Conference: Around Igi’bàdàn: What Place for Plants in Ìbàdàn ?

On the 13^th of June, a roundtable titled « Around Igi’bàdàn: What Place for Plants in Ìbàdàn ?» took place at Drapers’ Hall, Institute of African Studies, University of Ìbàdàn. This round-table accompanied the presentation of the arts/science exhibition "Igi’bàdàn: Living with Trees in Ìbàdàn" by the Chevalme Sisters, Dr. Emilie Guitard and Obáyomí Anthony, presented from June 13 to July 15 in the CAMAA gallery at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ìbàdàn, with the support of IAS, IFRA Nigeria and the French Embassy in Nigeria.

The roundtable brought together key figures on the question of relations to plants in Ìbàdàn each of whom Dr. Guitard, in collaboration with the artists Sisters Chevalme and Obáyomí Anthony, and Adébáyọ̀ Olúshẹ́gun Adéwùsì have met in the course of research carried out under the international "INFRAPATRI" research programme.

The roundtable was moderated by Dr. Emilie Guitard (anthropologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research and research fellow of IFRA Nigeria) and featured Olóyè Ifálérè Ọdẹ́gbèmí Ọdégbolá (Àràbà of Ìbàdàn land and Olú Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), Mr. Kọ́láwọlé Àjàó (former Forest Superintendent, Agodi Gardens), Mr. Adésanwó S. Babátúndé (Field Supervisor, UI Botanical Garden), Mr. Folú Oyefeso (Photography Artist, life style journalist, member of « Save Our Green Spaces Ìbàdàn » group); Ms. Rosalie Ann Oyefeso (founder of « Save Our Green Spaces Ìbàdàn » group).

They talked about their reception of the "Igi’bàdàn" exhibition, and from there shared their views on the place to be given to urban plants in Ìbàdàn, and more widely in Nigeria, from a variety of perspectives: ritual, medicinal, historical, social, ecological and political. As a prelude to the round-table, speakers and members of the general public were warmly invited to the opening of the exhibition "Igi’bàdàn: Living with Trees in Ìbàdàn", in the CAMAA gallery at IAS, followed by a drinks reception offered by IFRA Nigeria.

A recording of the event is available here.

The Exhibition titled “Igi’Badan. Living with trees in Ibadan” An exhibition between art and science presented a work conducted since 2017 by Emilie Guitard with the visual artists Delphine and Elodie Chevalme as well as with the photographer Obáyomí A. Anthony. They have started together a collaboration between arts (drawing, cyanotype, photography) and sciences (anthropology) in Ibadan, in south-west Nigeria, on local knowledge and the relations of the inhabitants to the vegetation present in the city.

Founded in the first half of the 19^th century, Ibadan now has a population of around 4 milion living in area of about 700km2, mostly Yoruba. Despite this high population, the city is still home to a large number of trees of various species, some of which are centuries old, and to several large wooded areas of various types: wooded hills, botanical gardens, private parks, cemeteries, wastelands, etc.

Combining drawings, nocturnal and naturalistic photographs, cyanotypes on textiles and extracts from the notebooks filled during an ethnographic survey carried out since 2018 with invaluable help of Adedeji Adebayo, Leye Komofale and Fred Akinyemi, this exhibition offers an insight into the rich relations that Ibadan Inhabitants have with the vegetation that surrounds them.