Youth and unemployment: An insight into the entrepreneur sculpture practices of the Nsukka Art School

Abstract

Background: Scholars have observed thatNigeria as a Third World nation is bedevilled with economic challenges. As a result, many youths have been lunched into poverty and unemployment. Some have lost interest in engaging in apprenticeship which is capable of institutionalizing entrepreneurship. While some in a bid to generate fast income are engaged in illicit means of livelihood. This is worsened asNigeria’s educational institution graduates’ youths who join the labour market annually; with a slim chance of been employed.This situation is attributed to ill-equipped Nigerian students in innovative and entrepreneurial endeavours, owing to the underdeveloped theory in entrepreneurship andarts academic field.

Objectives: Are to show how art is used as an entrepreneurial tool in contemporary Nigerian society, deriving insight from the context of artistic practice in pre-colonial African societies. To examine the confluence between the production and marketing of artworks.

Methodology: After a critical and qualitative analysis of data gathered from field situations, participant observation, structured interviews, and published literary materials on the subject matter; the researcher focus on the utilitarian sculptures of the Nsukka Art School, formally trained wood sculptors from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Southeast Nigeria.To describe the history, materials, and styles associated with their studio production of household furniture which includes, side stools, mirror stands, reclining chairs, wine bars, dining table/chairs, coffee tables, and television stands using processed and unprocessed timber.

Results:Results reconciled art and entrepreneurship.

Unique contribution: The researcher argues that the adoption of the Nsukka School studio practice shows how a return to pre-colonial African art practices and processes (apprenticeship system) can be reconfigured into a veritable entrepreneurial channel for our unemployed youth today.

Definite conclusion:The entrepreneurial training which art offers, has the propensity to alleviate the plight of unemployment lavishing our youths today.  

key recommendation:While the study calls for further explorations to be initiated in different directions to extend what has been done so far, the government should initiate and implement entrepreneurial education starting from junior secondary school up to the tertiary institutions.