African Artist Renowned Culture Icon Chief Mrs. Nike Okundaye Honored at AMIAF 2025 as an Award Recipient by Miabo Enyadike
A Culture Queen Returns to AMIAF 2025
Last year, she was invited as a special guest, a force of culture and inspiration. This year, Dr. (Mrs.) Nike Okundaye graces the fair as an Awardee for her immense contribution to Nigerian and African Art Culture. She will be recognized in the festival for being a true 'Artconomist' the theme for this year's festival.
A true matriarch of Nigerian and African art, Mama Nike has not only shaped artistic legacies but has also been a pillar of support for the arts across the board. Her presence as an Awardee is a celebration of heritage, resilience, and artistic excellence.
Join us as we witness greatness! AMIAF 2025 just became legendary.
Early Life and Artistic Foundations
Born in Ogidi, Kogi State, Nigeria, Davies-Okundaye was immersed in the rich heritage of Yoruba craftsmanship from a young age. Raised in a family of musicians and artisans, she inherited an artistic lineage steeped in cloth weaving, adire making, indigo dyeing, and leather work.
Her great-grandmother, Ibitola, affectionately known as "Red Woman," played a formative role in her artistic journey, teaching her the intricate techniques of loom weaving and traditional textile production.
Davies-Okundaye spent part of her early years in Osogbo, a renowned hub for Nigerian art and culture. This vibrant environment profoundly influenced her, exposing her to the thriving artistic traditions of indigo dyeing and adire production.
Through informal training and hands-on practice, she honed her skills, laying the foundation for a lifelong dedication to textile artistry.
A Trailblazing Career in Textile and Visual Arts
Over the past several decades:
Davies-Okundaye has dedicated herself to preserving and promoting indigenous Nigerian textile traditions.
She held her first solo exhibition at the Goethe Institute in Lagos in 1968, marking the beginning of an illustrious career.
Recognizing the gradual decline of traditional weaving and dyeing techniques in Nigeria, she took it upon herself to spearhead a revival, establishing four art centers that offer free training in visual, musical, and performing arts.
These centers have empowered over 150 young artists, fostering a new generation of creative talents.
As an educator and mentor, Davies-Okundaye has conducted workshops across the United States and Europe, sharing the richness of Nigerian textile arts with global audiences.
She firmly believes that the art of Adire Eleko is deeply rooted in a heritage of intergenerational knowledge transfer. In an interview with Nubia Africa, she remarked, "School can only teach what they [art students] already know," emphasizing the necessity of cultural immersion for mastering traditional arts.
Her works, which incorporate themes from Yoruba history, mythology, and personal experiences, serve as visual narratives that address socio-cultural issues. Through her batik and adire textiles, she explores themes of female identity, resilience, and empowerment, often drawing inspiration from folklore and ancestral wisdom.
Philanthropy and Cultural Advocacy Beyond her artistic achievements:
Davies-Okundaye is deeply committed to social impact. She has trained over 3,000 young Nigerians free of charge and continues to support underprivileged individuals in establishing their own businesses and workshops.
Through her efforts, she seeks to revive centuries-old textile traditions while improving the livelihoods of rural women by teaching them the specialized techniques of indigo dyeing.
Adire, a traditional Yoruba textile art form, holds significant cultural importance.
The intricate process of creating "Adire Eleko," which involves applying boiled cassava, lime, and alum as resist agents before dyeing in indigo, has been meticulously preserved by Davies-Okundaye.
Traditionally, these techniques were closely guarded and passed down within families, but she has chosen to share them widely, ensuring their continuity for future generations.
Global Recognition and Legacy
Davies-Okundaye’s contributions to the art world have garnered international acclaim. She was featured on CNN International’s *African Voices*, which highlights influential African personalities. Her paintings are permanently displayed at the Smithsonian Museum, the Gallery of African Art in London, and the British Library, among other prestigious institutions.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to Nigerian art and culture, she holds the esteemed chieftaincy titles of Yeye Oba of Ogidi-Ijumu and Yeye Tasase of Osogbo. In 2019, she was honored as part of the I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. That same year, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Rhodes University for her unwavering dedication to art and cultural preservation.
Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye’s legacy continues to inspire artists and cultural enthusiasts worldwide. Through her relentless efforts, she has not only preserved the beauty of Yoruba textile arts but also empowered countless individuals, ensuring that this rich heritage remains vibrant and relevant in the modern era.
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