June 13, 2026
Okurin Meta by Akinokun Isaiah Abiola
By Osa Mbonu-Amadi
In a troubled country like Nigeria, artists who fail to use their work to address the problems of the society miss a significant aspect of the duty of an artist. It appears the Nigerian-born UK-based visual artist, Akinokun Isaiah Abiola, has taken that advice. It was the same advice the civil rights activist, Sandra Izsadore (also known as Sandra Smith), gave to Fela Anikolapo Kuti in 1969 during Fela’s 10-month tour of the United States. Fela took that advice, and it gave birth to the Nigerian international music genre known today as Afrobeat.
While Fela’s heed to that piece of advice led him to create Afrobeat, Abiola’s resulted in the creation of Arodan, Okunrin Meta, and Jagun Jagun, which are part of his Before, During and After Conflict series. The works do not only address the prevailing insecurity in Nigeria, but also call all citizens to take action.
