The Ooni of Ife’s wife, Queen Aderonke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, yesterday unveiled over N14 billion L’Extinction or “No to Extinction” artwork to bring the blessing of Aje to thorn carving that has gone into extinction.
Also speaking at the event, the Ambassador for Environment, Ms. Olapeju Olayemi, in her goodwill message, explained that the priceless art value stem not just from the extreme reality of thorn trees but also from the status of the princely hand-woven attire in which the thorn is placed and the fascinating backstory of thorn carving and lego toys invention in 1932.
The unveiling event took place to commemorate Aje Festival, holding at Adire Oodua and Art Gallery, at Ooni’s Palace, in Ile-Ife.
Queen Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi recalled that “NO TO EXTINCTION” artwork was produced by Olapeju Twins and artist Olulaja Akeredolu from the endangered thorn trees which has almost disappeared from our forest.
Ooni’s queen who decried the disappearing thorn trees in the forest noted that disappearance was due to logging and deforestation activities of human being.
According to her, “It is the most important piece of thorn carving in history because it is the first artistic carving that accurately tells us to say “NO TO EXTINCTION”.
She opined that, “the art piece was created to re-invent the art of thorn carvings, that famed artist Chief Justus Akeredolu from Owo invented in the 1930s which is currently going into extinction.