By Osagie Alonge
US based Nigerian Olutade Abidoye is taking it upon himself to showcase the rich culture and historical value of the Benin Kingdom, with playing cards. It’s no joke.
Abidoye calls his playing cards ‘Lost Wax Playing Cards’ with each set comprising 54 playing cards featuring illustrations of royal figures from the 15th – 19th century Benin Empire.
‘I had the idea for these playing cards in art school at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. There, I learned all about contemporary artists like Kehinde Wiley and Yinka Shonibare. Quickly, however, I realized that contemporary art isn’t housed only in art galleries and museums—art is everywhere’ Abidoye says.
Lost Wax Playing Cards is currently featured on crowdfunding platform KICKSTARTER and has about a month from now to raise $38,733 (N6.2M). It currently has raised $880.
‘I expect Lost Wax Playing Cards to bring a new dynamism to Nigerian popular culture and consciousness. My aim is to rekindle this colourful, yet elusive history into Nigerian popular culture through these playing cards’, he adds.
Olutade is the son of late Nigerian sports philanthropist Dokun Abidoye, who many called the ‘Pillar of Sports’.
Check out more photos of the playing cards…
