In Thorns and Crown, Badru redefines Yoruba heritage in textile, bronze
A sodden Saturday failed to dampen spirits at the Alliance Française, Lagos, where a large, enthusiastic gathering came to witness Taofeek Badru’s solo exhibition, Thorns and Crown.
Against a simple, white-walled canvas, his hand-made embroidery, bronze sculpture, and textile installations formed a compelling visual lexicon of leadership, prestige, and burden. Three distinct triptychs gave guests room to move, ponder, and react—many wore expressions of awe. The opening attracted notable figures from Absa and the cultural community, lending gravitas to an event that blended artistic innovation with deep-rooted African tradition.
Some of the notable names include Country CEO of Absa group, Sadiq Abu; Marketing Executive, Alliance Française de Lagos, Precious Naadorn and Chairman, Absa group, Nigeria Adedotun Sulaiman.
In his opening remarks, Abu commended Alliance Française for creating space for African stories to be told with dignity, depth, and cultural integrity.
He added, “Stories in Conversation with Badru Taofeek is not just an art event, it is a moment of reflection. And Thorns and Crown is more than an exhibition, it is a mirror. One that shows us the dualities of leadership: its admiration and its weight, its honour and its burden.
“Badru has gifted us something rare, a deeply personal, yet universally resonant body of work. In reimagining the Yoruba crown not just as a symbol of status, but of internal struggle, he has elevated a local narrative into a global conversation. That’s the kind of storytelling we believe in at Absa Nigeria rooted in tradition, but forward-looking and globally relevant.”
Abu noted that Absa L’Atelier is not simply about visibility, but about development, especially as a pipeline for African artists to receive structured, strategic support: mentorship, funding, exhibition opportunities, and continental exposure.
“Many of our past ambassadors have gone on to build successful international careers and we have every confidence that Badru will do the same. To Badru, thank you. For your courage. For your craftsmanship. For telling the truth through texture and tension. And for taking Nigerian art with you as you continue your journey into galleries, into minds, and into hearts far beyond this space.
“To our partners at the Alliance Francais de Lagos, we thank you for the continued partnership. For opening your doors and allowing us to partner with you in showcasing Africa’s future artistic talent. At Absa, we don’t just support artists because it’s the right thing to do; we support artists because they shape how we think, how we feel, and how we evolve as a society. They are central to progress, not separate from it.”
Abu thanked all arts enthusiasts for showing up for the arts and for recognising that transformation is not only economic, it is cultural, emotional, and creative.
On his part, the Chairman of Absa Group, Nigeria, Sulaiman in his welcome address, thanked the artist, Taofeek Badru, for creating the concept.
He further said: “Your vision, vulnerability, and voice are at the heart of why we are all gathered here tonight. Through your work, you give shape to stories that are often felt but rarely spoken. We are honoured to support your journey and proud to witness Nigerian creativity standing confidently on the global stage.
“Let me also thank our hosts, Marc Brébant and the Alliance Française team, for their continued support of the arts and their continued generous partnership with Absa. This collaboration brings together shared values, cross-cultural dialogue, emerging talent, and the belief that African stories matter, cross-cultural dialogue, emerging talent, and the belief that African stories matter.
“This evening also marks the second instalment of the 2025 Absa L’Atelier Pan-African Exhibition Series, which will travel from Lagos to Ghana, Uganda and South Africa, highlighting artists such as Emmanuel Idowu, Gandor Collins, Edward Lawerh, Adelheid Franciwicz, Bulumko Mbete and Joe Gayi. Each artist brings a unique voice to the shared narrative of modern African identity.
“But today, we focus on Badru Taofeek, our 2022 Absa L’Atelier Ambassador, and his remarkable body of work, Thorns and Crown. Through embroidery, sculpture, and textile, Badru explores the emotional weight of leadership and the complex space between reverence and isolation. His work is poetic and unflinching, a reflection on what it means to be seen, to serve, and to sacrifice.
“At Absa, we are proud to support artists like Badru through the L’Atelier programme, a pan-African art competition hosted in partnership with SANAVA, the South African National Association for the Visual Arts. Now in its 39th year, the L’Atelier offers winning artists not only an international residency, but also masterclasses, mentorship, exhibition support, and skills development opportunities to help them thrive professionally. It provides a platform to explore personal narratives, tackle contemporary issues, and ultimately, bring African stories to life on a global stage.
Sulaiman who applauded Badru for his works, said it reminds Nigerian art is not only thriving, it is leading. “We are honoured to support you as you take your practice beyond our borders and onto the international stage. You carry not only your personal story, but the creative brilliance of this nation and we know you will represent both with courage, complexity, and pride.”
Noting that the exhibition runs until June 28, 2025, Sulaiman encouraged art enthusiasts to spend time with it, share it, and allow its themes to linger long after they leave.
Providing more insight about the ABSA L’Atelier, he said it has been on for over 39 years, because ABSA considers art to be a central part of what it does as an organisation.
“We have a long track record of supporting art, commerce and creativity go hand in hand and it gives us immeasurable pleasure to support artists such as Taofeek Badru through exhibitions such as this.
“What we are hoping to achieve is to show what is possible. For us at ABSA, we believe that your story matters and art is about storytelling. We are here to tell Badru’s story, we are here to document and showcase Badru’s talent and show what is possible.
“Artists in Nigeria have demonstrated their creativity, passion, immense quality across the continent and this is just one opportunity to continue to showcase that. So for us, achieving the objective is what we are seeing here; the appreciation of the art, the appreciation of the journey of the artist, the appreciation of the emotion that the artist has gone through and we would very much like and indeed we have no doubt that in the coming years, Badru will transform from not just being an artist that is known in Nigeria but an artist of international repute and a worthy ambassador for Nigerian creativity.”
Also speaking on the technicality around the exhibition, Senior Specialist, Art & Museum Curator, Absa, Dr Paul Bayliss, noted that embroidery may not be a new concept, but the use of thread as a medium of expression, is not as popular as other traditional media.
“But Badru Taofeek, a Nigerian born artist from Abeokuta, Ogun State, is breaking the norms – he is one of a select few artists that is exploring a medium that seems strange to some but fascinating to others. His preferred medium is thread-on-canvas, rather than oil and acrylic.”
Bayliss observed that oil and acrylic are easier to control and manipulate; threads-on-canvas, less so. “Still, Badru has been exploring thread-on-canvas, otherwise known as embroidery art, for over a decade now. He admits it is a time-consuming medium, but insists it is worth all the extra sweat, sometimes taking him more than three months to create a piece. The fascinating thing about his work, is that Badru does the embroidery by hand, even though there are machines that can aid him.”
Bayliss said behind every piece Badru creates, there is a story: philosophical or metaphorical, and the attendant deep messages, stating that he draws inspiration from aesthetics, rooted in African myths, history, proverbs, folklores and spirituality.
“He uses imagery and symbols from African fabrics (most especially Adire Eleko). His foray into Adire Eleko is his way of promoting his culture, while demonstrating great dexterity in producing abstract, symbolic and mythically driven works.
“Badru’s art is deeply inspired by Yoruba culture, who live in the southwest of Nigeria and eastern Benin and have their own language and religion. While deeply rooted in the exploration of African cultural values, Badru’s work is purposeful. While seeking to examine the layers of meaning embedded therein, translating them into a visual language that speaks to contemporary audiences, his use of colours is symbolic. They reflect the richness of Yoruba culture, while demonstrating his deep respect for indigenous spirituality and his skill in blending tradition with modern ideas.”
Speaking specifically about the exhibition, Bayliss said: “In Thorns and Crown, Badru investigates the intricate relationship between leadership, success, and the sacrifices that accompany positions of power. Leadership is often adorned with prestige and reverence, yet beneath its splendour lies an unspoken narrative of burden, sacrifice and internal conflict, The inspiration for this body of work stems from the well-known phrase, “Unease lies the head that wears the crown”, a line from Henry IV, Part Two by William Shakespeare. This sentiment reflects the paradox of prestige and the weight of responsibility.
“At the heart of this exhibition is the Yoruba beaded crown, a powerful emblem of leadership, cultural heritage and influence. While it radiates honour, its intricate beadwork hints at the quiet struggles that accompany positions of power.The beaded crown, in all its intricate beauty, becomes a metaphor for the duality of leadership—where prestige is often intertwined with internal conflict and relentless expectations. His use of textiles reflects fragility and resilience, reinforcing the delicate yet enduring nature of those who bear the weight of responsibility.
“The human figure, central to this body of work, is rendered with hand embroidery in skin-tone threads to emphasize the labour-intensive and deeply personal nature of identity and existence. Each stitch mirrors the complexities of leadership – painstakingly built, yet fragile under scrutiny. The figure’s trousers, hand-printed with Adire Eleko patterns using acrylic paint, further ground the works in Yoruba artistic traditions while providing a visual metaphor for resilience, reinforcing the connection between the past and present struggles of leadership.”
On what inspired the theme, “Thorns and Crown”, of the exhibition, Badru said he is concerned about letting people know that behind every success, leadership role, achievement, there is a struggle beneath.
“So, with this exhibition, I am trying to let us know that, especially in this social media era, where people only post their success story and finished work, without putting out the struggles and pains.
“For example, everybody wants Africa, Nigeria to be developed, but it will come with some challenges. You cannot want Nigeria or Lagos to be like New York, London and not obey simple traffic rules. It has to come with being ready to face the struggle that will come with development.”
On what inspires his creative process, Badru disclosed that he picks inspiration from his environment and daily activities around him.
“So many things are happening at the same time in Nigeria and in Africa. So many struggles are going on. Everybody wants to become a celebrity now. So, the inspiration comes from all these things, listening to news daily and music.”
After viewing the works, one of the guests, Dorcas Jacob, applauded the artist, saying the message of the exhibition is a good one because it is something that is needed right now in Nigeria.
Pix: Exhibition 2:
