Segun Atanda/
Visual artist, Uzo Njoku, has responded sharply to a petition, purportedly signed in the name of the Oba of Lagos, calling for the cancellation of her upcoming exhibition titled, ‘An Owambe Exhibition’, over accusations of cultural misrepresentation.
The petition, addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and other government officials, claimed the exhibition risked misrepresenting Yoruba traditions and requested that it be cancelled.
It cited a petition from the Yoruba Youth Council and urged stricter oversight and approval for future cultural showcases.
Copies of the letter, dated September 24, 2025, were also said to have been forwarded to the Lagos Police, the Area Command, and leadership of the petitioning bodies.
The petition invoked the name of Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Aremu Akiolu I of Lagos as having directed the cancellation and urged the ministry to act.
When contacted by FIJ, Oba Akiolu expressed confusion about the letter, saying he was not fully aware of the details and asserting that the use of his name in cultural matters normally requires his clearance.
“Everything that has to do with tradition or indigenous Lagos, they have to obtain clearance from me before using my name,” he said.
But he also questioned the identity of individuals “parading themselves as Oloja” and hinted at further clarification to come.
In response, Uzo Njoku denied the claims of cultural distortion, accusing her critics of spreading lies via WhatsApp groups and coordinating bot-driven petitions.
She argued the criticism is inconsistent with how cultural events are typically funded: “I’ve been on consultation calls with art organisations and students from OAU, Unilorin, and EKSU trying everything they can to fund cultural events. Government officials and corporations are telling them they have no interest for months.”
She questioned why, if cultural preservation were a genuine concern, those stakeholders had not been supported earlier.
Njoku framed the petition as a politically motivated smear campaign rather than a sincere cultural intervention.
The exhibition has already drawn significant public attention. Over 10,000 signatures have been collected via an online petition demanding its cancellation, according to reports by Art Network Africa.
Critics allege that Njoku’s blending of Yoruba motifs with global influences, or deployment of colours and patterns reminiscent of other identity movements, is provocative and risks rewriting narratives about Lagosian identity.
Njoku, a Nigerian-American artist rooted in Afrocentric expression, maintains that her exhibit does not aim to supplant or distort Yoruba heritage but to showcase creativity, Lagos vibrancy, and evolving Nigerian identity.
She insists that “Owambe,” a Yoruba term for grand celebrations, is used to convey the spirit of cultural festivity, not exclusivity.
The clash has escalated the dispute from online controversy to official scrutiny.
By entering the fray, the Oba of Lagos has raised the stakes, which may now involve government agencies, cultural regulatory bodies, and traditional authority.
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