Olu Ajayi: The Master Colourist, Philosopher Painter Returns Home in Flying Colours

By Orobosa Omo-Ojo JP

Olu Ajayi was an excellent Nigerian professional artist, painter, cartoonist, and art reviewer, with experience lasting over 40 years in studio practice and Art administration.

He served Nigeria as chairman of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Lagos State chapter and was a trustee of the Guild of Professional Artists of Nigeria. 

This departed genius was part of the 1980 class of the School of Arts and designs, Auchi Polytechnic. Olu was so good even in our introductory General Arts Class that his course mates—including me (Orobosa) will abandon our boards and donkeys to watch him perform magic with any medium—pastel, pen, pencil, watercolour and even markers.

Four years down the line, he graduated with distinction—winning the best price.

Olu quickly became a Merveric painter, with a believable sense of knowledge arrogance, that reminded art collectors of the famous 18th century renaissance artists like Fillipo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Jan van Eyck and others.

For obvious reasons, I quickly realised that he was heading for stardom and saved to collect few of his works along with some of my other course mates who specialized in sculpture. Few years on, Olu works became much sort after—he became a ‘deity’, his works became rarely available for collectors.

We maintained a mutual respectful relationship, especially as both of us were critical observers of a confused Nigerian society—always stretching subjects to their elasticity ends. Olu will raise a topic and sometimes stresses me to near snapping only to say: “Ojo, you too much.” Such was his level of intellectual strength.

His visit to the Tribal Heritage Centre, which I founded in Benin City, would always end up in painting clinics. Olu was such a motivator and effective mentor to both his friends, young and old.

“I hear say you get Osaghae paintings for here”, Olu oppressivelly asked asked me at another visit to @tribalheritagecentre. Yes! I showed him two framed paintings. How much? Olu asked. He eventually bought the two jobs and few days after, another great painter, Humble Igbinigie broke the news of Osaghae’s death in Lagos.

By the time I reached out to Olu to buy back Osaghae’s paintings, he was in Rome with the paintings and asked me to forget the offer I made to have them back. Such was the tenacity he brought into what I call ‘Artivism’.

When I went back to studio painting some years back, Olu assumed the role of my critic free of charge. We will spend hours online casting titles for my paintings.

I was glad when he started his Doctorate program at the University of Benin, because I thought his closeness will avail me opportunity to be his ‘studio assistant’ and by extension, glean one or two works, I was wrong. Even those with deep pockets must work hard to acquire Olu’s tiniest pieces.

One day, from nowhere, he phoned me…”Ojo, where you dey? I wan dash you something.” He came over to the Museum House at Tribal Heritage Center and sold a radical abstracted oil on canvas work to me at discounted cost.

In 2024, I sold that work to Chief Dan Orbih, the ardent art collector along with other priceless paintings and bronze works. In one of his visits to my Benin City office, he saw one of his works that I bought from him in 1992 when his studio was at the National Art Gallery, Igunmu, Lagos. The oil on board landscape painting depicts marauding herdsmen. We were still negotiating a buy-back terms before his sudden demise.

We did not agree on all fronts. Like with all eccentric opinionated scholars, we argued severally on the issues of good leadership, national failures and reminded ourselves of the good days. We argued most morning, especially after clicking on Midwest Herald link to read a story that defended any overtly misfit politicians.

“Ojo, you are more than this,” Olu will say. When I accepted the offer from Senator Monday Okpebholo to become his spokesman as Director of Publicity for the APC Governorship Campaign in Edo State, my relationship with Olu strained. He spared no ‘rod’ to remind me where I was coming from and for our mutuality in progressive governance, I understood his concerns, but assured him that, all will be well.

When our mutual friend, Prof John Ogene, Deputy Vice Chancellor Emeritus
University of Benin sent a message to intimate of Olu’s health challenges, I was greeted by a sore fear, because of his rigours.

Sadly, my fear became a scarier about six months after.

Olu-men, you were the rarest skillful colourist and scholar who redefined Art as the ‘interpretation’, ‘representation’ and ‘expression’ of ‘forms’—inanimate, life, crazy or normative behaviour and arguments which set you apart from the artist that paints for decorative purposes alone.

Journey well my stoical contemporary impressionist who toiled and left his indelible mark on the global arts society.

The walls of museums and homes around the world will remind those living now, and others to come, that from the rocky hills of Ososo came a brilliant artist and philosopher—’Dr.’ Olu Ajayi!!!

Orobosa Omo-Ojo, Justice of the Peace, is the Publisher, Midwest Herald; Founder, Tribal Heritage Center; and Museum House Benin City, Nigeria

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