Nike Art Gallery

In Lekki, a white tower holds what is commonly counted West Africa's largest art gallery: five floors where paintings, sculpture, beadwork, textiles and carvings crowd every surface - thousands of works by hundreds of Nigerian artists, hung salon-style to the ceilings. It is the life's work of Nike Davies-Okundaye, the adire-cloth master who rose from Osogbo's art movement to global renown and who, when present, greets visitors in spectacular gele headwraps with equally spectacular warmth. Demonstrations of indigo adire dyeing and loom weaving anchor the gallery's teaching mission, entry is free, and the browsing is as deep as your afternoon.

History

Nike Davies-Okundaye founded the gallery in 2009 to promote African art and give it a lasting home; its largest branch, in Lekki, is counted West Africa's most extensive art collection (Wikipedia, Nike Art Gallery).

What to look for

• The five floors - thousands of works stacked to the ceilings.
• Adire demonstrations - indigo resist-dyeing shown and taught.
• The textile collections - masterworks of Yoruba cloth tradition.
• Mama Nike herself - the founder's welcome, when in residence.

When to go

Year round; weekday mornings are calmest for browsing, weekends busiest and most social. Lagos traffic is the only real scheduling force - plan around it, generously.

What to expect

The salon hang means treasures share walls with the merely decorative - bring your own eye, and time; the depth rewards it. Works are for sale and staff will assist, without hard pressure. Photography is generally welcomed - confirm on arrival. Lagos logistics (traffic, negotiated taxis) frame every visit.

Nearby

Lekki's markets and conservation centre, and Lagos Island's museums across the bridges.

Key facts