The Reimagining Hope Residency is an immersive 6-week program designed to bring together 20 exceptional visual, sculptural, and digital artists from across Nigeria. The residency serves as a catalyst for artistic innovation, cultural preservation, and social transformation, encouraging artists to interpret and address Nigeria’s social, cultural, and developmental challenges through creative expression.

This fully funded art residency program is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, in collaboration with MADhouse by Tikera Africa and supported by Clap Nigeria.

A cursory walk-through the body of work created during the 6 weeks ‘Reimagining Hope Residency; jolts the mind and provokes deep personal appraisal thoughts. Several questions arise hinged mainly on what could be the ideas powering these works. We are greeted with a strong display of material dexterity that carries a lot of meaning by their existence.

We ask, why these artists have chosen to go this route. The word “Reimagining” itself connotes a rethinking and redoing of sorts. The very sort of action we are being called upon as a nation to embark on. This statement is an attempt at critical analysis of the work created by 19 very talented and daring visual artists, drawn from across the country.

It provides an overview that gives a deeper understanding of the underlying philosophy, thinking and perspective built on the very foundations of hope. It is a festival of art, taking a bold stand that serves not only as a pedestal, but as an inspiration to a generation of Nigerian Artists.

Before we proceed, we must first understand that artists take inspiration from a wide range of subjects and hope itself yet presents a range of possible conceptual  in-roads to travel. In this residency, the curatorial and mentorship slant from get go has been to explore that which is monumental – not just in size, but in meaning and materiality.

These words throw up images of the gargantuan but that’s not what this is all about, look closely – look. Connect with the works, feel and a conversation reveals the different pathways that have been taken to achieve the ‘monumental’.

The word has taken shape and expressed in different ways. Why monumental? One may ask, especially in today’s art world filled with an army of very bright minds all doing the same thing – a response to the limiting dictates of an industry yet burgeoning.  

These 19 artists have taken a stand and made a bold statement in the works they’ve created. Ehinomen Okoeki chose to interpret hope from the lens of a child’s eyes in his layered plexiglass collage art. Putting together different parts to form a whole, reflecting hope as something that cuts across fragile and in most cases, invisible boundaries.

Faith Omole, pays tribute to the quiet power of unity, celebration, and continuity within Nigerian culture. Her works are rooted in the vibrant spirit of Owambe; honoring the language of elegant attires, traditional beads, music, and movement—symbols not only of festivity, but of identity, memory, and belonging. Her patience with every stroke bears the hallmark of our legends.

Israel Padonu’s work bridges the realms of consciousness and subconsciousness, his semi-abstract figurative work explores the fluid interplay between thought, action, and the shaping of human reality. His layering and building up to a vibrant colour burst is akin to the Nigerian spirit enterprise.  

Joseph Olabisi sees hope in a world where people silently carry dreams and ambitions in their hearts. His work explores the emotional and psychological state of individuals who constantly yearn for transformation, success, or recognition but fail to take the necessary steps to realise those hopes. 

Kehinde Akanni’s terracotta work reimagines the traditional Gelede mask, a revered symbol in Yoruba culture that honors the wisdom, strength, and societal roles of women. 

Chinedum Muotto’s body of work emerges from the intersection of justice, gender, and geography. Cutting across very familiar scenes of Nigerian women—Igbo, Ogoni, Hausa, Kanuri, and Fulani. His works are not just symbolic figures, they are agents of renewal. 

Stephanie Kwaghe’s work examines the resilience of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty, loss, and change. Her unique layered textures, symbolic materials, and contrasting tones captures the process of reconstructing hope from fragments, transforming despair into possibility. Each piece serves as a meditation on renewal, offering a visual narrative where brokenness gives way to beauty and silence makes space for light. The artists have indeed created magic within the ever present constraints.
Raniel Adeka’s work delves into tapestry of Nigerian fabrics, revealing encoded layers of illustrated meaning.   

Jonathan Ikpoza’s pixelated and fluid flow compositions exude deep sculptural qualities, yet very arresting to the eyes and mind. His work breaks away from the conventional shapes and here we see canvas paintings morph into centerpiece installations. His subjects, a surrealistic blend of edged figures in conversation with the famous masks from Africa.

Famous Umobuarie explores the ‘halo’ as a strong indication of the sacred, presenting a Nigerian sanctity. Coloured in bright yellow, the circle halos remind us that we are all powerful beings, with capacities beyond our physical imagination. His works present the everyday Nigerian boy as a living ‘orthodox’ saint.

Rebecca Akindunjoye weaves it all together, threading the very ropes that bind us as a nation. She carefully blends photography, acrylic paints and embroidery threads. Her dexterity with the thread points to a craft that has been passed down in her lineage.

Mohammed Salim Abdulrazaaq represents an age-old Arabic tradition of Almajiri, exposing its real meaning, intent and sacredness. Focused on the ‘Almajiri’ culture, his works questions the conventional notions held widely about a culture that otherwise breeds highly intellectual men carrying hope and inspiring leadership.

Tolu Raymond Awolaja takes us down memory lane, leading us through a nostalgic past of the good ol’ 80s. Working with pieces of cloth from his mothers ‘bottom box’,  his collection tells a story of what was and can be.

Godwin Rotimi explores the pattern connections between the seen and unseen, flora and fauna. His body of work revolves around mythology, symbolism, and identity. Representing Nigeria’s diverse ethnicities, they suggest that our hope is not distant—it is being continually  shaped. He has not only created art that represents hope, they activate it.

Sadiq Abimbola Rukayat creates layers, on layers of colour, exploring teams of being, of relationships that matter, of moments that bond. She digs deep and captures the moments that matter in our lives. The times hope is created, shared and fed on.

Jude Ukadilonu looks into the passing on of being – of rebirthing oneself, handing down who we are encoded in our DNA, from one generation to next. His works bear the tell tale signs of resilience and continuity.

Segun Okewumi has transformed the very tactile, malleable and solid metal in his reimaging of plant life as a panacea for hope. Bringing to life what was once dead. His works blurs the line between metal alloys and plant formations.

Olailekan Akinsola in his unique palette coloured works, places his Nigerian figures in an esoteric space that is all reminiscent of renaissance art – yet very ultra-contemporary. 

Ibukunoluwa Oyebola’s work strings it all together, connecting all the dots that hope emanates from. Her knack for experimentation clearly points to only one direction – greatness. She and indeed all the residents have all exhibited a high level of understanding, and interpretation of what a ‘Reimagined’ hope would look like.

In drawing the curtain, the Reimagining Hope Residency has indeed opened Pandora’s box and set the stage for what is to become a significant part of the global contemporary art world. The artists have clearly demonstrated through their work, their love for art, the unknown, uncharted waters and indeed hope and love for country.

The experience is a transformative one and further heightened in the output of these 19 brilliant ambassadors. They’ve all emerged from a state of knowing, not knowing, daring, experimenting, research, despair, hope and deep contemplation, energized by a dream to make their mark and due contributions to nation building. In them, through their work, we are encouraged to remain steadfast in the journey towards a reimagined hope that is here!

I present to you, the ‘Eko Militants’