The Akete Art Foundation marked a significant moment for the Lagos art scene on November 8, 2025, with the successful launch of its landmark publication, “The Making of An African Capital of Culture (Lagos Biennial I-V)”. The event, held on November 4, 2025, at the Shell Zenith Hall of the MUSON Centre, Lagos, served as a crucial fundraiser for the forthcoming Àkéte Collection: Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
The publication itself is a remarkable collector’s item. Only 65 limited edition copies were printed in the United Kingdom by Print Love UK and designed by internationally acclaimed British designer Kieron Lewis.
Housed in a 7-kilogram, hand-cast concrete slipcase sculpture, the cover is modelled after the façade of Tafawa Balewa Square, a symbolic site of Nigeria’s independence and the venue of the Biennial’s last edition.
Measuring 55 cm by 36 cm, the limited edition book starts at a price of 7.5 Million Naira ($5,000), with upward price reviews. A paperback edition is slated for release in October 2028.
Folakunle Oshun Ph.D., founder and artistic director of the Lagos Biennial, described the book as “both a documentation and a declaration,” chronicling the Biennial’s growth from an independent initiative into an international movement, highlighting the spirit of collaboration that sustains it.
Proceeds from the publication’s sales will directly support the construction of the Akéte Collection. This ambitious project is set to feature outstanding pieces from the last four editions of the Biennial, along with art donations and loans from international museums, private collections, and individuals. The collection is poised to become a significant international collection of modern and contemporary art in Africa.
The Akéte Collection will be unveiled to the public in October 2026 as part of the Lagos Biennial’s 5th edition, “The Museum of Things Unseen”. The museum’s aim is to solidify Lagos’s status as an international art hub and create an enduring artistic landmark on the continent.
The fundraiser brought together members of the diplomatic community, local and international art collectors, artists and art professionals. Speakers at the event included designer Kieron Lewis, Lagos Biennial project manager Oluwaferanmi Ogundipe and Akete Art Foundation Advisory Board member Aduke Gomez. The curators of the 5th edition-Sam Hopkins, Chinyere Obieze, and Furen Dai-also presented insights into their curatorial frameworks for “The Museum of Things Unseen”.
Guests were entertained by Afrosoul and highlife tunes from Ifé and her band and R&B songs performed by Praiz.
The publication features contributions from notable figures such as Bisi Silva, Antawan Byrd, Tosin Oshinowo, Yinka Elujoba, and a foreword by Supo Shasore SAN, among others.
