By Prof. Adesoji Adesugba
As the cultural rhythms of Owerri pulse with creative anticipation, the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) prepares to lift the curtain on its much-awaited visual arts exhibition — Art Ova Yap — a pioneering event poised to redefine the intersection of art, advocacy, and identity in Nigeria’s contemporary cultural space.
Scheduled to open from Thursday, July 31st to Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, at the prestigious Full Moon Hotel, this inaugural showcase promises more than aesthetics; it is a stirring celebration of the Confraternity’s enduring legacy of activism — now expressed through brushstrokes, sculptures, digital renderings, and mixed media.
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A Canvas of Ideals: Artvocacy, Humanity & Egalitarianism
Themed around Artvocacy, Humanity, and Egalitarianism, Art Ova Yap is not your conventional gallery show. It is a curated cultural intervention — featuring the works of both established and emerging artists who are active members of the Pyrates Confraternity. These works are united by a common thread: the Pyratical ethos of confronting societal injustice and championing a better, more humane world.
From experimental techniques to traditional media, the exhibition promises to immerse viewers in powerful visual narratives that challenge, provoke, and inspire.
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Honouring a Master: The Legacy of Olu Ajayi (FGT)
At the heart of this year’s edition lies a special tribute to the late Olu Ajayi — revered as a master of visual storytelling, who gave pictorial form to the ideals of Prof. Wole Soyinka and the Confraternity. A panel discussion and dedicated gallery section will celebrate his life, works, and Pyratical spirit — ensuring his memory remains etched in the canvas of collective consciousness.
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Ebun Aleshinloye: A Foremost Editorial Cartoonist
Among the featured artists is Ebun Aleshinloye, a veteran editorial cartoonist and household name in Nigeria’s visual satire scene. A trustee of the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria (CARTAN), Aleshinloye is known for his trenchant cartoons that offer sharp commentary on politics, social affairs, and the human condition. Through his Substack newsletter and syndicated works, he distills complex national issues into clear, impactful visuals.
At Art Ova Yap, his curated pieces will showcase his trademark blend of wit, critique, and humanitarian insight — anchoring the exhibition in the tradition of socially engaged art. His inclusion affirms that editorial cartoons, like paintings or sculpture, are powerful vehicles for reform, reflection, and resistance.
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Featured Artists: Across Generations, United in Vision
In addition to Olu Ajayi and Ebun Aleshinloye, the exhibition features some of the most vibrant and daring Pyrate artists working today:
• Pius Waritimi – Academician, sculptor, and wood artist from Bayelsa, famously dubbed the “Woodpecker of the Niger Delta.” Waritimi’s monumental public works and tactile expressions of justice and environmental consciousness make him a voice of moral clarity through wood and chisel.
• Chuks Onwudinjo – Co-creator of The Adventures of Captain Blud comic series celebrating Wole Soyinka. His work fuses vivid storytelling with postcolonial critique, offering a whimsical yet pointed visual exploration of Nigerian identity.
• Chuma Anagbado – Known for merging hand-drawn traditions with digital and industrial techniques, Chuma’s art is rooted in Uli, the indigenous Igbo artform known for its linearity, symbolism, and storytelling. He sees art as architecture for the spirit — meditative, performative, and transformative. By combining analogue with digital, past with future, his work reclaims cultural heritage while exploring postcolonial African identities.
• Emeka Ihejirika – A collage artist and creative director whose works revolve around icons of collective memory. From digital to canvas, Emeka’s expressions are fluid and multidimensional, capturing shared histories and forging new visual allegories with remarkable dexterity.
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Spotlight: The Rising Voice of Chikezie Obilor
Adding youthful vibrancy to the exhibition is Chikezie Obilor, a promising talent whose emotionally charged canvases reflect political urgency and unyielding hope. His mixed-media piece “Anyi Ga Ebi (We Shall Live)” confronts the psychological toll of poor governance while celebrating communal resilience. Obilor’s voice is bold, fresh, and deeply rooted in the ethos of art as activism.
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Advocacy Beyond the Gallery
What sets Art Ova Yap apart is its commitment to advocacy. The event is part of the Pyrates Confraternity’s broader efforts to engage society through creative and intellectual platforms. Proceeds and visibility from the exhibition will support the Pyratical Museum and Archives Project, a cultural repository dedicated to preserving the organisation’s rich legacy of resistance, activism, and social reform.
The exhibition is also being fully catalogued — preserving its works for academic scholarship, global art reference, and public enlightenment.
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Event Details
📍 Venue: Full Moon Hotel, Plot H-1, Fullmoon Avenue, Owerri, Imo State
📅 Date: Thursday 31st July – Saturday 2nd August, 2025
🕒 Time: 3:00 PM daily
🎨 Curated by: Chuma Anagbado & Emeka Ihejirika
🔗 More Info: www.nas-int.org
