THE OGA KPATA KPATA SERIES
Oga Kpata Kpata translates from Yoruba to something like - "boss of bosses" in English. This protagonists of this series are my three brothers - Kenechukwu, Chukwudozie, and Ikenna. Through this series, we will explore typical eastern Nigerian rites of passage, like those of becoming a warrior, a chief, a businessman, and a king. The Oga Kpata Kpata series consists of six total paintings all created in heavy body iridescent acrylic paints on cotton canvas. It is also possible to get print reproductions of each one of these pieces from our online store.
Volume 1: “Dike”
vol 1: “Dike” (Warrior)
24”X30” acrylic painting on canvas
status: sold! (Freemont, CA)
Oga Kpata Kpata translates from Yoruba to something like - "boss of bosses" in English. This first piece in the series is called "Dike" which means warrior and represents men of battle in the rural parts of Eastern Nigeria which is where I am orignially from. As a boy, I recall seeing these huge men parading the village walls and wondering how the heck they could carry those hefty cutlasses, machetes and spears for hours each night. These were indeed some fearsome men as depicted in this painting.
Without Wax
Chuba Oyolu Ph.D.
Volume 2: “Eze”
vol 2: “eze” (chief)
24”X30” acrylic painting on canvas
status: available
This second piece in the “Oga Kpata Kpata” series is called "Eze" which means "Chief" when translated from my native Igbo language to English. Attaining a chieftaincy title in Nigeria is a big deal. It sort of signifies that a man has "arrived" as a provider and a force to be reckoned with in whatever society he is a part of. The lion prints shown on each of their shirts as well as the deep red/wine colored caps are emblematic of the strength required of men who hold a chieftaincy title in my native Nigeria. As a random aside, My Father and all of his siblings all held/hold chieftaincy titles and the associated responsibilities, many of which I got to see first hand as a kid growing up.
Without Wax
Chuba Oyolu Ph.D.
Vol 3: Olu Oyibo
vol 3: “OLU OYIBO” (ofFICE job)
24”X30” acrylic painting on canvas
status: available
Scene 3 in the Oga Kpata Kpata series is emblematic of what is looked at as the dream of many young Nigerian men. Growing up, all of us young men had the virtues of working hard in school in order to earn the good grades that would eventually culminate in getting an office job (Olu Oyibo) at one of the prominent oil companies such as Shell, Texaco, or Chevron who were mostly stationed in Lagos or Port Harcourt. The idea was that if you got one of these jobs, you could make a decent wage, get married, have children, and live a prosperous life with the many perks offered by large corporations. I for one definitely went the "Olu Oyibo" or office jobs route for a while, and remain very grateful for all the lessons I learned along the way.