Erhabor Emokpae
Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae (9 May 1934 – 16 February 1984) was a Nigerian sculptor, muralist, graphic artist and painter who is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern arts in Nigeria. Some of his notable works include the a bronze replica of the ivory mask of Queen Idia that was used as the official emblem of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77) and a popular painting of Queen Amina. He is also responsible for the decorations on the four entrances of the National Arts Theatre, in Lagos.
Also recorded as Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae
Erhabor Emokpae
- Name
- Erhabor Emokpae
- Birth Name
- Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae
- Born
- 9 May 1934
- Birthplace
- Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
- Died
- 16 February 1984
- Place of death
- Lagos State, Nigeria
- Movement
- Society of Nigeria Artists Lagos Arts Council
- Nationality
- Nigeria
- Occupation
- sculptor · graphic artist · painter
- Movements
- dualism · realism
- Education
- Yaba College of Technology
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Erhabor Emokpae • Honorific Suffix — OON • Birth Name — Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae • Born — 9 May 1934 • Birthplace — Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria • Died — 16 February 1984 • Place of death — Lagos State, Nigeria • Resting Place — Benin City, Nigeria • Alma Mater — Yaba Trade Centre • Notable Works — FESTAC '77 emblem Oil painting of Queen Amina Frieze decorations at National Arts Theatre • Style — * Dualism • realism • imperialism • Movement — Society of Nigeria Artists Lagos Arts Council
Early life and education
Early life and education
Erhabor Emokpae, a native of Oredo local government area in Edo State, was born on 9 May 1934, his father was a Bini Palace chief Ewekagosadoba and his mother was a Muslim from Benin City. After completing his basic education at the local Government School, Benin, in 1949, Emokpae entered Western Boys High School, Benin, that same year, leaving in 1951. He proceeded to study art at the Government Trade Centre (now Yaba College of Technology) in Lagos from 1951 to 1953. He went on to study art in England in 1963. The background of his upbringing made him dwell on themes of dualism in most of his artworks.
Career
Career
After graduating from Yaba Trade Centre, Emokpae participated in the 1950 Festival of Arts exhibition in Lagos, before going on to work as a trainee and commercial artist between 1954 and 1958 at the Ministry of Information in Enugu, after he was employed as an artist by the Federal Ministry of Information in 1953. In 1958, he moved to Lagos and was employed by the West African Publicity (now Lintas West Africa, Lagos) as a creative visual artist. He went on to be promoted as the Senior Creative Advertisement Visual Artist in 1966, and in 1973 he became the Creative Director of the firm. He is regarded as one of the founding members of the Society of Nigerian Artists, an association in which he went on to hold the post of secretary from 1967 to 1975. He was also a member of the Lagos Arts Council and held the position of secretary in 1965.
Works and exhibitions
Works and exhibitions
During his lifetime, Emokpae initiated and held many exhibitions in several countries including Nigeria, West Germany, England and Brazil. He also took part in joint exhibitions including the Contemporary African Art, Camden Art Centre, London, the Contemporary Nigerian Prints and Painting and the University of Ife's "4th Ife Festival of the Arts Gallery" in 1971. In 1973, he produced a replica of the Benin ivory mask as the official emblem for the FESTAC 77. He was also commissioned to design bronze decorations at the frieze and entrances of the National Arts Theatre in 1974.
Recognition
Recognition
In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred with the Officer of the Order of the Niger by Shehu Shagari in 1980.
Personal life
Personal life
His son Isaac Emokpae is also a notable painter and artist.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Benin City.
Birth place
Lagos State.
Death place
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Erhabor Emokpae, revision 1357065309 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.St. James Press. St. James Guide to Black Artists. 1997. 978-1-55862-220-3.
- 2.Scarecrow Press. Historical Dictionary of Nigeria. 369. 1 July 2009. 978-0-8108-6316-3.
- 3.Nelson Publishers. The Humanities and National Development in Nigeria. 1991. 978-978-126-175-6.
- 4.Published by Africa Books Limited. Makers of modern Africa : profiles in history. 1991. 0-903274-18-3.
- 5.Jean Kennedy. NEW CURRENTS ANCIENT RIVERS. Smithsonian Institution Press. 17 July 1992. 978-1-56098-037-7.
- 6.Juliet Highet. "Five Nigerian Artists, Five Nigerian Artists", African Arts, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Winter 1969), pp. 34–41.
- 7.Dele Jegede. The Essential Emokpae.
- 8.Nigeria Magazine. 1966.
- 9.Edward Harland Duckworth. Nigeria Magazine. Government of Nigeria. 1984.
- 10.Nzoiwu Azuka Abigael. The Life and Art of Erhabor Emokpae: A case study of National Theatre. African Journals Online.
- 11.OYASAF. Erhabor Emokpae. March 2024.
- 12.Christopher Osadiaye Orumwese Ugowe. Eminent Nigerians of the twentieth century. Hugo Books. 2000. 978-978-33328-3-6.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
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