ABSTRACT
The study is titled "A Study of Illustrations in Leaflets of NAERLS, ABU, Zaria". NAERLS is an acronym National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, while ABU is Ahmadu Bello University. Since the advent of Aina Onabolu in modern Nigeria art, art forms including illustrations have found prominence in clarifying, educating and informing diverse groups in all disciplines including agriculture. The problem of the study is the seemingly stereotyped style of illustrations in NAERLS leaflets by artists. The aim of the study is to examine the illustrations in NAERLS agricultural leaflets so as to bring to the fore if there are variations in the style while the specific objectives are to: identify the agricultural leaflets produced by NAERLS, compare and contrast the illustrations produced for English, Hausa and Yoruba readers, examine the style of the illustrations, study the medium and messages the illustrations interpret, examine if NAERLS artists who produced the illustrations have formal training in art. Data were collected from five NAERLS artists and from leaflets produced from 1987-2013. The leaflets are identified by the logo of NAERLS and theme. The style in the illustrations is stereotyped. The messages the illustrations interpret include; site section, planting, weeding, mulching, fertilizer application, thinning, harvesting, storage and marketing. The recommendations: illustrations should be in colour for visual appeal. They should upgrade their skills through modern technology available in the field of illustration; Artists should be among the workforce in each of the six NAERLS Zonal offices in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Finally, the traditional medium used in the illustrations such as brush, pen and ink should be replaced with computers and illustration soft wares.