The Soft Issue
Profile
One day in Malaysia, she dreamt of having a photography
exhibition. She had already taken enough of her own
personal photographs, landscape photographs, and sunset
photographs (which is like the first port of call for every
amateur photographer). These photographs were taken with
mobile phones and two other professional-grade cameras.
These tools were her companion and she did not stop
treating them as such. Wherever she went then, her camera
was always with her—even up till now. The idea of creating
an exhibition lingered in her mind for a very long time.
“When I was in Malaysia, I noticed that they like photography
a lot. They’d buy big cameras and take photographs around
them. The environment in Malaysia is so beautiful; the
environment in my school, everything is green; they call
it ‘The Campus in the Jungle’. It is so nice that even if you
don’t want to take a picture you would be motivated to take
pictures.”
Although, she had loved photography as a child. Other art
form like writing remained the dominant to her. It was the
time she spen t in Malaysia that made this subdued love for
photography resonant.
“I used to go tourist centres. Some within the state that
I’m studying and some outside the states. Anytime I go to
conferences I made sure that I visited at least one tourist
centre out of curiosity. I took the photos of these beautiful
places. You know, taking pictures is more about capturing
an experience. So, that maybe long after, when you see
the picture, you will look back at the pictures and you’d be
happy with yourself.”
When she arrived in Nigeria, the exhibition now remained
ever dominant in her mind. She did not know if it would be
an exhibition of her own photographs or other people’s. She
resumed her role at the University of Ilorin as a lecturer PhD
in hand. Fresh from Malaysia.
Towards her first semester on the job, she started to prepare
for the new role she would assume. Photojournalism
lecturer. The department had agreed to let her take the
course. She was tense with excitement and anticipation. At
that stage her conviction was stronger. And the how was
forming, but in sketchy pattern. Then she spoke the idea
to life and it grew wings. That exhibition she had earlier
conceived in her mind would not be her own exhibition. It
would be her students’ and they would exhibit photographs
they had taken with their own hands. But she would lead the
pack and offer direction.
She and her students, those taking photojournalism,
would later agree that the exhibition would be called:
“FotoClique”. “You know the idea, Foto- as in stylised form
for photography and Clique- as in group of friends.” She
moulded her hands into mock cameras and did a kri-kri
sound with her mouth as she explained the rationale behind
the name to one of the many people she spoke with during
the planning stage of the exhibition.
FotoClique would eventually be more than just a group of
students exhibiting their own photographs. It would be a
haven, not for learning alone, but for long term friendships
to be made and networks to be formed.
56
August 2017
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