86-Year-Old Artist Accuses Ex-Ekiti First Lady of Seizing Unpaid Multi-Million-Naira Artworks

ADO-EKITI—Elder Emmanuel Oladunjoye Abejide, an 86-year-old pioneer Nigerian visual artist and retired Assistant Director of Ethnography at Nigeria’s National Museums, has leveled explosive allegations against Erelu Bisi Fayemi, wife of former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi. He claims she and state arts officials collected four of his multi-million-naira artworks from a 2020 exhibition without payment or return, leaving him in the dark four years later.

The dispute stems from the Society of Ekiti Contemporary Artists (SOECA) exhibition “Steady Strides,” held October 14-17, 2020, at Adetiloye Hall in Ado-Ekiti. Sponsored by Erelu Fayemi to celebrate two years of her husband’s second term, the event drew external jurors from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the University of Benin to select the top 10 works.

Abejide’s lightweight sculpture Seven Yams on Stake clinched second place, earning N100,000, while Isan Pottery Market took seventh for N50,000. Erelu Fayemi presented the prizes publicly. But Abejide alleges that during a second tour of the exhibits, she selected additional pieces for purchase, including two more of his: Jakan Embroidery and Boko Haram.

ADVERTISEMENT

Entourage members then gathered the top 10 winners plus selected extras, promising a later meeting to negotiate prices. Artists labeled their proposed values—Abejide priced his four at N600,000 (Seven Yams), N750,000 (Isan Pottery), N750,000 (Jakan Embroidery), and N1.1 million (Boko Haram), totaling over N3 million.

The artworks stayed in the hall post-exhibition for a gubernatorial event, and no meeting occurred. Abejide’s follow-ups hit dead ends. A November 2020 call from first-prize winner Mr. Adesina hinted at an upcoming panel, but it never materialized—amid the #EndSARS protests that rocked Ekiti facilities.

Official responses were evasive. Ganiyu T.I., then Permanent Secretary of the Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture, acknowledged the collection but denied responsibility. SOECA’s Prince Osasona Caleb claimed ignorance, while Secretary Prof. Mike Adeoye cited a missing work of his own, blaming #EndSARS looting rumors. Former Commissioner Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare insisted no formal agreement existed, absolving the ministry.

Direct outreach to Erelu Fayemi—via calls, WhatsApp, and office visits—yielded nothing. Neither she nor her foundation, known for arts patronage like the Ekiti Women’s Festival, has publicly addressed the claim. Abejide, whose career spans curating Owo and Akure museums and exhibiting multidimensional works nationwide, laments: “I lost four pieces; others lost one or two. I’m the most affected.”

As of January 2026, no artworks or payments have surfaced, despite Abejide’s persistent tracing. Ekiti arts officials did not respond to recent inquiries. The saga spotlights gaps in artist protections during state-backed events, echoing broader calls for transparent cultural funding in Nigeria.