Abstract
The divergent views being held by most art historians concerning the emergence of modern
Nigerian art have been very worrisome. This disharmony if not meticulously handled would throw
posterity into an unwarranted dilemma. This paper seeks to unravel chronologically all the
important art activities that form the genesis of modern Nigerian art. This will demystify the
contradicting propositions and help establish a reliable authentic view with regard to the
forerunners. Previously published materials concerning this issue were consulted and critical
comparative analysis was carried out. The result is a logical chronological revelation of all the
pioneers' contributions and a convincing resolution of who first handled the baton in the relay race
of modern Nigerian art formation and who he handed it over to.
Publication Date: 2016-06-14