Sculptor
Lagos, Aug. 2, 2013 A renowned Sculptor, Bisi Fakeye, on Friday, regretted the ways and manner all tiers of government in the country neglected the arts sector.
Fakeye said this in Lagos and urged art students not to run away from carving but embrace it and painting in order to be self-employed.
``This concerns every Nigerian. When you don’t value your things and foreigners do it for you, you can’t claim that they are cheating us; we are the one cheating yourself.
``The act of creativity is from God. God has blessed this country with great men who are creative. It is our duty as a country to tap into it and wake up from our lethargy,” he said.
Fakeye, a.k.a. ``gbegilere``, meaning carver, said that teachers of sculpture should be encouraged in the nation’s tertiary institutions so that the students could imbibe the right attitude to work.
``No stone should be left unturned to allow sculpture to take a back stage. It should be treated very well as painting, `` Fakeye said.
The sculptor stressed that other countries don’t toy with their arts, adding that they could even go to war because of it.
``I always portray Nigeria as a loving country that has people of great potential. I have been doing all within me to further enhance the status of my country, nationally and internationally through carving.
``God has given us good creative minds in Nigeria, we should not abuse it but give them their rightful place so that they can be where they should be, `` he said.
Fakeye is of the sixth generation of the family of woodcarvers in Ila Orogun, Osun State,
He has placed Nigeria on international arts pedestal with his exhibition debut under the American Society of African Culture (AMSAC) which saw him appearing in newspapers way back in 1963 when he was just 21 years of age.
He has been involved in some solo and group exhibitions locally and internationally.
He is one of the in-house sculptors of the German Cultural Institute.
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