Beaded Batik on Quilt Tapestry is a captivating and unique form of artistic expression. It combines several traditional and intricate techniques to create a visually stunning and culturally rich piece of art.

BBQT

Masquerade is said to be the return of the past ancestors here on earth. That is; the ancestors coming back to visit and bring blessings to their earthily beloveds
Regrettably, masquerade is now portrayed as fetish, idolatry in our own clime and whereas, its one of those things we have  unfortunately lost track of its essence, that is to remember our ancestors  in funfair, to exhibit the cosmic  exuberance  embedded in our  colorful costumes and couture but has  unfortunately been castigated to our own detriment and a platform to seek revenge or a vendetta as the case may be. What a shame! So many other activities like Ijala Are Ode. Etc.
its not too late  now to rise and reinstate this foreign exchange earner at our disposal, in grand style. We might have to restructure  them, they are worthy of exploration. They are great Tourism recipe.
Halloween could almost be equated to masquerading except  that masquerading is far more deeper by nature  than Halloween  party which smart people have heavily commercialized into a multi billion dollar  annual celebration. Please refer to Mardi Gras in New Orleans USA and also the annual Carnival of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean 
They are both multi billion dollars events and they are offshoots of masquerading activities. Costumes and accessories are the point of beauty in the above mentioned Carnivals.
Calabar, Lagos, Abuja  Carnivals are commendably worthy of exploration.Yoruba Think.
Tunde Odunlade


“Masquerade of my Ancestors

The making of a legend, is an insight  into the impetus  behind  the success  of  one Nobel Laureate. He’s surrounded by  people and full of extra curricular activities, indigenous knowledge, native intelligence,  nocturnal and non- nocturnal activities , cultural symbols, motifs icons,  animals , hunting games, Humanity, war, hatred, love, parables, proverbs, legends,  folktales, folklores, women, tradition, sadness, happiness, fearlessness, bravery,  activism, Winery, ideology, philosophy, psychology,  enterprise , spirituality not necessarily religiosity, acting locally and thinking globally, such is  the mind set  of this  living legendary.
Question here, of all the above points  which of them do you think is most valid and needed mostly  or that are not necessary at all in life? Give your answer. Whatever your answer. 
Guess what? You fail because you leave one at the expense of others, its all encompassing, it all rolled into one. Fail in one, means  fail in all. The intensity may be differ from people to people place to place, time to time. However, this is what makes you a whole man. The difference between being good and being great is how much attention you pay into details and to the reality around you. Pure and simple. After all, all of us doesn’t have to be genius. 
Tunde Odunlade  


The making of a legend 

I got inspired  for this piece some forty years  ago in a church Pastored by Rev. Joseph Lowery in  Atlanta GA, USA.. (An Activist in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s  Civil Right Movement. 
The whole church  held hands while singing , 
“ We are climbing Jacobs Ladder 3x
Sisters  brothers all.
“Everyone goes higher higher 3(ce) 
sisters brother all”. 
The book of Genesis chapter 28 : 12-14 read; 
“And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
And behold, the Lord stood over and beside him and said , I am the Lord , The God of Abraham your Father and the God of Isaac , I will give to you and to your  descendants the land on which you are lying . And the offspring shall be as the dust or sand of the ground , and you shall spread abroad to the west and the east and the north and the south; and by you and your offspring shall all  the families of the earth be blessed  and bless themselves”.
Like  I said, we all held hands and I was emotionally and spiritually jacked up. To  the point that , that moment is still impactful on me till today, that I will surely rise up to the top of my ladder of success 
But now that  things have really looked up  for me, even though, my best is yet to come and I’m still climbing the ladder up am grateful., I decided to share this experience on my canvas.
That’s my inspiration on the piece.  
I’m not a churchy person like that but spirituality can flow upon you anywhere even when least expected
Tunde Odunlade


Title “Jacob’s Ladder

Knowledge is power, is a cacophony of substance and therefore a perfidy. 
For a very long time, what supposed to be a compendium of knowledge was made to be something we in our  ignoramus self despised, because, some people who wanted our jugular told us it was a cacophony and we believed them.
Ifa the Yoruba oracle and an iconic of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, we were made to believe  that it was less important.
Ifa the binary system which allegorically become what is computer today.
The mystery of the binary light is Concordia to the birth of  the computer 
Ifa is  a pragmatic spiritual science and study of how things come into existence  cosmologically as codified by Orunmila Bara Agboniregun “God of Wisdom”
There are  16 by 16 Odu as depicted on this piece. When you count the nuts on this piece you will count eight eight in places as the odu ifa sixteen tim The two opposite of the jug handle bells are the positive and negative of which one can’t  work without the other.
Tunde Odunlade


“Knowledge is Power”

Speak up now or never, you’ve got the voice for a new song to sing.
Women ride the tide don’t be left out, join the race now! Raise your thump up, there is that yellow spot signifying success when you lets your voice join in the struggle  and stem the tide “Atewolara Igunpa niiye kan”. Your arm palm is your family, while  your elbow is your extended. Speak up. “Soro soke”!
Tunde Odunlade

“Speak up, Women ride the tide, thumbs up” (Atewolara) 

Human naturally  believe in spreading their tentacles to  cast their nets in the name of expansion  of territories on any community that appears to be weaker than they are. That is; wherever they feel they can get whatever it is they may need for survival. Survival without question is a crucial game, so it becomes survival of the fittest. The spot in the center is the focal point where the ambition begins and then spread to anywhere.
The British has done a good job of that. They own virtually half of the whole world by way of colonization. That has had both advantage and disadvantage on their colonies, most of which will depend on the people, some been made into shambles and some making an headway with it.
For instance, The British colonized India same way they colonize other places. Today, India has become the world Tech headquarters and some Indians  all across the globe have become CEOs of Pharmaceutical industries, Tech Hub initiatives and even owners  of Three Stars  hotels and Motels across the length and breadth of the world.
However, You cant recall the past with sorrows, ‘cause bitterness bears no fruit, even if it does, it will still be a bitter one. So, I don’t think it makes sense to keep lamenting over, but we must shake the experience, decolonize and move forward as quickly as possible.
Enough of apportions of blames on how ABC did not allow XYZ to happen. Lets just move on. 
Tunde Odunlade.


“Expansion of territory ”

Seleru Agbo, 
Agbara Agbo o
L’Osun fi nwo ‘more
Ki dokita o to de
Abimo mo dana’le 
Osun la npowe mo 
Osun Segeese Oloya ‘yun
This is a song in honor of Osun
Osun is the Goddess of Fertility.
It is believed  that, Osun is a caregiver,  she is associated with water, Purity, Fertility, Love and Sensuality. 
She is considered one of the most powerful of all the Orisa.
Largely because she possess  healing power and ability to use leaves  for medicinal devise  before the advent of the Whiteman's tablets, capsules, or syrup. 
Her discovery of leaves, shrub, tree barks, roots may not be unconnected with how the Whiteman at their first contact got to learn of our prowess on the use of  herbs. 
Or can any major pharmaceutical industry say to me that roots tree barks, shrub are not the source of their raw materials even though I equally understand that they now use synthetic substances.
Osun Groove in Oshogbo is a world UNESCO heritage Site.
Recently, An American pharmaceutical industry introduced to the world market, capsules made out of bitterleaf (Ewuro) and selling for exorbitant prices, a leaf that grows in our backyard and not much importance is attached to its use, Africans please think.
Tunde Odunlade  


“Masquerade of my Ancestors

The making of a legend

The making of a legend

Title “Jacob’s Ladder

“Knowledge is Power”

“Speak up, Women ride the tide, thumbs up” (Atewolara)

“Expansion of territory ”

"Seleru Agbo” Osun Oshogbo