The University of Ibadan (UI) has honoured renowned African art scholar and curator, Professor Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson, with a special exhibition celebrating his decades of contributions to African art history, scholarship and museum development, while also showcasing the experiences and contributions of foreign women who have made Nigeria their home through marriage.
The 2026 University of Ibadan Convocation Exhibition, titled “Nigerwives: Inverse Diaspora, Belonging and the Making of Home in Nigeria,” was organised by the African Diaspora Resource and Research Centre (ADRRC), TETFUND Centre of Excellence for Diaspora Studies, in collaboration with the Cornelius Adepegba Museum of African Art (CAMAA) and the Institute of African Studies (IAS).
The well-attended exhibition, which also featured a special art salon dedicated to Professor Pogoson, marked the return of the University’s convocation exhibition tradition after a seven-year break.
Professor Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba, commended the Nigerwives for embracing Nigeria as their home and contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.
Olapegba observed that discussions about the Nigerian diaspora had largely focused on Nigerians living abroad, with insufficient attention given to foreign nationals who had settled in Nigeria and become part of its society.
He said the University was proud of the contributions of the Nigerwives, describing their decision to make Nigeria their home as worthy of appreciation.
Addressing the women, the Vice-Chancellor said their presence and contributions deserved greater recognition, adding that Nigeria should begin to pay more attention to the diaspora within its borders.
“We want to appreciate you for the opportunity to be our wives. We want to appreciate you for choosing to be part of us, for adopting our land as your land,” he said.
He encouraged the women to share their positive experiences of living in Nigeria with their relatives and friends in their respective countries, expressing the hope that more foreign women would consider making Nigeria their home.
Earlier, the Director of ADRRC, Professor Senayon Olaoluwa, explained that the concept of “inverse diaspora” challenged the conventional understanding of diaspora, which largely focuses on citizens of a particular country living outside their homeland.
According to him, the concept, which he coined and presented at the 2015 National Diaspora Day celebration in Abuja, recognises people of other nationalities who reside within a country’s geographical boundaries and contribute to its development.
He said Nigerwives represented an important category of inverse diaspora whose experiences had contributed to the evolution of Nigerian identity through marriage, family relationships, professional engagements and cultural integration.
Olaoluwa stressed that the women should not be viewed merely as foreign wives or passive matrimonial partners, but as active contributors to national development and cultural exchange.
He identified their roles as mothers, partners, professionals, collaborators, advocates, activists, survivors and cultural icons, noting that their experiences demonstrated the complex nature of national and transnational citizenship.
“The exhibition showcases the many and complex sides of Nigerwives in relation to their integration, challenges, travails and triumphs,” he said.
The ADRRC director disclosed that the exhibition was the beginning of a broader national project aimed at documenting the history, experiences and contributions of Nigerwives across Nigeria.
He also acknowledged the support of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), led by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, which facilitated funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for the establishment of ADRRC as a Centre of Excellence for Diaspora Studies at the University of Ibadan.
Olaoluwa commended the university management, past and present leadership of the Institute of African Studies, and Professor Pogoson for their contributions to the development of the centre.
He particularly described Pogoson as an influential scholar and mentor whose administrative interventions and institutional support helped secure the initial allocation of land for the ADRRC project.
The exhibition, he explained, was also organised to celebrate Pogoson’s retirement from active university service at the age of 70, while recognising his contributions to African art scholarship, curation and exhibition.
In his curatorial remarks, Dr Kudus Adebayo said the exhibition documented the stories of women who crossed national, cultural and racial boundaries, married Nigerian men and established families and communities in the country.
He explained that the project also explored the experiences of Nigerian men who travelled abroad for education and other opportunities, found love, married foreign women and eventually returned to Nigeria with their spouses.
According to him, the exhibition originated from classroom discussions on African diaspora studies, where he sought to draw students’ attention to the presence of diaspora communities within Nigeria.
He said conversations with Dr Helen Chatburn-Ojemohon, former president of the Nigerwives Ibadan Branch and the national association, further strengthened the initiative by providing insights into the community’s history and experiences.
Adebayo disclosed that the exhibition was developed through a collaborative process involving members of different Nigerwives branches, who contributed photographs, biographies, personal belongings, publications and other historical materials.
He noted that members of the Ibadan branch also participated actively in the process by providing information, making suggestions and assisting with the installation of some exhibits.
The curator further revealed that artificial intelligence-assisted image enhancement was used on some historical photographs, but only with the consent of contributors.
He explained that the organisers recognised the concerns surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in historical photograph restoration and therefore made the process optional to ensure that image enhancement supported remembrance without compromising historical authenticity.
The exhibition features biographies, photographs, personal testimonies, publications, memorials and objects documenting migration, interracial marriages, family life, cultural negotiations and the experiences of belonging in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the co-curator, Mr Akeem Ashiyanbi, described the occasion as a celebration of art, scholarship, institutional memory and a distinguished career of service.
He said the exhibition provided an opportunity to honour a scholar who had spent much of his professional life promoting the works of other artists through research, exhibitions and curatorial practice.
“Professor Pogoson has curated artists, interpreted collections and created platforms for artistic expression. Today, the curatorial gaze turns towards him. Today, the curator must himself be curated,” Ashiyanbi said.
He described the return of the University of Ibadan Convocation Exhibition as particularly significant, recalling that the initiative was introduced by Professor Pogoson and subsequently incorporated into the university’s convocation and Founders’ Day programme.
According to him, the last edition was held in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted institutional activities.
He expressed the hope that the 2026 edition would restore the exhibition as a permanent feature of the university’s annual celebrations, providing a platform for artists, scholars and members of the public to engage with visual arts.
Ashiyanbi also paid tribute to the late Professor Irene Aituaje Pogoson, wife of the honouree, recalling her unwavering support for CAMAA and her regular presence at the museum’s exhibitions, even when her health was challenged.
He described her as one of the museum’s most dependable supporters, saying her encouragement and commitment remained an important part of its institutional history.
The former Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, also congratulated Pogoson, describing him as an asset to the premier university and an enviable mentor to generations of students.
Olayinka commended his contributions to the development of the institution and wished him well as he retired from active service.
Responding, Professor Pogoson expressed appreciation to his colleagues and the university community for recognising his contributions through the exhibition.
He said he was particularly delighted that the convocation exhibition tradition had been linked to his retirement, expressing the hope that it would continue beyond his years of active service.
Pogoson, who described the Institute of African Studies as an important window into the University of Ibadan and Nigeria, stressed the need to strengthen research institutions that document and promote African culture, traditions, knowledge systems and indigenous practices.
He lamented the funding challenges confronting research institutions, recalling that the Institute of African Studies was a major centre of intellectual and cultural activity in the 1960s and early 1970s, attracting visitors from across the world.
He, however, expressed optimism that the growing influence of the internet and digital technology could help restore the institute’s visibility and expand its reach.
The retiring professor pledged to continue making his expertise and experience available to the university, particularly in the areas of institutional history, scholarship and cultural development.
“I will be very glad to give my service. Wherever I am, as long as I live, I will continue to give my best to the university that raised me to this moment,” he said.
He also expressed the hope that the exhibition tradition would remain a platform for showcasing artists and bringing cultural and educational materials closer to the public.
The exhibition, according to Pogoson, will remain open to visitors until December 8, 2026.
