Theft and secondary art markets: Tola Wewe’s stolen painting spotlights troubling connection

Has the emergence of auction houses encouraged the theft of artworks? Iye Boab’, a stolen 1989 painting by Tola Wewe that recently resurfaced appears to suggest so.

Last Saturday at the presentation of Jess Castellote and Fabian Ajogwu’s Collecting Art: A Handbook to some tertiary institutions by the Nero Asibelua Foundation, eminent academic, Professor Ebun Clark, remarked about how the development of the secondary art market in the country, appeared to have led to the increased theft of artworks.

The guest of honour, who attended the event held at Quintessence, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos alongside her husband, Professor John Pepper Clark, was speaking about art collection in the country and how people did it just for the fun back in the days.

She said: “It was delightful just to buy when we started in 1965, there was no secondary market; no auction house. We bought just because we loved it and we just hung on the wall; there was no fear of theft. The Prince, the first work we bought in 1965 from Baba Bruce [Onabrakpeya] is still hanging on the wall.  I’m not sure if it’s a happy development for us to have auction houses; you can’t leave your doors open again.”

In the light of Tola Wewe’s recent experience, it does appear that the co-founder of PEC Repertory Theatre has a point. Though factually incorrect to categorically declare that auction houses are encouraging theft, some unscrupulous individuals are trying to take advantage of their existence to make easy money. They push stolen artworks to unsuspecting collectors who, desirous of making a return on their investment, give it to auction houses to sell.

Wewe’s experience, which he sorrowfully narrated on April 2, and which echoes that of Ben Enwonwu’s 1974 painting, Tutu allegedly stolen years ago and which sold for one million pounds at a recent Bonhams auction in London after it resurfaced, perfectly illustrates this.

The work at the centre of attention this time is Wewe’s 1989 painting entitled Iye Boabo. It was stolen 29 years ago but was recently uncovered by the Ikoyi, Lagos-based Arthouse Contemporary.

Explaining the genesis of the issue, Wewe said: “In 1989, Ona Movement was formally launched with a group art exhibition at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. After the exhibition featuring myself, Moyo Okediji, Tunde Nosiru, Bolaji Campbell and Kunle Filani, each member had a solo exhibition at the University of Ife Hall, Ile-Ife. It was during my solo show at Ife that I exhibited the painting, ‘Iye Boabo’ in 1989. I was compelled to keep the unsold paintings with Moyo Okediji because I did not have a car and Okediji was a lecturer there at Ife. I was a teacher at Ondo then. The works of other four artists were there alongside mine.

“Eventually, Okediji left for the US leaving the works behind in the house. Unfortunately, the house was burgled. I would have discovered this earlier when I saw Okediji’s paintings at French Church framers in 1996. But I was not sure if he had sold them. Years after, I told Okediji of my experience and he said the works were part of our collections stolen from his house.

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“On April 18, 2018, I got an email from ArtHouse seeking my authentication of ‘Iye Boabo’ like I used to do. I sent a mail to Okediji informing him of the news.  ArtHouse mail reads: ‘Chief Tola, hope this finds you well. The attached work has been submitted for our coming auction. We kindly request your assistance with the following information; title, medium and artist statement. We look forward to hearing from you.’

“I responded with a mail to Arthouse thus: ‘The painting is mine. I have the title and the story that inspired the painting. I am very pleased to discover this painting is still living because I have been looking for it since the late 80s. I will be glad to know who the collector is, and probably agree to some terms before giving you further details on the work. Thank you for your quick response.’

“When I got no response from Arthouse after a few days, I switched to Whatsapp reminding ArtHouse Manager, Nana Sonoiki, that I’m still waiting for a response. She replied that she had forwarded my mail to the owner of the painting. I told her we need to act quickly because I may be forced to make the issue public. Her response: ‘How? That we stole your work?’

“I replied that ‘Arthouse has no problem with me because it is my saviour and if not for an institution like ArtHouse, how would I have seen the painting? Kindly tell him to link up with me.’ From then onward, she stopped communicating with me.”

Wewe, a former Ondo State Commissioner for Arts and Culture, further explained that Iye Boabo is conservatively worth N20 million and that the painting is not a “mere two-dimensional piece splashed with paintings.  As at the time I produced the work, many of my colleagues did not paint because it was unaffordable. I was earning about N500 a month. I was committing all my resources into art and we were not selling. It was like a religion for me and it was from my life-saving. For a collector to flash the work and want to lay claim to it is unacceptable. I will not at this period be in a haste to indict ArtHouse until further investigation. I have a feeling that this may provide a link to the whereabouts of the other works. Okedeiji lost all his entire collection. I lost about 20 to 30 paintings, which were my early paintings.”

His prayers, he said, include reclaiming the painting, knowing the collector, how he got it and the whereabouts of the remaining paintings. He did not rule out resorting to legal action if civil persuasion fails.

Reacting, ArtHouse’ Sonoiki expressed regret at Wewe’s decision to publicise the issue, noting that he could have exercised some more patience. She said, “I expected him to wait for a little in order to get a feedback from the owner of the painting instead of going to the press. Now that he has gone this far, he can go to court if he feels so. However, ArtHouse has not presented the painting for auction.”

The unfolding incident might eventually help curb the theft of artworks. Once the thieves realise that no auction house will sell a work without tracing its provenance, and subsequently check with the creator/owner, there may be no incentive to steal.  It will then be like the case of the thief that stole the King’s trumpet; at whose event would he blow it without giving himself away?