Obinne Emmanuel Onyeador's African Treasures

Shoppers and tourists are taking a walk and learning by asking questions regarding artifacts originating from the African continent. Just because the economy is bad doesn't mean people do not have cash to spend, especially when it comes to collectibles rarely found anywhere on Planet earth. "It's been slow this year," Obinne would say, "compared to the previous years when business really boomed." Of course, the economy has been bad, but shoppers are still buying items that they like. The 22nd Annual African Marketplace & Cultural Faire was not an exception. Everywhere you take a look, there is a bargain for one item or the other and Onyeador's African Treasures attracted tourists alike for his original fine art collection, prints, African masks, trade beads, old tribal arts and crafts, fabrics and designers clothes displayed on wholesale and retail.

Onyeador studied criminology at the University of Oregon in Portland and decided his passion was more important to academia. Earning his masters degree in the same discipline and working briefly at the Nigerian Consulate, it was adios. His new career which is trading in African Arts has taken him places and has led him to the idea of maintaining a cultural heritage. He is now more preoccupied working with the African-American community in the Leimert Park area and has extended his gesture all around California marketing his fine prints and artifacts.

It was brisk business all through the cultural faire which started on August 18, 2007 and ran on every weekend until Labor day. Onyeador, who has been trading and collecting artifacts the past fifteen years said business wasn't that bad even though a booth at the event cost a whopping $2,000. On a busy and good market day, one of his prints sold for $800 and $1,500 while the masks and fabrics sold as high as $1,800 and $1,200.

Onyeador's African Treasures Gallery is located on the thoroughfare of "Black Township" at Leimert Park, in Los Angeles, California.