Dale was born in 1947 in Nigeria from a British father and a Nigerian mother. He moved to The United Kingdom to live with an Aunt at age two and would remain there for nearly two decades, returning to Nigeria to finish his secondary education at St. Gregory’s College, Lagos. He would meet Bruce Onobrakpeya, then the art teacher at the college who would encourage his interest in art.
He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1971 and moved back to Lagos to practice, working with Onobrakpeya for a few years before setting up his own studio. He would go on to practice art, explore advertising and teach part-time at the University of Lagos in the eighties.
Many of his early artworks and some of his best known artworks are done in the lino engraving and foil methods that Onobrakpeya practised. Dale would go beyond print-making though to work in a variety of media including coloured beads, charcoal and stained glass.
Many of his early artworks explored the energy and variety of urban life in Lagos. His lines were sparse, eliminating superfluous adornment to create a visceral connection to his viewers. His move into advertising may have influenced this almost minimalist approach.
Dale’s artworks, created in his array of material, adorn the homes and churches of Lagos.