About Me

Bisi Ogunbadejo, born 1950. I studied General Art at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria; Fine Art, specialising in sculpture, at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK;  Creative writing (Summer course) at Middlesex University, Middlesex, UK.

I taught Art at New Era Girls’ Grammar School, (1972-1976) and at The Polytechnic Ibadan, Eruwa campus where I served as head of Fine art department (1981-1983). My first editorial cartoon appeared in the Daily Express in 1973 and my weekly, page-long satirical cartoon column, Cracks and later, Watching Developments ran in the London-based West Africa magazine from 1981 till 2003 when the magazine closed.

I was invited to join The Guardian newspaper, Lagos at inception in 1983 and worked simultaneously as senior correspondent, editorial board member, and cartoon & Illustration editor. In addition to these responsibilities, I was appointed Group Art Editor to five titles in the Guardian stable in 1985-1991. Between 1988-1991, I edited Lagos Life,  a weekly society and Arts newspaper.

Returning to the UK in 1991, I worked as journalist, cartoonist, designer, illustrator, translator, publisher and editor, contributing to a wide variety of publications including the Guardian and New Age Newspapers.  I was translation consultant (Yoruba language) to several UK/international publishers, London boroughs and voluntary organisations. I authored a Yoruba version of Michael Rosen’s children book, “The Old woman and the pumpkin”. I published and edited Africaman, described as “Africa’s no 1 best-shelling cartoon and satirical magazine”, in 1994.” The web version of the magazine, The Fool’s Cap (Foolscap) has been online since 2000 (offline presently).

I returned to work in Nigeria in December 2007 as the Group Arts and Cartoon Director and editorial board member at Thisday Newspapers (Leaders & Company Limited. My editorial cartoons, From the Outside, Double Talk  and That'll Be The Day appear on the back page of Thisday four days a week (2007-2016). I am currently a Freelance Cartoonist, Creative Consultant, Artist and Journalist.

ART EXHIBITIONS 

Italian Embassy, Abuja – one-man Cartoon Exhibition, “Things Haven’t Really Changed”, 2009

The 12th Arctic Comics Festival, Finland, 1993 (group exhibition of African Comics/cartoons)

Mall Galleries, London –group exhibition (Sculpture & Drawings), 1981

Africa Centre, London –one-man exhibition (Sculpture & Drawings), 1980

New Market Centre, Leicester – group (Sculpture & Drawings), 1979

Artist Showcase, NTA Documentary, 1976

Nigerian Arts Centre, Lagos – One-man exhibition (Paintings and Drawings), 1975