Speaking about Ogini Bernard, it is no other person than the seasoned playwright who is known for his significant works in expanding the tenets of pidgin literature. When he is not writing, Bernard is crafting — with thread and other relevant materials, to recreate pictures of people. One of his phenomenal works is the silk thread portrait of His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife.

Last Friday, Bernard who is also addressed by the sobriquet, Naija Shakespeare paid a courtesy visit to Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Nigeria’s largest private art collector. During the visit, he presented a thread art of the Abeokuta-born prince to him. The art works in Yemisi’s collection are dated from as early as the 9th century and as late as the 21st century. They include the works of both early and later Nigerian artists, such as Aina Onabolu, Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Okaybulu Eke, Nike Davis-Okundaye, Charles Shainumi, Okpu Eze, Clary Nelson Cole, Kolade Osinowo, David Dale, Simon Okeke, Isiaka Osunde, Abayomi Barber, Olu Amoda, El Anatsui, Ben Osawe, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Lara Ige-Jacks, Susanne Wenger and a long list of others.



Acknowledging the portrait presented to him in a post shared via Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYSAF) group page, he said, “Today’s presentation of an artwork to me at home, of my portrait done in thread, by a University of Ibadan artist/ lecturer fan of mine. He first posted the artwork and his photograph on Instagram, seeking to meet me and was thereafter directed to me by a YSMA@PAU member of Council.”


Ogini Bernard is a Theatre Arts graduate from the University of Ibadan with solid interest in the future of Art and Literature in Nigeria and beyond.