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Latest Artist's Video:
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Artist Statement:
I conceive life and living in
the context of our
relationships with the sacred
realm. Hence, my artworks and
creative efforts place man at
the center of function. With
the combinations of Western
and African motifs my arts are
made to rouse the conscience
of mankind, reclaim the human
race...
Further Information
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Artist Exhibitions:
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
2003 - 2006: Agora Gallery,
New York City, New York, USA
ONE-PERSON EXHIBITION:
1997: - "Solidarity with
Humanity," National Museum,
Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria
1993: - "Regeneration of
Society," Campanella Gallery,
Park College, Parkville,
Missouri, USA.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2008: "International
Group of Art" - a collective
exhibition of plastic artists
of different ...
Further Information
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Artist Galleries:
Mbonu-Emerem Museum of Art
39 Faulks Road, 2nd Floor
P. O. Box 4126,
Aba 450001
Abia State,
Nigeria.
Phone: +234-8037068682,
+234-8033945670,
+234-8022241179,
+234-8035456123,
+234-82-224771
E-Mail:
mbonuemeremmuseumofart@yahoo.co
m
Websites:
www.mbonuemeremmuseumofart.com
ArtQuest, Inc.
P. o. Box 50291
St. Lious, Missouri 63105
...
Further Information
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Artist Reviews:
"Star Artist, Emerem, Dazzles
The World In Italy" by Nworah
Clement in Umuahia, NEWS,
National Vision Newspaper,
Nigeria. Monday, MAY 11, 2008.
Page 54.
"Emerem's Political Brush
Strokes" by Nworah Clement in
Umuahia, ART & LIFE,
National Vision Newspaper,
Nigeria, Monday, November 12,
2007. Page 46
“Africa Rises in the...
Further Information
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Collections:
Permanent Collection of the
International Dynamic Museum
of Contemporary Art (M. I. D.
A. C.) of Terra dell’Arte,
Italy.
National Museum, Lagos,
Nigeria
Aaragon Museum, Lagos, Nigeria
Professor Iheanyi C. Achumba,
University of Lagos, Nigeria
Dr. Wilfred U. Nwauwa, North
Carolina, USA
Dr. Parker Collection, Lagos,
Nigeria
Various Private ...
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Commissions:
1. Dr. Wilfred U. Nwauwa,
North Carolina, USA
2. Dr. Apollos Nwauwa, Ohio,
USA
3. Dr. Obinna J. Achumba,
North Carolina, USA
4. Chief George Ohakamnu, New
York, USA
5. Egbema Ethnic Nationality,
Rivers State, Nigeria
6. Ichida Town, Anambra
State, Nigeria
7. Sir (Chief) Professor
Iheanyi. C. Achumba, ,
University ...
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Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem Biography:
| Biographical information for Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem can be found below. The artist may choose what information to display. Sometimes the artist chooses not to display personal information to the general public. |
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Age
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50
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| Gender |
Male
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| Status |
Married
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| Children |
6
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| Religion |
Christianity |
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| Education |
Self Taught |
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| Hobbies / Interests |
not provided |
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| Favorite Artistic Medium |
Painting Acrylic
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| Favorite Arthistory Movement |
not provided
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| Favorite Visual Artist |
not provided
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| Favorite Work of Art |
not provided
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| Biggest Artistic Inspiration |
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| Why Did You Become An Artist |
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| Your Personal Biography |
Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was born on December 8, 1957. He hails from Uburuekwe Autonomous Community in Isu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, Africa. His parents are Mr. Chukwukere Christopher Emerem (a trained carpenter and a talented traditional healer) and the late Mrs. Esther Edoroagbo Emerem (a trained fashion designer). The third child out of the eight children born by his mother to his father in the following order: Pastor David C. D. Emerem, Mrs. Edna A. Ndionu (Nee Emerem), Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem (The Artist), Sir Samuel N. Emerem, Mr. Moses U. Emerem, Mr. Eze F. Emerem, Mrs. Happiness N. Nwauwa (Nee Emerem) and Mr. Timothy I. Emerem. Even at a very tender age, his father, a polygamist with two other wives and many other children, noticed something unique in Sir Mbonu C. Emerem. This led the father to wonder sometimes aloud: “Who knows what Mbonu will be?
The “Old Man” was right because Sir Mbonu C. Emerem now has to his credit more than four thousand original artworks in various styles and media plus more than sixty didactic art-works posters plus over a hundred different designs of Limited Edition Prints, which have been mass-produced by popular demand.
However, the intricate worlds of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem and his talent started manifesting from the time he was able to write. Then he used to put down all sorts of things that he could find within his immediate environment into drawing. He did little elementary art up to primary four in his primary school days at Community Primary School, Uburuekwe. Throughout this period, he tried his hands in all traditional arts in the form of paintings, drawings and sculpting as well as other handicraft. At the age of twelve, his thanksgiving offering at his church was an untitled drawing depicting Mary carrying baby Jesus Christ with Joseph standing by. Soon after, he was commissioned to carve the Logos for the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Guide of the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Uburuekwe. Also, people called him to make some mural paintings and drawings in their private houses. But his major handicap was the near absence of recognition and value attached to the role of an artist and art itself in Nigeria until recently.
Moreover, Sir Mbonu Emerem’s experience of the thirty months of Nigerian/Biafran Civil War, 1967-1969, coupled with the pre-mature death of his mother in 1973 laded him with very pensive memories. The impacts of these events are noticeable in some of his works because they were his first turnings-points in life.
The same year in 1973 when his mother died, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem gained admission into Umuaka High School (formally St. Saviour College), Umuaka, Njaba South L. G. A; Imo State, Nigeria, where Fine Art was not part of the curriculum of this Secondary Grammar School. This new environment stifled and kept his talent latent the more. After one year in this school, his senior brother, Pastor David C. D. Emerem, who was then a Microbiology Undergraduate at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria, wanted Sir Mbonu C. Emerem transferred to a technical school because of the latter’s (Sir Mbonu Emerem’s) creative ability. This proposal, however, was shelved because of the cost of losing one academic year as a pre-condition for the transfer. While in Umuaka High School, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was not an academic pushover. He had a general love for all the subjects being offered by the school with a bias for science subjects and eyes on the medical or engineering profession. But he observed that he was not getting the desired creative freedom and satisfaction from these science subjects. So he dropped the ideas and switched over to the Social Sciences with a view to becoming a social scientist.
For two consecutive years (1975 and 1976), the West African School Certificate Examination results for his seniors in the school were cancelled due to widespread malpractices. For fear of suffering the same fate he had to change school on the advice of his brothers and parents to Doherty Memorial Grammar School, Ijero-Ekite State (in former Ondo State), Nigeria, in his final year in 1977. Because of his general performance in this new school, even before the School Certificate results were released, Sir Mbonu Emerem was employed by the school as a Laboratory Attendant. When the results were later released in 1978, he was withdrawn from the Laboratory and employed as a teaching staff. He taught Mathematics and Government for one academic year while at the same time studying by private tuition for the Advanced Level Certificate in Economics, Government and Religious Knowledge. Notwithstanding the pursuit for A-Levels, he offered the three subjects in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination in 1979 and secured admission into University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in the Faculty of Social Sciences to study Economics. In 1983, he obtained an honours degree in Economics in regular time of four years with specialization in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics.
As an undergraduate, he was also doubling as a photographer on campus. His interest in photography was kindled and kept alive by the knowledge he acquired from the study of Physics and other materials. He still engages in photography and takes pictures of his paintings by himself in his studio. Throughout his stay in the University, he had no contact with the Fine and Applied Arts Department and had no artist friend. Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is purely self-taught. He neither attended a formal art school nor had any formal training in art.
His talent was unveiled by the time he was a lecturer at Katsina Polytechnic in 1983/84 academic session during his one-year post-graduation National Youth Service Corps. He taught Quantitative Economics, Business Mathematics, Company Law and Business Law. At that time, he was practicing art on part-time basis during leisure time.
The transitional period and course from his academic profession, Economics, to his natural calling, Art, were not so smooth and rosy. A lot of revelations were made directly to him, temptations came from here and there, and he had series of visions telling him to stop wasting his time in areas that he was not called for. Sir Mbonu Emerem had become a clairvoyant. With nine years as a clairvoyant, he still had no inkling of his true calling. He had to die in order to realize his vocation. Since then, he has been making art seriously.
As an artist and a man, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem, is a naturally talented, versatile and prolific artistic genius. His wonderful and incredible life and works are fascinating. His astounding career as an artist of rare power is evident in his dutiful efforts to separate facts from legend which is, not only a serious study of himself, but also a reflection of some unusual events and experiences in his life. His paintings are stunning and imposingly sacrosanct. Some of the works are saturated with themes that emphasize his suffering as a struggling artist. His paintings have depth and inner charm. He uses connotative images to show hidden force and his works are superb and uncanny. That is where the attractiveness of his paintings lies. He expresses his feelings in his paintings so that his paintings have a strong attraction for the people. He pours out his heart through what he paints. He is noted greatly for his sure hand, authoritativeness and adroitness in execution. He, also, has commendable peculiarities of detailed works, strikingly unusual combination of colors, materials, styles and techniques. His imaginative powers give his work freshness, vitality and evocation. He works freely with every medium and particularly Oil, Acrylic, Watercolour, Collage, Mixed Media, Pencil, Pen and Ink. Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is also an accomplished sculptor. He uses cement or clay. He works himself into a certain state before he begins his works. Usually, he reaches this state through prolonged prayer and self-denial. These help to elevate and isolate him from all worldly things in his special vision of the world and spirituality, which he hands down to the present and future generations. He has escaped death by vehicle accident a number of times. In each case, an unseen force saved him.
On his approach to art, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem always follows his own convictions. He doesn’t want to be a slave but his own master. He feels strongly that simply carrying on the old conventions is not enough. He takes them into account, but also seeks inspiration from the life around him in order to make the traditions serve modern times. As life brings to him its fresh meanings he finds it extremely difficult to hesitate reflecting on them. All in all, he is either stimulated by his personal experiences of life or by surrounding, touching, mind-purifying or life-consoling experiences to which he could not be insensitive. The quality of a painting reveals the inner feeling of the painter and expresses the unyielding character of the artist himself. Moreover, a picture should give one the feeling of being inside and a part of the natural world so depicted. Hence, some of his works are a synthesis of what he felt in the presence of nature and his own vision of the ordinary life around him. Philosophically, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is of the view that he who understands art understands nature; he who understands nature understands humanity; and he who understands humanity is always ready to serve nature and humanity. No wonder he partially abandoned his academic profession to his natural calling. On answering questions on why he decided against his academic profession, he said that he did not abandon it but rather applies the academic knowledge in the administration of his business as an entity. He also said that he wants to use his art to rouse the conscience of mankind.
In 1984, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem’s talent and works attracted the attention of the Nigerian government and the general public. In 1984, he was selected as the Best Corper Artist in Kaduna State to represent the State in a group exhibition marking the 1983/84 Head of State N.Y.S.C. Honours Award held at the National Arts Theater, Iganmu Lagos. Among the nineteen participating artists (each artist representing the then 19-State structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was adjudged the Best Corper Artist at the federal level. The National Directorate of the N.Y.S.C then bought the paintings on behalf of the federal government- the two portraits of the then Head of State, Major-General Mohammadu Buhari and that of the Director of NYSC, Col. Edet Akpan. He was personally requested to make a presentation of the painting to the Head of State himself. It was ovation galore as the Head of Sate unveiled his own portrait during the ceremony. The following year, 1985, the then governor of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem’s home state, Imo State, Major General Ike O. S. Nwachukwu invited him for an interview concerning his career. During the interview, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem made a state presentation of the Governor’s portrait to him. After this interview at Owerri, the state capital, Sir Mbonu Emerem moved down from Kaduna State to Aba, Abia State to set up art as his full-time profession.
Some of the commissioned jobs made by him include:
1.The self-portrait of Sir Dr. Peter Odili, The Civilian Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria. Commissioned by Egbema Ethnic Nationality Rivers State. 2003
2.The life-size and the bust statues respectively of the late Igwe of Ichida, H.R.H. Igwe Patrick Okolo (Ochiagha 1 of Ichida) in Anambra State 1995.
3.The Portrait of Sir (Chief) Professor Iheanyi. C. Achumba, Head of Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
4.The group Portraits of H.R.H. & Lolo Emmanuel O. Anyakudo, (Ezearo II of Ekwe), Ishi-Isu L. G. A., Imo State.
5.The Chieftaincy Installation Life Portraits (7.25 x 4.25ft) of Chief and Lolo Imaga, Chief Inspector of Merchant Bank of Africa (Nig.) Ltd. 1993.
6.A mural painting entitled, “Our Journey on Earth” (14 x 16ft) inside the apse of the Owerriebeiri Roman Catholic Parish Headquarters, Orlu, Imo State. 1989.
7.The Portrait of the then Nigerian Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, Major-General Tunde Idiagbon. 1984.
8.The Portrait of the then Governor of Kaduna State, Air-Commodore Usman Mu’azu in 1984.
9.The Portrait of the then Governor of Niger State, Lt. Colonel David Mark in 1984.
10.The Portrait of the Emir of Kastina, Alhaji Kabir Usman in1984.
11.The Portrait of the then Director of N.Y.S.C., Colonel Edet Akpan in 1984.
12.The Portrait of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto located at Sardauna Memorial Secondary School, Kaduna State in 1984.
With his base at Aba, and his younger brother’s, Sir Samuel Nnamdi Emerem’s, flat as a temporary studio and financial and material supports then, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem began serious works, drawing and painting, in 1985. With the full support of his entire Emerem’s family, he continued to work on his own.
For quite sometime he has concentrated on mass-production and sale of his printed works (posters and greeting cards), commissioned jobs and general business. Also as a printer, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem supervises all the processes of reproducing his works to achieve uniformity and consistency, from filming through color separation to printing.
Unfortunately, he paid little attention to exhibitions. He has, also, stayed somewhat away from Nigerian galleries, collectors and museums. But now as an established African Cultural Ambassador, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem is a world-class painter with track records of monumental contributions in plastic/ visual arts. The news, documentaries, press reviews, publications, interviews, international reports and comments about the untrammeled power and beauty of Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem’s works, following his national and international exhibitions, have made him and his works a must watch.
In 2003, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Abuja, Nigeria, granted Sir Mbonu C. Emerem the permission, after all the necessary inspections, to set up a private museum called: Mbonu-Emerem Museum of Art. The museum is now on the second floor of a three-story building at #39 Faulks Road, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. The Museum is only permitted to house only the works of art of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem. Website: www.mbonuemeremmuseumofart.com
Also in November 2003, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was granted a two-year multiple non-immigrant visa at the United States of America Embassy, Lagos, for his Gallery Representation and a three-week Collective Exhibition entitled: “Spontaneous Figurations” at Agora Gallery, 415 West Broadway, Soho/Chelsea, New York, U.S.A. His large-scale paintings: “Trapped in the Dance of Destiny,” “Left to Contemplate,” “Woman in Her Privacy,” Precarious Visions” and “Near Death Experience,” were among the exhibits on display.
In February 2004, Sir Mbonu Emerem traveled to New York from where he made a one-month tour of the United States. In May 2005, he traveled to USA for the three-week collective exhibition entitled: “Emerging Forms,” which was held at Agora Gallery, Chelsea, New York, USA, as part of his gallery representation package. His works, ”Colours in Healing Process #2,” “Emotions with Consummate Purity #2,” “Instincts Come Alive” and ……..
In 2005, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem participated in a world-wide international plastic art contest for the Arad Biennale 2005 where his two paintings: “Trapped in the Dance of Destiny,” and “Left to Contemplate,” were selected by the International Artistic Committee for the Arad Biennale 2005. Marius Lazurca PhD, the Director, Arad County Cultural Center and Local Coordinator of the Biennale sent a letter of invitation to him for the Biennale that started from May 20, 2005, and he was one of the participant international artists in the International Biennale of Contemporary Arts, Arad Biennale 2005, Arad, Romania. After the successful events, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was awarded an honour: “Diploma of Participation, International Biennale of Contemporary Arts, Arad Biennale 2005” There is a catalogue of all the events and the participant artists.
In August 2006, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was selected as a Finalist and as one of the 435 international participant Artists classified by the admission Jury as Distinguished Artists in the International Itinerant Exhibition entitled: “International Exhibition of Digital Arts,” M.I.A.D., Venado Tuerto 2006, Argentina.
In 2007, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was selected as one of the International Group of Artists that will be exhibiting at the Museum of the Americas, Miami, Florida, U. S. A., in 2008. http://www.miadvenadotuerto.com.ar/fr.htm
Also in 2007, Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem was selected by the Jury of absolutearts.com to be an absolutearts.com Premiere Portfolio Artist. This is a one year representation starting from July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008, by a World Wide Arts Resources/ absolutearts.com, Granville, Ohio, USA.
In 2008, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was awarded a Diploma of Ventipertrenta 2007. Quarto Classificato Giuria Internationale
Festival Internationale di Arte Digitale.
Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was one of the participant artists in a Collective Exhibition with the Curatory of Terra
dell’Arte, Italy.
Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was one of the participant Artists in the International Festival of Digital Art “Ventipertrenta 2007.”
2008 - Participant Artist “International Show of Art Mar del Sur,” District of General Alvarado, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2008, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem’s works were selected to form part of the Permanent Collection of the International Dynamic Museum of Contemporary Art(M.I.D.A.C.) of Terra dell’Arte, Italy.
Sir Mbonu C. Emerem was selected a Finalist, Emerging Artists Art Exhibition Competition, Limner Gallery, N.Y.C., USA, 1999;
In 1987, Sir Mbonu C. Emerem participated in the 9th Kaduna International Trade Fair organized by Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.
In October 1992, he signed a contract with Campanella gallery of Park College, Parkville, Missouri, U.S.A., for the exhibition of his paintings. In the months of November and December 1993, a successful six-week international solo-exhibition of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem’s works, entitled, “Regeneration of Society”, was held at Campanella Gallery of Park College, Parkville, Missouri, U.S.A. Park College was established in 1875 and this art exhibition was the first international art exhibition to be held at the College after a period of 118 years of its inception. The President of Park College, Professor Donald J. Breckon in his letter to U.S.A. Embassy, Lagos, on behalf of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem described the art exhibition as “a very important cultural exchange, which needed a lot of publicity and planning.” In the words of the Director of Campanella Gallery and Chair, Department of Art, Park College, Professor Donna Bachmann,
“Sir Mbonu C. Emerem’s works are quite wonderful and fascinating and his exhibition formed a handsome installation. His works contain a number of different styles: geometric abstraction, narrative/figurative, and collaged abstraction. His works are imbued with unusual combination of western and African motifs and techniques.”
This exhibition was published in more than eighty- (80) American News Media: Radio, Cable TV, Cultural Calendars, Newspapers, etc.
He has received many honors, awards, and invitations from overseas for the exhibition of his paintings. His works have received accolades from renowned scholars. Notable international scholars, art directors, museums and institutions have reviewed his works. These include: International Artistic Committee for the Arad Biennale 2005; Agora Gallery, Soho/Chelsea, New York, USA;
Campanela Gallery of Park College, Missouri, USA; University Museum, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA; Montclair Art Galleries, Montclair, New Jersey, USA; etc.
Currently, Agora Gallery Incorporated, Soho/Chelsea, New York City, New York, United States of America, is representing Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem. He signed the representation agreement in May 2003 and is being renewed annually to date. The representation includes a group exhibition that takes place every year.
Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Aba, has compiled a one and half hour video documentary on the life and works of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem plus a three-hour video documentary on his works alone.
DAAR Communications Ltd, Alagbado, Lagos, Nigeria, has featured him in their television: African Independent Television (AIT), in their extensive programmes “Entertainment and Style,” “Odenigbo,” “Launch Break”, “Kakaki”, and other personality programme. In 1997, African Independent Television (AIT), also compiled a 30-minutes documentary on the life and works of Sir Mbonu Christopher Emerem under their Television Programme Cultural Africa entitled: Profile of a Nigerian Artist. AIT has been airing this programme from time to time up to date.
In 2001, Minaj Broadcasting International Ltd (MBI) interviewed, compiled and featured a Thirty Minutes Documentary on the life and works of Sir Mbonu C. Emerem under their personality programme “Arts and People” and some other programmes.
He was among the artists selected by in Nigeria by the Society of Nigerian Artists in collaboration with the National Gallery of Arts, Abuja, Nigeria, to hold exhibition in the year 2000 entitled “Tolerance and Peace” at the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, Abuja, to mark the end of the millennium.
Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is a much-traveled man within Nigeria and abroad. He has made many trips outside Nigeria: United States of America, Germany, Poland, Cameroon, Republic of Benin and Togo.
The works of some artist stir him passionately. These artists include Picasso, Van Gogh, Soutine, Gustin, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Vermeer Pollock, De Kooning and Renoir. He looks at their works for inspiration and their impacts are discernible in some of his works. Also, he is a lover of music and his favorites are rock, jazz and instrumental. He works with music, which gives him the greatest stimuli. Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is widely collected by private collectors and corporate clients both locally and internationally.
He is a member of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA). Also, he is a Friend of the Museum, National Museum of Colonial History, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
Sir Mbonu C. Emerem is married to an Artist/Curator, Lady Jovita Chika Emerem (Nee Mbagwu) and they now have six children- three boys and three girls. Their names are: Amarachi U. Emerem, Ezichi C. Emerem, Chiemerie A. Emerem, Oluebube C. Emerem, Chidubem C. Emerem and Sorochi C. Emerem. He adores his immediate family and cherishes the bonds and responsibilities of the extended family we have here in Nigeria. He has held position of trust and responsibility as a student, business executive, and at his town’s level, Uburuekwe
Professor Iheanyi C. Achumba
Head of Department/Business Consultant
Department of Business Administration
University of Lagos.
Nigeria.
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