Constance and Sons Gallery Unveils “Aimasiko: Ignorance of Divine Timing”

• An Art Exhibition Rooted in Waiting, Wonder, and the Quiet Work of Becoming

The National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, will open its historic halls from August 24th to August 30th, 2025, to host an evocative new exhibition titled “Aimasiko: Ignorance of Divine Timing”, organised by Constance and Sons Gallery under the leadership of Dunmade Ayegbayo.
Bringing together 88 compelling artworks by 20 diverse artists, this powerful showcase explores the deeply philosophical Yoruba concept of Aimasiko, exploring the human tension between desire and delay, between what is hoped for and when it comes to pass. Drawing from the ancient Yoruba proverb “Adániwáyè ò gbàgbé ẹnìkan; àìmàsìkò ló ńdààmú ẹ̀dá” (“The Creator forgets no one; it is ignorance of divine timing that troubles mortals”), the exhibition reflects on the emotional, spiritual, and societal weight of waiting.

Curated by Mrs. Oriyomi Pamela Otuka, the Deputy Director and Station Curator of the National Museum of Unity, Aimasiko invites viewers to journey into the space between effort and outcome: a sacred space filled with uncertainty, endurance, and hope.

The participating artists are Elijah Olanase, Roseleen Labazacchy, Alawaye Tope, Adebayo Taiwo, Oyeleye Feranmi, Omoyeni Arogunmati, Abiodun Nafiu, Olaosun Oluwapelumi, Taiwo Odejinmi, Gobe Joseph, Oluwafemi Afolabi, Joshua Salami, Eyitayo Alagbe, Damola Ayegbayo, Obeka Simon, Tosin Oyeniyi, Olumide Ajayi, Bakare Abubakri-Sideeq, Meshach Charity, Bola Opadiran, Sanusi Akeem and Oluwaseun Ojebiyi representing a dynamic spectrum of voices in Nigerian contemporary art. Through painting, mixed media, and conceptual forms, they offer deeply personal and cultural interpretations of divine timing, as promise, as burden, and as revelation.

From bold expressionism that captures the chaos of uncertainty, to serene portraits steeped in reflective stillness, the works speak to our shared longing for answers, our search for meaning, and our struggle with delay. They give visual form to questions that linger in many hearts: Why now? Why not yet? When will it be my turn?

According to curator Mrs. Otuka, “Aimasiko is not just about waiting — it’s about understanding that not everything unfolds at our pace. This exhibition honours that truth through the eyes and hands of artists who know what it means to live in-between.”

Set in the culturally rich city of Ibadan, the National Museum of Unity provides the perfect space for this introspective and spiritually rich showcase. With a focus on unity across Nigeria’s diverse cultural identities, the museum becomes a backdrop for dialogue between traditional wisdom and contemporary expression.

Aimasiko is more than an art exhibition, it is a meditation on timing, trust, and the mysterious beauty of becoming. It invites visitors to pause, reflect, and perhaps embrace the quiet work that takes place while we wait.