Dr Mrs Chinyere Ndubuisi, in this interview with Osuji Okechukwu of Pathfinder News shares her vision as a pioneer female artist in a field traditionally dominated by men in Nigeria.
Throughout her academic journey as a sculpture student and her career as an art lecturer, she frequently found herself as the sole female in her classes and unit.
This trend continued as she became the first and only female sculpture lecturer at Yaba College of Technology and later, in 2016, the first female Head of Department. Her academic accomplishments are notable, with a Higher National Diploma(HND) from Yaba College of Technology and a BA, MA, and PhD from the University of Lagos. Being an only female in her programme profoundly shaped her perspective, allowing her to see men and women as equals and to confidently engage in activities typically associated with men. She embodies the adage, “What a man can do, a woman can do as well.”
Dr Ndubuisi’s determination and resilience culminated in her historic appointment as the first female Dean of the School of Art, Design, and Printing at Yaba College of Technology, an institution established in 1948. Competing against two male colleagues, her success highlights her exceptional capabilities and serves as an inspiration to other women, particularly female students, encouraging them to pursue their ambitions without hesitation.
In her role as Dean, Dr Ndubuisi brings a wealth of artistic talent and administrative acumen to the faculty. She continues to practice as a sculptor with a keen interest in exploring diverse materials such as wood, bamboo, cement, and fiberglass, showcasing versatility and an innovative approach to sculpture.
Despite her busy schedule as Dean, her commitment to positively impact the lives of young people is evident in her additional roles as an adjunct lecturer at the Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa,Nigeria, and the National Institute of Culture and Orientation, Lagos, Nigeria. Dr Ndubuisi has published over 40 articles in national and international journals, attended numerous conferences, and participated in many art exhibitions.
Significantly, she is among the authors of the Cultural and Creative Arts books for primary grades 1-6, published by Learn Africa, a leading publisher in Africa. This book is used in all primary schools across Nigeria. Dr Mrs Chinyere Ndubuisi’s story is one of breaking barriers and fostering inspiration, reflecting her unwavering commitment to both her art and roles as an educator and leader.
Can you tell our readers who you are?
I am Dr. (Mrs) Chinyere Ndubuisi, Dean School of Arts Design and Printing Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria.
One year into the position of Dean of the School of Art Design and Printing Technology, how have you been coping with the challenges of the office?
Yes, while taking over from my predecessor, he made me understand that the office is not an easy one and that I should always be up and doing. Incidentally, before assuming the office of Dean, I was already groomed in the nitty-gritty of the position since I had earlier been head of the department in the school. So, coping with the office is less of a challenge. It is just a responsibility which I have been groomed before assuming office. Of course, the student challenges are also being managed with the help of class advisers and heads of departments.
You mean there have not been obstacles since you assumed your new position?
Definitely, there will be obstacles in the areas of colleagues, students and even administration, but each one comes with its different challenges. But as they come we address them in the interests of the institution and parties involved. As earlier said, the knowledge I acquired as head of the department had always come in handy. Presently, no obstacle outweighs me on the job.
Many people only hear and read about the School of Art Design and Printing Technology in institutions of higher learning like polytechnics and colleges of technology. What exactly do you do, for example in your Fashion Design Department that is different from what ordinary fashion designers and artists do in town?
Let’s start with the name School of Art Design and Printing Technology. That means we are into art, design and printing. In some other institutions, you have it as Fine and Applied Art. What do you mean by Art and Design? Art does not require many calculations and technicalities because it is creative, and comes naturally. In the area of design, you have to apply some technicalities to achieve the desired objective. Moreover, this is an institution of higher learning, so you must apply some theories to achieve what is required.
The tailors and fashion designers in town only cut, and sew the materials to specifications of individual clients. But here, we Design, Merchandise, Fashion, Modeling and ‘Runway.’
All these merge to produce a fashion designer. At Yaba College of Technology, we use live models to create fashion. Also, illustrations and life drawings are used to bring forth a human form. So, we are far ahead of cutting and joining as are done at the street corners.
When your students graduate, do they go searching for jobs or create jobs and employment?
Of course, once you mention Yaba College of Technology what comes to mind is arts? There is no gainsaying that our School of Art and Printing Technology is a global brand known all over the world. It is a fact that people and organisations come seeking for us because they want to associate with us. Industry captains come here to source for our graduates even before they finish their academic studies. Although, there is high unemployment in the country, but it doesn’t affect our graduates much. When you get to any advertising agency, art studio and gallery and you don’t see our graduates there then you can be rest assured that something is amiss. I say this with every sense of responsibility. Far from that, our graduates are not job seekers because we train them to become job creators and entrepreneurs. Outside the School of Art and Printing Technology, we have a new Rector who is a visionary and he encourages skill acquisition, creating opportunities for students to acquire additional skills while studying. I wish to state that more than 40 per cent of our students are self-sponsored. They pay their school fees from the money they make during holidays and extra-curricular activities.
Is your School of Art and Printing Technology into cinematography?
We are not yet into that but efforts are on the way to introduce cinematography, particularly with the creation of a photography department.
So you are only into Fashion Design and Printing?
No. Presently, we have seven departments made up of the Department of Fine
Arts and Drawing. We also have Ceramic and Design in the Department of Industrial Design.
We have the Department of Printing Technology, Department of Book Publishing and Department of Photography. For example, the new photography department has vacancies for only 40 students but more than 300 candidates applied for admission.
Definitely, Yaba College of Technology is a renowned institution of higher learning both in Nigeria and abroad. Can you tell us what your school is doing to project its image?
As I had earlier said, the School of Art Design and Printing Technology is a global brand. We have quite a number of our students working and practicing in galleries abroad and these galleries are promoting them. We also have many of our graduates who are pursuing their higher degrees overseas.
You know some institutions of higher learning in Nigeria refuse to admit students who graduated from polytechnics and colleges of technology for higher degrees until they do their Graduate Diploma (PGT) Post. But if you have a distinction from Yaba College of Technology, you will be given direct admission to Masters and PhD programmes in universities abroad. Our students are everywhere both in Nigeria and overseas excelling and making their alma-mater proud.
Generally speaking, many people and commentators are lamenting what they see as the falling standard of education in Nigeria. Is there any truth in their observation?
It all depends on the perspective you are looking from. You cannot say that the standard of education is falling in Nigeria and there are many reasons to back it. The problem of education in Nigeria does not lie with the students but with the dearth of adequate modern facilities and those to provide them to make for effective learning. For example, last month an Ethiopian scholar was at Yaba College of Technology for some field work. When she went back to her country she phoned me lamenting that she has not slept since returning home because of the level of creativity she saw in the students who were studying under intense pressure bereft of adequate and modern facilities.
She wondered what could have been the output of the students if they were provided with adequate facilities. The problem with education in Nigeria is not with the students but the lack of facilities and adequate funding from appropriate government institutions and private proprietors.
Don’t you think that the lack of adequate facilities is responsible for the low quality students being produced by our institutions of higher learning?
I keep reiterating that the problem is not our students but the low or lack of adequate funding to provide facilities and conducive environment for learning.
Those commenting say there are lots of distractions among the students which interfere with their academic learning. Is there any truth in that?
The distraction is global and not confined to Nigeria. The major distraction is with the internet and mobile phones, whereby students concentrate on manipulating them than engaging in intensive academic studies. My opinion is that the home and parents should undertake bulk of the work of infusing good morals in their children and wards. The schools and institutions cannot do it alone.
The parents should lay good foundation for their children so they do not derail when they go into the wider world. The schools are there to provide formal education and not to instill or enforce moral values in students.
Some have blamed the age of students as being responsible for the drop in education standards. They argue that many of them are too young to grasp the environment of higher education. What’s your take on this?
I don’t think the age of students has much to do with the level of education or distractions among students. For example, some young children are exceptionally brilliant for their age. In Europe and America, students between the ages of 13 and 14 years have been admitted into universities and they have performed exceptionally well. It is in Nigeria that people complain of the age of students and their capacity to cope with academic studies. The problem is with the family and not the institutions.
What then should be done? Should there be a universal yardstick for families to follow?
It is impossible to have a universal yardstick for families to train their children. We all should reflect on the situation and do the right thing. In the end, society would be better for it.
What is your advice to the Nigerian government in respect to funding of education in Nigeria?
I advise that those in charge of education both in government and the private sector should devote more financial resources towards funding it. Even if they don’t want to hand over money to school administrators for equipping their respective institutions, they should at least endeavour to procure adequate facilities to make them conducive for learning and scholarship.
Do you advocate a universal standard for equipping federal, state and private education institutions?
The federal government should take the lead in setting standards since it has more resources while the state-owned institutions should follow in line. Incidentally, most private institutions are performing better than federal and state-owned ones.
Of course, privately owned institutions have to do better to attract more students to their schools given the intense competition.
How do you see the contributions of Art Design and Printing Technology to the academic and general development of Nigeria now and in future?
Take away creativity and the world becomes a very dull place. You cannot do much if you are not creative. Every design behind any technological invention was done by an artist. Even when there is an idea, it is the artist that puts it in a design form to make any meaning, be it airplanes, cars, ships or fashion wears. It may surprise you that the everyday street signs and traffic lights you see along the highway were designed by artists.
Since artists are so important in society and have played their part in national development where do think Nigeria’s problems lie?
Artists have done their best for the country, but unfortunately the ordinary citizens and those in authority have not accorded them the recognition they deserve.
Do you see Yaba College of Technology leading the Nigerian film and creative industry to be a world-beater like the Hollywood and Bollywood have done for America and India respectively?
Yaba College of Technology is an academic institution and it cannot do that because it is not a film industry. Moreover, there is a difference between performance arts, (music and theatre) and visual arts (painting, sculpture, ceramic design, graphic design, etc). We are into visual art not performance art. The performance art industry usually makes more money than the visual art because many people come together to act and shoot a film while creative art is often a solo effort. The performance art is more popular in Nigeria because people can stay in the comfort of their homes and watch movies or listen to music on television, radios and even mobile phones and other similar gadgets, while with visual arts, one must go to the galleries, museums or exhibitions to see the works of an artist .Also, our level of sophistication and awareness does not encourage individuals to shell out millions of dollars or naira to buy a painting or sculpture that will be kept within the confines of their private residence.
Is the lack of interest and awareness of visual art in Nigeria a function of illiteracy or culture?
Partly so. But most importantly it is not our culture. The only art that sells in our traditional culture is functional art like pots, and other utensils. But when it comes to aesthetic art, we are still way behind. What we portray today as African traditional sculptures were not originally created as sculpture, rather they were objects designed for religious purposes. In Europe and America, people usually see arts as investments which could be sold in future.
- Credit: Pathfinder News
