A-ARTs: Sculptors association confirms Ato Arinze as new president

Ato Arinze, new President, Sculptors association of Nigeria (ScAN).

By Ola Alowoloke

SCULPTORS Association of Nigeria, ScAN, has announced Ato Arinze, as the 4th substantive president of the professional group. The announcement was made by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of ScAN on December 17 2025, at the virtual 4th Annual General Meeting of the association.

Following his appointment by the BoT as an interim president, in March 2025, Sculptor Arinze has been serving in Acting capacity. According to the Secretary General of ScAN, Sculptor Emmanuel Ubamadu, the new appointment comes as a unanimous decision of the BoT to ratify Arinze from interim leadership, to a full substantive tenure based on his outstanding performance in the outgoing year. "He will now serve additional 2 years to complete his full tenure."

Sculptor Arinze is a distinguished Nigerian potter known for his passion in realism and abstract artistic contents. Deeply rooted in his environment, his works reflect societal issues, drawing inspiration from nature and everyday life. Ato views the artist’s role as that of a journalist—observing, interpreting, and documenting the human experience through form and texture.

With a career spanning over three decades, he has been a full-time studio artist since 1992, working from his studio in Ayobo, Lagos. He is celebrated for his mastery in ceramics and sculpture, especially his expressive portraits and large-scale commissions. His technical skill and conceptual depth have earned him numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the visual arts.

Ato's journey as an artist started in Zixton Secondary School, Ozobulu in Anambra State. After high school he furthered his training in Anambra State Polytechnic, Oko; then later completed his studies at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos with specialization in Sculpture.

He is the Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Visions in Clay Artists Network (VICAN), and Coordinator of the Artzero Group—both platforms dedicated to the promotion of contemporary Nigerian art.

He was recently elected and confirmed as the President of the Sculptors Association of Nigeria. He is widely respected as a mentor to many emerging artists.

His works have been showcased in numerous exhibitions and are part of public and private collections both within Nigeria and internationally. Through his art and leadership, Ato Arinze continues to shape and inspire the future of sculpture and ceramics in Nigeria.

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