Date Published: 12/02/09

TRIBUTE: FRED OKON ARCHIBONG: CELEBRATION OF SUPERIOR PRESENTATION AND POWER OF CREATIVITY- KAYODE AJULO, ESQ. 

"I want to let Nigerians know that no country in the world developed without their artists and creative minds, artists create the concept; they are the creative vehicles that helped the growth of their countries.

Leornado Da Vinci saw a riding horse and designed the first car. Other creative minds, the Wright Brothers, designed the first plane; Nostradamus, the man who saw tomorrow, a sculptor, predicted many events that had come to pass, same with the man who designed the first telephone. They were part of the reasons why their countries have developed."

-FRED ARCHIBONG (1959-2009)

Some months back, the nation stood still to celebrate Nigeria 's leading artists, Fred Okon Archibong as he was honoured by the Federal Government with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award.

Immediately after this event, On July 8, 2009, he marked his 50 th birthday with pomp and a book launch.

Born on July 1, 1959, in Lagos, Fred Okon Archibong, fondly called Fredo by his friends and aficionados was an artist who has taken art beyond anticipation; he an incredible artist the world knows too well as he used his God given aptitude to impact on other conventional segments of the nation’s financial system.

Fred Archibong was a great impressionist; this was acknowledged by the recognition given him by the government, the acknowledgment which was indeed an enhancement to the re-branding attempt of the country and an affirmation which shows that Fred Archibong was an unblemished example of productivity and an individual who had rejected the upper limit society placed on his line of work.

He undeniably went ahead of his peers within his profession; until he died he is by principle the owner of a prestigious and the most famous land mark in Nigeria, the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS Lagos.

Fred Archibong’s sculptures and paintings across the country dotes nooks and crannies of Nigeria and they instantly turned into landmarks of their respective locations, I am always filled with nationalistic sensations whenever the Cable News Network (CNN) beams his famous work, the symbols of the Power of the People that sits majestically at the square of National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Nigeria.

Some of his works are sculptures of currencies build up in frontage of Nigeria Security, Minting and Printing building, Victoria Island, Lagos; a mixed media sculpture of metal, steel, concrete and fibre glass, measuring 100 feet at the access of Abuja, FCT; fibre glass murals of beads and cast aluminum at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; adornment at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Abuja etc.

Outside Nigeria’s shores, Fred Archibong’s conceptions in more than a few of the Nigerian embassies and Commissions are great and replenishing to take a look at.

As with other geniuses, Archibong refused to be limited to art alone as he dwelled into and participated in several endeavors that will ensure the development of his dear nation.

In his late 20’s he engaged in several commercial ventures, at the time of his death he sits atop companies such as; Minicomps, a automation outfit; Bepong, a tourism and culture company; B-Environment, a environmental and engineering services outfit and BHS International, the concessionaires of Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS Lagos.

Fred Archibong believed in hard work despite the consequences of one category, and had demonstrated a point that artists are no less important in contributing to the development of the country in whatever capacity they are called to.

Recently at Ikeja Airport on our way to Abuja, Fred Archibong narrated an event to me and one of the elder statesmen of this country, when he told us how a former top government official was overheard lamenting that “how can an artist win TBS; ordinary artist with brush and chisel , it's impossible. There must be somebody behind it”

That night while waiting for our airbus, he also pathetically and conscientiously narrated to me how he co-founded BHS International with his mother and humbly told me how his company won TBS only on their superior presentation and power of creativity.

Superior presentation and Power of creativity, these are the summation of the life and accomplishments of a friend and client, I still find so difficult to believe has translated from transience to immortality.

His superior presentation and power of creativity is known in all the six continents of the world, haven taken this gospel to numerous places including Transcorps Hilton Hotel Abuja, Nigeria, BAT Center Durban, South Africa, Durban Hilton Hotel, Durban South Africa, Akintola Williams, Deloitte & Touche’s Complex, Several government buildings, European Union Commission, Brussels, Belgium, Peace and Cultural Development Conference, Galleria-Europaid Co-operation Office, Brussels, Belgium, Commonwealth of Government Meeting, CHOGM 2003 Abuja and my humble self’s law firm, Castle of Law and simple living room both located in Abuja, Nigeria among other places numerous to mention.

Fred Okon Archibong, the old boys of Federal Government College, Warri, Nigeria had thousands of commissioned works and as expected several awards to his credits.

He lived a good and restless life, fought the good fight and touched lives not only in Nigeria or in Africa but all over the world; the disbelieve and grieve that precede his passage has only underlined this attractive fact.

Rest in Peace, Fred Okon Archibong. Adieu Fredo.

*Kayode AJULO, ESQ, an Attorney-at-Law writes from Abuja, NIGERIA.