Babatunde Ogunlade has become a distinctive voice in Nigeria’s contemporary art scene, celebrated for his excellent palette and heartfelt storytelling. His work captures the dynamics of daily life from its warmth, to rhythm, and down to that quiet beauty. With his new exhibition, Neighbours and Neighbourhood, he invites viewers to reflect on the familiar spaces and faces that shape our shared experiences. This article takes a closer look at the artist behind the colours and the journey that has cemented his place as a force in visual art today.

Words Ireho Aito | Don’t Keep Your Art in the Finger!| Photographs credit: Babatunde Ogunlade

Life inside the exquisite Fobally Art Gallery Lekki abode in Lagos, always shimmers with a certain artistic energy that erupts. More so, as Fobally Gallery played host to one incredible proudly Nigerian phenomenon, that energy becomes a full-blown heartbeat. The space opened its door to one independently minded genius whose mastery of nature and human experience is unmistakable. That independently minded genius is Babatunde Ogunlade.

Ogunlade’s world is a universe of colour, so bold, confident, and irresistibly alluring. His canvases stretch across the gallery walls like portals into vivid emotional landscapes, each stroke revealing an artist deeply attuned to the stories that shape everyday life. From the soft poetry of nature to the layered narratives of the human condition, his work captures moments that feel both familiar and transcendent. The exhibtion opened on 29th November 2025 with a private viewing and runs till 7th of December 2025 under the patronage of His Royal Majesty, Oba Jacob Esan III. He is the Gbegbaaje III of Ijinmo – The Onijinmo of Ijinmo.
The exhibtion is also proudly supported by Ikeja Museum while foremost Art and Culture publisher, Dapo Adeniyi, editor – in – chief of Position Magazine curated the exhibition.

At Fobally, these pieces do more than decorate the space; they command it. Every painting radiates a confidence that draws viewers inward, urging them to linger just a little longer. The gallery immersed in “Neighbours and Neighbourhood” becomes an immersive experience, leading to an encounter with colour not as mere aesthetics but as language, philosophy, and rhythm.

For visitors, it is immediately clear that Ogunlade is not simply painting. Rather, Ogunlade is conversing. Each canvas speaks of a life lived in full spectrum and a creative journey defined by curiosity, discipline.

The Beginning…
Babatunde Ogunlade’s journey began in the most unexpected of places, an open field inside Ibadan Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State. As a young boy living with his uncle, a police officer who later worked in the institution’s security unit after leaving the police force, Babatunde spent his days hawking on the streets to support his guardians. Yet, his heart was constantly drawn to the creative world unfolding on the polytechnic’s open field, where art students spread their canvases and brought colours to life.

He watched them closely, captivated by the brightness of their paintings and the confidence in their strokes. The elegance of their drawings awakened something powerful in him. With no formal training, Babatunde began teaching himself to draw, he started, gradually gravitating to a self – taught apostle, practising endlessly and attempting to recreate the beauty he saw.

When his uncle eventually relocated to Abeokuta after retirement, Babatunde followed. He was enrolled at Lisabi Grammar School in Abeokuta where his passion for drawing deepened. He funded his own art journey, constantly searching for coloured pencils and sketch materials. “My uncle in the United States that normally visited would ask me for my type of gifts, I would request for colour pencils as my gifts,” he says.
At Lisabi, his fine art teacher, Mr. Arinze (not the renowned sculptor Ato Arinze), quickly noticed his raw skill and never stopped to encourage him.

His talent grew so rapidly that he became the school’s studio attendant, an informal role reserved for students with exceptional promise. Soon, his artistic brilliance made him something of a celebrity among his schoolmates. Despite his rising profile, his parents struggled to understand his commitment to art, and connecting with his ambition wasn’t easy for them.

Still determined, Babatunde later got enrolled at Technical School, Ikotun, where he continued refining his craft. His hard work eventually paid off when he gained admission to Lagos State Polytechnic, consistently distinguishing himself as one of the best students in his department.

One Artist Shaped by His Environment

For Babatunde Ogunlade, art is more than a profession to him. He sees it as a way of life. His journey into the visual arts began with a simple limitation Lagos State Polytechnic did not offer Fine Art at the Higher National Diploma (HND) level at the time. But what seemed like a setback became a redirection. After completing his industrial training with master painter Biodun Olaku at the Universal Art Studio in Lagos, Babatunde found himself at School of Art and Industrial Design, Federal Polytechnic Auchi in Edo State, where he would eventually pursue his HND and take his art more seriously.

Before then, he had been trained in sign writing, a skill he picked up in Lagos that helped shape his early creative discipline. But his true artistic awakening came from watching the uniqueness of artists ahead of him. Their individuality inspired him, pushing him toward a full-time studio practice that has now spanned 24 years. “Each time I saw Abiodun Olaku, Duke Asidere and Sam Ovraiti, I saw statement, originality and creativity in their works. They are all exceptional and you would see the distinction in their work. Everyone of them with their own identity,” Babatunde concludes.

Along the way, he received meaningful support from respected figures in the art community, including scholar and art administrator Dr. Kunle Filani, whose encouragement strengthened his confidence and direction.

Babatunde’s distinct style eventually distinguished him from his peers. Bold, expressive and deeply intuitive, his works place him in a class of his own, one guided by the belief that art is spiritual and capable of creating unseen connections with its viewer. “I draw every day,” he says. “Art means a lot to me. It is a way of life.”

Yet, despite his long career, he admits that no one taught him the business side of art. Much of his understanding of marketing and visibility came from personal experience and experimentation.

Inside “Neighbours and Neighbourhood”

This latest exhibition is a celebration of identity, memory, and communal textures. Rendered in acrylic on canvas, pencil on paper, and charcoal drawings, the works explore the rhythm of everyday existence.

Among the standout pieces are Teenagers, Sweet Home, Closing Hours, Aunty Amope, Mask, Ore Meta, Memory of Brown Roof, Mechanic Workshop 1 and 2, and Ijo Ope. Others include, Red Lips from Campus Ladies series, Elders Meeting, Life Study Series, and Ancestral Masks

Each work is an immersion in colour, colours so distinct, layered, and intentional that they seem to breathe. Ogunlade paints with gratitude, nostalgia, and deep appreciation for the world around him.

At a time when Nigerian art continues to push global boundaries, Babatunde Ogunlade remains a steady, shining force. His works provoke thought, evoke emotion, and celebrate culture. But beyond their beauty, they remind us of the power of staying true to oneself, to one’s roots, and to one’s calling.

In “Neighbours and Neighbourhood,” he gives us more than art; he gives us connection. And that, truly, is a class act.

Babatunde’s work is strongly rooted in his environment. He observes, interprets, and paints the everyday scenes that define life around him. One of his standout works, Baba Adugbo, was inspired by an elder in his neighbourhood. This is a reminder of the quiet leadership roles older men play in community life. The piece resonated strongly with audiences during his exhibition at Fobally Art Gallery, where art enthusiasts connected warmly with the narrative behind it.

For him, art remains a commentator and a critic of society. Babatunde sees it as a mirror held up to reflect the world as it is, and as it could be. Outside the studio, he is a family man, married with three children, finding balance between creativity, spirituality, and the rhythms of everyday life.

Through discipline, intuition, and an unbreakable bond with his environment, Babatunde Ogunlade continues to paint stories that speak to the soul one canvas at a time.

Babatunde Ogunlade’s exhibition Neighbours and Neighbourhood is a one week show at Fobally Art Gallery and comes to an end 7th of December 2025. The artist social media platforms are up and running for connections and more relationships