About Us

At the age of 11, Boma ran away from home. He wasn't escaping abuse, but he knew he was different from the other boys—sensitive and artistic, as we used to say. Afraid of what his parents would think of him, he chose the streets instead, and found himself among hundreds of other children living under the Oshodi Underbridge.

Although he doesn't describe all the horrors of what this actually meant, he does describe the fear that gripped him every night. You had two choices: sleep with the other boys together for protection and warmth, or sleep alone. Children who slept alone were rarely seen again. He remembers vans pulling up in the darkness, taking children who would never return. The stories they told themselves about what happened to those children... there's no doubt that most simply vanished into sex trafficking or worse.

So he stayed with the group. But he was 11, frightened, and a long way from home. He would wet himself most nights, and in the morning the other boys would beat him relentlessly for getting them wet.

He describes three acts of kindness that changed everything.

The first was from a Naval officer who provided him with food and money and inspired him to want something better than life as a street child. When Boma describes this person, it's clear they had a profound impact on him—if you believed in such things, he was an angel sent to guide him. Boma promised him he would go to university and become a Naval officer too. He was 12 at the time.

The second was from a woman who sold street food. She gave Boma food and money for helping her out. Most importantly, she insisted he go back to school, which Boma did with passion.

The third act of kindness came from Grace Springs. They provided vocational training, help and support. Boma spent two years rough sleeping on the streets and a further five years in the Grace Springs Rehabilitation Home. They found his parents and reunited him with his family. He then went on to university to study Nautical Science, keeping his promise to the Naval officer. But his passion has always been art—not an easy career choice in Nigeria.

Boma is now 28 years old. Although art isn't his day job, he spends all his spare time producing work that tells stories.

At the end of 2025, Richmond, a mutual friend, introduced Boma to Marcus Watson, CEO of Fat Beehive Nigeria. Marcus commissioned Lifted, We Lift, which reflected their shared belief that when people have helped us in the past, we should do the same when our circumstances allow. Boma's passion for supporting local Nigerian artists was infectious, and in January 2026 the team came together to form Nigerian Art Ltd—bringing original African art to the UK and beyond.