The Little Things We Forget by Martin Chinedum Ezeonu

Today in Awka, Martin Chinedum Ezeonu opens his solo exhibition, The Little Things We Forget, at Roots Restaurant to explore daily Nigerian life, nostalgia, and in his words, “the paradox of history.” A mechanical engineering student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, he is a budding artist who has exhibited at the Life in My City Art Exhibition (LIMCAF).

Working mainly in acrylic on canvas and charcoal on brown paper, Ezeonu captures the ache of looking back on everyday Nigerian life. His works show the many sides of nostalgia: a memory one person holds dear may carry traces of pain for another, at the very same moment. These memories settle into history.

The exhibition follows a Nigerian nuclear family through one day. Neighbourhood Rooster (2026) opens the morning as a natural alarm clock, and Sunday's Showoff, Her (2026) and Sunday's Showoff, Him (2026) follow with the routine of a Sunday morning in a Christian household as they dress up with flair for the church service ahead. In The Gathering of the Wise (2026), men on a wooden bench debate the state of the country, prompted by the newspaper held by the man in the middle. Eko Nightlife 60s (2026) and Eyo Festival, Eko (2026), pay homage to Lagos history and culture, and the day closes with Something About His Evenings (2026), a familiar scene in the bars and sit-outs of Nigerian streets.

Ezeonu wants us to remember the small details of daily Nigerian life. The exhibition opens today, October 24, 2026, at 12:00 PM WAT at Roots Restaurant, Abakaliki Street, Awka, with an artist talk.