Chika Mefor-Nwachukwu writes the story of a sculptor and carver whose amazing art works have dazzled many.
Tree stumps, for many are just ordinary firewoods that are used in the kitchen to cook all manners of delicacies. Within minutes, these stumps (turned into firewood) burn and become ashes, never to be seen again. But for carver and sculptor, Emmanuel Nnakwelugo, tree stumps are more than firewoods. They are tables, chairs, desks and other beautiful art works.
“Whenever I see tree stumps, I see so many possibilities, like chairs, tables and many other beautiful things. I believe the way I see those things is a gift from God,” he said.
A native of Anambra State, Nnakwelugo’s interest for arts started at a young age when he usually accompany his friends to the house of a carver in his village.
There, they watched him carving beautiful art works and there, Nnakwelugo ‘caught the bug’.
“I was 10 years old. We will go there sometimes after school. It was this experience that made me what I am today,” he said.
Nnakwelugo also stated that he had performed exceedingly well in arts subjects during his primary and secondary school days and had become the toast of the many as he secretly assisted the students in his class to do their art projects.
“With all these, I knew that art was something I needed to explore. I embraced art in school when I was in Senior Secondary (SS) 1. That was when we had a Fine Art teacher in my school. I noticed that I was really good. I decided to take it further and study it as a degree. I studied Fine arts in Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu (IMT) in Enugu State,” he said.
Out from school, Nnakwelugo dabbled into different types of arts but something happened one day, to push him in the direction of the type of art he now concentrates on; functional art.
“I decided to focus on this type of arts, because I wanted arts that have functions; an art that can be used for something. I just don’t want to do just beautiful art work, I wanted an art that will be beautiful and at the same time use to solve problems. Anything I do, I make sure it solves a problem,” he said.
Now on what had spurred him into that direction, he stated; “ I always visit the palaces of Ezes and Igwes in my communities. I noticed the beautiful furniture; chairs, tables, side stools and other things there. However, many of those furniture are not gotten from Nigeria. They acquire them outside the country.
“One day, I spoke to myself. I knew I could do even better work with home made materials. I decided to start up something equally beautiful but Nigerian. Art works that have our culture in it.”
Majority of Nnakwelugo’s work comes from tree stump, and he explains, that the stumps come in various shapes and forms which make his work even easier.
Nnakwelugo added that the trees he worked with are those that have dried up; which could cause damages if they are not cut down.
Because he knows the danger of deforestation, he has also taken it upon himself to talk to the people in the various communities he gets his woods from, on the importance of replanting of trees.
“I know that trees help to combat global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide, removing and storing carbon while releasing oxygen back into the air. I know that it also helps to prevent flooding and erosion. I have taken my time to explain these to the people,” he added.
Nnakwelugo stated that many have come to appreciate his work but expressed sadness over some who will rather buy from abroad just to show off.
“I have had many people patronize my work. But you know Nigerians sometimes want to show how rich they are with things they buy abroad. So instead of buying quality items here in Nigeria, they prefer to buy them abroad so as to show off,” he noted.
The carver and scupltor who have worked for eight years now explained the step by step ways he works.
“First, you have to start with knowing what you want to built and the pattern of what you want to build. This will guide you on the wood or tree stump that will give you what you want. When we dig out the tree stumps out of the ground, we sometimes, have to dig up to six feet before we are able to remove them from the ground.
“After that, you start to carve the wood to the shape you want it. The next thing is to burn the wood. Wood burning carving is the art of carving designs and pictures into wood using heat, and is also known as pyrography. After that, you leave it for a day and then start the work of smoothening the surface with sand paper. You can do that for three to four times. Then, we treat the woods to protect them from termites. You then leave it for two to three days. Next is the sanding sealer, a chemical used to close up any holes in the wood. You use sand paper again to smoothen everywhere and then, you spray the polish,” he explained.
So many processes, one would say, but from all these processes emerge beautiful art works that not only perform a function but also beautiful the house.
“The processes take from one week to months; depending on how big the work is. Small jobs can take just few days,” he stated.
Nnakwelugo’s dream is to turn many more household equipment into art works.
“ I am grateful to God that my dreams are coming into fruition. I will turn many other things into beautiful art works; even the hand washing basin in rest rooms and sink basin in the kitchens,” he said with satisfying smile.
