A thousand memorial trees have been planted in memory of the victims of the Asaba Massacre.

An exhibition showcasing a captivating selection of works by Nigerian artists that provoke awareness and recognition of the tragic event in Nigeria’s history ended last week to commemorate the tragic events of the notorious Asaba Massacre in 1967.

The exhibition, titled “Asaba Memorial,” aims to inspire remembrance and communal healing through art. It was held in order to support the development of the Asaba Memorial Park, a cultural monument planned in memory of the victims of the 1967 Asaba, Delta State massacre. A thousand trees will be planted in an open square in Ogbe-Osowa village and other locations in memory of the 1000 men killed in October 1967.

As a fund-raising initiative, an exhibition of relatable art works from the heinous incident opened on November 27th and will close on December 7, 2022, at the Red Door Gallery in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Asaba Memorial is the first major exhibition to establish a memorial park in memory of the victims of the 1967 Asaba massacre, produced by Whitespace Creative Agency.

The visual narrative of the Asaba massacre provides a rare glimpse into an incident that has long been regarded as one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history. It explores the emotional complexities of a forgotten peaceful community through compelling stories about the horror’s trajectory and the growing realization of the magnitude of the massacre during Nigeria’s civil war. The exhibition also questions commonly held assumptions about the massacre while criticizing the government’s and global communities’ inaction in response to the atrocities that occurred. It also encourages visitors to consider the responsibilities and challenges faced by those who managed to survive, from young widows, women, and children to soldiers who made difficult choices, effected change, and, in a few cases, took significant risks to help victims on that fateful day.

Asaba Memorial includes works by over 20 artists, including “In Memoriam,” a monumental canvas piece with the names of some of the victims created by Kanye Okeke, a 12-year-old artist who created the work for the show, and Victor Ehikhamanor’s “Black Peace” (2022), part of the series that was featured as the book cover of Elizabeth Bird and Fraser Ottanelli’s book titled “The Asaba Massacre: Trauma, Memory, and the Nigerian Civil War

A body of work donated by Enotie Ogbebor, the son of a senior military officer in the Nigerian army who provided an eyewitness account of the atrocities that occurred in Asaba, is also on display, as is renowned fashion designer Ade Bakare’s Ogbueshi – a Guipure cotton lace with red paint and soil that depicts the fate of Chief Mariam Babangida’s father – Late Ogbueshi Leonard Nwanony

As part of the collection’s oldest works, the group exhibition curated by Otsholeng Poo and convened by Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze – the Isama Ajie of Asaba, includes Ben Enwonwu’s 1967 painting about the Civil War, “War Dreams,” and Bruce Onobrakpeya’s 1972 painting, “Ayo Players.”

Commenting on the exhibition’s significance, Nduka-Eze stated that the memorial park is intended to depict the final journey of the victims, adding that he was a direct victim of the massacre, having lost his mother in the atrocity.

“The memorial park in Asaba is designed to depict the last journey of the victims, where they had to go to a public square ostensibly to receive and welcome the federal troops,” he says.

“Another significant feature of the park will be the planting of a thousand trees.” Each tree represents a single life that has been lost. The beauty of it is that trees live. And they speak to life, a life that has been lost but is now lived through trees.”

He regretted that “to date, there has been no proper explanation or official apology from the Federal Government of Nigeria for the humanitarian crime,” while emphasizing the importance of using art as a powerful catalyst for bringing awareness to important issues that receive only marginal attention. Everyone is welcome to come and explore the exhibition. It will prompt people to consider not only “what could have been done?” but also “what can we do?”

For Nduka-Eze, this is the first step toward creating a memorial site that is both accessible and dignified in its representation of the victims, as well as a community symbol of all the lives lost that will also include a cultural and recreational attraction for both local and international tourists.

“The park will have many other features, including a gallery where many of those works will finally find a home,” he says. There is also a place where artists can advance their careers. We have artists as residents in recognition of our collaboration with them,” he explained.

“As a South African who calls Nigeria home, I understand the struggle,” said curator Otsholeng Poo.

On a very personal level, I value the significance of this exhibition. The people of Asaba inspire me.

continued survival and a resounding call for the Massacre’s proper place in history

telling the story of Nigeria I’m also hopeful that as this project gains supporters from all over the continent and the world, we’ll be able to continue telling Asaba’s story through art and music.

community. “As the exhibition travels, we intend to invite more artists’ contributions and continue to expand the Park’s collection.”