By Sam Asoluka

It is difficult to say good-bye or Rest in Peace to someone, especially someone you loved so much. Nevertheless, Rest in peace Ndaa Paddy Obinna. You came, you ‘Arted’ well and no doubt you left the world better than you met it. Ndaa Paddy, you certainly had a good innings. We would have loved you to live longer but your 82 years on earth was given and wholesomely blessed.

Your assertion that ‘Paddy is Art and Art is Paddy’ and ‘We are the Art we make are truly pure, striking and memorable. However, you fleshed it out more into our psyche by these words; ‘Whatever Art we make reflects the world we in live-in. Your Art is your world.

You proudly and unashamedly told a team of European and African tourists who came to ‘consume’ your Art that ‘If you don’t know yourself or the world around you, come to Paddy Art Gallery you will surely see or know your world holistically and in one place, my village, Umuocham, Emekuku.

As an avid Art consumer, I have never failed to visit Paddy Arts Gallery any time I visited Nigeria. The Gallery was a second home to me. Inside Paddy Art Gallery; I saw Art, I had Peace and I saw Ndaa Paddy in his Art world, very happy. Ndaa Paddy would talk to the visitors and talk to his Art-work as if they were humans. Paddy Gallery oozes with life. The life yesterday, the life now and the life we aspire to live. He lived vibrantly in his Art world

Ndaa Paddy lived a contented life. In one of our conversations, he talked about death. He said, death is the final destination for everybody who is alive. He loved life and lived it well. He believed that healthy eating complements a healthy Art. That, as an artist, it is very important to watch what goes into your gut.

Ndaa Paddy was an Artist’s Artist, a prolific writer, and a Newspaper Publisher. He seamlessly but with his creative candour wove traditional and contemporary Art and journalism into his Weekly Newspaper called the STRIDES. He was the Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of The Strides Newspaper. Before, he put The Strides Newspaper to rest, it served as the artery of the Artworld in Imo State. Like a harbinger of good news, The Strides Newspaper permeated the nooks and cranny of the South East and South-South States.

The People of Imo State and the South East in general know Art, but Ndaa Paddy made most of them to become Art consumers and Collectors. Today, Art Banking is a thriving market for Artwork in the zone and Artists are getting the recognition they rightly deserve. Thanks to our Art Guru, Ndaa Paddy.

Ndaa Paddy knew that Chi is real and did not hide his belief in CHUKWU, the creator of the universe and whatever that is in it. He believed that the Art is a cornucopia of the Creator of the universe. And his Art is a clear testimony of the Artwork of our Creator. Hence, he boldly asserted that CHI KERE, MA NA UZU KPURU – God created and the Artist shapes, draws and sculpts the Art.

Farewell Ndaa Paddy. You lived well and with gratitude to God; you loved well and was loved by the people who knew you or came in contact with you. You advised well when you were called to serve and more importantly you were intellectually and healthily controversial. Your passion for Art was second-to-none and your Artwork is legendary. You loved humanity, you loved culture, especially Igbo culture and that’s why you were called THE GLOBAL CULTURAL ICON, CULTURAL ADVOCATE, CULTURAL CHAMPION, ART GURU, ETC.

Journey well Ndaa paddy Obinna, we will forever miss you.

 

Sam Asoluka is the Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of THE AMBASSADOR MAGAZINE, UK