A few weeks ago Ireayomide approached us wanting to share her work. We asked for a portfolio of her strongest pieces and a paragraph of what her greatest inspirations when creating where. What she sent back was no short of powerful. Ireayomide dissected how the name she held led her to a path of discovering more about her culture and the artists who came before, ending on a powerful message of hope for the girls who come after. 

Below is what she sent. 

"My name, Ireayomide, typically identifies me as a Yorúbá woman from South-west Nigeria. My parents are both Yorúbá. But my ancestral roots run through the Hilaconji border between Benin Republic and Togo to our family home in Atakpamé and all the way to coastlines of the southwest coast of West Africa and Freetown in Sierra Leone. So, I was also named "Afi", meaning "born on Friday; derived from the African (Akan and Ewe people). This rich inheritance is courtesy of my paternal great grandparents who were Togolese and Sierra Leonean respectively.

These influences have over the years become interwoven in our names, dressing, the foods we eat, traditions we observe and even the dances and songs we perform at family gatherings. Collectively, they form a rich tapestry of who I am becoming and how I express my art.

To tell stories that matter, you need to bring your unique personal perspective and I believe I have been prepared for this. I will use my art as a platform to share inspiring, informed, empowering and dignified stories about Africa. I will particularly like to focus on forgotten communities who are facing challenging situations and share art with them as a means of expression and healing.

I have been greatly influenced by the Nigerian contemporary visual artist and scholar Yusuf Adebayo Grillo, a prominent member of the Zaria Art Society whose "Natural Synthesis" is an artistic ideology to promote, through art, Nigerian cultural values with utmost dedication, love, and willpower. I subscribe to this ideology and the development of my art and repertoire is aimed at drawing from human activity in the world around me, integrating indigenous cultural elements from my African roots and merging them with Western elements.

(the piece) "Mara" is described as follows:

In the bittersweet tale of Gila, whose name they replaced with Mara, a captivating narrative unfolds. Each moment spent with her revealed a new chapter, a testament to the profound stories etched into the fabric of her being. Though her past held traumas too heavy to recount, Gila steadfastly refused to be a vessel for sorrow.

Life, like a skilled artist, had molded Gila into the epitome of beauty. Her words resonated with a harmony that echoed in her voice, and her heart held a melody that spoke volumes. The narrator, an eager listener to her life's composition, acknowledged the completion of the final stroke on the canvas of her existence.

As Gila closed her eyes for the last time, a serene smile graced her lips. In that poignant moment, she transcended the boundaries of earthly tales. The word "free" encapsulated the essence of her liberation, a soul finally unburdened. Gila, once confined by the name Mara, had achieved a state of infinite serenity, becoming a timeless story of strength, resilience, and the transformative power of embracing one's true identity.

For too long, Africa grappled with the shadows of neglect cast upon the education of its girl children. Hindered by deep-rooted cultural norms and systemic inequalities, these young minds faced a formidable barrier to knowledge. In communities where traditional gender roles prevailed, girls often found themselves confined to domestic spheres, their academic potential overshadowed by societal expectations.

The consequence of this neglect was twofold – a lost generation of untapped intellect and a perpetuation of cycles of poverty. Denied access to education, girls were deprived of the tools to break free from the shackles of limited opportunities. The narrative of neglect wasn't just an oversight; it was a systematic denial of the right to learn, to dream, and to shape a brighter future.

However, the winds of change are stirring. Advocates and organizations are tirelessly working to dismantle these barriers, recognizing that the neglect of girl child education not only stifles individual potential but also hampers the overall progress of societies. As awareness grows and initiatives take root, there's hope for a transformation where every girl in Africa is afforded the chance to illuminate her path through the corridors of education, rewriting the narrative of neglect into one of empowerment and equality."