ACETNEWS
Five years after his death, the sculptures of former lecturer at the Auchi Polytechnic, Edo state, Reuben Ugbine continue to tell stories that time has not erased. In terra cotta, wood and paint, the master sculptor captured the faces, traditions and everyday experiences of ordinary Nigerians, turning fragments of cultural memory into enduring works of art. Today, as his family and the art community remember him, a new challenge confronts them: how to preserve his artistic inheritance and ensure that his legacy does not fade with time. More importantly, the immediate family is concern about the authenticity of late Ugbine’s collection of works in circulation.
From the dignity of ordinary people to the richness of traditional costumes and cultural practices, Ugbine’s sculptures offered more than aesthetic appeal. They provided a visual account of society, preserving memories, identities and experiences that might otherwise have escaped the pages of history.
Five years after his death in 2021, the celebrated Nigerian sculptor is being remembered not only for his artistic accomplishments but also for the need to protect and promote a body of work that represents an important chapter in contemporary Nigerian art.
Speaking at a briefing in Lagos to mark the fifth anniversary of the artist’s death, art consultant and curator, Moses Ohiomokhare, described Ugbine as a master sculptor and exceptional storyteller whose artistic vision continues to resonate. According to him, Ugbine possessed the rare ability to transform familiar cultural expressions and ordinary human experiences into compelling artistic narratives, working across clay, wood and paint.
Born in 1956 to Nigerian parents in Anponya, Ghana, Ugbine received his secondary education at Urhobo College, Effurun, Warri, before proceeding to Auchi Polytechnic, where he emerged as the Overall Best Student in Art. He later studied sculpture at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, obtaining his Higher Diploma between 1977 and 1979.
His professional journey took him back to Auchi Polytechnic in 1980 as a lecturer, where he contributed to the training and development of young artists. He subsequently moved into full-time studio practice, devoting himself to the development of an artistic language that would distinguish his work.
One of his significant contributions was the popularisation of figurative terracotta sculptures inspired by traditional Nigerian costumes and the everyday lives of ordinary people. Beginning in 1982, he developed a body of work that celebrated the character, occupations, dignity and cultural expressions of Nigerians.
His sculptures were not merely representations of human figures. They captured the social realities and cultural nuances of their subjects, demonstrating how everyday experiences could become enduring artistic statements.
His mastery extended to wood carving, through which he produced monumental figurative compositions and expressive masks. His command of form, scale and texture was matched by an artistic versatility that also found expression in painting.
Beyond his studio, Ugbine executed commissioned works in Calabar, Abuja, Minna, Lagos, Benin City and other parts of the country. His works also featured in exhibitions in Lebanon, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Ghana and London, introducing his distinctive interpretations of Nigerian cultural life to international audiences.
Galleries and art outlets, including Quintessence, Alexies, Colours of Africa, Signature, ODA Art and Out of Africa, also provided platforms for the exhibition and circulation of his works.
However, as the art community reflects on his achievements, a more pressing concern has emerged: how to ensure that the works of a deceased artist are not lost, scattered or forgotten with time.
Recognising this responsibility, Ugbine had, before his death, entrusted his sculptural studio and artworks in Benin City to his son, Ogaga Reuben Ugbine, who is now the authorised custodian of his father’s original works.
For Ohiomokhare, this responsibility goes beyond safeguarding physical objects. It involves protecting the integrity of the collection, documenting the artist’s creative process and ensuring that his contributions remain accessible to researchers, collectors, students and future generations.
The concern is that, without deliberate preservation, important information about an artist’s works, commissions, techniques, influences and exhibition history could disappear. Artworks may become dispersed among private collections, while photographs and archival records may be separated from the objects they document.
Consequently, the fifth anniversary commemoration is being positioned as an opportunity to initiate a sustained programme of documentation, preservation, interpretation and promotion of Ugbine’s artistic legacy.
Ohiomokhare disclosed that Ogaga, working in collaboration with him, would support efforts to build a reliable archive of the late artist’s life and practice.
The proposed initiative will involve documenting surviving artworks, establishing provenance where information is available, assembling photographs and exhibition records, preserving archival materials and collecting testimonies from family members, fellow artists, collectors, galleries and others who knew or worked with the sculptor.
The long-term ambition is to develop a structured archive that can support research, exhibitions, publications and educational activities, ensuring that Ugbine’s artistic contribution is studied beyond the immediate circle of collectors and admirers.
On Ugbine’s last moment, he recalled: “When he was sick he was still going to the studio as a place he should go to. I didn’t even know he was on his way out. I knew that he was ill so I kept encouraging him. For Ugbine, he saw the studio as a place he should go to keep him going but unfortunately he passed on.
“Late Ugbine was a complete gentleman and an introvert. You don’t have any reason to quarrel with him. Each time he was at Quintessence to do business he was all smiles even if there were many people around he was ready to wait for his turn.”
Ogaga has already taken steps towards keeping his father’s artistic presence alive. Between 2022 and 2025, he maintained a working relationship with ODA Art Gallery, Lagos exhibiting original works by the late sculptor and sustaining their visibility among collectors and the wider art community.
In 2026, he also exhibited at Bowman Sculpture in London, providing another platform for engagement with his father’s artistic heritage within the international art scene.
These efforts, according to the initiative’s vision, provide a foundation for a more comprehensive legacy programme that combines family custodianship with professional curatorial support, archival documentation and strategic exhibition opportunities.
But the responsibility cannot rest solely with the family. Galleries, museums, collectors, art historians, cultural institutions and government agencies are expected to play complementary roles in ensuring that the sculptor’s achievements receive sustained attention.
Five years after his death, Ugbine’s story raises a broader question about how Nigeria preserves the artistic heritage of its creators. Beyond celebrating artists during their lifetimes or commemorating them after their deaths, there is a need for systematic documentation and institutional support to protect their works and make them available for future study.
For a sculptor whose works drew inspiration from the lives, traditions and identities of ordinary Nigerians, preserving his artistic inheritance is also an exercise in safeguarding aspects of the country’s collective memory.
His hands may have rested, but the stories they moulded, carved and painted remain. And as efforts gather to protect his works and document his achievements, Reuben Ugbine’s legacy is being given another opportunity to speak to generations yet unborn.
