts, which he is using to connect global cultures.

At the moment, he is fast becoming a compelling voice in the contemporary art landscape in Derby, the United Kingdom, where he is currently based.

Known for his hyper-realistic acrylic paintings of lions and tigers, Udeze’s work speaks not only of wildlife, but of survival, identity, and resilience, themes rooted in his lived experience.

After his debut at Boomer Gallery, London, and a recent showing at Magan Gallery, London, Udeze’s artistic journey continued with three exhibitions in June – Luminoir Art Gallery, London; Circular ArtSpace, SB Art Gallery, London, The Holy Art Gallery, London and Paris, while more exhibitions are upcoming in major European capitals, with the next being in Paris, France, including at the BobCat Gallery, which will be a virtual exhibition.   

Udeze’s work is deeply personal. Born into poverty in a remote Nigerian village (he is from the Igbo tribe), he witnessed the aftermath of the Biafran war, a silent history that continues to influence his themes of perseverance and inner strength.

After the civil war in 1970, the years that followed were really tough for those who resided in the Eastern part, where the war was waged, won and lost, depending on one’s ethnic background.

As a result of the relentless military campaign, basic infrastructures were destroyed, so the communities, including Udeze’s, had to start all over again to rebuild.

Despite the fact that the war ended in 1970, the effects of that conflict survived, even till today. So Udeze was not spared while growing up.

He said: “Growing up in a flood-prone village in Nigeria, survival was our daily reality. We had no electricity, no basic infrastructure, only the rawness of life and the power of imagination.

“In the midst of that struggle, I discovered a quiet escape in sketching with charcoal. I couldn’t afford paint or canvas, but I used what I had. The very first time I drew a tiger with intense eyes, I saw something in it, not just an animal, but my own story of survival. That was when I realised art wasn’t just something I liked, it was something I was born to do. It became my voice when I had none.”

His lions and tigers paintings, rendered in striking realism, are not just animals; they are metaphors for unspoken battles and ancestral echoes and his rise on the UK art scene is timely.

He’s sharing with the world, through his art, those things that remain hidden or have left unshared of that war.

Udeze’s message is also timely to countries currently at war. He said: “When the bombs stop exploding; when the bullets stop ringing out from the barrels of guns, that’s when the real pain will start. It will also be shared by those yet unborn.”

This message is apt because, though he was yet to be born during Nigeria’s Biafra war, he experienced the aftermath.

However, today, Udeze’s is on his way to becoming a cultural leader in the United Kingdom’s art scene, as there is no denying the fact that his art contributes meaningfully to contemporary dialogue, particularly around survival, resilience and heritage.

His work will also have positive impact on UK audiences, who are multi-cultural; art galleries and institutions. Many will also be able to realise how long the effects of war can stay with a people.

Now, with arts finally taking hold of Udeze, how has he been able to do it at the expense of Civil Engineering?

“I’ve managed to chart a path in visual arts with nothing but pure commitment, discipline, and self-training. Since moving to the UK, I’ve held exhibitions at prestigious galleries like Boomer Gallery, Magan Gallery, The Holy Art, and more. I’ve built a growing audience online, attracted the attention of renowned artists such as Kelvin Okafor. The most important thing, however, is passion; when you love something, you just find a way to do it always, and you get better every day,” Udeze said.

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