PAINTER Destiny Oyibode
“Every dream can be nurtured to reality” – DESTINY OYIBODE
Destiny Oyibode was born on September 13, 1994, in Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria. From a tender age, he demonstrated a keen observation of his surroundings, replicating objects and scenes through drawing without formal guidance.
As his passion grew, Oyibode pursued formal art education at Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State, earning his National Diploma. During his internship, he mastered perspective drawing and developed a unique stroke pattern. However, his program was cut short due to illness, leading to a year-long hospitalization.
Despite struggling with loss of sensation and memory, art remained Oyibode’s solace. While bedridden, drawing was his sole source of comfort and motivation. Upon recovery and discharge, he re-enrolled at Auchi Polytechnic, completing his Higher National Diploma in Painting in 2018.
Following graduation, Destiny Oyibode served his country as a visual arts teacher at a secondary school. Currently, he works as a full-time, studio-based painter.
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His first solo exhibition with Ogirikan Art Gallery considers the weight of these childhood aspirations. “When I Grow Up” features a selection of Oyibode’s figurative paintings, each depicting children in their dream professions.
The Voice (all works 2024), for instance, captures a boy as a future politician, while My Only Dream shows a young girl as a ballerina. The exhibition reflects how early ambitions shape identity and resilience, exploring how dreams endure despite life’s setbacks.
Destiny is not only a painter but a story- teller. He loves to draw and before he paints he has a story to tell. He makes several sketches before he picks up is brush.
He paints mainly in acrylics after his illness, has he has become allergic to solvents for oil painting. Destiny Oyibode has participated in several group shows and art fairs.
