There is a growing cultural bond between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea (South Korea)

Propelled by their diplomatic corps, the affinity is growing and spreading, consciously towards economic and other ties. Recently cultural events point in the direction of serious diplomatic bond. Although one is among the world’s top 20 economies from the mythical ‘Asian Tigers’ while the other is one of the ambitiously-developing front line nations of largely-unexplored African continent, both lands are on a contemporary history that they share. And there is a lot they have in common, from their recent history of military dictatorship, conscious drive for global relevance as well as their lager economic and developmental aspirations.
As the recent events disclose, the two nations’ bilateral parley which has been in existence since 1980 is currently being stirred to yield more fruit. Beyond the float of business between the two nations that has been on the increase ever since the 1980s. Last month, the Republic of Korea opened its only embassy in Africa in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Nigerians who attended the occasion savoured the colourful display of Korean dance, couture and cuisine. The event was marked by a spectacular cultural display enriched by performances by the national troupes of Nigeria and South Korea.
Earlier, this month, an art exhibition from Nigeria was hosted by the Korea Foundation Cultural Centre in its Nuri Gallery, Seoul, and Republic of Korea to further highlight the relationship.

Entitled, 30 years of Diplomatic relations (An Exhibition of Nigerian Works of Art), the display projected the peculiar traits of the Nigerian society, festivals, folklore, local enterprise, fashion, landscapes among others.
Opened on Tuesday, June1 at the international display venue which was also hosting an exhibition of Indian modern art within the period, the expo ended last Friday drew impressive comments from the audience and critics.
According to the Acting Director-General of NGA, Abdullahi Muku, who also     coordinated the selection of 33 paintings and sculptures from the national collection, the art package was collated, bearing in mind “the need to project modern Nigerian art in the best possible light to the rest of the world.”
Explaining his collections during the opening of the exhibition, Mr. Muku told the dignitaries comprising diplomats from several Asian, American and African countries, connoisseurs, culture administrators from Nigeria and Korea as well as artists, and international media that one major distinguishing trait of his country’s contemporary art is the ability of the members of the creatuve industry to create works that neither strikes as overtly religious nor as a lift from just one genre, conventional style or ideological form of expression.
“Modern Nigerian art,” he said, is characterized by its depature from linkages with religious or ritual worship, which constitute an important but by no means the only traditional art in Nigeria. It lays emphasis on aesthetics, expression of ideas and commentaries on the society and its values. It actually constitutes mostly of artworks of academically trained artists and reflects a clear knowledge and understanding of modern stylistic trends and concepts in art, the world over.”
According to the national gallery’s chief executive contemporary artists in his country are remarkable in their ability to inculcate local and international ideas on creativity while still retaining their cultural roots. Hence, he appraised Nigerian modern artists as a crop of very creative people who strive to retain their cultural virginity while

consciously drawing impetus from influences that could help endorse the global status of their art.
“They use the most diverse techniques and media from Nigeria and the west to enhance their power of expression which are usually vibrant and rich with traditional symbols, motifs and patterns. Hence one can easily see in their works, various forms of stylized-naturalism, and abstract as well as objective and subjective realism alluding to various traditional and modern idioms,” Muku noted.
“He further informed that through this artistic approach, the artists “”have achieved varied expressions on a wide range of themes, subjects and concepts.. (and) their works…have evolved over the years to become varied, rich, and captivating.”
To buttress this, the 33 works of painting, mixed media and sculpture, drawn from 20 artists of several generations were featured in the 30 years of diplomatic Relations (An Exhibition of Nigeria Works of Art) collection . Mounted in manner that made the viewer not to discern the difference between a veteran and a young professional, the curatorial approach in placing the exhibits was largely guided by the subjects in the pictures and their visual appeal than by the profile of the exhibitors. For example, the moody mixed media painting, Goree Island (2008) by the 62-year-old painter and former national president of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Kolade Oshinowo could be viewd nest to the grey-marked Kaakaki canvas of the younger, Oswald Uruakpa- the institute of Management Technology, (IMT) Enugu trained painter who was one of the three Nigerian artists that were selected for the main exhibition of this year’s Biennial of the Contemporary African Arts held in Dakar, Senegal. Similarly quite as contemporaries Fidel N. Oyiogu and Muazu Sani Mohammed who are in their 50s also had their paintings in the show, there were younger exhibitors such as Fidelis Odowu, Gbenga Oginsakin and such much more younger professionals as Susan Omagu, George Ighodalo and Egunjobi George whi is a product of Onifade’s decorative ara painting techniques. Also among the exhibitors list are the wood carver Abiola Idowu , the heavy –pigment painters, Chinedu Oliugbo, Ogunsanya Adekunle, Eze Bor, Stanlyet Anyanwu, Emmanuel Adetola, Kolawole Kunle, Ndidi Kamm Emefiele and Damola Adepoju. Chairman of the Board Directors of NGA, Mr Peter Eze, who also attended the exhibition, described the presentation of several generations (about five) in just one show as an apt way of visiually presenting the new direction in NGA.
“What I understand, from the discussing the exhibition with the Director-General is that it is a curatorial approach that consciously brings everybody every art school or at least lost of the art groups in Nigeria on board in one show. And it is done in such a way that it communicates a strong message on what Nigeria’s modern art really stands for,” said Eze.
The lawyer who led the delegation to Korea which also included another member of the board, Mrs. Emily Maina and staff of NGA told the head of Nigeria Mission in the Republic of Korea, Ambassador Desmond akawor, who opened the exhibition and the various diplomats who attended that the collection is a capsular presentation of some current trends in his country’s art studios.
“This is just a tip. We have that most of us here would want to much deeper and closer encounter with Nigerian art and culture,” he enthused during the occasion.
Joined at the opening of the show by his colleagues, in the diplomatic corps circle in Seoul, comprising the Dean of African Union Ambassadors in Republic of Korea, Amb. Saif M. A. Mustafa (envoy of Sudan), ambassadors of Angola (Mr. Alfredo Dombe), Afghanistan (Mr. Mohammed Karim Rahimi), Costa Rica (Mr. Fernando Borbon Arias), culture administrators, celebrities and dignitaries in the country, as well as leaders of the Nigerian Community, South Korea, Akawor was happy with the outing. Before declaring the show open the Nigerian Ambassador, who once served as a minister of state for FCT (during the era of Nasir El Rufai) noted that the event marks a historical landmark “that will shape the future and preserve the history of nations.” 
Amb. Akawor, enthused that the friendly bilateral relationship between the two nations (Nigeria and Korea) “with rich history” has blossomed into a deeper and more productive cultural, economic and political tie.
He commended the Korea foundation Cultural Centre, NGA and the Korean embassy in Nigeria for the initiative. And noted: “Today is very unique celebration that marks 30 years of trials and triumphs in the fruitful and historical diplomatic/ bilateral relations existing between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Korea”
He observed that in lifestyle the Koreans and Nigerian share a lot in common in their appreciation of nature and down-to-earth ways life, the envoy therefore the ingenuity in using diplomatic tie between the two countries, emphasizing that “culture and tradition reach deep and endures in relationships.”
He reasoned that the project will “promote, stimulate and harness Nigeria’s creative potentials while also encouraging equal participation and exposure to international activities in the visual art subsector.”
This according to him, “would be of tremendous benefit to the artists and participants while forming a synergy in the arts between Nigeria and Korean artists.”