Welcome to Nike Centre for Art and Culture Home Page Osogbo, Nigeria

While in Nigeria, there is a particular city call Osogbo in the western part of the country you must not fail to visit. Why visit Osogbo and not the big cities Like Lagos or Ibadan. To answer your question, please see below.
THINKING ABOUT TRAVELLING TO NIGERIA?

Nigeria, which is Africašs most populous Country is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups. There are 36 states in the country and a population of 123,337,822 people.

The official language in the country is English. The three major groups with the highest population are Yoruba, Hausa and Ibo. Nigeria is a huge country and is known for its amazing culture and historical Cities. Every city has its own unique culture and history, and Osogbo is one of these cities with amazing culture.

Why visit Osogbo?

Osogbo is a medium sized city with a population of about 1.5million. Osogbo is one of the towns in Yorubaland that still maintains its traditional status quo. The city is known for its famous traditional festivals that attract thousands of people from all over the world.

One of the most popularly celebrated festival is the Osun Osogbo festival. People travel from Brazil, America, Germany, Austria, Cuba, Great Britain, China and other European Countries to witness this festival.

 

Nike Centre for Arts and Culture A Taste of Nigerian Art

The Nike Centre for Art and Culture was opened in 1983 by Nike Olaniyi Davies in order to create jobs for young Nigerians and to encourage Nigerian women in the arts.

The original idea was similar to the workshops held by Georgina Beier in Osogbo in the 1960's that led to the creation of the "Osogbo School" for artists. Nike acquired her skills as an artist through her parents and great grandmother, who was a cloth weaver, Adire maker and Indigo dyer, and was (Iyalode) head of the village women.

Her father was a basket weaver, leather worker, and traditional musician. Nike started her art work young, the way in those days education was passed on to younger members of the family by their elders in a traditional manner.

She had the first of many International Exhibitions in 1970 and has had Exhibitions and workshops in Nigeria, Africa, Europe, and North America. The Centre currently enrols students, while others are at present making a living selling their work, some have volunteered to stay on and teach up and coming students.

The Centre does not charge a fee for enrolment or teaching the students, sometime feeding and accommodating them free of charge, studio space is also provided.

Students come to the Centre from all parts of Africa Europe America, and Canada. Many of them are rich sources of knowledge, of traditional arts, religion and culture.

The Centre also has ties with the traditionalists throughout Nigeria that serve as resources for those interested in investigating Nigerian traditions in more detail.

Nike Olaniyi

Nike is an African woman artist who uses her richly detailed and arresting batik images to chronicle her society's contradictory views towards women to redress some of the social disadvantages faced by women in her part of African.

Nike has established the Centre for Art and Culture, where on an apprenticeship model is used to train aspiring artists. Her creative marketing techniques help enhance the personnel economic well being of the centres students and artists.

A recent publication "The Woman With The Artistic Brush" A life story of a Yoruba Batik Artist Nike Davies by Kim Marie Vaz (University of South Florida). Accompanied by a video in which Nike discusses the long hard struggle of women, generally, to achieve their dreams and the obstacles facing women artists, in particular.

From :-

  • M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Publishers,
  • 80 Business park Drive,
  • Armonk,
  • NY, USA 10504.

The Video "ADIRE Amongst The Yoruba" is a 45 Minutes work based on the traditional method of Adire and Indigo making in Nigeria.

  • Brochure about the Centre available on request.

Osogbo Address:

  • Old Ede Road
  • P. O. Box 911
  • Osogbo
  • Nigeria
  • Tel: 035-242254

Nike Gallery in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos:
There is also an extension of Nike Art Gallery in Lagos. You can also visit there before making your way to Osogbo.

Lagos Address:

A TRIP TO THE VALLEY OF MOUNTAINS

  

Factory in Ogidi:

OGIDI - Is a village some 40 km from the first capital of Nigeria were Rivers Niger and Benue met - confluence. It is a village surrounded by hills and has been variously described as a "Valley of Mountains" "The Rock Village" etc.

Because of this peculiar topography the Indigo tree (ELU) grow widely in such a way that virtually all the women were involved in the act of Indigo dying. Weaving isanother predominant trade mark of the Ogidi women.

While the men grow cotton the women harvest, spurned and weave the cotton into cloth on the vertical loom. Nike has a weaving workshop in Ogidi with about 40 weavers and students.

Pottery was also very prominent among the women of Ogidi. The red earth of Ogidi was a ready raw material for this unique art form. Historically Ogidi is reputed to have put a final stop to the advance of the Fulani/Nupe conquest of the early 19th century,

Relics of these still abounds all over Ogidi for tourist to see. The people were living on the surrounding mountains before they finally choose were they are now. These various settlements can still be seen with the relics of an old settlement.

Traditional festivals and dances is still practised today especially among the women. They drum, sing and dance till they are taken over by the spirit who now control them with a unique language. All these are tourist delight.

FESTIVALS IN OSOGBO:

1. EGUNGUN FESTIVAL

2. OYA FESTIVAL

3. OSUN FESTIVAL.

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS:

1. IDI-BABA

2. OSUN SHRINE

3. IGBO-EPA
  WHAT IS THERE TO SEE IN OSOGBO?

The Osun Osogbo Festival is a yearly event and takes place around August/September.

The festival Day

As you can see from the picture, thousands of spectators make their way to the shrine.

Entertainment in the shrine:

While in the shrine, cultural groups from different part of the city and neighboring towns come to perform for the king of Osogbo and his guests, and all other spectators. If you really want to have fun, then I recommend that you go there.

Places to visit on non-festival days:

The Osun Grove: You will be amazed what you find there. As you can see from the pictures, there are fantastic sculptural works by famous Osogbo artist.
Nike Art Gallery ( Centre for Art & Culture) is situated opposite Dada Estate Osogbo.  

What is there in the Gallery?

Workshop studios:

Student do a variety of arts works in the studios which are exhibited in the Gallery at Osogbo and Lagos

Accommodation:

You do not have to worry about where to stay. There are beautiful and luxurious rooms for visitors, and you are guaranteed an excellent service.

You can always contact the management to book a room/rooms

Transportation:

There is a van and a driver available to take visitors to different parts of the Country.

It is also possible to arrange if required to meet visitors at the Airport.

Entertainment/Cultural Events:

Part of our services is to make sure our visitors are happy, so if required cultural groups can be arranged to perform for the visitors as you can see from the picture.

Osogbo Address:

  • Old Ede Road
  • P. O. Box 911
  • Osogbo
  • Nigeria
  • Tel: 035-242254
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