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Oladejo Victor Akinlonu, chairman, Dejack Artistique, dreams to leave an indelible mark in the field of creative arts

|  By Augustine Adah  |  Dec. 17, 2012 @ 01:00 GMT

OLADEJO Victor Akinlonu, chairman, Dejack Artistique, located along Mobolaji Johnson Way, Oregun, Lagos, has a dream to leave an indelible mark in the profession of creative arts. “The passion to move art forward has been so natural in me,” he said. It was in pursuance of this goal that pushed the Ondo State-born artist to extend the arts monument to Ikosi along Ketu road and make it one of the tourist attractions in the state. The new extension would have a standard swimming pool and an art galleria.

Akinlonu explained that by the time the expansion is fully completed, more than 40 graduates and other workers would be engaged. Researchers and students on excursion would find the place very valuable because it would depict the rich cultural value of the society.  The man who came into the profession of aesthetic arts at the time many parents were discouraging their children from going into the profession, believes that a good artist does not need mass media to advertise what he/ she is doing.  “I don’t need to advertise myself in any mass media because my work speaks for me,” he said.

He, however, challenged those who are new in the profession to strive to be creative instead of making financial gain their core priority. Akinlonu, who started from a humble background, commended the Lagos State government for giving him the opportunity to showcase his talents and skills in the state by offering him the present place he is using. He believes that if other states could emulate Lagos in arts’ appreciation, the profession would grow faster than it is today. The beautiful art work of Dejack Artistique including sculptors and landscapping adorn every part of Lagos including Oshodi, Alausa, Teslim Balogun among other areas.

The centre was among those nominated to design monuments for Eyo during last festivals.  Akinlonu was born about 49 years ago in Ondo State. He attended St Patrick’s College and Ondo High School, all in Ondo State.  He had a diploma in marketing with the intention of becoming  a salesman but the passion for creative arts made him to abandon the idea of marketing as a  profession. He discovered the ingenuity for creative arts at a very tender age of seven while he began the practice 13 years later.

In 1990, he got the approval of the state and local governments to commence Dejack Artistique  at the present location along the state secretariat, Alausa. The works of Akinlonu have gone beyond Lagos South West. He decried the poor attitude of Nigerians to arts appreciation which explains why many parents are discouraging their children from going into the profession.

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