Atilogwu Dancers

Eke Okaybulu was a self-thought Nigerian artist from the then Eastern Nigeria. He had little formal training unlike a lot of his contemporaries at the time who had college degrees in art and graphic designs from reputable tertiary institutions like the Nigerian College of Art, Science and Technology (NCAST), now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Yaba College of Technology, Lagos which had European teachers at time. However, he was influenced by DLK Nnachi, Akinola Lasekan, Aina Onabolu and other students of Kenneth Murray, one of the first British trainers in Eastern Nigeria in the early 20th century. He demonstrated keen interest in graphic art and illustration and would go on to win a government scholarship to London in 1952. Part of his notable awards is a First Class Certificate of Merit, Drawings and paintings, Art and Crafts Exhibition, in Port Harcourt, 1944. He was inducted Posthumously as a Fellow of the Asele Institute, Nimo in 1985.

The Atilogwu Dance is one of the prominent traditional dances of the Igbo ethnic group known for its very fast rhythm and vigorous dance moves, stunts and acrobatic displays of the dancers who move their bodies to the rhythm of the music played. The term “Atilogwu” which simply means a touch of (the powers of) magic or sorcery is used by the people to infer that some level of spiritual enchantment or bewitchment is involved for the unusual/abnormal energetic and exuberant, yet effortless, displays of the youthful dancers. The painting shows some of the common instruments used for performance including Ekwe, the wooden gong; Nkwa or Igba, the drum; and the Ogene, the (long) metallic gong. The traditional costume of the dancers features a white chicken feather planted on their head-ties, colourful fabric wears, raffia rings around the knees and metallic ankle rings worn for sound effects during the rhythmic movements of the body and the feet. The setting is a village one with local thatch houses and palm trees. The dance is dominant among the Ezeagu people of Enugu state and is their most popular dance.