To Fight Soot, Artists Clear the Air

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

In a recent exhibition in Port Harcourt, artists joined forces to combat the menace of soot, an environmental pollution caused by illegal oil-refining activities, among other causes, in not only Rivers State, but also the Niger Delta at large.

The exhibition, organised by the Port Harcourt-based Moriri Gallery, featured sculptures and paintings, which sought to sensitise the public to the consequences of these illegal activities.

In a chat with THISDAY, the director of the Moriri Gallery, Mr. Kayode Adeoti, during the exhibition in Port Harcourt, told THISDAY that the art community believes that if there is an abundance of petroleum products, the issue of illegally refined products will not be there, stressing that it will discourage the unnecessary risk taken by job-seeking youths. “If we had an abundance of all these products, we would have a better and cleaner society with clean air to breathe. We would not have all this pollution,” he said.

He explained that the exhibition, which recorded about 165 visitors, was aimed at sending a message for clean air in the region. “The theme is Clearing the Air, and it is one that impacts all of us, whether you are rich or poor, a resident here, an executive, whoever you are, it impacts you.  

“We in the art world believe there is no way we can sit back and do nothing about this threat. It would be sacrilegious to do so. That is why we came up with the theme. It is an exhibition of contemporary art work, periscoping problems, and solutions to soot in the area.”

Adeoti also said the art community has lent its voice to the call for action against soot and that there would be more of this series to elicit more interest in art. “We want to create an eco-system where people appreciate art because it goes a long way towards adding value in different ways to everybody; the clothes you wear, the aesthetics of your house, the city, etc., all have a lot to do with art. There is no packaging or presentation that does not have art imbued in it.” 

Also speaking with THISDAY at the exhibition, another director of the gallery, Perin Ebitari Oglafa, explained that the choice of the theme “The Soot” was because it is a menace that afflicts everybody. “[It] is a big problem we face in the Niger Delta, not just the soot, but a whole of problems we have here because we have oil.”

Oglafa, who is also one of the directors at the gallery, stressed the need for clean air, adding that “we want to save our lungs.” Everybody’s lungs in Port Harcourt are actually said to be very dirty because we breathe in dirty air.”