THIS year is the 39th anniversary of the transition of celebrated thorn carving artist, Chief Justus D. Akeredolu; it is also 90 years since he invented the art of thorn carving at Owo Government School in Ondo State, where he was arts and craft teacher in 1933.
The late J.D Akeredolu started experimenting with materials to carve name stamps and discovered that the thorns that grow on wild cotton trees are good for carving small sculptures, so he began to use them for miniature carvings and taught this art form to his students.
This invention distinguished him from other renowned first generation contemporary artists in the country, and in celebrating the 90th anniversary of the invention of thorn carving, J.D. Akeredolu’s son, Olulaja, who is also an artist, in collaboration with the National Museum, Owo and the Office of Ondo State Goodwill Ambassador for Environment, returned to Owo Government School recently to reinvent thorn carving arts and sensitise pupils on how to stop the extinction of thorn trees.
Speaking at the event, Olulaja Akeredolu described his father as pioneer of a new genre of arts, that is, thorn carving in 1933.
Olulaja said his father named the genre ‘thorn carving,’ after combining the words, ‘thorn’ and ‘carving,’ having earlier used the thorns that grow on cotton trees to carve out artworks.
He said today’s generation of carvers is drawing income from thorn carving as a result of what his father invented 90 years ago.
Olulaja then demonstrated how to carve chess set from thorns, just as he said that he got the skill from his father.
He explained the thorns can be up to five inches in length and come in three different colours of red, yellow and dark brown.
“They are carved with pocket knives in small pieces and glued together with paste made from rice water.”
The artists charged the pupils to embrace arts, which he said could be rewarding.
Delving into his father’s background, Olulaja said through arts, his father gained the Nigerian government scholarship to study at Hammersmith School of Arts and Crafts in London, the Institute of Archaeology at the University of London and British Museum before returning to Nigeria to work for the government.
Apart from thorn carving, Olulaja said his father also specialised in oil painting, wood sculpture, carving of house posts, wooden panels, figurative wood sculptures, African masks, among others.
“My father also worked with several acclaimed artistic talents, including the late Chief Akinola Lasekan, and they both opened an arts gallery in Lagos.”
He concluded that his own works, alongside his father’s, will be on public display from January 11, 2024 at Owo museum, adding that pupils will go on free excursion to the museum courtesy the Ondo State Goodwill Ambassador for Environment, Ms Olayemi Olapeju, and National Museum, Owo.
While addressing the pupils, Ms Olapeju described the late Chief J.D Akeredolu as an innovative artist whose experimental idea became an invention.
She said the art of thorn carving must be revived, just as she charged pupils to embrace the artistic culture.
Ms Olapeju also urged youths to desist from illegal tree cutting and bush burning, but start planting trees to replenish trees that are cut for wood carving so as to reduce climate change and the extinction of thorn trees.
The Public Relations Officer and Chief Museum Education Officer of National Museum, Owo, Mr Rotifa Ayobami Samson, said the late J.D Akeredolu was among the first set of indigenous formal art educators in Nigerian schools.
He said Chief J.D Akeredolu was a groundbreaker who, under the authority of the Nigerian government and the late Olowo of Owo, Olateru Olagbegi II, helped to establish the Owo museum.
“J.D Akeredolu also spearheaded the establishment of National Museum in other parts of the country and travelled extensively in Europe for solo and group exhibition of his works,” Samson said.
Headmaster of the school, Mr Falarusi Kayode, confirmed that the log book of school has the record of Mr Justus Dojuma (J.D) Akeredolu as a teacher of the school in 1933 with Registration Number of Employment C/D 13223, while the late Mr. E. A. Enahoro (Antony Enahoro) was his headmaster.
Kayode thanked the organisers of the event, adding that the sensitisation will go a long way in reviving the art of thorn carving.
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