A major highlight of the pre-convocation lecture delivered at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, by the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was the presentation of a meticulously crafted string art portrait made in her honour.
The artwork, created by a 400-level Computer Science student, Abdulmalik Ibrahim, was presented shortly after the lecture, drawing admiration from dignitaries and members of the university community.
String art, also known as pin-and-thread art, is a technique that uses thread stretched across evenly spaced nails to form geometric patterns that eventually produce detailed images. In the piece presented to Okonjo-Iweala, her portrait emerged entirely from straight-line geometry.
The student artist used 230 evenly spaced nails arranged around a circular board, about 2.3 kilometres of thread and over 25 hours of painstaking stringing to complete the work. Each connection formed a straight line, but collectively they produced an optical illusion that gradually revealed the detailed image of the renowned economist.
Ibrahim explained that he first mapped out the nails to ensure symmetry before deploying an algorithm-generated sequence from a web application he developed to guide the threading process step by step.
“At the end of over 25 hours of continuous stringing, the final image emerged purely from straight-line geometry,” he said, describing programming as his artistic brush and algorithms as his design process.
The talent of the young innovator came to wider attention during the university’s research fair held as part of activities marking its 45th convocation. Observers recounted that even the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, initially struggled to discern the portrait at close range until he was advised to step back, at which point the full image became visible.
On the motivation behind the piece, Ibrahim said he intended it as a tribute to Okonjo-Iweala’s commitment to excellence, integrity and service to humanity.
The artwork was formally presented on January 30, 2026, by the Emir of Zazzau, His Highness Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR, in the presence of the university’s Chancellor, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR.
Okonjo-Iweala, who said she had stopped collecting portraits of herself, nonetheless accepted the gift, describing it as “special and extraordinary,” and commended the creativity behind it.
Ibrahim, reflecting on his journey, said he had long been drawn to visual expression and decided to merge his passion for art with his background in computer science.
During his industrial training (SIWES), he studied the works of Greek artist Petros Vrellis and subsequently built his own web application using open-source algorithms to generate string sequences.
He added that his works have gained traction on social media, earning recognition from notable personalities including King Ateke, musician Wizard Chan and Jesse Pollak, CEO of Base. One of his string portraits of music star Davido, he said, generated over one million impressions across social platforms, further showcasing the intersection of technology and creativity.
