Nigerian Art Exhibition Caps Ambassador’s Atlanta Visit, Deepens Cultural Bonds 

Nigerian Consul General Amina Smaila welcomed guests to her Buckhead residence May 25 for a reception showcasing the works of Nigerian artists, a fitting finale to an Atlanta visit by the country’s first female ambassador to the United States. 

Curated by the Nike Art Gallery in Lagos, the “Nigeria Speaks” exhibition of contemporary art highlighted the “breadth and richness of Nigerian culture, arts, creativity, literature, languages and other forms of expressions,” with a particularly sharp focus on how women carry much of life’s daily load across Africa.

The pieces on display were drawn from more than 8,000 pieces in proprietress Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike (Nike) Okundaye’s gallery in Lagos, a sister city of Atlanta and the commercial hub of Africa’s largest economy.

Mrs. Okundaye was on hand for the unveiling at the residence, lending her own art and pieces by others depicting the hopes and aspirations of the African people, especially women balancing the challenges of raising families and striving for economic advancement, both individually and for the benefit of their nations.

In addition to her prolific painting and her work building and promoting art centers as a means to women’s empowerment, the Mrs. Okundaye has been advocate for traditional textiles like adire, a form native to southwest Nigeria.

Also present at the reception was Ambassador Uzoma Emenike, who was tapped in May 2021 as Nigeria’s first female envoy to the United States. Before arriving here, she was ambassador in Ireland with a concurrent appointment to Iceland. Traveling with her were members of Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism and cultural authorities.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Emenike gave an address to the Atlanta Council on International Relations and met with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to discuss developing deeper ties in trade, tourism, cultural development, film and female entrepreneurship.

In a program for the event, Dr. Smaila said that “Nigeria Speaks” does in fact speak volumes about her homeland.

“Whether in art, music, poetry, spoken word, drama or theatre of films, creativity has increasingly become the most valued tool for the expression of our identity as Africans,” Dr. Smaila, the consul general said. 

She added that the arts have become an important avenue for correcting distorted perceptions stemming from the fact that Africans — and Black people more broadly — have been historically marginalized in film and culture.

Atlanta will soon get a front-row seat to a major step in the internationalization of Nigeria’s entertainment sector, the consul general said. It will host the 15th annual Headies, a Nigerian awards ceremony recognizing excellence in Afrobeats. This year’s event will be held for the first time outside the African nation on Sunday, Sept. 4, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. 

“The Headies shows the power of collaboration between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Nigeria when it comes to promoting socio-cultural activities,” Dr. Smaila said. 

The Atlanta arts event and ambassador visit was held one week after the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, hosted Nigerian entertainers for a similar reception at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos to celebrate the Headies’ voyage to the U.S. Organizers said Atlanta was picked thanks to its large African diaspora and its status as a major U.S. hub for hip-hop and film, according to reports.

Owing to Dr. Smaila’s invitation, a number of Atlanta-based diplomats turned out to support the art exhibition, along with members of prominent Africa-focused business and trade organizations.

Learn more about “Nigeria Speaks” in the news release here.