Tutuola Institute

Adìẹ ìrànà kí ṣe oun àjẹ gbé. On behalf of the Tutuola Institute, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and community of Kasali Akangbe Ogun, a revered master carver and a distinguished member of the New Sacred Art Movement, who has now journeyed to the beyond to felicitate with his ancestors.

Before joining his Aláṣẹ kù - ancestors - his hands and spirit helped shape the sacred visual language of the Osun–Osogbo Sacred Groves. Kasali Akangbe Ogun was not only a consummate wood carver responsible for numerous sculptural posts and sacred forms; he was also the visionary creator of many of the extraordinary shrine roof structures that continue to shelter ritual, memory, and devotion within the Groves. His work stands as a testament to artistic discipline, spiritual depth, and cultural continuity.

The artist belonged to a generation of artist-priests whose practice dissolved the boundaries between art, ritual, and communal life. His legacy lives on in wood, space, and spirit—in the shrines he shaped, the traditions he upheld, and the sacred aesthetics he helped sustain for future generations.

At this moment of loss, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. May they find strength in the knowledge that his life’s work remains deeply inscribed in the cultural and spiritual heritage of Osogbo and beyond.

May the ancestors receive Kasali Àkàngbé Ogun with honour.

Photo: (left) Kasali Àkàngbé Ògún, (middle) Susanne Wenger and (right) Sangodare

Photo Credit: Susanne Wenger Foundation.


Director-at-Large,
Tutùọlá Institute

Dear Afra Tafri
(Abhishek & Job)

On behalf of the Tutuola Institute and the IlaBar Project Space , I write to express our sincere appreciation for your generous support of the IlaBar: A Hub for Art, Dialogue & Discovery in Osogbo crowdfunding campaign.

Your contribution carries particular meaning given your commitment to interdisciplinary, research-based, and socially engaged artistic practice. At a time when independent cultural spaces face increasing challenges, your support affirms the value of platforms that prioritise dialogue, collaboration, and critical reflection across contexts and communities.

IlaBar was conceived as a living space for encounter—where artists, writers, and thinkers can meet, exchange ideas, and develop practices rooted in place and shared experience. Your support directly contributes to sustaining this vision and ensures that such spaces of possibility continue to exist beyond conventional institutional frameworks.

We are deeply grateful for your solidarity and belief in this work. Your support will have a lasting impact on the cultural life of Osogbo and beyond.

Yours sincerely,

Director-at-Large
Tutuola Institute / IlaBar Project Space

Some years ago, artists .russo and met in Iwaya Community as co-artists during a community-based residency. Over several weeks of shared engagement, learning, and exchange, they developed works that were later presented at the Iwaya Community Art Festival (ICAF, Lagos), — a project of our sister organisation, .

That encounter is a reminder of what becomes possible when alternative, community-rooted spaces exist: unexpected collaborations, cross-cultural dialogue, and artistic practices grounded in lived experience. These are the kinds of encounters that shape careers, deepen understanding, and build lasting cultural bridges.

IlaBar was created to continue this legacy in Osogbo — as a living space for artists, writers, thinkers, and creatives to meet, experiment, and exchange ideas beyond conventional art structures.

Today is the final day of the IlaBar crowdfunding campaign.
Your support, no matter the amount, will help sustain this platform and ensure that such meaningful artistic encounters continue.

Please donate and share.
Link in bio.

IlaBar was created as a living space for art, dialogue, music, and discovery in Osogbo.
In just 3 days, our crowdfunding campaign comes to an end — and we are not there yet.

This is a critical moment. Your support, no matter the amount, can make the difference between sustaining this space or losing it. IlaBar exists because of collective belief, and it can only continue with collective action.

Please donate now and help keep IlaBar alive.

The link is in our bio. Kindly support and share widely.

A chair to sit.
A record to listen.
A space to think,
A place to play with thoughts.

IlaBar is more than a place/space—it is a shared cultural home.
Help us keep the doors open.

Support the IlaBar crowdfunding campaign today. Nothing is too small.
🔗 Link in bio

We extend our sincere appreciation to Mrs Oluwatosin Olajide for her generous support of the IlaBar: A Hub for Art, Dialogue & Discovery campaign.

Her commitment to arts, culture, and community-based creative initiatives contributes meaningfully to sustaining independent cultural spaces in Nigeria. We are grateful for her belief in the vision of IlaBar and the work of the Tutuola Institute.

Thank you for standing with us.

Independent cultural spaces do not survive by chance. They survive because people care.

IlaBar, a hub for art, dialogue, and discovery in Osogbo, needs your support now.

Donate or share the campaign. Every contribution counts.

The link is on our bio: 🔗 https://donate-ng.com/campaign/ilabar-a-hub-for-art-dialogue-and-discovery

Dear Dr. Balogun,

On behalf of the Tutuola Institute and the IlaBar Project Space, I write to express our sincere appreciation for your generous support of the IlaBar: A Hub for Art, Dialogue & Discovery in Osogbo campaign.

Your contribution is deeply valued, not only for the material support it provides but also for the symbolic significance it carries. As a distinguished Nigerian dramatist, theatre director, and cultural intellectual, your gesture affirms the importance of sustaining independent cultural spaces that nurture critical thought, artistic experimentation, and community engagement outside dominant urban centres.

IlaBar was conceived as a living space for encounter—where art, dialogue, memory, and social imagination intersect. Your support strengthens our resolve to continue this work and reinforces our commitment to building platforms that honour artistic rigor, cultural heritage, and future-oriented discourse.

We are profoundly grateful for your solidarity and belief in this project. Your encouragement adds momentum to our efforts as we work towards sustaining IlaBar into the coming years.

Please accept our heartfelt thanks and warmest regards.

Yours sincerely,

Director-at-Large
Tutuola Institute /
IlaBar Project Space

IlaBar was created as a living space for art, dialogue, music, and discovery in Osogbo—a place where artists, writers, thinkers, and community members can meet, reflect, and imagine together. It exists to keep cultural exchange alive beyond major city centres and to nurture meaningful conversations rooted in place.

In 10 days, our crowdfunding campaign will come to an end. We have made progress, but we are not there yet. Still, we remain hopeful.

Your support—no matter how modest—can make a real difference. Every contribution helps us sustain IlaBar as an open, independent space for creativity, learning, and shared experience. Supporting also means sharing this campaign with others who believe in the importance of art and cultural infrastructure.

The donation link is in our bio.
Please support, and please help us spread the word.

Together, we can keep IlaBar alive.

Best regards,

Director-at-Large
Tutùọlá Institute

Our programme activities and structural crowdfunding campaign for IlaBar are gradually winding down, but we are still far from reaching our goal.

With just 11 days left until the campaign ends, we are humbly asking for your support to help make this effort a success. Every contribution matters—nothing is too small—and each gesture brings us closer to sustaining IlaBar as a hub for art, dialogue, and discovery in Osogbo.

We are counting on your solidarity, encouragement, and generosity.

The donation link is in our bio.

Thank you for standing with us.

Best regards,

Director-at-Large
Tutùọlá Institute

Dear Jazzey Bay,

Thank you very much for your generous support of the IlaBar: A Hub for Art, Dialogue & Discovery campaign. Your contribution means a great deal to us.

As a writer and creative professional who understands the power of storytelling and cultural imagination, your support affirms the importance of sustaining independent spaces where ideas, art, and dialogue can thrive. IlaBar continues to grow as a platform for creative exchange, and your generosity directly helps to strengthen this vision.

We are truly grateful for your belief in this project and for standing with us as we work to sustain IlaBar as a vital cultural space in Osogbo.

With sincere appreciation,

Director-at-Large,
Tutuola Institute

We extend our sincere gratitude to our donors so far for their generosity and belief in the vision of IlaBar: A Hub for Art, Dialogue & Discovery.

We would like to specially acknowledge two anonymous donors, whose quiet generosity and trust have made a meaningful difference. Your support reminds us that solidarity does not always need a name to have impact.

We also thank AbdulKareem Nafisat for her kind contribution and encouragement. Your support strengthens our resolve to sustain IlaBar as an open and nurturing space for creativity, dialogue, and cultural exchange in Osogbo.

To all our supporters, your belief in this journey affirms the importance of independent cultural spaces. We are deeply grateful.

Peace,

Director-at-Large,
Tutuola Institute / IlaBar