- From Simon Odey Ikpakronyi
Dr. Paul Chike Dike, OON, was a colossus whose imprint in the culture sector in general and visual arts sub-sector in particular will be etched in the sands of time. I met him at a turning point of our careers – he had just been appointed the Chief Executive of the newly established National Gallery of Art (NGA) – I was a Visual Art Officer in the National Gallery of Modern Art division of National Council for Arts & Culture (NCAC) which was then his new office.
A great conversationalist, it did not take me time to know that this man had a lot to offer the culture sector. He spoke passionately about his vision and dreams for the parastatal. More importantly, he opened up to me on the efforts he made to ensure that the establishment became a reality.
When Dike assumed duty as Chief Executive, he took me as his Personal Assistant (PA) and later from 1993 to 2006 when he left office, I served as his Special Assistant (SA) on professional matters.
At the initial time of NGA, Dike and I would work very late into the night. I would accompany him to many places in respect of NGA after which he would drop me off at my place at Shomolu, Lagos. I continued to work with him until his last day in office.
To begin with, Dike carved out many programmes for promoting Nigerian artists which became annual programmes of NGA. Some of them were international programmes that took many staff of NGA including practicing artists outside the country.
He worked very hard, supervising every aspect of the programmes. In fact, he encouraged professionalism in the work ethic of NGA during his time.
He also introduced scholarship into NGA as a government parastatal. This is evident in the many works NGA has published. Indeed, publishing successes of NGA cannot be over emphasised through Dike’s interest and efforts.
Despite the lean resources at his disposal at the time, Dike never took the issue of the welfare of gallery staff for granted. The welfare of artists was also paramount to him. He handled the issue of training and promotion very well. On the whole, staff and artists were happy with him all through.
Before his tenure ended in 2006, Dike, had planned to organise programmes aimed at promoting studio artists, art historians and art educators.
In his later years and before his passing, the quintessential art administrator, scholar and cultural diplomat, expressed his unhappiness on certain state of affairs in the present NGA.
No doubt, he will be greatly missed, and remembered for his great legacies. Nigerian Art scene will continue to remain Dike’s big constituency and Nigerian artists will forever remember Dike for the love and interest he had as well as what he did for them. In this regard, he should be treated like other Nigerian master artists, and as with them, adequate documentation on him should be embarked on him.
I believe that a standard book should be written on him as has been done on some Nigerian master artists by NGA.
And if Aina Onabolu is today the father of modern Nigerian art, I dare say that Paul Chike Dike, OON, should be seen as the father of modern gallery of art in Nigeria and be so accorded. His name will forever remain synonymous with the Nigerian art.
Adieu, my boss, mentor, art colossus.
-Ikpakronyi PhD, was former Director, Overseeing Office of the Director General (DOODG), National Gallery of Art (March 2019-July, 2020).
