Egwali to chair panel session on Oji Onoko’s ‘The Artpreneurs’ at LABAF Nov 17
* Book presentation in Abuja at Exhibition Pavilion, Dec. 3
By Editor
EMINENT scholar, well-known sculptor and professor of Fine Arts (Sculpture) of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Franklyn Chu Egwali, will chair the panel session of The Artpreneurs: The Untold Story of Nigerian Full-time Studio Artists at 2.00pm on Tuesday, November 17 at this year’s Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF). The 28th-year olf festival takes place at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Lagos from Monday, November 16 — 22, 2026.
Other panelists are PR & Advertising guru and Founding Managing Director, Next Media Ltd, Dada Ajai-Ikhile, veteran journalist and Arts Editor of THISDAY newspapers, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke, Founder Maritime TV Africa, Maritime Writes project and African Maritime Art Exhibition, Ezinne Chinwe Azunna and Communications professional and Programmes Manager, ODISO Leadership Academy, Rachel Nwose. They would be sharing their experiences of going through the advance copy of the book.
Meanwhile, the first leg of the public presentation of The Artpreneurs will take place on December 3 at Exhibition Pavilion, opposite Radio House, Garki, Abuja at 11.00am prompt. Limited edition of the book would be available while the book will go live the same day on Boldscholar.com for the eCopy and Print-on-Demand for others at the cover price. The date for the Lagos presentation will be announced at LABAF panel session which is expected to be lively and interactive.
The Artpreneurs, the first compendium to focus exclusively on full-time studio artists in Nigeria, is written by Oji Onoko. He was a former Arts and Review Editor and later Deputy Editor at THISDAY newspapers, Pioneer member of the Editorial Board, The Sun newspapers and former Deputy Director/Head, Public Relations, National Gallery of Art. The book is based on a one-on-one interview with the 36 artists in their studios/homes [a few virtual] in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna across three generations: The Pioneers – 1980s; The Bridge Builders – 1990s/2000s, and The Young Turks – 2010s.
In a press statement signed by The Artpreneurs Media Team, the author expressed gratitude to the organisers of LABAF, especially Messr Toyin Akinosho and Jahman Anikulapo as well as CORA Board of Trustees for the opportunity to feature his book at the world class event.
Prof. Franklyn Egwali
