UK-BASED NIGERIAN ARTIST RITA OMUZUAFOH EXPLORES IDENTITY THROUGH SURREALISM

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By: Fasasi Hammad

Rita Omuwa Omuzuafoh, a Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and illustrator based in Birmingham, United Kingdom, is establishing herself in the creative industry through works that explore identity, migration and surrealism using tarot-inspired imagery.

A graduate of Mass Communication from Pan-Atlantic University, Omuzuafoh later obtained a master’s degree in Future Media from Birmingham City University. Her creative journey, influenced partly by her experience of leaving Nigeria, has earned her spots in group exhibitions, including Common Ground in Birmingham and Small Works at Fronteer Gallery in Sheffield.

Her interest in art began during childhood, influenced by drawings from her father and late uncle, as well as her love for Cartoon Network. What started as an early passion for drawing gradually developed into a creative career, including collaborations such as co-designing the cover for Ani Kayode’s And Then He Sang a Lullaby.

In an interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Omuzuafoh spoke about her upbringing, her experience building a creative career in the UK, how migration has shaped her artistic expression and her ambition to hold a solo exhibition.

According to Omuzuafoh, her father and late uncle played an important role in her early exposure to art. She also said watching Cartoon Network inspired her to experiment with drawing cartoons.

She explained that studying visual arts in secondary school further strengthened her interest and helped her realise that she had a natural ability for drawing.

Omuzuafoh said there was no single moment when she decided to pursue art professionally, describing the journey as something that developed gradually over time.

Speaking about building a creative career in Birmingham, she described the experience as encouraging, adding that people she had met within the city’s arts community had been supportive and helpful.

Although she may appear shy, Omuzuafoh said she can also be sociable, noting that this often surprises people who meet her.

Her artistic practice focuses heavily on identity, the experience of inhabiting a Black body and migration. She said her experiences abroad have often felt strange and surreal, making surrealism a natural way for her to process and express them.

Omuzuafoh also explained that moving abroad changed her perspective of Nigeria. While she had always recognised the country’s imperfections, she said seeing a country that functions differently for its citizens initially made her angry.

Over time, she said that anger had become more subdued, describing it instead as a lingering ache and a sense of longing for a version of home that no longer exists in the same way.

Her creative collaborations, including work on Kiyo’s Home LP and Ani Kayode’s And Then He Sang a Lullaby, have also helped shape her artistic development.

Omuzuafoh said that before moving to the UK, art was largely a hobby while she worked in marketing in Nigeria. She also made money designing album covers for friends during university.

She said these collaborations taught her how much she enjoys working with other people’s ideas and translating their stories into visual forms.

One of her major challenges currently is balancing her office job with her desire to create more art. She said she has had to deliberately set aside time for research and sketching rather than spending all her free time relaxing.

Looking back at her journey, Omuzuafoh said she was proud of the exhibitions she had participated in during the year and hoped to stage a solo exhibition in the future.

However, she said she wanted to first develop a cohesive body of work before taking that step.