Akinola Lasekan: Nigeria’s First Modern Painter

Early Life and Background

Akinola Lasekan was born in 1916 in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. He trained initially as a sign painter, book illustrator, and textile designer, before formally studying art through correspondence with the Hampson Correspondence Art College in London.

His unique path — combining practical craft, illustration, and academic study — made him one of the earliest Nigerian artists to bridge traditional crafts and Western-style fine arts.

Artistic Career

Illustrator and Cartoonist

In the 1940s, Lasekan worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for newspapers, where his satirical drawings addressed:

• Colonial exploitation
• Social injustice and corruption
• African nationalism

His cartoons, published in the West African Pilot (founded by Nnamdi Azikiwe), became an important visual voice of the independence movement.

Painting

Lasekan is often referred to as Nigeria’s first modern painter. His paintings combined Western realism with African themes, producing works that:

• Depicted Nigerian landscapes, villages, and people.
• Celebrated Yoruba culture and traditions.
• Critiqued colonial society and power.

He became widely respected for his ability to paint portraits, landscapes, and historical scenes.

Teaching and Influence

• After independence, Lasekan became one of Nigeria’s first lecturers in Fine Art, teaching at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
• He influenced a generation of Nigerian artists, linking the early nationalist artistic movement with the academic tradition that flourished in Nsukka.

Style and Themes

• Realist style inspired by European techniques.
• Focus on Nigerian identity, landscapes, and traditions.
• Political cartoons infused with satire, wit, and critique of colonial authorities.
• Works rooted in the spirit of nationalism and decolonization.

Recognition and Exhibitions

• Exhibited in Nigeria and abroad in the 1940s–1960s.
• His cartoons remain historically significant as part of Nigeria’s independence struggle.
• Respected as a cultural nationalist and modern art pioneer.

Legacy

• Considered Nigeria’s first modernist painter.
• A pioneer of political cartooning in Nigeria, using art as a weapon of resistance.
• Teacher and mentor at Nsukka, laying groundwork later expanded by Uche Okeke and the Nsukka School.
• His career shows how art and politics were deeply intertwined in Nigeria’s independence movement.

Death

Akinola Lasekan passed away in 1972, but his works continue to be remembered as foundational in Nigeria’s art history.

Conclusion

Akinola Lasekan was more than a painter — he was a cultural nationalist, cartoonist, and teacher who used art to fight colonialism and shape Nigerian identity. As Nigeria’s first modern painter and a pioneer of political cartoons, his legacy lies at the intersection of art and activism, proving that creativity can drive social change.

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