Painting of Idu Ikadabu

 

Idu Ikadabu was one of those people that others would say about him, “Everybody loves that guy!” And it was true.  He was a soccer player from Nigeria attending my college and good friends with a fellow Nigerian soccer player who happened to be my roommate, Jacob Isang.  Both of them were well known personalities at my school in the few years I was there.

Idu was a very tall and imposing figure except he always had a huge smile on his face and a booming voice with a laugh that would energize the room.  In this regard you always knew where he was if he was anywhere in your vicinity.  I can still hear his African accent that carried the brilliance of the sun and echoes of a faraway culture.

While I was away from college serving time as an infantryman in Korea my friend and future godson, Kevin McCarty, had Idu sit for a painting.  Idu was quite enthusiastic about it per Kevin and wore his traditional Nigerian garb.  They were both gifted gabbers and unique human beings.  I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall while this painting was being created!

When I returned to college from my two year stint in the Army I was greeted by Idu’s painting leaning against the wall in Kevin’s studio apartment.  I loved its arms extending into branch-like fingers.  Because of his extremely poor eye sight Kevin was a very slow painter and Idu was not known to be someone who could sit around for very long.  He was too dynamic.

So the painting was unfinished but magnificent nonetheless.  Idu’s imposing figure comes through, though it is a bit weird to see his expression so serious.  Kevin didn’t know what to do with it and considered reclaiming it for another painting, but I talked him into a barter instead.  I had a cheap jangly guitar that Kevin decided he wanted and a swap was proposed.

The painting went with me to Indianapolis for 4 years of medical school and then out to  Washington DC for 4 years of residency.  When we finally moved to an actual house in 2006 Idu went into storage in the attic.  Two more moves later he continued on sealed in a box until today when I finally busted him free and put him in my new larger office at the hospital.

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