An astute artist, Mr Ocheche Agbo, has canvassed for peace building in the country and the world at large through the work of art, a platform for understanding one another.
He said, “the search for peace has become a categorical imperative in these challenging times, especially, now that peace and security have flight, not only from the national space but also globally.”
According to Agbo, “One essential quality of peace building is the understanding of one another. And art creates the platform for viewers to have a new and or better understanding of each other socially, culturally, politically and otherwise.”
In a statement Sunday announcing his forthcoming solo art exhibition entitled, “The time for Peace”, Agbo said, “we need to keep moving and playing our part in every and any little way we can to bring about desired outcomes for the betterment of society.”
Agbo said he chose the theme “The Time for Peace” for the Thursday 7th October “exhibition as his contribution to the search for peace through the transformation of the canvas from the pedestrian into profound thought provoking works of art.
He said, “This exhibition is about peacebuilding as the world desperately seek peace and security more than ever and requires all to participate as peace remains the strongest tool for the optimal transformation of the society for human potentials to flourish.
Using an Idoma folklore, “ELAKECHE” -a feminine name meaning mysteries of life, Agbo illustrates, a ravishing beauty that attracts several suitors, among these suitors were three notable ones, each of the three has a unique comparative advantage in their quest for her hand in marriage.
“One suitor has mysterious powers embedded in a mirror with the capacity to tell the past, present and the future, another is affluent and owns a powerful horse. And yet another owns a mystery ointment that can resuscitate the dead but effective only before sunset.
“The folklore holds that Elakeche, unknown to her suitors however falls ill and died in a distant location. The mysterious mirror revealed the bad news to all stakeholders.
The challenge confronting all her suitors is how to reach her before sunset so as to apply the mystery ointment.
Thus, the quest to have Elakeche resuscitated entail;
a- knowledge of her state of being
b- reaching her before sunset
c- her resuscitation
Eventually, bringing Elakeche back to life involves a synergy of the trio.
“Elakeche, in the mind of the artist, is a metaphor for peace -in our communities, our societies, our countries and the entire globe-, where peace is been taken to pieces. For peace in our communities, our countries to be resuscitated, there must be exertions from all and sundry.”
Ocheche Agbo is a graduate of the Benue state polytechnic, Ugbokolo, whose quest for exploration led him to the Federal University Lafia for Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A) -Painting, after decades of studio and field practice.
