The National Gallery of Art (NGA), Lagos Station, has initiated plans to collaborate with the Office of the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, on key cultural and youth-focused initiatives. This follows a strategic meeting held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Alausa Office of the First Lady.
The NGA delegation, led by Curator Mr. Israel Easter Evbhodaghe, met with the First Lady alongside notable stakeholders, including Dr. (Mrs) Olayemi Oke Osanyintolu, Chairperson of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), and Mrs. Scholastica Abas, Programme Manager for the Boy Child Programme.
Other members of the NGA delegation included:
• Mrs. Ijeoma Oniseogun, Deputy Director and Head of Human Resources Management
• Mr. John Egwuatu, Deputy Director and Head of Curatorial Services Department.
Mrs. Hellen Umoh, Assistant Director and Head of Education Services Department
• Mrs. Nkemjika Ikeh, Assistant Director and Head of Information Services Department.
During the meeting, the Curator conveyed the goodwill message of the Director-General of NGA, Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, commending the First Lady for her impactful work in gender equality, youth empowerment, and women’s economic development.
He reiterated the Gallery’s mandate to promote, preserve, and showcase contemporary Nigerian visual arts through exhibitions, youth art competitions, and capacity-building initiatives. In particular, he praised the First Lady’s campaign against gender-based violence and proposed a “Say No to Violence” themed art competition for children to reinforce advocacy against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Additionally, he proposed an exhibition documenting the First Lady’s achievements and advocacy work across Lagos State.
The delegation also highlighted NGA’s flagship annual event, Children in Art Talent Hunt which celebrates creativity in art, drama, choreography, and poetry. He notified Her Excellency that the 2026 edition has been rescheduled to June 2 (from May 27) due to an Islamic celebration. The First Lady was formally invited to be the “Mother of the Day” at the event.
In her response, the First Lady expressed strong interest in the arts, particularly as a tool for youth development. She emphasized alignment with her Boy Child Programme, which engages boys aged 10–13 in art, scouting, and sports to steer them away from social vices and cybercrime.
She further highlighted a recent calico and splash painting project in which participants created an artistic map of Nigeria. She welcomed NGA’s technical expertise to help refine such works into professional-grade exhibitions.
The First Lady reaffirmed her office’s commitment as “art-friendly” and urged both parties to explore areas of immediate collaboration.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of two artworks to the First Lady by NGA, titled The Yoruba Drummer and Harbour in the Moon.
