In 1967, Prince Adewale Emmanuel Oyenuga enrolled as a student at the art school Escuala Massana in Barcelona. Three years later he and his wife Elizabeth decided to leave Barcelona for London. Prince Oyenuga left a suitcase with his archive with his close friend Luisa Guadayol in Barcelona, who never heard from him again. In 2016, Luisa passed away and her daughter Ana Briongos was resolute in her quest to return the suitcase to Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga and or his family in Nigeria.
The material found in the suitcase points to different social and cultural moments in the history of Nigeria and beyond: the Nigerian Civil War, the cultural ties between two countries, Nigeria and Spain, the legacy of the artist, the story of emigration, Nigerian studio photography of the 70’s and first and foremost, to restitution.
Activation Event (Unpacking The Suitcase)
Discussion about restitution through the legacy of the artist, Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga during Lagosphoto 2021
Story Continues…
Finding the family
During the Lagosphoto 2021 event, particularly during the Memory Palace exhibition, Ana Briongos, Azya, and Maurits engaged in the activation of “Unpacking The Suitcase/Searching for Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga.” As part of this endeavor, a visit to Lagos Island was arranged, accompanied by Mr. Olayinka Sangotoye (General Manager), to explore a potential location suspected to be the family house of Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga. In the course of tracing the Oyenuga family, they encountered Mrs. Peju, who, being a member of the family, confirmed her connection to Prince and his family. Mrs. Peju was subsequently invited to the foundation to provide confirmation and address questions regarding the sudden disappearance of Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga.
Interview with Aunty Peju.
Story Continues…
Returning The Suitcase to Prince’s Family
LP ’22 featured project: Unpacking the Suitcase/ Finding Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga
During LagosPhoto 2022, African Artists’ Foundation engaged the general public in a discussion about restitution through the legacy of the artist, Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga with his discovered archive / suitcase. After schooling as an art student in 1960s Spain, Prince Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga left a suitcase with his archive with his close friend Luisa Guadayol in Barcelona. Luisa passed away in 2016 and her daughter Ana Briongos contacted AAF with the aim of returning the suitcase to Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga and or his family in Nigeria. Since last year’s announcement, the organisation has successfully located his living relatives and we have officially handed over the suitcase to his son, Doyin Oyenuga as the family representative.
