Ahmed Sodangi was alos appointed the new Director General, National Gallery of Art (NGA). He replaces Ebeten William Ivara, who came on board on September 1, 2020.
Sodangi, who holds a master’s degree in management and international business from the Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, has a bachelor’s degree in business management (American University of Nigeria), comes with a robust experience from the private sector, which would be deployed in repositioning NGA.
The new helmsman, was at various times with IZMM Global Aviation, Millennial Traders Nigeria Ltd., and lately, Bank of Industry (BOI). He has veritable skill sets in Management, Strategic Planning, Leadership, Team Building and Negotiation among others which are essential in his current role of piloting NGA in its core mandate of Promotion, Propagation and Advancement of visual arts in Nigeria and beyond.
It is instructive to note that Bank of Industry, where he worked last, had been consistent in sponsorship of Visual Arts in the country. During Olympics 2012, in London, for instance, the bank showcased works of Nigerian artists on Highbrow Cox Street for six weeks!
The same year, the bank equally sponsored a major art exhibition in Delta State, tagged, Togetherness, in Asaba, the State capital on the sidelines of South-South summit, which featured works of top artists. Bank of Industry acquired the works.
Sodangi’s appointment promises a new dawn for NGA and visual arts in Nigeria and across the world.