On this edition of Don’t Keep Your Art in the Finger!, we spotlight Nigerian painter Babatunde Ogunlade as our featured artist.

In his latest exhibition, Neighbours and Neighbourhood, held at Fobally Art Gallery, celebrated Nigerian artist Babatunde Ogunlade turns his discerning gaze toward the intimate, familiar, and quietly powerful moments that define community life. Renowned for his paintings and mixed-media expressions, Ogunlade approaches this showcase with the same instinct that has guided his art for decades which is a deep sensitivity to the beauty of ordinary people and the poetry woven into everyday spaces.

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

His name, Babatunde, is rooted in the Yoruba belief in reincarnation, the idea that an ancestor returns in a new generation. The name literally means “the father has come again,” with “Baba” translating to father. In the case of Babatunde Ogunlade, the name may have been chosen to honour the belief that he carries the spirit or legacy of his grandfather.

Born on September 23, 1972, in Lagos and originally from Ogun State, Ogunlade’s artistic journey began early. He later grew up with his caring uncle in the ancient city of Ibadan, a setting that would profoundly shape his colourful career as a painter and anchor his deep sense of community.

His creative foundation solidified at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, where he earned Higher National Diploma in Painting in 2002. Since then, he has built a remarkable career defined by colour, texture, and human stories, earning international recognition including back-to-back wins at the American Art Award for World Best Contemporary Cubist in 2024 and 2025.

But Neighbours and Neighbourhood collection exhibited at Fobally Art Gallery, Lekki, reveals a more contemplative side of the artist. The collection explores community life through quiet observation with colourful works such as Sweet Home, Closing Hours, Teenagers, Aunty Amope, Mask, Ore Meta, Memory of Brown Roof, Mechanic Workshop 1 and 2, Ijo Ope, Red Lips from Campus Ladies series, Elders Meeting, Life Study Series, Ancestral Masks and Baba Adugbo.

This exhibition also reflects Ogunlade’s long-standing artistic philosophy that community is not just a theme, but a living archive. His past shows The Road 1 & 2 in Brazil, Made in Nigeria in Ikoyi, and Cosmopolitan Lagos at the Revolving Art Incubator, have consistently documented the rhythm of human movement and the stories embedded in urban spaces. Now, through Neighbours and Neighbourhood, he brings a new softness to his storytelling.

Beyond exhibitions, Ogunlade’s works are housed in respected collections across Nigeria, the U.S., and Europe. His murals and public commissions, including at Alafia Retreat Centre in Ogun State, further cement his influence as both artist and cultural documentarian. As a member of SNA, VASON, and the ArtZero Group, he continues to mentor younger talents while shaping conversations within Nigeria’s creative scene.

Married with three children, Ogunlade, enjoy Neighbours and Neighbourhood in Photographs