As part of events marking the first year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) yesterday, opened a photographic exhibition – ‘Political Development of Nigeria: The change mantra.’
The event which held at the FCT Pavillon, Garki, narrated Nigeria’s leadership history in photographs from the archives of the NGA, National Commissions for Musuems and Monuments (NCMMs) and the Centre for Black Africa Civilisation (CBAAC).
Director-General of the NGA, Mr. Abdullahi Muku, speaking to Daily Trust said the photographs are from when Nigeria gained independence in 1960 till date.
He said: “The aim of the exhibition is to chronicle major actors in Nigeria’s leadership in the different levels of government and sectors. There are photographs of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello while they were in office. There are also photographs of some of the colonial masters around this time, civilian presidents, military heads of state, governors, service chiefs and heads of the judiciary, as well as ministers and federal commissioners, among others.”
Many guests like Amina Attah said for the first time they were able to put faces to the names they had heard for so long especially during subjects like History and Government.
She said: “I never knew that Jaja Wachukwu and Aja Nwachukwu were different people. Every time I heard the names, they sounded the same to me. It’s only here I came to that realisation. It was also nice to see our past leaders as young men and how good looking and agile they were especially Gen. Yakubu Gowon and even President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Parents like Hilda and Gabriel Okezie said, it was an exhibition worth bringing their children to. The Okezies who said they were very pleased that these memories have been preserved said they would bring their children to view it before it closes at the end of the month.
NGA’s Director of Curatorial Services, Mr. Adamu Ibrahim explained that: “We put up the exhibition regime by regime from the president or head of state to the legislature, judiciary, service chiefs, governors and ministers.
With some guests expecting it would have been an exhibition of paintings and other such art works, Ibrahim said photography is part of the NGA’s mandate. “If we can use any of our mandates to tell the story depending on what theme we are dealing with is, we would do so. Since this is on Nigeria’s political development since 1960, photography was the best medium to tell the story.”
Exhibiting only black and white shots, Ibrahim said was deliberate because: “We are going back in time and bringing up memories.”
Some of the most fascinating photographs for guests included a family portrait of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo with his children including Iyabo; a young Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda with the late Gen. Murtala Mohammed and Obasanjo.
Asides photographs the exhibition also informed the guests about the periods when the leaders served and also notable comments some of them made such as – “I dedicate my life to the service of our country” by Nigeria’s first and only prime minister from 1957 to 1966, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on October 1, 1960. Another was, “We intervened to save the nation from collapse” by the then head of state, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari on January 1, 1984.
There was also an arts and crafts exhibition by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).
