Kolade Adekunle Oshinowo, a native of Ikorodu, Lagos State, was born on February 6th, 1948 in Ibadan, Oyo State. He is one of Nigeria's most respected and influential artists, arts educator and mentor to younger artists. He had his primary and secondary formal education in Ibadan and Abeokuta between 1954 and 1966. He worked briefly as a clerical officer with the Cooperative Bank, Ile-Ife before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria to study Fine Art in October 1968. He graduated from ABU with a Bachelor of Art, with a major in Painting in June 1972. He was employed the same year he graduated by the Federal Ministry of Education and posted to Kings College Lagos where he taught for two years before moving to Yaba College of Technology in April 1974, where he worked as an assistant lecturer in drawing and painting.