A distinguished figure in Nigeria’s academic, visual and cultural landscape, Dr. Adeola Balogun has long been a pillar of inspiration at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. His legacy is etched not only in his own illustrious career but in the remarkable talents he has nurtured over the years. Among them is Biodun Omolayo, an exceptional former student who has risen to become both a respected peer and a cherished confidant. Writes Ireho Aito

At the recent ‘Path to Peace and Restoration’ exhibition in Lagos, Adeola Balogun offered a moving celebration of his former student, friend and colleague, speaking in a moment that captured the elegance of legacy and the enduring power of artistic influence.

He was instantly spotted among the other two legends, deep in conversation and laughter as they reminisced about the milestones of their careers. There’s an undeniable bond shared by Moses Ohiomokhare, Adeola Balogun, and Biodun Omolayo, something in their spirit, perhaps a shared passion or unspoken understanding, that continues to draw them together like family.

The air inside the Omolayo Gallery last Saturday buzzed with a quiet reverence. The opening reception for Path to Peace and Restoration exhibition was more than a showcase, it felt like a homecoming. Presented by renowned artist and art entrepreneur, Biodun Omolayo and curated by Moses Ohiomokhare, the exhibition was a bold, deeply personal collection that blurs the line between creator and curator.

Among the crowd of patrons, enthusiasts and Lagos’ creative elite was one voice that stood out, Dr. Adeola Balogun, a cerebral sculptor, experimentalist and teacher with vast experience in education and visual art studio practice. Well heeled with global acclaim, Adeola Balogun is a respected art educator and sculptor, and someone with a unique perspective on Omolayo’s journey.

We sat down with Dr. Balogun just after he toured the show. What began as casual reflections unfolded into a moving tribute not just to Omolayo’s work, but to his remarkable transformation.

“Maybe I should start from when he was my student at Yabatech,” Dr. Balogun begins, his tone warmed by memory. “At the time, he was still a bank manager with a rich portfolio. I didn’t meet him in class until a few classes had passed. He came to me, apologetic, because he had missed the early sessions. He was handing over at the bank and transitioning into something completely new. But from that moment, there was a spark, I saw how serious he was.”

At the time, he was still a bank manager with a rich portfolio.

That spark would ignite into a fire that is now lighting a path for younger artists across Nigeria. But the story isn’t just about talent but about transformation, vision, and perhaps most importantly, consistency.

Biodun Omolayo had a degree already from University of Ilorin. He joined the finance sector as a banker and rose to a senior management position in the industry. His performance records catapulted him faster and heading for the greatest heights which was looking visible. Yet, Ojogbogbobiodun was not satisfied. He wanted more. He felt he actually desire to follow his passion, painting!

He found himself at such a crossroad of decision but he eventually took a bold step and threw in the towel. He resigned his plum job and walked away from everything to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. It sounds ridiculous, isn’t it?

Dr. Adeola Balogun renowned for his experimentation with colours, aquatic species, metals, recycles, abandoned objects such as tyres, nails, compact discs and engineering social discuss such as the essence of the internet revolution for the good and for the bad, climate change and the way we live, Soundspiration and more, happened to be one of the early influences when Biodun Omolayo registered at Yaba College of Technology Lagos to study. Adeola Balogun who emerged as the best student in his set, has been involved in solo and group exhibitions for decades. His countless commissions abound all over the country.

“People don’t realise how hard it is to be consistent,” Dr. Balogun continues. “Many climb to a certain level and relax. Not Biodun Omolayo. He is always moving, burning the candle at both ends. That’s what I saw when I heard about this exhibition. I said, ‘This guy has come again.’”

People don’t realise how hard it is to be consistent,

What’s particularly ground-breaking about Omolayo’s exhibition isn’t just the work on the walls, it’s who made it and how it is made.

“In this part of the world,” Balogun says with emphasis, “I haven’t seen a gallerist exhibit his own work in his own gallery. That tells you everything. He’s determined. Omolayo is focused.”

The reverence in Balogun’s voice deepens as he recalls visiting Omolayo’s earlier space in Ikeja while running as ‘Specifics,’ long before the National Museum and the wider acclaim, holding forth at City Mall.

“We became very close. I saw him before he even got to the National Museum. I watched the evolution. I saw someone who didn’t care about age or ego as he was hungry to learn. He would ask questions. He would study. He stayed curious.”

I saw someone who didn’t care about age or ego as he was hungry to learn. He would ask questions. He would study. He stayed curious.”

Asked about what keeps Omolayo going, Dr. Balogun pauses, then leans in with something of a confession;

“I know his secret,” he says with a smile. “And it’s simple. As an artist, your work reflects your inner self. When you look at a Van Gogh, you feel the turmoil. Van Gogh painted his mind. Now come back to Omolayo’s work, what do you see? Peace. You see Restoration. He’s painting from the inside out. That’s the source of his strength.”

As the sun filtered through the gallery windows, casting soft light over Omolayo’s textured canvases, Dr. Balogun’s final words echoed with quiet power;

“What we are witnessing is the result of sheer dedication, a gift fully explored. And when you see someone like that moving up, again and again it’s not magic. It’s discipline. It’s belief. It’s art as a life’s calling.”

In a city that rarely slows down, Biodun Omolayo’s journey is a reminder that true restoration comes not from retreat, but from purpose pursued boldly, day after day. And in the eyes of mentors like Dr. Balogun, that pursuit is not just admirable, it’s a legacy in motion.

Words/Ireho Aito/Don’t Keep Your Art in the Finger!/

Catch the ‘Path to Peace and Restoration’ exhibition at Omolayo Gallery, National Museum, Onikan, Lagos – showing all through June.