This is a long overdue due, but much needed blog. Back in June 2018, I went to Nigeria, and had the opportunity to visit the Nike Art Gallery. I found out about the Art Gallery from Instagram and knew that I had to make my way there. I even brought my parents and aunt with me.

Artist and Creator Chief Nike D. Okundayo, the owner of the Nike Gallery is such a welcoming and lovely woman. As soon as we walked in the Gallery, she greeted us with a song and dance. It was such a great and unexpected feeling to be greeted this way. Our tour guide Bose, walked us around the first floor and showed us the different artist and explained their styles in creating art. Some being oil canvas, paint, beaded, abstract art, etc.

The gallery is four stories high and filled with diverse art and backgrounds. I feel that anyone can go to this gallery and gain something from it, whether you are a creator, love the arts or not. It was an experience that I truly appreciated because it’s not every day that I am able to see true African (Nigerian) art. It’s free to enter but they do accept donations.

I was really proud to walk through the gallery, and experience something that I love and enjoy so much in my parent’s homeland. I was proud to walk through and take pictures just so that I can write this blog and brag about my parent’s homeland. America is so quick to tell people how bad places in Africa are but often forget to highlight our accomplishment and how much we are advancing (outside of music).

When we were leaving, I went into the gift shop and Chief Nike was being interviewed by a team of people. She stopped mid-sentence during her interview to tell me that once I am done, she would come outside to take a picture with me in appreciation for me coming to her “home” and wanted me to write about it on my blog (everywhere we went my parents were telling people I had a travel blog lol).

 

Just a fyi: You aren’t allowed to take pictures of the artwork alone; however, you can use it as your background to a picture of yourself or others.