Yoruba Figure by Dejo Fakeye Nigeria Rohner Collection
Width: 3.75
Depth: 3.0
Description
Excellent condition and detailed carving! The artist is Dejo Fakeye.
Dejo Fakeye (1933–2009)
Nigerian Master Woodcarver, Educator, and Cultural Ambassador
Dejo Fakeye was one of Nigeria’s most celebrated traditional woodcarvers and a pivotal figure in the preservation and global recognition of Yoruba carving traditions. Born in 1933 in Ila-Orangun, in present-day Osun State, Nigeria, Fakeye came from a respected lineage of carvers and was immersed in the artistic heritage of the Yoruba people from an early age.
He trained under his father and later became associated with the influential Oye-Ekiti carving center, where he refined a style that balanced classical Yoruba forms with subtle innovation. Fakeye’s work reflects the hallmarks of Yoruba aesthetics: elegant elongation, composure, balanced proportions, and highly detailed coiffures and regalia. His carvings often depict deities (orisha), royal figures, mothers and children, drummers, and scenes from Yoruba mythology and court life.
Beyond his accomplishments as a sculptor, Fakeye played a vital role as an educator. He taught at several institutions, including Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, helping to formalize the study of traditional carving within an academic framework. Through teaching, lectures, and international exhibitions, he became a cultural ambassador for Nigerian art, bridging the worlds of indigenous workshop practice and contemporary art discourse.
His works are held in major museums and collections worldwide, recognized for their technical mastery, spiritual resonance, and deep connection to Yoruba cosmology. In 1989, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the Nigerian government in recognition of his contributions to art and culture.
Dejo Fakeye’s legacy endures not only in his sculptures but also in the generations of artists he trained. He remains a central figure in the history of modern Nigerian art and the continuing vitality of Yoruba woodcarving traditions.
Provenance: John R. Rohner Collection
Rohner, a museum curator for decades, aimed his practiced eye for authenticity to African art beginning in the early 1908s. His passion for this art only grew through the decades he built his collection––always with an aim for a broad and representative array of pieces. The collection appears in his book, Art Treasures from African Runners (2000, University Press of Colorado).
Height(in): 13.25
Width(in): 3.75
Depth(in): 3.0
157297
Approximate Age: 20th Century
People: Yoruba
Country of Origin: Nigeria
Material
Condition
Overall Condition: Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.