Uche Okeke

**Christopher Uchefuna Okeke** (Eprel 30, 1933 na Nimo - Jenụwarị 5, 2016 na Nimo), nke a maara dị ka **Uche Okeke**, bụ onye na-akọwaputa ihe, onye na-ese ihe, onye na-akpụ ihe, onye na-ede uri, onye na-ese ihe na-ahụ maka ihe ịchọ mma, nke na-ebute ụzọ na ọgbara ọhụrụ nke Naijiria.

## Ndụ
A mụrụ Christopher Uchefuna Okeke na 30 Eprel 1933 na Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area nke Anambra State, Nigeria, nke Isaac Okonkwo Okeke na Monica Mgboye Okeke (née Okoye). N'agbata afọ 1940 na 1953, ọ gara ụlọ akwụkwọ St. Peter Claver's (Primary), Kafanchan, Metropolitan College, Onitsha, na Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu, Nigeria, n'oge ahụ ọ malitelarị igosipụta mmasị na eserese na nteji. Tupu a nabata ya ka ọ gụọ Fine Art na Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology (NCAST), ugbu a Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Okeke egosipụtala ọrụ taxidermy n'oge nzukọ Field Society na Jos Museum, sonyere na nkwadebe na ngosi nke Nigerian Drawings and Paintings na Bernard Fagg dịka onye nlekọta ma nwee ihe ngosi nke eserese na ntejiájá, na Jos na Kaduna na Sir Ahmadu Bello bịara.

### Zaria Art Society
Dị ka onye na-eto eto na-ese ihe, Okeke bụ onye guzobere Zaria Art Society na 1958. Ndị otu a bụ n'ihi esemokwu ndọrọ ndọrọ ọchịchị na Naịjirịa na-agbasi mbọ ike inweta nnwere onwe ma ndị isi dị mkpa nke ọgbara ọhụrụ na nka Naịjirịa dịka Yusuf Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Oseloka Osadebe, Demas Nwoko na ndị ọzọ hiwere ya. Ọtụtụ n'ime ndị prọfesọ ya na Nigerian College bụ ndị Britain ma kụzie usoro ejiji ọdịda anyanwụ agbanyeghị, The Zaria Society megidere itinye echiche ụlọ akwụkwọ nka nke Europe na ndị na-eto eto na-ese ihe na Africa. N'ụlọ akwụkwọ, Okeke gụrụ agbụrụ Igbo, Yoruba, na Hausa, na-achọ ụzọ isi gosipụta onwe ya na Naijiria. A na-ahụkarị akara ndị Naijiria oge ochie na ite ma ọ bụ na eserese ahụ. A na-akpọ atụmatụ ndị Igbo Uli Patterns .

### Nsukka
N'afọ 1971, Uche Okoke sonyeere Ngalaba nke Fine and Applied Arts na Mahadum nke Nigeria dị na Nsukka dịka Prọfesọ na onye nkuzi. Ya na ndị ọrụ ibe ya na ụmụ akwụkwọ mepụtara ụdị pụrụ iche nke ghọrọ njirimara maka ụlọ akwụkwọ Nsukka. Ya na Chike Aniakor na Obiora Udechukwu guzobere nhazi nke nka na aesthetics nke oge a nke Naijiria n'afọ iri asaa.

### Omenala na imewe ndị Igbo
Okeke bu ụzọ hụ akụkọ ọdịnala ndị Igbo mgbe ọ bụ nwata ma mesịa jiri ha mee ihe dịka mkpali na nka ya. N'ime ụfọdụ n'ime eserese ya, onye na-ese ihe sụgharịrị ndị dike akụkọ ifo iji mee ka a mara ihe nketa Igbo ya.

Mpaghara ọdịbendị Igbo dị n'ebe ọwụwa anyanwụ nke Osimiri Niger, n'ebe ọdịda anyanwụ nke Cross River, na ọdịda anyanwụ nke nnukwu ụzọ mmiri Niger nke ndịda ọwụwa anyanwụ Naịjirịa. N'ebe a niile, e nwere ihe akaebe nke ọdịbendị nka oge ochie. A na-akpọ ụdị nka ọdịnala Igbo Uli Drawing . Dị ka Okeke si kwuo, Uli bụ mgbalị iji mee ka ahụ mmadụ mara mma. Na omenala, onye na-ese ihe na Uli bụ nwanyị n'obodo ndị Igbo nke na-ese ụkpụrụ n'ahụ na mgbe ụfọdụ na mgbidi nke ebe nsọ. A na-akpọ usoro a Ide Uli ma ọ bụ Ise Uli . Ihe osise na akara na Uli na-anọgide na-agbanweghị agbanwe Otú ọ dị, ọ bụ nhazi nke ihe ndị na-emepụta ihe na-agbagha ọgụgụ isi nke ndị na-ese ihe ọdịnala Igbo.

Ọtụtụ n'ime atụmatụ ndị dị na Uli sitere na okike. Ndị nwere akara na ntụpọ dị ka pythons na jaguars bụ ihe atụ nke isi mmalite nke ụkpụrụ sitere na ya. Ụdị Uli nwere geometric, osisi, na anụmanụ motifs. Ọzọkwa, nhọrọ agba onye na-ese ihe na-eme nwere ihe dị mkpa. Okeke na-akọwa otú e si eji agba eme ihe na ebe ha si. A na-ewepụta ihe dị n'etiti na Uli Drawings site na pods nke osisi. Uli Oba, Uli Nkilisi, na Uli Ede Eji bụ aha osisi ndị a na-esi na ya wepụta ihe ahụ.

A na-ekwu na nka na 'Igboland' sitere na chi nwanyị ụwa Ala. Nka sitere na ọdịdị nne ma a na-ahụta ya dị ka ụzọ isi kwalite ọdịmma ime mmụọ na nke anụ ahụ nke obodo ndị ikwu. Ọ na-anọchite anya ndụ nke ndị mmadụ na ọkpụkpụ nkịtị nke okike. Uli nwekwara ụfọdụ àgwà egwu nke kpaliri abụ na akụkọ ọdịnala ndị Igbo.

### Art na aesthetic
Uche Okokes na-emepụta ihe osise na-akwado site n'ọtụtụ echiche mara mma na-abịa na ọrụ nka ya. Ihe odide mbụ ya na-ejide echiche nke Pan-Africanism na Négritude. N'etiti ndị ọzọ, ọ bụ ụdị edemede ya na-akpali akpali nke mere ka otu ụmụ akwụkwọ na-eto eto na Mahadum Ahmadu Bello nweta aha "Zaria rebels". N'ime ntụgharị uche ya ka e mechara, ọ lekwasịrị anya na ọrụ ndọrọ ndọrọ ọchịchị ndị na-ese ihe kwesịrị ịzụlite.

### Onye nchịkwa Mahadum na Asele Institute
O meghekwara ụlọ ọrụ ọdịbendị na 30 Ibadan Street, Kafanchan, nke mechara bụrụ Asele Institute, Nimo, ebe n'etiti ọrụ ọdịbendị ndị ọzọ, a gbara akụkụ nke ihe nkiri agụmakwụkwọ nke Smithsonian Institution kwadoro *Nigerian Art - Kindred Spirits* na 1996. Ụlọ akwụkwọ ahụ nwere nchịkọta ihe ochie, ihe, na ihe osise sitere n'aka ndị enyi Okeke nwetara n'oge njem ya n'akụkụ dị iche iche nke Naịjirịa. Ọ ka bụ otu n'ime ebe nchekwa kachasị mkpa nke akwụkwọ, ihe ochie, na etiti narị afọ nke iri abụọ nke nka Afrịka.

A họpụtara Uche ka ọ bụrụ onye nkuzi na onye isi nke Fine Arts Department na Mahadum Nigeria, Nsukka, site na 1971 ruo 1985. Ọ gbanwere usoro ọmụmụ ha iji lekwasị anya na nka na imewe ụmụ amaala Afrịka nke o kwenyere na ọ ga-abara mmepe nke nka Afrịka nke oge a na nke oge a uru. N'afọ 1973, ọ rụgharịrị usoro ọmụmụ nke Ngalaba Fine and Applied Arts, Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, ma malite ọmụmụ Postgraduate na Ngalaba Fine Arts, Mahadum nke Nigeria, Nsukka.

Ọ bụ onye isi nke Institute of African Studies na Mahadum nke Nigeria na Nsukka, Ọkankụna-eleta na Ngalaba Creative Arts, Mahadum nke Port Harcourt, Onye osote onye isi (Africa) nke International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, n'etiti ọtụtụ ọrụ ndị ọzọ na ọtụtụ ụlọ ọrụ agụmakwụkwọ na omenala.

Okeke buuru nnwale Uli karịa mgbidi Zaria ma guzoro n'ihu mgbanwe ya n'ime okwu ọgbara ọhụrụ n'afọ ndị 1970, site na ụlọ ọrụ dị na Nsukka bụ nke mbụ. Ọ bụ onye isi na akụkọ ihe mere eme nke nka Afrịka nke oge a.

Okeke nwụrụ na 5 Jenụwarị 2016 n'ụlọ ya na Nimo mgbe ọ dị afọ iri asatọ na abụọ.

## Ọrụ ọkachamara
N'afọ 1958, ọ ghọrọ onye guzobere na onye isi nke Asele Institute and Documentation Center, Nimo, Nigeria.

1986–2006 Prọfesọ nleta na onye nyocha mpụga, Mahadum Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mahadum Ahmadu Bello, Zaria. Mahadum Obafemi Awolowo (nke bụbu Mahadum Ife).

Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

1970–85 University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
		Ọkwa ndị e nwere; Onye isi ngalaba, Fine and Applied Arts Department Dean Faculty of Arts Director, Institute of African Studies.

1981–82 Honorary Fellow, Department of Textile and Clothing Design, and Art History, University of Minnesota, USA (otu afọ ezumike ezumike).

1968 Refugee Affairs Committee, Aba, Nigeria.

1964–67 Director, Mbari Art Centre, Uwani, Enugu, Nigeria.

1964–66 Artistic Director and Designer, Enugu Musical Society, Enugu, Nigeria.

1961–62 Onye na-ese ihe na onye isi, Cultural Centre, Kafanchan, Nigeria.

1961 Publications Artist, Federal Ministry of Information, Lagos.

1959 Onye guzobere / Onye nduzi, Cultural Centre Kafanchan (nke bụzi Asele Institute Nimo), Nigeria.

1958–61 Onye guzobere / odeakwụkwọ mbụ / onye isi oche nke abụọ, Art Society, Nigerian College of Arts Science and Technology, Zaria, Nigeria.

1955–57 Clerk, Department of Labour, Jos and Lagos, Nigeria.

1956 Onye enyemaka na-ahazi, Ngosipụta nke eserese na eserese Naijiria, Jos Museum, Jos, Nigeria.

1954–55 Onye na-emepụta ihe, ihe enyemaka anya, St. Peter Claver's Catholic and College of Mary Immaculate Heart Practicing Schools, Kafanchan, Nigeria.

## Omume

### Ngosipụta naanị ya

* 2006 Ọzọ Modernity: Works on Paper by Uche Okeke, Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
* 2003 Retrospective solo exhibition, Pendulum Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria
* 1982 Contemporary Nigerian Prints, Drawings and Paintings: Uche Okeke. Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Mahadum nke Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA.
** Otuto nye Asele, Ngosipụta nke Mbipụta, eserese na eserese: Uche Okeke, African American Cultural Centre, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
* 1979 Ngosipụta nlegharị anya nke eserese na mbipụta, German Cultural Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.
* 1978 Graphik Aus Nigeria, Germany.
* 1963 Ngosipụta nke Mosaics na windo enyo, Franz Mayer and Company, Munich, Germany.
* 1962 Ngosipụta eserese, Rott am Inn, Germany.

### Ihe ngosi otu

* 2010 Nigerian 50th Independence Exhibition, Abuja, Nigeria.
** *Afro Modern*: Journeys through the Black Atlantic, Tate Modern, Liverpool.
** NIVATOUR, Ngosipụta otu nke National Gallery of Art, Abuja, Alexandria na Cairo, Egypt.
* 2009 Society of Nigerian Artists Anniversary Exhibition, Omenka Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria.
** Ngosipụta otu iji kwanyere Chinua Achebe ùgwù na ncheta afọ iri ise nke Things Fall Apart .
* 2008 ARESUVA, National Gallery of Art, Abuja, Nigeria.
* 2006 Ọzọ Modernity: Works on paper by Uche Okeke, Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
* 2002 Poetics of Line: Seven Artists of the Nsukka Group, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.
* 1995 Seven Stories about Modern Art in Africa, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London.
* 1977 Ngosipụta nke African Contemporary Art, Mahadum Howard, Ngalaba nka, College of Fine Arts, Washington DC USA.
** Ihe ngosi nke Nigerian Contemporary Art (FESTAC), National Council for Arts and Culture, Lagos.
* 1976 Ngosipụta nkwonkwo nke mbipụta na akwa, Ngalaba Gburugburu Mmadụ na Design / African Studies Centre, Kresge Gallery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan USA.
* 1974 African Prints, ihe ngosi nke Contemporary African Art, Kresge Art Gallery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
* 1972 Group Exhibition, Nasprstek Museum, Prague, Czechoslovakia.
* 1969 *Kunst aus Biafra*, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Trier, Dortmund, Essen na Munich, Germany.
* 1966 World Festival of Negro Arts Exhibition, Dakar, Senegal
* 1967 *Drei Kreuzwege - Drei Kontinente*, ya na Hansen-Bahia (Germany) na Vivial Ellis (USA), Munich, Germany.
* 1964 Group Exhibition, Harmon Foundation Inc., New York, USA.
* 1963/64 Ihe ngosi mmadụ atọ na Ibrahim el-Salahi (Sudan) na Valente Malagantana (Mozambique), Kọmitii maka nnwere onwe ọdịbendị, India na Pakistan.
* 1962 Group Exhibition, Rhodes National Gallery, Salisbury, Rhodesia.
** Gallery Lambert, Paris, France.
** Ihe ngosi nka nnwere onwe nke Uganda, Kampala.

### Ọrụ e nyere

* 2015 OIS Services paspọtụ na Visa Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.
* 1989 Oko Cross, St. John's Anglican Church, Oko, Anambra State.
** Ihe osise nke Nna Iwene Tansi, nke Katidral Atọ n'Ime Otu Dị Nsọ, Onitsha, Anambra Steeti nyere ọrụ
* 1976 Park na isi iyi imewe maka Open Spaces Development Commission, Anambra State.
* 1975 Iri na anọ Stations of the Cross, St Peter's Catholic Church chapel, University of Nigeria Nsukka.
* 1971–74 Ezubere ocheeze Achịbishọp na ọnụ ụzọ, Katidral Atọ n'Ime Otu Dị Nsọ, Onitsha, Anambra Steeti.
* 1971 Emepụtara ma mepụta ọnụ ụzọ osisi a pịrị apị maka Katidral Holy Trinity, Onitsha, Anambra Steeti.
* 1967 Stage design for television serial, Heritage, ENTV production.
* 1966 EDI Sculpture, Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
** Mmepụta aha ihe nkiri, Eastern Nigeria Information Service's Film Division, Enugu, Nigeria.
** Atụmatụ eserese maka mgbidi ihuenyo a rụrụ arụ, ụlọ ụka ụka Anglịkan, Mahadum nke Naịjirịa, Nsukka.
** Ezubere uwe mwụda maka Presbyterian Church Choir, Uwani, Enugu.
* 1965 Illustrated Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
** Ezubere jaket akwụkwọ na mkpuchi maka John Munonye's The Only Son
* 1964 Ezubere Boys Scouts nke Nigeria Badges
** Emepụtara Mmanụ Murals na Ihe osise maka Eastern Nigeria Central Library, Ngalaba Ụmụaka. Isiokwu: Anụmanụ na ngagharị.
* 1962–63 Ihe osise atọ na mosaic na enyo enyo maka Franz Meyer and Company, Munich, Germany.
* 1961 Mural for the Mbari Artists and Writers Club House and Gallery, Ibadan, Nigeria.
* 1960 Mother Nigeria and Her Children, mural for Independence Exhibition, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

## Ihe nrite

* 2009 Federal Government Award for distinguished service in the Arts and Culture Sector.
* 2001 Presidential award of MFR by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
* 1977 Nrite maka Terra Cotta Sculpture akpọrọ Dance of Unity, Murtala Mohammed International Sculpture competition, Lagos.
* 1973 British Council Bursary Award
* 1972 Illustrator of the Year 1972, for Tales of Land of Death, Igbo Folk Tales, nke Doubleday, New York bipụtara, nke asọmpi National UNESCO Commission's Book of the Year nyere.
* 1971 Drama award by the African Studies Centre, University of California, USA.
* 1962–63 Onyinye Mmekọrịta iji mụọ usoro mosaic na windo enyo nke gọọmentị West German nyere.
* 1960 Ihe nrite uri na asọmpi edemede mba nke National Arts Council haziri.
* 1959 Ebe mbụ Esso Inc., Nigerian Independence calendar design competition, Lagos.
* 1958–61 Nigerian Federal Government Scholarship
* 1957 Onyinye eserese n'èzí site n'aka Onye isi nke Ngalaba Fine Art, NCAST, Zaria.

## Nsọpụrụ, ọdịiche, na ndị otu

* 1987 Onye otu, Adjudication Panel, Biennale of Children's Book Illustration, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.
* 1985 Onye otu, ndị nnọchi anya Naịjirịa na UNESCO General Conference, Sophia, Bulgaria
* 1984 Onye nnọchi anya, International Artists' Congress, Helsinki, Finland.
* 1983 Onye otu, ndị nnọchi anya Naịjirịa na UNESCO General Conference, Paris, France.
* 1981 Onye nnọchi anya UNESCO na Nzukọ Ukwu nke iri abụọ na anọ, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
* 1979 Children's Books on Africa and their Authors, an annotated bibliography – Nancy J. Schmidt. New York na London: Africana Publishing Company.
* 1978 Onye otu Editorial Board, *Black Orpheus*, Mahadum nke Lagos.
* 1978 Onye isi oche nke ngalaba ọdịbendị, UNESCO Commission, Lagos.
* 1977 *Africa Yearbook na Who's Who* *1977, London, Africa Journal Ltd.
* 1977 *International Directory of Scholars and Specialists in African Studies*, mbipụta nke mbụ, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA: Brandels University African Studies Association.
* 1976–77 Onye otu, Visual Arts Committee, FESTAC '77, Lagos.
* 1976–77 Onye otu International Association of Artists (IIA), Paris, France.
* 1976–77 Vice-President Society for Nigerian Artists.
* 1976 Onye otu, Nigerian Art Education Association (NAEA), Reston, Virginia, USA.
* 1976 Onye otu Nigerian Society for Education Through Art (NSEA) Lagos.
* 1975 Onye otu, International Society of Education Through Art (INSEA), Hereford, England.
* 1974 *International Directory of Arts*, mbipụta nke iri na abụọ, Verlag Muller GMBH na Company K.G. Frankfurt / Main, Germany.
* 1974 American Council on Education Lecture Tour to 8 American Universities in the USA.
* 1971 Ndị otu nyocha W.A.E.C. Art Syllabus.
* 1971 Iskusstuo Stran I Narodov Mira Vol.3 Soviet Arts Encyclopedia, Moscow, USSR.
* 1971–78 Onye otu Kọmitii Ndụmọdụ, Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
* 1971–76 Onye otu East Central State Arts Council na Chief Art Organiser for the State Festival of Arts.
* 1970 Onye otu International Bibliophile Association, Paris, France.

## Akwụkwọ na mbipụta

* 2010 *Nigeria @ 50*, mbipụta nke Gọọmentị Federal nke Nigeria na ncheta afọ iri ise nke nnwere onwe Naịjirịa.
* 2003 NKU DI NA MBA: Uche Okeke na Modern Nigerian Art, National Gallery of Art, Lagos.
** The Triumph of a Vision: an Anthology on Uche Okeke and Modern Art in Nigeria, Pendulum Art Gallery.
* 2001 Historical Sketch of the Growth of the Catholic Church in Nimo, mbipụta maka 50th Anniversary of Our Lady of Assumption Parish na Nimo, Anambra State.
* 1998 The Zaria Art Society: A New Consciousness, National Gallery of Art, Lagos.
* 1995 Seven Stories about Modern Art in Africa, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
* 1991 Terms of Art: Contemporary Nigerian Art in the International Context, Ministry of Culture, Nordrhine-Westfalen/Kunstsammilung Nordrhine-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Germany.
* 1990 Eze Institution na Igboland, nke Hanny Hahn-Waanders, Asele Institute Documentation Centre, Nimo, Anambra State.
* 1982 Art in Development: A Nigerian Perspective, Asele Institute Documentation Centre na African American Cultural Center, Minneapolis, US.
* 1976 "Search for the Theoretical Basis of Contemporary Art", akwụkwọ e gosipụtara na International Symposium on Contemporary Art, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
** Modern Nigerian Art, Documentation Centre, Asele Institute, Nimo.
** Igbo Art, Asele Institute, Nimo.
* 1971 Tales of Land of Death: Igbo folktales by Uche Okeke, Doubleday, Zenith Books.
* 1969 *Geschichte der Ibo Kunst*, Dortmund Lecture No. 97, Dortmund: Kulturamt der Stadt Dortmund.
* 1961 Drawings by Uche Okeke, intro. Ulli Beier, Ibadan. Mbari Productions.

## Nchịkọta ọha na nke onwe

* National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
* National Gallery of Art, Abuja, Nigeria.
* Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland, USA.
* Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA.
* Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
* Iwalewa Haus, Bayreuth, Germany.
* Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich Germany.
* Franz Mayer Hofkunstanstalt, Munich, Germany.
* Tate Modern Gallery, Liverpool, United Kingdom
* OYASAF Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria.
* Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Lagos, Nigeria
* Broadcast House Radio Nigeria, Kaduna, Nigeria.
* Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
* Mahadum nke Lagos, Nigeria.
* Holy Trinity Cathedral, Nigeria.
* National Council for Arts and Culture, Lagos, Nigeria.
* Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos.
* Akademie der Kunst, Berlin, Germany.
* State House, Enugu, Nigeria.
* Ngalaba Fine and Applied Arts, Mahadum nke Nigeria, Nsukka.
* Dolly Fitterman Art Gallery Inc, Minneapolis, USA.
* Beke Memorial Hospital, Nimo, Nigeria.
* Ministry of Education and Information, Cultural Division, Enugu, Nigeria.
* Maazị na Oriakụ Chellarams.
* Dr Ronald Severino, USA.
* A. R. Jellings, United Kingdom.
* W. J. Plume, United Kingdom.
* Lady Dorothy Head, United Kingdom.
* Frau Gertrude Buchta, Deisenhofen dị nso na Munich, Germany.
* Demas Nwoko, Nigeria.
* Maazị na Oriakụ Alec Armstrong, United Kingdom.
* Prọfesọ na Oriakụ Chinua Achebe.

## Edemsibịa

Òtù:Pages with unreviewed translations