Oba of Lagos calls for review of Uzo Njoku’s ‘An Owambe Exhibition’, citing fears of cultural misrepresentation and potential unrest in Lagos

Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu I, has formally intervened in the growing controversy surrounding the forthcoming art showcase “An Owambe Exhibition” by Nigerian-American visual artist Uzo Njoku, warning that the event could provoke cultural unrest and distort Yoruba traditions.

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In an official letter dated 24 September 2025, and addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, Mr. Idris Aregbe, the monarch urged the state government to take “appropriate action” to prevent any form of disturbance or public disorder.

The correspondence, titled “Forwarding of Petition Letter Request to Cancel ‘An Owambe Exhibition’ by Uzo Njoku Due to Cultural Misrepresentation,” cited a petition by the Yoruba Youth Council, dated 22 September 2025, which accused the exhibition of misrepresenting Yoruba culture.

According to the letter, the Oba of Lagos instructed that the matter be handled with urgency to avoid unrest in Lagos and its environs. “Alaiyeluwa has instructed that you take appropriate action on this matter, as he is keen to avoid any form of disturbance or unrest,” it read.

The monarch further advised the Ministry of Tourism to review its cultural policies to prevent similar controversies in the future. “Alaiyeluwa respectfully requests that your ministry review existing policies, rules, and regulations governing public exhibitions and cultural showcases,” the statement added.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Area Commander of Area A Command Headquarters (Lion Building), the Permanent Secretary for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, and the leadership of the Yoruba Youth Council for record purposes.

The development follows weeks of public uproar among Yoruba socio-cultural and online communities, who accused Njoku’s planned Lagos exhibition of “appropriating and distorting Yoruba cultural symbols” for political and ethnic propaganda.

Njoku, a Nigerian-American artist internationally recognised for her vibrant Afrocentric paintings, announced “An Owambe Exhibition” in August as her Lagos debut.

The show, she said, would explore themes of intergenerational conflict, queer identity, female beauty standards, and spiritual resilience.

However, several Yoruba organisations, including the Yoruba Progressive Elites Forum (YPEF) and the Yoruba Youth Council, allege that Njoku’s visual interpretation of Yoruba motifs including Adire fabrics and Gele headwear merges cultural elements with political symbols associated with the Biafran movement.

An online petition against the exhibition has since gathered hundreds of signatures, urging the Lagos State Government, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force to suspend the event pending a cultural and security review.

Critics claim the exhibition’s use of Biafran colours and Igbo cultural references within Yoruba artistic contexts is “a deliberate attempt to reframe Lagos through a separatist lens.”

One prominent commentator, identified as @Ariremako, wrote on social media: “By embedding Biafran colours into Yoruba fabrics and attaching Igbo names to Yoruba traditions, such exhibitions attempt to rewrite history and alienate Lagosians from their heritage. This is cultural subversion with a political undertone.”

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By formally stepping into the controversy, the Oba of Lagos has elevated what began as an online dispute into a matter of official state concern, signalling the seriousness with which Lagos authorities now regard issues of cultural representation and heritage protection.