Like many other professions, photography has been a field commonly associated with men. But women are fast-rising and have proven to be just as outstanding. Weekend Magazine gives a list of some of the best female Nigerian photographers.
Hafsah Abubakar Matazu
TY Bello
She became popular as a singer before her photography skills came to the fore. She became the official photographer to former president Goodluck Jonathan. Bello is behind the success story of bread seller-turned model, Olajumoke Orisaguna. Her humanitarian work includes an annual photography exhibition that raises funds for orphans in Nigeria.
Aisha Augie-Kuta
Augie-Kuta is famed for exploring gender and identity. Apart from photography, she is a filmmaker with a flair for making documentaries. She doesn’t limit herself to only one aspect of photography but captures whatever her camera can. She is currently the Senior Special Assistant on New Media in Kebbi State.
Adeola Olagunju
More often associated with deep and conceptual pictures, Olagunji’s pictures are usually portraits with a bias towards nature. For her, it’s an attempt to break free from mental shackles. Like many artists, there’s more to what she does, which includes painting and filmmaking. Her pictures stray far from the norm.
Fatima Abubakar
This photographer is a fearless woman from Borno State. She watched as Boko Haram tore her state apart by their acts of terror and snatched away its greatness. Fati Abubakar took upon herself the responsibility of spreading stories beyond the savagery, from the angle of the survivors, through her pictures. Her photography showed the world that it wasn’t completely a story of sorrow and sadness, but of strength too. Specializing in rural and social development, she showed that every story, whether a happy or sad one, always has two sides.
Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko
She spent a big chunk of her childhood in Germany before coming back to Nigeria. Fascinated with Yoruba culture, Ayeni-Babaeko was drawn to photography. Her pictures reflect the mythology and storytelling tradition of the Yoruba people and in her eyes, the tradition belongs to the women-“goddesses” she calls them. She also uses her photography as a tool for battling breast cancer.
Lola Akinmade Åkerström
A travel photographer based in Sweden, Åkerström found her path early. She had an interest in Geography from a young age and so channeled it into her present profession. Her pictures reflect all sides of the destinations she travels to, from the people to the places. Her works have been featured in over 60 international publications, ranging from BBC, CNN, Huffington Post, National Geographic and Time Warner to mention a few. She is also the Editor-In-Chief for Slow Travel Stockholm, an editorial site that shows travelers how to discover Stockholm.
Aisha Dapchi
A camera lover from a tender age, Dapchi uses her lens to capture the world around her; the people, the streets and nature. Photographing people is her favourite, just so she can capture the stories they have to tell and learn from them. She took a few courses after her first degree that led to her making the life-changing decision of making photography a career. She has greatly excelled in it since then.
Haye Okoh
She developed a passion for photography while young, not without influence from her father who was a popular photographer in Jos. Haye Okoh doesn’t have a specialty, but rather, chooses to dabble in everything. For her, it’s all about capturing what you see in an attempt to never forget the beauties of the world. Apart from taking pictures she is a screenwriter and intends venturing into directing movies whenever she’s not behind the camera. Presently, she is the personal photographer for the first lady, Aisha Buhari.
Yagazie Emezi
A documentary photographer focused on preserving African culture, after graduating from the University of New Mexico, Emezi returned to Nigeria as Visual Curator for Bialere, a digital platform bent on showcasing young African creatives. Relearning Bodies is Yagazie’s ongoing project, which is aimed at trauma survivors in West Africa and the roles the community and the society play in their adjustment. Her work has been commissioned by a number of Nigerian and international companies, including The Guardian (Nigeria), Huffington Post, AlJazeera, Union Bank, Essence Magazine and MTV.
Swat Kasham Afengbai
She is a portrait photographer and an aspiring creative writer currently based in Texas, United States. Her creativity and love for art led her to become a photographer. Swat Kasham Afengbai sees beauty all around her and uses her lens to capture the artistic aspect of the people she photographs. She believes that photography is an art that can be used to provide freedom for women and youth in Nigeria. Her passion in bringing out the best in people is why she chooses to specialize in portrait photography.
