Artwork: "Strength of the Anioma Man," Gathering Fame Among Artwork Lovers

- Emeka Esogbue

Recently, the painting "Strength of the Anioma Man" is becoming well-known, and PEN MASTER had the chance to see the paint job.

The artist of Strength of the Anioma Man, Enyi Echezona Jr., is an Anioma man from Idumuje Unor in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State. The painting was completed in oil on canvas.

The artwork shows a manly, forceful, and energetic Anioma "ogbu akpele," a native flute player, playing Enuani melodies on a trumpet, to which another Anioma man and an unidentified woman are depicted dancing.

Images within are ornamented with the rarely worn red cap, a mark of royalty, and Akwa-Ocha, the native cloth of the Anioma people.

Echezona Jr., the Painter, described the piece to the Pen Master, saying that it was motivated by the willpower a man has to achieve any goal.

"Be it blowing a trumpet to answering the call of a battle on a cold rainy night, his guts must come to the fore and feel every strand of fibre in those muscles, he further emphasized."

"Need I also add that we are very fine people courtesy of our Akwa Ocha and red cap? That's it my brother."

However, PEN MASTER is aware that the artwork has already been sold to an Asaba collector, despite the growing enthusiasm from fans to possess the piece.

Born to Idumuje Unor parents, Enyi Echezona Jr., is a B.A holder in Visual Art.

He won The Windsor and Newton World Millennium Art, Nigerian Chapter after placing first in one of the organization's competitions.

Echezona Jr. hopes to receive greater patronage and views his artworks as a collector's joy.