He is an intellectual and an academic of sort but he doesn’t seem to know these attributes of his. He’s also deeply cerebral without a fuss.
But more remarkable is that he is a statesman; A most benign kind and a cultural ambassador.
Ndaa Paddy, as we love to call him is probably the best-looking near-80-year-old in the entire land. He must also be the most warm-hearted and best-spoken fellow you knew.
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An artist, curate, writer, newspaper publisher, Igbo culture ambassador, a farmer and an unaffected native. Ndaa Paddy is an Imo icon in the true sense of it though unacknowledge and unregarded. He’s your jolly and goodly white-bearded uncle to boot.
I had discovered his acquaintance and friendship about a decade ago. Though old enough to be a father, it is a testament to his idyllic personality that we flow as jolly friends. And that’s how it is with all and sundry; For Ndaa Paddy, he wears life like a loose garment. Life for him is a joke and a loud, raucous laughter!!!
I had not seen Ndaa Paddy for a while though we had kept things warm on Facebook. I finally visited with him in Owerri after much dithering and deferment. It turned out a most pleasant experience in my sojourn in Owerri in the last one year.
It is my pleasure to reveal that Ndaa Paddy’s habitat is a million-dollar museum! And it must be stated upfront that apart from a flagging, nondescript arm of the national museum at an obscure corner of Owerri, there’s no museum or gallery of arts in Owerri, capital of Imo State.
While the city is adorned with some of the best hotels and hospitality outlets to be found in Nigeria, there’s no museum and galleries in the true sense. Imo is currently without history or tradition to fall back on but for Ndaa Paddy’s pad.
Ndaa Paddy must have been so desperate to preserve whatever is left Imo arts and artefacts that he had to convert his modest country home to a gallery.
The result is marvellous. Ndaa Paddy has recreated his own art, his own artworks and artefacts, and they are worthy of note.
He was an aide to a former governor infamous for sculptures, he told us those things were done by Koreans even though there are great hands and minds in the state. He is pained that there are about four art departments in institutions in the State, yet they never had a chance to participate in creating any of those giant sculptures.
He suggests that those things are mere philistinic exertions other than artworks!
Ndaa Paddy is a school of art; a movement by himself. If perchance you are an aficionado, an art enthusiast and you happen to be in Owerri, please seek out PADDY OBINNA’s Gallery. It’s in Emekuku, about 15 minutes drive from the city centre.I had a great time upon my visit and I bring you these photographs but you must be there to feel it.
By
Steve Osuji
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
