Nigerian-born lawyer, Chief Owolabi Salis, who recently became the first Nigerian to travel to space, is set to be immortalised in a historic monument by celebrated American artist and space monument sculptor, Steve N. Barber.
The announcement comes just weeks after Salis completed his record-breaking journey beyond the Kármán Line, earning him a place among only 720 people in history to have ventured into space. His achievement has sparked widespread admiration, particularly among Nigerians and the Black diaspora in the United States, where Salis is based and runs the prestigious Salis Law firm in New York.
Barber, a California-based artist renowned for his iconic sculptures of astronauts and dignitaries, including a commemorative piece for United States President Donald Trump, described Salis’ accomplishment as “extraordinary and globally significant.” He said plans are already underway to construct a monument that will last 1,000 years, bearing engraved inspirational messages and designed to reflect the magnitude of Salis’ legacy.
The unveiling is scheduled for July 4, 2026, America’s Independence Day, and would be moved to Salis’ hometown of Ikorodu in Lagos State, serving as a beacon of national pride and inspiration.
Barber called on Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos and global corporate bodies to support the project as a tribute to what he called a moment that elevated Nigeria’s stature on the global stage.
“This is more than a personal achievement. It’s a national and continental triumph. Chief Salis deserves to be celebrated not just as a pioneer, but as a symbol of African excellence and global progress in space exploration,” Barber said
Chief Salis, who has also travelled to over 120 countries and visited both the Arctic and Antarctic Poles within a single season, a feat no other Black African has achieved, called the monument “an honour he never imagined.
“Our planet is about five billion years old. Over 117 billion people have lived in it. Yet, only 720 have been to space. I am deeply humbled to represent Nigeria in that number,” he said.
