Christian Clergyman
Figurative Relief Carving
Lamidi Olenade Fakeye was born in 1928 in Ila-Orangun, southwestern Nigeria. At an early age, Lamidi tried his hand at carving. On the day he attempted to carve, his family saw what he was doing and said, "You are acting according to your name, Olonde (the carver has come)". Lamidi's first teachers were his father and his older brother and another carver, Adewuyi from the Inurin Compound at Ila-Orangun.
In 1949, Lamidi met George Bamidele, Arowooguns's son. Consequently, Lamid was asked to join Father Kevin Carroll's (a Catholic missionary working in Nigeria) carving workshop in Oye Ekiti as an apprentice to George Bamidele. During his association with Father Carroll, Lamidi carved mask, figurative sculpture, doors and veranda posts for the palace of the Oni of Ife. Besides the commissions from Father Carroll, Lamidi also worked for other patrons on his own time. Then in 1954, the workshop was closed at Oye Ekiti due to lack of monetary gain. Lamidi then followed Father Carroll to Lagos, where he became an art instructor at Holy Cross Primary School. from this point forward, Lamidi's career as an artist began to flourish. he began to carve doors for the Roman Catholic Chapel at the University of Ibadan; doors for St. Mary's cathedral at Oke Pade, Ibadan; and veranda posts fir the Commonwealth Institute Exhibition Centre in London.
In 1978 he took a position as Visiting Fellow at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria; and by 1981 he had secured a permanent appointment as Art Fellow.
