By Kehinde Adepegba
On Wednesday October 30, 2013, Akeem Alani Balogun (1960-2013), a prominent Nigerian visual artist bided the world goodbye. This sad occurrence took place in in far-away India, where he had been flown two weeks earlier for surgery on a heart-related ailment.
On Wednesday October 30, 2013, Akeem Alani Balogun (1960-2013), a prominent Nigerian visual artist bided the world goodbye. This sad occurrence took place in in far-away India, where he had been flown two weeks earlier for surgery on a heart-related ailment.
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| Akeem Balogun (October 8, 1960-October 30, 2013) |
Until his death Balogun was a Principal
Lecturer in the Department of Art and Industrial Design, Lagos State
Polytechnic. His burial, which was in accordance with Muslim rites on Saturday November
3, 2013, was witnessed by hundreds of sympathizers who came from all walks of
life to pay their last respects at the Muslim burial ground in Ikorodu.
The news of Balogun’s death was shocking and devastating to the
Polytechnic and the visual art communities where he belonged as a perceptive
art teacher and practising artist respectively. Friends, family members, staff
of Lagos State Polytechnic and professional colleagues of Akeem Balogun have
since been posting their various comments on Facebook. Stephen Folaranmi of the
Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife on
behalf of the department and Mufu Onifade of National Gallery of Art, Abuja on
behalf of the visual art community issued official statements on Thursday October
31, 2013 on the news of Balogun’ death and the vacuum that would be created by
his untimely departure.
Balogun, 53, was born on October 8,
1960. He started his art career at the Federal College of Education, Kotangora
in 1982, where he obtained his National Certificate of Education (NCE) in 1985.
He proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria between 1985-1988 for his BA
degree in Fine Arts, specialising in painting and Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife between 2003-2007 for his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. His
Doctorate degree at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, which was focused on
Aesthetics in Yoruba Art, was still on before his death.
Balogun began his teaching career at
Lagos State Polytechnic in 1992 as Lecturer III in the Department of Art and
Design (now Art and Industrial Design), where he has proven his mettle as an
astute art teacher and art administrator. Balogun had served as Head of Department on more than two
occasions and has also served in many committees in the School of Environmental
Studies and in the Polytechnic at large. During his first tenure as Head of the
Department, he did all in his power to ensure an increase in students’
enrolment to the Department by organising and financing art seminars in
secondary schools in Ikorodu and its environs. The Department is still reaping
from this selfless labour.
As
an artist, Balogun was popular for his expressive style of painting. He was one
of very few artists who formed the habit of carrying sketchpads wherever they
go. Through this routine, he left many drawings to his credit. He often
demonstrated his lessons to his class. He had staged a couple of solo
exhibitions and had taken part in many group art shows and has executed a
number of private and public art projects. He was full member of Society of
Nigerian Artists (SNA) Lagos chapter, which he served as an executive member
and in its various committees. As a scholar, he had contributed to journals and
other publications on the practice and theory of art. He was a recipient of
many awards for his visual art practice and leadership in the art sector.
The Department of Art and
Industrial Design has lost a strong member and the Polytechnic did not only
lose a staff, it has lost an elected representative of the Congress to the
Academic Board. We will remember him for his simplicity, humility and
generosity. He taught us the virtues of hard work and dedication to service. He
was quick to encourage and advice. He was always willing to share his
experience and knowledge. He wanted everyone around him to enjoy whatever he
found to be good. It must be noted that he did not joke with his prayers as a
Muslim faithful.
Family members, friends, associates,
Lagos State Polytechnic staff and the visual art community members with whom he
had lived a humble and exemplary life will fondly remember Akeem Balogun who
was survived by wife and children. May God grant his family the fortitude to
bear this great loss and may his soul rest in peace. Farewell Akeem.
Kehinde Adepegba is of the Department of Art and Industrial
Design, Lagos State Polytechnic Ikorodu.
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