The Mentors That Shaped Uche Okeke’s Legacy
Published 10 April 2025 in The Man
Uche Okeke Legacy Editorial
The trajectory of Uche Okeke’s artistic and intellectual development was shaped by the individuals who mentored him. From childhood influences to formal education and professional collaborations, these relationships nurtured his creativity and instilled in him the philosophy that would lead to his groundbreaking artistic contributions. This blog explores the mentors who played pivotal roles in Okeke’s journey, highlighting how their guidance helped shape his vision and establish his legacy in Nigerian modernism.
Early Influences: Family and Indigenous Storytelling
Before Uche Okeke formally studied art, his first exposure to creativity came from his immediate environment. Born in 1933 in Nimo, Anambra State, Okeke was immersed in the rich traditions of Igbo storytelling, folklore, and Uli art - an indigenous artistic practice primarily used by Igbo women for body and wall decoration. His mother, an Uli practitioner, introduced him to the symbolic language of these patterns, which later became integral to his work.
Okeke’s early years were also shaped by village elders who recounted myths and historical narratives that embedded in him a deep sense of cultural identity. This oral tradition instilled an appreciation for the power of storytelling - a theme that would persist in his artistic career.
An entrance to a compound in Agukwu Nri (Anambra State), photographed by Northcote Thomas, Wikimedia Commons. These symbols would have been a prominent feature in Okeke's early years.
Education and the Zaria Art Society: The Influence of European and Nigerian Art Educators
Uche Okeke’s formal education marked a turning point in his artistic journey, exposing him to both Western and African influences. While his early training followed the colonial education system, he quickly recognised the need to integrate indigenous artistic traditions into his work. His time at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria was instrumental in refining his technical skills and expanding his artistic perspective. It was here that Okeke began forming crucial relationships with educators and peers who would inspire and challenge him, eventually leading to the establishment of the Zaria Art Society.
Kenneth C. Murray: The Pioneer of Nigerian Art Education
A major influence on Okeke’s formative years was British art educator Kenneth C. Murray, who played a foundational role in developing art education in Nigeria. Murray emphasised the importance of African students drawing inspiration from their cultural heritage rather than solely adopting European artistic traditions. Though Murray’s approach still bore traces of Western academic models, his advocacy for the study of indigenous art resonated with Okeke and planted the seeds of his later philosophy of "Natural Synthesis."
Prof. Charles H. Read and Other British Art Lecturers
During his time at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria (1958–1961), Okeke encountered Western-trained art lecturers such as Charles H. Read. These educators, while predominantly European in their outlook, provided Okeke with technical skills and an academic grounding in modernist principles. However, Okeke and his peers soon realised the limitations of the colonial art curriculum, which led them to seek a deeper understanding of their indigenous artistic roots.
The Zaria Art Society and the Mentorship of Chinua Achebe
One of the most significant moments in Okeke’s development was the formation of the Zaria Art Society, a group he co-founded with fellow artists such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Yusuf Grillo, and Demas Nwoko. Their mission was to challenge colonial artistic education and integrate African traditions into contemporary practice.
During this period, Okeke found intellectual and creative mentorship in Chinua Achebe, the renowned Nigerian writer. Achebe’s seminal novel, Things Fall Apart, deeply influenced Okeke, inspiring works like The Conflict (After Achebe). The novelist’s emphasis on reclaiming African narratives encouraged Okeke to use his art as a vehicle for cultural restoration, reinforcing his commitment to merging traditional and modern elements.
Chinua Achebe, 1966, Lagos, Wikimedia Commons
German Influence: Willi Baumeister and European Modernism
Okeke’s exposure to European modernist thought came through his engagement with the works of German artist Willi Baumeister. Though they never met in person, Baumeister’s writings on abstraction and non-Western art forms struck a chord with Okeke. His exploration of prehistoric and African art as sources of inspiration reinforced Okeke’s belief that African artists should look within their own traditions for creative guidance.
This intellectual mentorship, coupled with his studies of German Expressionism, contributed to Okeke’s use of bold lines, fluid forms, and symbolic abstraction - key characteristics of his later works.
The Nsukka School and the Influence of Indigenous Artists
After establishing himself as an artist and educator, Okeke became a mentor himself at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he revitalised the Fine Arts Department. However, even in his teaching role, he remained a lifelong student, learning from traditional Igbo artists and craftsmen. He collaborated with indigenous muralists and Uli practitioners, ensuring that their knowledge was integrated into contemporary art education.
One of his most important local influences was Nwokocha Nwoko, an Igbo master artist whose sculptural and architectural works embodied pre-colonial artistic traditions. Through such collaborations, Okeke reinforced the idea that African modernism must be rooted in indigenous knowledge systems.
Did You Know?
Uche Okeke’s commitment to mentorship was so strong that he required his students to visit traditional Igbo communities, markets, and shrines, ensuring they understood the living cultural contexts of the art forms they studied. This hands-on approach remains a cornerstone of art education at Nsukka to this day.
Igbo Urata Mbari house dedicated to the deity Amadioha. Photographed by William Fagg near Owerri, Imo State for the British Museum, Wikimedia Commons
A Legacy of Mentorship
Uche Okeke’s artistic philosophy and career were shaped by a diverse network of mentors - from his mother and village elders to art educators, writers, and global modernists. Each of these influences contributed to his development as a pioneering artist who bridged tradition and modernity.
His legacy continues today through the Asele Institute and the many artists he mentored, proving that mentorship is a cyclical process - one generation influencing the next in a continuum of artistic innovation.
