With “Owambe Exhibition,” Uzo Njoku reignites the conversation about Nigerian culture.
Celebrated Nigerian-American visual artist and designer Uzo Njoku announces her highly anticipated solo exhibition, “The Owambe Exhibition”. It opens on 23 November 2025 in Lagos. For the exhibition, Uzo has designed limited edition Ankara fabrics that also serve as a ticket to the event. “The Owambe Exhibition” will run for two months, offering a fresh body of work comprising nine exclusive pieces that explore themes of identity, tradition and the layered realities of Nigerian life. Known for her vibrant patterns and textile work, Njoku presents this collection as both a homecoming and a cultural moment of reflection and celebration.
“The Owambe Exhibition” everyone is talking about
The announcement of Uzo Njoku’s forthcoming “The Owambe Exhibition” has stirred a wave of online conversation that reflects the exhibition’s central themes of identity, tradition, and the complexities of Nigerian life. Across social platforms, people are debating what “Owambe” means in today’s cultural landscape.
At the centre of these discussions is the question of who gets to define and reinterpret cultural symbols. Some people have raised concerns about how the term “Owambe,” rooted in Yoruba heritage, is being used in a broader national and diasporic context. Others celebrate Njoku’s approach as a bold, inclusive reimagining of Nigerian festivity that transcends geography and ethnicity. The result is a lively, layered dialogue that mirrors the artist’s own exploration of belonging and representation.
The conversation has also sparked reflection on how Owambe culture has evolved — from lavish in-person parties to an online symbol of joy, resilience, and creativity. For many, it’s become a lens to explore deeper questions of language, identity politics, and cultural pride in an increasingly globalised Nigeria.
In many ways, the online buzz has become part of the exhibition itself. It captures the spirit of what Njoku set out to evoke: that Owambe is more than just a party; it’s a living, breathing conversation about who we are, how we celebrate, and how tradition continues to shape the modern Nigerian story.
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Access comes through a limited-edition Ankara fabric
Njoku has designed limited-edition Ankara fabrics specifically for this exhibition. These fabrics function as both collectable artwork and event ticket — pre-order of the fabrics grants access to the opening night. Njoku also invites attendees to create and wear their own garment crafted from the fabric for that night. Pre-orders are available now with pickup and shipping beginning 30 October 2025.
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The nine works in the show navigate a wide spectrum of Nigerian experience — from intergenerational conflict and spiritual resilience to female beauty standards, childhood ambiguity and queer identity. Through rich texture and portraiture, Njoku reframes Nigerian traditions and contemporary realities, inviting viewers into layered narratives of diaspora, homecoming and everyday celebration. In her words, the show is a “mirror, sometimes playful, sometimes painful, of the world that shaped me.”
“The Owambe Exhibition” stands as a statement of cultural engagement at the intersection of art, design and community. Njoku’s practice consistently merges textile traditions with bold visual storytelling — here she extends that into an immersive participatory space. Guests are participants: wearing the fabric, engaging with the art, and entering into the creative moment of Lagos-inspired festivity and reflection.
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