About Dr. Ngozi Rosemary Akande
"A journey painted with service, soul, and creativity."
Ngozi Rosemary Akande was born on May 28, 1965, to Chief S.M.A. Nnaji and Mrs. Victoria Atim Nkechinyere Nnaji of Amankwo Umuopara, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. She is the seventh of nine children. Her mother was a retired teacher and large-scale farmer, and her father was a retired police officer and teacher. Ngozi's parents owned palm and rubber plantations and operated VICSMAN Agricultural Enterprises Company.
She attended primary school in Umuahia and later studied at the Girls Technical College, Aba, from 1976 to 1981. Her first exposure to art came during secondary school, influenced by her art teacher, Mr. Owowo. Ngozi began her university education in 1982 at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, specializing in Painting and graduating in 1986.
In 1992, Ngozi's painting Life First Food was selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) for exclusive breastfeeding advocacy in Nigerian hospitals. She married Oladipo Thomas Akande in 1990 and they have four sons and a daughter. Ngozi obtained a Master's Degree in Art History in 2009 and a Ph.D. in Art History in 2022.
She joined the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in 1997 and became the Director of Arts and Culture in 2021. Ngozi has organized international art competitions for Nigerian children and participated in cultural exchanges in China and Angola. She co-founded the Female Artists Association of Nigeria (FEAAN) in 2001 and has served in various leadership roles.
Ngozi represented Nigeria at the UNESCO Art for Peace event in Andorra in 2016 and the UN 75th Anniversary Art Project in New York in 2020. Her art programs emphasize education, empathy, and advocacy, particularly in combating gender-based violence.
Accolades
- Rare Gem Award from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), 2016
- Sustainability and Promotion of Arts Award from the Lagos State Government, 2018
- Best Artist for Africa Award at the UNESCO Art for Peace Exhibition in Andorra, 2016
- Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Promotion of Visual Arts among Female Artists Award, 2018
- Alliance 51 Award for the Promotion of Visual Arts in Nigeria, 2021
Ngozi is the initiator of the International Children Creative and Culture Festival, Nigeria, and the CEO of Pet Art Gallery Ltd.