




































CHAPTER  4: 
SEMIOLOGICAL AND UTILITARIAN INTRODUCTION 

OF MAPOLY ART SCHOOL, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA 

 
Contributed By 

Adesiji O. P., Oligbinde S. R., Adetoyinbo A. S.  

and Umeh C. E. 

 

 

INTRODUCTION 

The aesthetics of African arts have been appreciated by a lot of 

scholars and used as inspiration for their works. Upon getting 

motivation from African arts, Picasso stepped up his works and 

modernised Western arts through African inspiration. According to 

Picasso, most present-day Western arts were sourced from African 

origin and upon which he started a revolution in Western arts 

(Dereje, Liu and Zhou, 2013). Evidence from excavations and 

readily accessible works from various Nigerian Art cultures such 

as Nok, Benin, Igbo Ukwu, Owo, Esie and Ife were not enough to 

advance a developmental reason to fuel the passionate drive of 

Aina Onabolu that Art be included in Nigerian education 

curriculum as at 1915, 18 years after the discovery of first bronze 

works from Africa through the Benin punitive expedition (Alex 

Marshal, 2 1) and these works were deemed to have been made 

hundreds of years earlier. His clamour raged till 1922 when he was 

appointed to teach Art at King’s College, Lagos and in 1932 when 

he obtained approval for the Art syllabus he drafted to be used to 

teach Art. At the emergence of Aina Onabolu, he had to contend 

with European poor reputation for African artists as primitive and 

crude despite high and mighty skills seen in the works discovered 

in the art traditions earlier mentioned, the reputation of good 

standing was built over time when educational dimension was 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

62 

 

added to his practice and his students/apprentices or other notable 

artists whose training were facilitated or influenced by him such as 

Ben Enwonwu, Uche Okeke, Bruce  Onobrakpeya, Solomon 

Wangboje, Akinola Lasekan,  etc 

This is attributed to an assertion that arts and artists have 

raised the bar of creative exploits of the talent class while boosting 

the entrepreneurial acumen of the economic-skill profile-building 

class; on this foundation was the establishment of formal art 

schools laid supported on the sidelines by informal training 

workshops with each registering a formidable niche for the 

pleasurable delight of all. This wave of establishment of formal art 

schools was started by the Nigerian College of Arts and Science 

Technology, Zaria (Now Ahmadu Bello University), then 

nicknamed Zaria Art School (Chukueggu, 2010). 

 

Aim and Objectives of the Study 

The paper aims to describe the exploration of symbols and utility 

in the artworks produced in the studio experimentations of the 

students of the Department of Art and Industrial Design, of 

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta and the objectives are: 

1. to introduce the Department of Art and Industrial Design, 

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta; 

2. to chronicle the artworks and art forms of MAPOLY Art 

School; 

3. examine the interaction and influence of MAPOLY Art 

School on her immediate environment in terms of Yoruba 

semiotics, culture, trade and aesthetic enhancement 

 

A Brief History of MAPOLY Art School, Abeokuta 

The rich historical heritage of artistic practice of Ogun State is 

significant to the Nigerian artistic map in all facets and across 

generations; this among other paramount factors such as the need 

for an increased capacity for training of Artists and Designers as 

part of the creativity to drive the development of technical 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

63 

 

manpower and entrepreneurship thrust for Micro, Small and 

Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the economy. In 2013, the 

National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) approved the 

flag-off of the Department of Art and Industrial Design for 

Awarding a National Diploma (ND) in the State-owned institution 

which was established in 1979 as Ogun State Polytechnic, 

Abeokuta (OGUN-POLY) and renamed Moshood Abiola 

Polytechnic, Abeokuta (MAPOLY) in 1999. The course objectives 

are set thus: At the end of the National Diploma programme, the 

diplomats should be able to: 

1. assist effectively in running art and design studios; 

2. analyse and solve simple problems related to art and design; 

3. maintain, select and manipulate tools and equipment used 

in the profession; 

4. provide technical support, especially in visual form to 

industries, organisations, institutions, etc where such 

services are required. 

Armed with the foregoing objectives, the first set of students were 

admitted in the 2013/14 academic session, the curriculum is 

structured in four semesters of classroom lectures, and 

studio/workshop activities consisting of three main components 

which encompass General Studies courses, Foundation course, 

Professional core courses, four-month SIWES Industrial Work 

Experience Scheme (SIWES) as well as final year design project. 

The studio practice areas are life and general drawing, ceramics, 

graphics, painting, sculpture and textiles. 

Olayemi Azeem Bello (ND, 1990; B.A., 1995, M.A., 2003, 

PGDE, 2013) was appointed as the pioneer coordinator of the 

department, later appointed also as the pioneer Head of the 

Department. He is a painter, stage designer, interior designer and a 

skilled teacher. Other members of his academic team were, Akeem 

Ashiyanbi, and Lateef Adedayo Lasisi; they were later joined by 

Adeola I. Oridola, Oladunni Philip Adesiji, Akinlolu Olusola 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

64 

 

Olawale, Rotimi Samuel Oligbinde, Ajibola Sunday Adetoyinbo, 

Stephen Oluwatosin Ojomo and Amusa Moshood. 

Interaction and Influence of MAPOLY Art School with the 

Community 
Since its establishment, the resonating impacts and influence of 

MAPOLY Art School have been glowingly felt on the campus 

since 2015 with the first Art Exhibition hosted by the Department. 

This event witnessed the unveiling of the first-ever artistic 

sculptural piece in the 36-year-old institution. The work titled 

Diligence is located at the Car park of the School of Environmental 

Studies which also serves as the Exhibition Ground of the 

department. More are being added in the subsequent years, and the 

springing of creative artistic paintings, crafts and murals abounds 

strategically and aesthetically on campus particularly evidenced at 

venues such as the Administrative Block (Adebisi Adebayo 

Building), the Main Library (Salawu Abiola Memorial Library), 

Centre for Entrepreneurship, Entry route to the School of 

Communication and Information Technology (SCIT), Entry 

corridor of the School of Environmental Studies (SENVS) and 

School of Engineering adorned with sculptural pieces of diverse 

media. The SENVS Studios, Engineering Lecture Theatre, 

Directorate of Students’ Affairs Building, Accountancy Lecture 

Room, Architectural Studios, and Office Complex of SENVS are 

all enhanced with creative murals. The graphic design dexterity of 

the lecturers and students of the department is being felt on a daily 

basis on book cover designs commissioned by lecturers on campus, 

the design of the corporate logo of Moshood Abiola University of 

Science and Technology (MAUSTECH yet to be unveiled), 

Universite du Liberte, Benin Republic. The offices of the Director, 

SENVS and not leaving out the office of the Head of Department 

of Arts and Industrial Design are embellished in uniquely designed 

Tie-dye fabric material as their window blinds, while the walls 

were adorned with works of different media and sizes executed by 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

65 

 

the students of the Department. Other products of the Department 

including graphic signages such as Point of Order and Code of 

Conduct were located at the Marketing/Market Bus Stop and 

campus shuttle Bus Shed respectively. 

The mastery and culture of Adire art and craft practice by 

the Egba people of Abeokuta have been explored by exposing our 

students to training in this crafts of textile designs during their 

SIWES programme, this affords the Department a diffusion of 

ideas as we encourage symbiotic collaboration and complimentary 

learning process between the studio and practising professionals 

thereby inculcating the principle of complementarity between the 

“Town and the Gown”. The result of this has started yielding early 

positive results as records abound that a good number of our 

students have carved a for themselves in creating unique designs 

that have caught the fancy of the Nigerian Adire Market. 

Another benefit of this interaction was the TETFund 

Fabrication Grant obtained by Orelaja, Lasisi, Adesiji and Akinlolu 

in 2017 for the fabrication of the Repromaster Dyeing Machine 

designed by the lecturers of the department. The repromaster 

dyeing machine speeds up the dyeing process, reduces exposure to 

dyestuff by the artist and saves cost. The machine consists of a 

drum compartment which houses a roller with four arms, as the 

roller is driven by the connected motor, it moves the fabric through 

the injected hot dye solution from the dye solution compartment. 

Around the drum is a huge perforated cylinder with four doors that 

lift out from each arm while fabric materials are being loaded inside 

and shut water-tight while the roller is moving the fabric through 

the dye solution. A timer circuit terminates the operation after the 

set time of the rolling action which is dependent on the 

concentration of the dye solution and the type of fabric being 

processed. 

While MAPOLY Art School evolves, our products in the 

area of fabrication are worthy of exhibition as we have outputs such 

as the Repromaster Dyeing Machine, Electric and Gas fired Oven, 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

66 

 

Paint mixer, Ceramic plunger, metal and wooden tables, metal 

panel doors made from scrap metals, multi-compartment locker 

cabinets, Studio light box, printing table and several other 

fabrications serving the need of the Department as well as other 

Departments such as Science Laboratory Technology, Tourism, 

Hospitality and Leisure Management, Mechanical Engineering, 

Architecture etc. This interaction has contributed greatly to job 

creation among the youth populace and with the potential to do 

much more, raised more creative minds as well as advanced 

teaching, practice and research desires of all stakeholders. 

In the professional realm, we have maintained cordial 

relationship with the National Gallery of Art, from whom we have 

enjoyed support at all times; the Society of Nigerian Artists, where 

the current Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Chapter is Mr. 

Adesiji, a graphic lecturer in the department. 

 

Results of the Creative Exploits of the MAPOLY Art School 

in Various Studio Practices 

Communicative purposes of encoding and embellishment are 

worldwide applications of symbols used in artworks, which are 

rendered in motifs. However, the conceptual process of decoding 

the motifs culturally demands learning to gain mastery in 

approaching its interpretation which this paper aims to achieve. 

 

CERAMICS STUDIO 

Ceramics studio works concentrate on the creation of utility and 

decorative wares in terracotta. Clay is a natural fusible earth. That 

is when wet with the proper amount of water, it will tend to hold 

the shape which is given to it. This property is also known as 

plasticity and it is one of the principal virtues of the material 

(Daniel, 1974:210.) Pottery is a craft that has been in existence for 

centuries, since man discovered the need for its use, it has become 

a vital aspect of African cultural and traditional life. Necessity gave 

birth to the creation of vessels and figurines; this necessity includes 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

67 

 

utilitarian, decorative and religious needs (Umoru, 2003). The 

Ceramics lecturers in the Department to date are Oridola I. Adeola, 

NCE (Fine and Applied Arts, 2007) – Adeniran Ogunsanya 

College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos, B. A. (Ceramics, 2010) 

and MFA (Ceramics, 2015), both from Obafemi Awolowo 

University, Ile-Ife. He is a scholar and ceramic artist described by 

Adepegba (2015) as a profound user of clay from its raw stage to 

the finished stage, . . . exploring other complimentary materials to 

produce wholesome ceramic works that are unique in their classes. 

The other lecturer is Adetoyinbo Ajibola S., a Ceramic graduate of 

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, a master’s degree 

student in the Department of Industrial Design, Ahmadu Bello 

University, Zaria. The ceramic mastery of Ajibola is evident in his 

unique forms from floral and fauna for utilitarian and aesthetic 

purposes. 

Ceramic Works 

A o m’erin j’oba 

The Yoruba Folktale is one of the several thousands of indigenous 

African stories that teach the African child lots of home lessons. 

However, as a result of modernization resulting from the influence 

of Western education and cultures, African folktales are not given 

a rightful social place in the lives of both the young and old 

(Okunade, 2003). Pottery as an art has been in existence for quite 

some time, Glemn (1971) suggested that pottery most likely 

emerged out of the need of the Neolithic Families. The terracotta 

work “A o m’erin j’oba” is an example of a work of art otherwise 

called ise-wa in Yoruba land. This ceramics work is a combination 

of ceramic and sculpture which makes it a ceramic sculpture. The 

canon of frontality of the African sculpture is observed in the 

ceramics sculpture. The figure assumes a single posture as it suits 

its purpose as a free-standing figure serving the purpose of a flower 

vase. The cracks depict the painful agony the Elephant went 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

68 

 

through and the decorative calabash depicts the deceitfulness of the 

human. 

 

Assemblage 

Terracotta is fired clay ware and can be termed as unglazed reddish 

brown pottery. Pottery vessels for utilitarian purposes and 

environmental pottery are a few of the developed ceramic practices 

among the Yorubas. Sculptural ceramic pots should not only be 

seen in religious or ritual contexts but also for aesthetic 

beautification that reflects traditional and social-cultural values. 

Most of the motifs and symbols used on the pottery are greatly 

stylized and loaded with exoteric meanings relevant and related to 

various and individual thoughts, emphasizing their importance. 

The works are mainly for decoration and reflect how forms can be 

employed in trade-ceramic forms. 

 

Passage 

The terracotta pot titled, Passage, is embellished with Nigerian 

traditional motifs such as the Northern knot signifying unity in 

diversity of the Northern Nigeria’s people; this set of people are 

referred to as people of Oke-oya among the Yorubas, implying they 

came beyond River Niger, alangba (lizard) meaning, I do not know 

your thoughts towards me, footprint signifying hereditary traits, 

linkages and/or movement. These three were utilised by the artist 

to communicate that while I do not know your thoughts towards 

me, you must relate with me with caution because we may have 

come from two divides by River Niger, yet we may share one form 

of ancestral linkage or the other. 

 

Visual Communication Design 

Basic output expected from this area of experimentation includes 

branding, corporate design concepts, advertising and publicity 

design and layouts, television graphics, photography, lettering and 

all areas of their applications. Adesiji Oladunni Philip took up the 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

69 

 

assignment of taking classes in this section in 2014. The lecturer is 

a Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) – trained 

printmaker, designer, photographer and art educator in the simplest 

of possible terms. He bagged his National Diploma from Federal 

Polytechnic, Ede (Electrical/Electronics Engineering, 2005), B. 

Tech – Industrial Design (Graphics) and M. Tech – Graphics, both 

from FUTA from where his printmaking skill was acquired and he 

adopted the White-line woodcut which characterises the 

printmaking projects from MAPOLY Art School. Among the 

works produced so far in this area are: 

 

Invocations 

These woodcut prints were dedicated to the children who are 

victims of terrorism in Northeast Nigeria as orphans, and war 

slaves particularly the Chibok girls whose rescue is still daily 

prayer in the lips of compassionate Nigerians after 6 years in 

captivity. The twin celebrates the gallantry, sacrifice and resilience 

of the Nigeria Armed Forces cheering them to victory over all 

forms of insurrection against the peace of Nigeria. 

Still Remember, Still Grateful 

The mosaic project is an experimentation with glass titles produced 

in honour of a heroine (and her colleagues) of a pandemic, Ebola 

whose waves would have caused unimaginable loss of lives and 

economic resources to Africa’s most populous nation.  The mosaic 

painting of the portraiture of Dr Stella Adadevoh is executed on a 

4 mm thick Aluminium composite panel popularly called 

Alucobond dimensioned 48in X 48in utilizing 1 in X l in glass tiles 

stuck on the board with Arabic gum.  While mosaic art has been 

widely employed for decorative purposes, this project has 

attempted making a commemorative portraiture of a Nigeria 

heroine as an artistic input to celebrate the diligence, patriotism, 

loyalty, brilliance, ethical and professional excellence of Dr Amos 

Abaniwo; Nurse Justina Obi Ejelon, Nurse Evelyn Ukoand Dr 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

70 

 

Stella Ameyo Adadevoh. This is an avenue to tell their beautiful 

souls, their relatives and the whole world that we are grateful 

because their labour of love is still fresh in our memory. 

Painting 

This studies the creation of pictures for aesthetic, functional and 

decorative purposes such as portraiture, murals, mosaics and other 

pictorial compositions. The pioneer coordinator of the Department 

and later HOD, Mr. Olayemi Azeem Bello has been taking painting 

classes since inception of the department with an array of creative 

young minds raised by his intensive attention on the individual 

students passing through his hands. The painter and innovative 

stage designer had ND (Architecture,1990) from Ogun State 

Polytechnic, Abeokuta now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, 

Abeokuta, B.A. (Fine Art, 1995) and M. A. (Visual Art, 2003) from 

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and University of Ibadan 

respectively. Also in the painting section is Mr Moshood Amusa, 

an HND Painting graduate of Yaba College of Technology, whose 

mastery of murals, figures, life and general drawing is exceptional 

both in teaching and practice. 

Dexterity 

Pyrography is the act of decorating wood or other burnt marks 

resulting from the controlled applications of heated objects 

(Walkers, 2005). Dexterity (fig. 8) is an aesthetic piece to showcase 

the tie – dye tradition, trade culture and profession of the Egba 

people, the immediate host of MAPOLY Art School. The process 

of executing it involved burning the surface of the particle board, 

with a naked flame from gas burner, incising the image on the burnt 

board and scratching out the shades to bring-out the desired detail. 

It is our prayer that the soul of the artist, Koleowo Temitope 

Abimbola, continues to rest in perfect peace, she died in 2019. Her 

practice and commissions were creative masterpieces in the few 

years she held the brush and mixed the paints. 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

71 

 

Asa keke 
In depicting Yoruba connotation that Asa keke aajo ewa ni nse, a 

bu abaja, aajo ewa ni nse; Adebayo Ogunsola, a 2016 ND 

diplomate was of the opinion that since body tattooing resurfaced 

and gained global patronage despite the campaign of the West 

against facial tribal marks among Africans, he assured that facial 

marks will return to be a popular trend as a result of modernization 

which will help in preserving this heritage of decoration (Ossai – 

llyah and Ogunrombi , 2012, Rosevear, 1990), ethno – spiritual 

identification (Drewal, 1988 Ayeni, 2004), beauty enhancement 

(Oyetade, 1982), therefore, there is a need to consider the assertion 

of Bello & Adesiji (2017) that policymakers and regulatory 

agencies in the health sector need to have a rethink on harnessing 

the economic gains which can be gotten from safe body marking. 

Ba w’aye, b’ari, laari! 

This project work aims at using recyclable waste items embedded 

in painting mix-media work with a focus on representing the 

destiny journey of a man on earth based on Yoruba’s belief in 

destiny as well as the semiotics of cultural icons among the 

Yorubas. The process of birth biologically registers a large mass 

into the destiny race with each struggling to attain the top among 

their colleagues in different strata; education, politics, career, 

leadership, religion etc, however, the factors determining the 

attainment of such pursuit may be total according to their destiny 

(which is inalterable) by different scholars e.g. Oduwole (1996), 

Abimbola (1976) or alterable, according to other scholars such as 

Campbell (1996), Idowu (1962). This informs the role played by 

social interaction (symbolised in this work as ooya, alangba, spiral 

lines representing curly nature of a snake which may be 

experienced in human relationship) and character of individuals 

which may clog their progress or even eliminate them untimely 

from the race of destiny (see Bello and Adesiji, 2021, for full 

semiological analysis) 



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Sculpture 
Modelling in clay, carving in wood, construction in metal and 

paper to serve as decoration, monuments, insignia, totems, etc to 

record history, immortalise, award, architectural support etc are 

areas of exploration that sculptural practice entails. MAPOLY Art 

School students at different times have been moulded by tested 

hands of Ashiyanbi, Oligbinde and Akinlolu. Ashiyanbi Akeem 

Abiodun is a sculpture graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, 

Ile-Ife, B. A (Fine Art), M. A. (Visual Art, 2003) – University of 

Ibadan. He is an eclectic and well-versed Art Historian. Oligbinde 

Samuel Rotimi had a B. A. (Fine Art - Scuplture, 2012), MFA – 

Sculpture (2019) both from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 

His works project basic characteristics African as seen in facial 

presentation, directional emphasis, stylisation, boldness of forms 

and hierarchy. Mr Akinlolu Olusola Olawale, an HND-Sculpture 

graduate of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu (2013) has mastery 

of forms rendered in various media such as cement, fibreglass, as 

well as wood, is excellent and the works of his students can attest 

to this. 

The Lost Waste 

The Lost Waste utilises waste paper as a material form in sculpture. 

Waste paper has long symbolised a world of carefree consumerism 

and revolutionary innovation, opening doors of creative expression 

for artists to mop up the mess of all. The high relief work is a 

depiction of visualisation of the popular Argungu Fishing Festival 

celebrated in Kebbi and other northern Nigerian States. It is 

acclaimed as Africa’s biggest Fishing Celebration. In the paper 

sculpture, one can feel the celebration of volume which is an 

expression of the patience and diligent labour each fisherman 

passes through in an attempt to make the biggest catch. The work 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

73 

 

is cast with waste paper and top bond, edged with welded scrap 

metals from brake pads – giving a rhythmic finish. 

 

Iya ilu 

The metal sculpture titled Iya ilu, the Talking Drum of the Yoruba 

people is popularly employed for socio-cultural, religious, ritual, 

and other related purposes in the southwestern part of Nigeria and 

the world over where Yoruba people live or have inhabited before. 

The hourglass-shaped drum has two drum heads covered with 

animal skin and connected along the wooden frame with 

leather/skin tension cords. The cords are the instrument of tuning 

the pitch by the drummer. Adorned in traditional Yoruba attire with 

a matching Abeti-aja cap, the drummer welcomes all to the 

walkway leading to the Department of Art and Industrial Design 

just as palace drummers welcome the king’s guests in Yoruba 

palaces and to other social gatherings. 

Mother’s Love 

Passion, care and love of a mother are the expression of this 

fibreglass work. It shows the extent a mother goes in nurturing her 

children and helps to actualise the dreams of her children. The work 

is cast in fibre polyester resin and patinated with bronze finishing, 

it is installed on a high pedestal seated in the middle of a water 

fountain. The artists were inspired by the attribute of flamingos 

flocking in groups and catering for one another. 

TEXTILES 

Textiles study the art of weaving, decorating and designing fabric 

and related materials in batik, tie and dye, embroidery etc for 

diverse applications. In MAPOLY, this section has had Lasisi 

Lateef Adedayo, a widely experimental artist, and the self-

acclaimed inventor of Embroidery on Canvas. He obtained NCE 

(Fine and Applied Arts, 2004) from Adeniran Ogunsanya College 

of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos, B. A. (Textiles, 2010) and 



Adesiji, O.P, Oligbinde, S.R. Adetoyinbo, A. S., and Umeh, C.E. 

74 

 

MFA (Textiles, 2015), both from Obafemi Awolowo University, 

Ile-Ife; Ojomo Oluwatosin Stephen graduated from the Federal 

University of Technology, Akure with B. Tech (Textiles – 

Industrial Design, 2009) and M. Tech (Textile, 2016), he has 

exhibited interesting creativity in textile design and prints and also 

Umeh Chioma Emilia, she bagged a B. A. – Fine and Applied Arts, 

Textile specialisation. 

 

Ankara Yebeyebe 

This mixed media work executed by surface cut and paste textured 

pattern using left-over African prints (Ankara) collected from 

fashion design shops with skin areas rendered in acrylic medium 

on 1-inch thick plywood is installed on the outer wall of the Textile 

Studio.  Textile waste is globally estimated at 92 million tonnes 

each year (Beall, 2020) and poses a severe danger to human health 

and the ecosystem. An attempt to repurpose waste motivated 

Ibukun to depict the dancing culture of the Yoruba people with 

waste textile materials.  

The work consists of a Bata drummer, the bàtá drum is a 

Membranophonic double-headed/conical drum, the largest of a set 

of drums (typically three to four) used by the Yoruba people. At 

inception and for some centuries past, the drum set was used as a 

speech surrogate and was associated with Sàngó, Esu, Egungun, 

Oya and other Yoruba orisa cults, the male dancer is adorned in 

matching dresses and traditional Gobi caps while the three female 

dancers have flamboyant head gears all rendered in Ankara pieces. 

In the Yoruba Culture, the fabric used for tying the Gele is the Aso-

Oke which is a hand-woven fabric. After weaving, it is made into 

a rectangular piece that is long enough to go around the head at 

least twice.  The art of gele is marked by a sense of dynamic form, 

in which eloquent and elegant creases, vertical stretching, 

horizontal elongation, perpendicular balance, and spiral twists, 

among other design configurations, are used to create a structure 

out of cloth, a structure that acts as a crown for the head. 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

75 

 

 

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY 

At the setting out of the Department of Art and Industrial Design, 

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, part of our sustainability plan 

includes the following: 

 

i. Organising yearly Art Exhibition – this has been taking 

place since 2015 when the first set of diplomates graduated; 

it is usually held during the Students’ Activities Week to 

carry along the majority of the students’ population on 

campus. However, the 2022 edition billed for March 21st, 

2022 is remarkable as 21st March is the International Day of 

Colour, this date has also been approved for the Annual 

Exhibition of the Department by the Polytechnic 

Management led by the Acting Rector, Dr David Adeoye 

Odedeji. It is hoped to be graced by dignitaries from the 

State government, academia, professional bodies and in 

collaboration with the National Gallery of Art. It is 

noteworthy to state that the exhibition has become self-

sustaining as we raise banners of artistic learning and 

practice as well as raise the bar of the artistic teaching 

process. 

 

ii. Other areas of financial support for the Department are 

commissioning from public and private agencies in the fast-

growing Gateway State. 

 

iii. Aesthetic need for indoor and outdoor spaces, high rate of 

industrialisation, diverse clay deposits, world-renown 

traditional artistic practice etc. are other factors assuring of 

bright future for art consumption in Ogun State. 

 



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Summary 

This paper has introduced the Department of Art and Industrial 

Design, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, 

Nigeria also referred to as MAPOLY Art School; it provided a 

chronicle of the artworks and art forms from the home base of Aina 

Onabolu, the visionary of art inclusion in Nigerian education 

curriculum. From contextual assertions of the paper, the objectives 

and justification for creating the Department have been fulfilled as 

studio practices in ceramics, graphics, painting, sculpture and 

textiles have impacted the lives of the people of Ogun State in 

terms of providing skilled and creative artists who can effectively 

run art studios, solve art & design related problems, manipulate 

tools and materials employed in artistic practice as well as provide 

technical support in the industrial development of Ogun State and 

the nation at large. Beyond this, a strong army of creative 

entrepreneurs has been raised through the training provided in the 

last seven years of the existence of this art, applied art and 

industrial design training centre with attendant cordial 

relationships within professional and required social engagements. 

The paper has also provided an educative trajectory to the Yoruba 

semiological study of motifs and cultural connotations. 

Finally, among the immediate impact of this Art School is 

the efforts directed at checking climate change through recycling 

and repurposing wastes such as scrap metals for sculptural pieces 

e.g. Elephant sculpture-in-the-round, Ostrich sculpture-in-the-

round, Iya-ilu sculpture-in-the-round, waste paper for relief 

sculptures, waste tyres for window decoration (for Painting Studio) 

and decorative stools; waste textile materials for footmats, 

decorative stools. 

 

Questions 

1. How did MAPOLY evolve? 

2. What genres of Art are practised and taught in MAPOLY? 

3. What are the sustainability plans for the institution? 



Semiological and Utilitarian Introduction of MAPOLY … 

77 

 

 

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