NKECHI Abii strikes you as a typical artist and clothier. Her art is her voice, a medium of expression. She has a lot to say. So her artwork takes a critical view of socio - political and cultural issues that shape the lives of people. She uses these two platforms to express her creativity because she sees the world through the eyes of art and enjoys putting things down on canvass and conveying the right message to her audience.

She discovered this art very early. So much that everything she has done in life has been through the periscope of the arts.

She grew up in an era when a lot of parents’ desire was for their children to study Medicine, Law, Pharmacy or Engineering. But Nkechi’s father allowed her to follow her dream of being an artist simply because he wanted his kids to be happy following their dreams. He wanted her to study the arts so she studied Arts in the university.

“In those early years, for you to say you want to study arts during that era, you must have a lot of guts. But because I was sure of what I really wanted out of life, I went all to get it. My parents allowed us because they were enlightened. They magnanimously allowed us to follow our dreams. I found, true happiness in the arts!”

Nkechi is also a clothier. Clothing women comes to her as a calling and a passion. At first, she just wanted to cloth women. But this desire soon grew into a passion that led to the emergence of a brand. This brand is called nlecha. Nlecha simply means ‘sakara’ in Igbo language.

“Nlecha is my brand, my creation. It’s fully mine. The inspiration was for me to have something that a woman can just throw on, something comfortable that a woman can wear with thinking about it. I wear it all the time. People like it on me. Nlecha is good, something very comfortable. For me, it is art forms through clothes,‘’ she says.

The nlecha is truly Pan African, not just African. One thing you can’t miss is Nkechi in that beautiful nlecha look even in a crowd. It strikes you as an African clothing.  In it this hilarious Pan African lady was no doubt a sight to behold as reflected during the first meeting with the writer. The meeting was truly magical.

Appearing elegantly but simply dressed in the unique attire specially made from chiffon and Ankara and accessorized with beads, earrings and bangles to match. Most of the women who love nlecha are women who love the unique African look.

NLECHA has sold very well in many countries of the world and it’s been a good business piece. With it she has explored the arts. Once people see it on her or any of her clients, they are eager to add it to their collection. No wonder that it has marketed itself so well. Now, Nkechi wants to go back fully to the world, that is, arts the business aspect of art. She is determined more than ever before to make more money from her paintings.

“That is why my son and I are launching into the Art scene and inviting art enthusiasts corporate organisations to support the exhibition as a CSR involvement with huge sponsorship advantages.

Recently, she had a joint showwith her son, Nduka, who is into speed painting. That exhibition was like putting icing on the cake. “The most interesting thing about having a mother and son exhibition is not only to have a joint show but to experience the rare combination of talent and genes. Why would I not have a joint exhibition with him when he is a great artist. He is back in Nigeria and available. Above all, it is fun, and we are doing it together as mother as son.”

The time is just right for mother and son to come together in a joint exhibition because they believe it is a reflection of good things to come. A lot of her paintings are on women because women are unique beings, a complete work of art. In some of her works, her spirituality also comes to bear.

She easily affected by things that happen around her and feel deeply about people, situations and opportunities. However, she has discovered that her best way of dealing with the frustrating experiences that get thrown at her on a daily basis is not by speaking about them but by painting about them!

Painting is a catharsis in many ways for Nkechi. For instance, when she sees the video of four young students who got burnt at Alu, words fail her but her painting help her grieve.

“When I despair at the sorry state of things in the country that gave me life, my despair lifts when I assault the canvass with the brush… letting out the steam, the anger,” she says.

Sometimes, when sleep eludes her because she is passing another hot and humid night without power from the Power Holding Company… she paints.”

This is Nkechi’s story.

Variety is her spice.  Sometimes it is not necessarily a socio-political burden that keeps her awake, but a new idea for a work of art that will not go away until it has been birthed.

His Story

NDUKA Abii is fondly called Duks on Youtube, facebook and other Internet platforms. His arts: Duks Arts attracts thousands of hits daily by numerous admirers and arts enthusiast who love his brand of arts.

He specialises in speed paintings. Some of his images are Big Scoob painting, Helghast etc that are digital paintings. He has also taken a liking to music, which is another way of expressing his feelings and thoughts. Now that he is home in Nigeria he’s been making waves and also making money with it.

“This is my very first time of full business experience in Nigeria, and it’s been very rewarding. Despite the fact that I haven’t finished school, so business has also been very good for me. But you need to wait because you aren’t seen nothing yet. I know I will gain a lot of respect and money.”

Although he makes money, he sees himself as being lazy and not doing enough to make money out of what he does. Like his mum, he tried his childish hands on paintings as a little boy. Quietly, he would sit in a corner watching his mum paint.

That adventure stirred up in him the love for painting and drawing. His painting took root from his mum’s genes; he says he was actually inspired by the vendor who sells comics near the house where they resided then. Like a good mum, Nkechi silently watched and encouraged her son. She would smile and proudly watch him run off with money in hand to the vendor’s place.

Minutes later, Duks is back with his favourite comics and mimic the drawings inside. Little by little, his would sketch out spider man, batman and the like.

Smiling, dad would look at the paintings and muse to himself wondering what his little lad was all about.

However, this adventure continued and his feeble hands became stronger on the brush. Today, Duks has evolved. His own brand of painting is exciting, fun and entertaining because he has added adventurous and dynamic aspect to his works.

On the whole, one thing that has helped the duo is their ability to bring their ideas to life! That has pushed them into various media of expression in her present collection. Nkechi has experimented with art forms and media that have pushed my every limit.

“Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects they are linked by recurring formal concerns and through the subject matter. The subject matter of each body of work determines the materials and the forms of the work.”

On canvass, Duks is a more meticulous and thorough artist than his mum. His quest for perfection motivates and challenges her. She owes the final expressions and perfect finish of most of her pieces to his discerning and ruthless critique.

On the whole, it has been an exhilarating ride for the duo but when she looks at each of the many-framed pieces of their works produced for the exhibition, she is no doubt satisfied.