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His pieces, comprising of red, yellow and green
peppers mounted on boards and tomatoes hanging from nets, will
rot during the lifespan of the exhibition in Lagos. The decay
reflects the food wasted during lockdowns last year, said the
30-year-old artist.
"I created this art space as a reflection of the scarcity... and
numerous challenges that we experienced at the early stage of
the pandemic," Omokeko said.
Lockdowns were imposed from late March until early May last year
in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub, and the capital, Abuja. The
restrictions, coupled with a ban on nationwide interstate
travel, disrupted supply chains which led to widespread hunger,
while food rotted in fields or at depots.
"I don't want us to go back to that stage again and my only
advice is for the masses to use their face masks just to avoid
another lockdown," he said.
He fears authorities may enforce more restrictions as the
country grapples with a second wave of COVID-19 infections that
has seen the number of cases rise sharply in recent weeks.
Public health officials have repeatedly warned that Nigerians
are failing to heed guidance on observing social distancing and
wearing masks. Many opt to wear masks around their chin, rather
than over their mouth and nose.
Omokeko hopes the sight of his rotting peppers, oozing liquids
and giving off a pungent smell, will provide a visceral warning
of what may happen if safety advice is ignored.
"I'm not wasting this material," he said. "I'm using it to raise
the consciousness of the masses."
(The story corrects spelling of artist's name to Omokeko, not
Omomkeko)
(Reporting by Seun Sanni in Lagos; Additional reporting by
Abraham Achirga in Abuja; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing
by Alex Richardson)
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