Jelili Atiku is a visual artist and pioneer of contemporary performance art in Nigeria. Fusing Yoruba performance traditions with international practice, he takes to the streets of Lagos and sites across the globe armed with striking costumes, unsettling body language and unusual props — provoking dialogue on human rights, ecology, migration, decolonisation and West African spirituality. His work drops directly into the realities of densely populated communities, enticing people to interact and respond. Rooted in rigorous research, his subjects range from politically charged critiques of Nigeria's ruling class and Boko Haram, to site-specific interventions on climate change and e-waste, to Araferaku — a moving personal eulogy to his father. Atiku has been recognised for creating a new artistic language, for taking personal and artistic risks to reach wider audiences, and for his pioneering dedication to establishing space for contemporary performance art in Nigeria. He remains an inspirational figure for younger generations and a powerful voice for the future.