A young Nigerian visual artist, Ikepo Soyinka, has advocated for a gender-equal society.
Ikepo made this known at her debut art exhibition titled ‘Crows Come At Dawn’ held during the Lagos Fringe Festival in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Ikepo, who is an advocate of social justice, especially as it concerns culture and gender, presented a series of traditional paintings that portrayed the pride and suffering of womanhood, the constraints imposed by culture, and the broader social implications.
According to Ikepo, the collection provides a nuanced exploration of the highs and lows, the joys and limitations faced by women in Nigeria.
“I’m very passionate about social justice and activism in general. Visual art is a way I express myself and correct societal ills.
“I have messages exploring how community is built among women and how tradition can be a positive thing.
“I also explore how gender roles and putting people in specific boxes is a negative thing.
“I see a lot of people criticize feminism as a bad thing; it’s a very narrow way of viewing things… Trying to fix people in certain boxes, especially viewing feminism as a bad thing.
“I want people to think on how we can deal with gender and culture and how to let culture and gender coexist in a very healthy manner.
“We need to review the way we think and check our biases,” she said while decrying some societal norms.
Also speaking at the event, a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dr. Olatunde Barber, and the Regional Head for Creative Economy, British Council, Brenda Fashugba (co-founder of the Lagos Fringe Festival), alongside Kenneth Uphopho, emphasized the need for parents to always support their children in their chosen careers.
They attributed Ikepo’s success to the massive support of her parents and family.
“I’m surprised that this is coming from a sixteen year-old. You can see that this is what she wants to do from the way she articulates herself. It’s good we support our children in their chosen careers.
“This is about being courageous and discovering your dream early. It’s an opportunity for parents to see what young people can do and support them.
“Ikepo has the support of her parents and it’s showing,” they observed.
The father of the artist, Ayo Soyinka, called on Nigerian artists to be the mouthpiece of the society through their works of art.
“Artists should speak more on the ills of the society through their art works. Art is a powerful medium to convey messages than any other.
“Artists have a chance to liberate us through their work. They need to be more expressive and speak for those that cannot be heard,” he appealed.
For his part, Kayode Soyinka, the younger brother to the renowned literary icon and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, urged Nigerians to be more patient with the government, as it is still in its gestation period.
Ikepo Soyinka, who is also a storyteller, cultural observer, and an inspiration to young artists, believes the future looks good for other young minds looking to break into stardom.
The Fringe Exhibition also featured a stage play titled ”Beyond Tears”, which addresses the issues of child violence, especially against the girl child. It was written and directed by Kayode Sodunke.
