OPINION: NJIDEKA AKUNYILI CROSBY’S ART WORKS, REVELATION OF EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA

 

Njideka Akunyili Crosby

I read recently through the social media a Bucky 2023 write up, Credit: Tchidi Chiemeziem, the feats that have been attained by the 40 years Njideka Akunyili Crosby, married, a daughter of the former Director General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who was also a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Njideka was reported as a talented visual artist, and currently the most valuable Nigerian artist of all time, also enlisted in the report as among the most valuable female artists of all nationalities. Her work 'The Beautyful One' according to the report was sold by Christie's in Nov 2022 for $4.74 Million. The same work sold for $3.075 Million in Mar 2017, representing an increase of $1.7Million for the delighted collectors, the report observed.

A close look at the report reveals that between 2017 and 2022 a period of 5 years something remarkable, captivating and inspiring as revealed by the obviously delighted reporter occurred, and was aptly captured as “an increase, a profit of $1.7Million for the collectors over 5 years is not moi-moi!”. Please note: Moi-moi is a local delicacy in Nigeria made of beans and other ingredients.

Other heartwarming news contained in the report include the fact that Njedeka’s second most expensive work, 'Bush Babies' was sold for a whopping $3.375 Million in March 2018 by Sotheby's, while her first work, an untitled work was sold for $93.75K in Sept 2016. In Nov 2016, two months later, her work 'Drown' showing her reclining with the husband sold for $1.1Million.

Other interesting revelations about the works of Njideka include the fact that she has had 22 of her works sold at auction prices that ranged between $100K to $4.474 Million over the last 7 years. Recognition and Awards have come the way of Njedika. In 2016 she was named one of the Financial Times 'Woman of the Year'; and in 2017 she was awarded the prestigious $625K Mac Aurthur Fellowship 'Genius Grant'. In addition to all these, Njideka in 2018, designed the mural that wrapped the Museum of Contemporary Art, Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, while her work Thriving and Potential, Displaced (Again and Again and…)”(2021) was commissioned for the Met's exhibition 'Before Yesterday We Could Fly' and in the 2022 exhibition “Women Painting Women” at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Njideka featured in the National Portrait Gallery's 2023 Kinship exhibit.

With what I see around the country as one with very deep interest in art, heritage and culture promotion, without mincing words I wish to deposit here that I see many Njedika’s, and the light of my bias for entrepreneurship and development, I am confident that opportunities abound in the land for the engagement of many more youths into meaningful and gainful employment in Nigeria through, art, culture and heritage. What is missing is the enabling environment.

The team at

celebrates the noble and iconic achievements of Njideka, and uses this opportunity to call on the authorities in Nigeria to work harder to provide the enabling environment so that many more Nigerians will have the opportunity to showcase their skill  and sell to country positively to the world.

Nnabugwu Chizoba