My people, let me yarn you the story wey sweet for body! Na so this respected artist dem, Demas Nwoko, wey just clock 90 years, dey talk about him life journey from him come from Idumuje-Ugboko to dem global recognition wahala! Dis man sabi wetin e dey talk, and the way him talk am go make you feel say na your papa dey yarn.

One interesting thing wey Demas gree talk be say, him no go fit define him own life’s work. Na people wey don see wetin e do go fit yarn that one. To him, life no dey stress am! E thank God say e dey alive and e fit do wetin e sabi do. Him talk say, ‘I believe say I was created to serve my country and the world at large,’ and who no go respect dat kind humility?

Wey all of us sabi say him background na fine art, the man use am take build him architectural style. He no dey follow foreign templates; na local model him dey draw inspiration from. Demas talk say, ‘I never repeat a design,’ and that one na big tea! Each of him buildings be like fresh painting wey dey tell different stories. E no just dey build for money, but to bring comfort and spirit to the space.

As theatre design dey play big role for him work, you fit see wetin I dey talk. E sabi how to create spaces wey fit have vibe for public and sacred places. Our brother don turn masquerades and everything wey make sense for our culture to sabi decoration experiences wey go resonate with people.

Dis man don set example say e no need to run go Europe or America to shine. Demas turn down international opera career just to contribute to Nigeria’s theatre. ‘I went to France to learn, not to find work,’ na wetin him talk. Him don spend lifetime dey build, open schools, and help young Nigerian artists find their way without copying foreign styles.

Demas dey preach sustainability like say e be preacher! E talk say the traditional housing models wey everybody dey enjoy before colonial rule don change how we dey manage space today. Demas no just dey complain; him dey show us how we fit return to our roots to fix wetin no dey work. Him dey remind us say, ‘The cooperative system wey build houses for everybody na the correct model!’

Abeg, any young Nigerian wey wan make sense for creative industry, no carry eye dey look wetin dem dey do abroad. Demas don show us say, originality na the key. E dey urge us to ‘create our own institutions’ and make wetin fit work for us. If you dey follow trend, no expect say innovation go happen. You fit dey wonder, but na your personal vision na im go make you stand out.

With all dis juice wey Demas don drop, one thing clear be say anybody wey wan make impact for Nigeria needs to focus on our culture, be authentic and innovate based on wetin dey work for our environment. Na dis kind tori go help us grow, no be to dey follow foreign models wey no fit last for our unique community!