Isiaka Adams Osunde (1936 – 2010)
Isiaka Osunde, as a lecturer at Yaba College of Technology from 1964 to 1984, played a pivotal role in shaping the Yaba Art School alongside Yusuf Grillo and Kolade Oshinowo, nurturing emerging talents like Abiodun Olaku, Bunmi Babatunde, and Edosa Ogiugo. He rightfully earned his place among esteemed sculptors such as Erhabor Emokpae, Ben Osawe, and Felix Idubor, known for their innovative contributions to Nigerian sculptural art.
Osunde was born on December 27, 1936. He began his artistic journey at the Yaba Technical Institute in Lagos from 1955 to 1957, followed by a brief stint at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria. His pursuit of further education led him to Ukraine, where he studied at Kiev State University from 1960 to 1961 before moving to the Academy of Fine Art in Leningrad, USSR, from 1961 to 1964, earning an MFA in sculpture.
Osunde’s prominence in local and international exhibition circuits solidified his position as a leading contemporary Nigerian artist. He actively participated in significant exhibitions worldwide, including the Nigerian independence celebrations’ commemorative exhibition “Contemporary Nigerian Art” in 1960 and the second Indian Triennial in New Delhi in 1971. Notable exhibitions featuring his works include the National Art Exhibition, FESTAC ’77, and numerous others held in Lagos and beyond.
Among his commissioned works are a mosaic mural at the International Labour Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, sculptures at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana, and various pieces displayed at institutions worldwide, including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
Osunde’s enduring legacy, persisting long after his passing in 2010, serves as a testament to his remarkable talent and dedication.