Contemporary Nigerian art is heading to Kigali as Simple Living Art Gallery, in collaboration with the Nigeria High Commission in Kigali, Rwanda, and Marriott Hotels, presents Coronation, a group exhibition bringing together paintings, ceramics and sculptures by eight contemporary Nigerian artists.
Words Ireho Aito | Don’t Keep Your Art in the Finger!
We are used to relishing the Nigerian and Ghanaian rivalry over Jollof, anxious to know whose pot is better, whose flavour wins and, of course, who truly owns the bragging rights. But in Kigali, Rwanda is inviting the conversation in a different direction for us to come with our art, bring our culture, and let us meet around the table.
That is the spirit behind Coronation, a group exhibition bringing Nigerian contemporary art and cuisine to Kigali on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, KN 3 Avenue, from 6:00 p.m.
This exhibition is presented by Simple Living Art Gallery, in collaboration with the Nigeria High Commission in Kigali, Rwanda, and Marriott Hotels, Coronation brings together eight Nigerian artists, namely, Ato Arinze, Ademola Adeshina, Chimezie Madu, Dolapo Oshiame, Kabiru Toni Oshiame, Moses Oghagbon, Nelson Okoh and Jude Ukadiloni, all in an evening that deliberately places visual art and cuisine in the same cultural conversation.
The idea is simple but significant. Nigerian art travels to Rwanda, but it does not travel alone. Alongside the paintings, ceramics and sculptures comes an invitation to experience Nigerian-inspired cuisine, creating another route through which culture can be encountered, shared and appreciated.
This group of artists arrive with different stories and approaches. Ademola Adeshina, with a background in textile design, brings an interest in abstraction, pointillism, simplified forms and decorative patterns.
Chimezie Madu works primarily with figurative painting, using colour, texture and an impressionistic language to explore human connection and everyday life.
Dolapo Oshiame works across digital art and mobile photography, exploring surreal imagery, nature and technology.
Kabiru Toni Oshiame engages historical and African-themed imagery, including representations of African royalty.
Moses Oghagbon is known for his Argungu Series, documenting people, places, traditions and cultural life through painting and cultural documentation.
Nelson Okoh, a self-taught artist, is recognised for his impressionistic approach and expressive portraits, while Jude Ukadiloni, trained at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, draws from Igbo philosophy, identity and heritage in his sculptural practice.
Ato Arinze comes into Coronation after a busy year on the exhibition circuit, including Endless Possibilities and ORI II at Quintessence Gallery. His participation adds another chapter to a year already marked by exhibitions and sculpture-focused engagements.
But the story here is not about one or two artists. It is about eight artists, one exhibition and a new audience in Kigali.
And perhaps that is where Coronation becomes particularly interesting. We often speak about African countries through their differences such as different histories, languages, traditions and tastes. Yet art has a way of placing those differences on the same wall, while food can put them around the same table.
The evening will also feature Dusingire/Nigerian-inspired dishes, extending the experience beyond the gallery space and allowing guests to encounter Nigeria through both its visual creativity and its cuisine.
One impressive moment to look out for in the evening is the presence of Ambassador Ibrahim Zanna, Acting High Commissioner, as Special Guest of Honour. This further gives the evening a diplomatic and cultural dimension.
From the familiar Nigerian-Ghanaian Jollof argument to a Nigerian art exhibition in Rwanda, Coronation offers a more interesting proposition: culture does not always have to compete. Sometimes, it can simply invite another culture to dinner.
iBAND Magazine, Celebrating Visual Art from the Original.
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