"GELE"

“GELE” is an art piece to contradict the popular and known song within the Nigerian community ‘GELE’ by KEYS THE PRINCE. The song speaks of wearing a gele to a Nigerian hall party like most women do but it goes to further that its because of him the women wear the gele, his lyrics state “Is it because of me you tie your gele yepaaa” but this painting contradicts that it goes against the narrative of women dressing up tying their geles to look for a husband (some women not all). Marriage is a significant part of Nigerian culture and I have seen it first hand how marriage can not go the way one thinks with my mother and father and nowadays my generation thinks that marriage is not that important which some people believe, but the whole idea of this painting is to contradict the Nigerian stigma around marriage that if you work hard, go to school, get a good job, get married, have a family, everything will be okay.

MEDIUM: ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, OIL ON CANVAS. APRIL 4TH 2026