Ọjà Oǹtótóo: rebuilding sculptures by Adebisi Nurudeen

“Ọjà Oǹtótóo”, or “the Marketplace”, is a large flat rock amphitheatre populated by larger-than-life cement sculptures.
These extraordinary sculptures were originally created in the late 1960s by Saka Aremu, one of Wenger’s earliest protégés. The vision was to create an intimate amphitheatre where dance and drumming performances would be held and both traditionalists and the community would mix. The sculptures were designed to be used as seats and resting places.
As money was scarce in those days, the artists and artisans used laterite to anchor the sculptures and then covered this earthen core with cement, reinforced with iron rods. Over time, the earth core disintegrated, leaving only the cement shell.
In 2012 more than 45 sculptures needed to be rebuilt completely. Very sadly, Saka Aremu died the year before while working on another restoration project and was not able to recreate his own works of art here.
Sangodare Ajala, leader of the New Sacred Art Movement led artists Adebisi Akanji, Adebisi Nurudeen, and Adeyemi Oseni to recreate this magnificent site.