His work often explored indigenous cultural traditions and contemporary social issues.
[1] Akolo spent his early years in Egbe, Kogi State, where he completed his primary education.
Akolo attended Government College Keffi, where he excelled in art, leading him to pursue further studies at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology (NCAST), now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
[2] At NCAST, Akolo was a part of the Zaria Art Society, alongside notable artists like Yusuf Grillo and Bruce Onobrakpeya.
[4] Akolo was also a professor at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he taught for over three decades.