DeBebs’s Art of Mangrove Conservation

Esther Oluku 

Renowned artist and scholar, Dr. John Edwin DeBebs, on Wednesday, March 5, unveiled 30 stunning paintings of the Niger Delta’s mangroves, believed to be the third-largest in the world, in a solo exhibition themed The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves, and Art.

The exhibition, holding at The Wings, along Ozumba Mbadiwe Street on Victoria Island, Lagos, is supported by the National Gallery of Art, the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, Atlantic Marine, Oando Clean Energy, and Crimson Fusion, and will run until March 18. Notably, the exhibition will also be showcased at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, underscoring its global significance.

Curated by Oriiz Onuwaje, the works are a rendition of the tropical flora in a celebration of their tenacity in the face of adversity, their pivotal role in shaping the ecosystem’s delicate balance, and their cultural relevance as protector of the land and people of the Niger Delta.

The mangroves of the Niger Delta serve as fenders to the vast network of rivers and creeks that criss-cross the Niger Delta, defending the shoreline with their turgid web-like roots and preventing water from encroaching into the land, thereby safeguarding the delicate communities that call this ecosystem home.

Beyond this, the mangroves also absorb carbon at an exceptionally high rate from the environment around them, naturally rejuvenating the environment and eliminating the adverse impacts of climate change.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase III, during his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, stated that the exhibition represents the ability of art to not only showcase beauty but serve as an instrument of advocacy on the ecological significance of the mangrove. He therefore urgently called on fellow leaders in the Niger Delta to collectively take a stand against foreign interests that seek to exploit the mangrove, defend its integrity, and harness its potential for the collective prosperity of the Niger Delta region.

“While the world praises their value, some seek to slice our land into invisible pieces,” the monarch said. “We use this moment as a first clarion call. We would not stand by while our mangroves are battered away in the guise of offsetting carbon credits by foreign interests who neither understand the significance nor bear the cost of its destruction.”

The Olu of Warri also declared that the time had come for the legitimate custodians of the mangrove to assume their responsibility to safeguard, conserve, and utilise this vital resource for the welfare of their people and the sake of posterity. He also underscored the transformative power of art, noting that it not only mirrored life but also served as a catalyst for change.

“Dr. DeBebs,” he said, “has masterfully captured the soul of our mangroves translating their silent cries unto canvas. Let these serve as both inspiration and warning. The time for passive observation is over and the time for decisive action is now.”

He issued a clarion call to fellow leaders from neighbouring communities, including the Ijaws, Urhobos, Nembes, Ilajes, Ibanis, and other custodians of the Niger Delta, to unite in the quest to safeguard the region’s mangroves. He proposed the establishment of a framework to prevent unchecked exploitation and ensure that economic benefits accruing from the mangroves are prioritised for local communities. The Olu of Warri underscored the imperative that their land, heritage, and future remain inalienable.

With regard to the exhibition, he expressed his aspiration that it would galvanise a movement, heighten awareness among the populace, and herald the commencement of a concerted effort to protect the mangroves. He envisioned that the exhibition would be recorded in history as the watershed moment that marked the beginning of a unified defence of the mangroves.

The paintings, executed in a lush kaleidoscope of colours, capture the entwined roots and tranquil waterscapes that define the mangroves. 

Meanwhile, for DeBebs, this exhibition marks his return to the public stage after a long hiatus following a life-changing encounter in 1995, when he survived a shooting accident and underwent a spiritual transformation.

His return to the visual arts, driven by his newfound purpose and faith, reflects a deeper commitment to using his talents for a higher purpose. Hence, the exhibition serves not only as an artistic celebration of the qualities of the mangrove but also as a redirection of focus from the Niger Delta as a region plagued by crisis to a home to nature’s beauty.

“These paintings,” he declared, “show that in the midst of the unrest that is reported in the world about the Niger Delta, it is a place of great aquatic beauty.”

Onuwaje emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the Niger Delta Mangroves, saying, “What you see here today is a way to tell the world that the Niger Delta mangroves, being the third largest in the world, need to be preserved and hold greater value for the world than the Amazon.”