NAN-H-16
Support
By Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, March 8, 2017 (NAN) An artist, Mrs Nike Okundaye, is seeking financial support to build an artists’ village in Abuja to boost her 40 years of work and training.
Okundaye, the Chief Executive Officer, Nike Arts Gallery, Lagos, said that the village, expected to have a textile museum, theatre, cinema hall, library, lecture rooms, gallery and more, would also promote tourism.
The artist spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.
“I have spent over 40 years of my life empowering women in different forms of arts such as embroidery, `adire’, batik and bead making as well as in dancing, painting and sculpturing.
“I have training centres in Osogbo, Ogidi, Abuja and Lagos, and I have students coming from various Nigerian universities to have their industrial training. This is done free,’’ she said.
“If I can get assistance, I will build a village that has a textile museum, acting theatre, cinema hall, library, lecture rooms, gallery and more,’’ she told NAN.
She said that she had acquired six hectares of land and needed funds to build the village.
“Now I have the desired space but have no money to build the village.’’
Okundaye, who said that the architectural design for the village had been completed, hoped that it would be an exhibition arena for works of arts.
She said that the desired village would accommodate many artists and boost their productivity, create jobs and reduce crime.
Okundaye appealed to governments and well-meaning individuals, groups and corporate organisations to assist her. (NAN)
PTB/COF/IGO
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(Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Ijeoma Popoola)