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From modest beginnings, JD Okhai-Ojeikere who passed away on Sunday, February 2 shot himself into prominence through photography. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports
A pensive young man stood hunched over several rolls of photo negatives, peering at them with keen interest. His duties in the darkroom, which belonged to photography department of the then Western Region’s Ministry of Information in Ibadan, consisted of washing and glazing printed photographs for his superiors. Because he was employed as a darkroom assistant, these duties did not include taking photographs.
Yet, it was JD Okhai-Ojeikere’s early interest in photography that had brought him this far. Having completed his primary school education in his Edo State hometown, Ovbiomu-Emai – where he was born in 1930 – his future stretched away from him into foggy distances. Certain about the fact that he didn’t want a salaried job, he dumped formal education in the pursuit of his dreams. He was 19 when he first moved to the then regional capital, Ibadan, to work with an uncle as a tailoring apprentice.
His father’s sudden demise compelled him to relocate to the former Eastern Region’s provincial town of Abakaliki to live with his elder sister, who was married to a policeman. Here, he had rejected any suggestions to join the force on the grounds that he was “too disciplined to be a policeman”.
He eventually settled for a job as a farm hand, which earned a shilling a day. With the death of his sister’s husband, the rest of the household relocated homewards,s leaving him behind in Abakaliki. Firm in his resolution to be independent, he had rented an accommodation in a tenement house while he continued to work in the farm.
A curious weaving of fate crossed his path with photography. He had already turned 20 and had been twice rejected at the Army recruitment centre in Enugu, where he had travelled to from Abakaliki. Lucky to have escaped the wrath of the recruiting officer, who was incensed at his audacity to present himself at the centre for a second time, Ojeikere prowled the streets of downtown Enugu. This was when he spotted a Brownie D camera in one of the shops.
Then, he remembered that a neighbour’s wife, whose husband used to be a photographer, had been urging him to try his hands on photography. Well, this was his chance! He paid two pounds for the camera and headed back to Abakaliki.
Then, he remembered that a neighbour’s wife, whose husband used to be a photographer, had been urging him to try his hands on photography. Well, this was his chance! He paid two pounds for the camera and headed back to Abakaliki.
The woman, elated that he had at last heeded his advice to give photography a trial, informed her husband. It was the latter who taught him the rudiments of what he needed to know about the craft. “You must never face the sun,” he was told. “The subject should face the sun instead.”
His first clients were a group of young men he had met drinking under a tree. They had urged him to take snapshots of each of them at six pence. He exhausted 12 exposures taking their photographs. Thus, he earned his first six shillings from merely having fun. A white miner he found in the midst of the same group on another occasion opened the door to a new market for him: the lead mines.
That chapter of his life had closed suddenly with his being lured with subterfuge back to his hometown. His family had deceived him with the fictitious story of his mother’s illness and impending death.
His first clients were a group of young men he had met drinking under a tree. They had urged him to take snapshots of each of them at six pence. He exhausted 12 exposures taking their photographs. Thus, he earned his first six shillings from merely having fun. A white miner he found in the midst of the same group on another occasion opened the door to a new market for him: the lead mines.
That chapter of his life had closed suddenly with his being lured with subterfuge back to his hometown. His family had deceived him with the fictitious story of his mother’s illness and impending death.
Cut back to the Ministry of Information’s darkroom. Ojeikere (then 24) was getting rather restless. He knew he had to move on to newer experiences. The numbing tedium of his menial task at the establishment egged him on to improve his photography skills. Getting himself a second camera – a Rolleicord 2.25 X 2.25cm – helped. Soon, he earned the respect of one of his superiors enough to be given photographic coverage assignments. He was concurrently creating assignments for himself. From shooting “Guguguru Seller” (1954) among other random shots, he became adept enough to be entrusted with the coverage of the two-week long annual Igogo Festival in the south-western Nigerian town of Owo. He had initially been asked to cover just the opening and closing ceremonies. But the town’s regent insisted on the documentation of the entire event.
This was also a period Ojeikere paid weekly visits to the University of Ibadan, where he photographed the students. With the establishment of the University College Hospital in 1957, his clientele expanded to include staff and students of the institution. He found himself covering weddings, naming ceremonies, birthday parties and taking family photographs. Over 2000 photographs of these students in his archives were what he later had to show for these visits.
Another opportunity beckoned in 1961. There was an opening at for a still-photographer the Television House, Ibadan, which was an arm of the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service and the first television station in Africa. Ojeikere applied alongside scores of other candidates. To all appearances, he didn’t stand a chance. Being the only candidate from Ibadan was bad enough. Then, having no certificate or testimonial further belittled him before the others. But fate had decreed he was suited for the job. His interviewer, Richard Taylor, was fascinated by the works and offered him the job immediately.
Another opportunity beckoned in 1961. There was an opening at for a still-photographer the Television House, Ibadan, which was an arm of the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service and the first television station in Africa. Ojeikere applied alongside scores of other candidates. To all appearances, he didn’t stand a chance. Being the only candidate from Ibadan was bad enough. Then, having no certificate or testimonial further belittled him before the others. But fate had decreed he was suited for the job. His interviewer, Richard Taylor, was fascinated by the works and offered him the job immediately.
In 1963, the West African Publicity (now Lowe Lintas), one of the advertising agencies which placed adverts with the Television House, needed the services of a still-photographer. The agency’s team contacted the then programme director of the Television House, Steve Rhodes and was not excited about a neophyte like Ojeikere being recommended to them for what they wanted.
But they were soon proved wrong. Like the proverbial stone that the builders refused, which later became the head cornerstone, Ojeikere was offered the job after he impressed the WAP team. He was placed on a monthly salary of 65 pounds, 10 shillings – more than twice of what he was earning at the Television House. This also meant his relocation from Ibadan to Lagos.
His membership of the Nigerian Arts Council in 1967 at the prompting of his friend Erhabor Emokpae became his next career’s milestone. Among the other members were Alhaji Maitama Sule, Gbenga Sonuga and Segun Olusola. The Council, charged with organising arts festivals, provided him the platform he needed for the development of the series of black-and-white photographs, which explored Nigerian culture and would launch him into prominence. From 1968, he began to produce the Hairstyle series which not only became his best known works, but also highly treasured anthropological and ethnographical materials. He had likened these hairstyles – which he took on the streets, in offices and parties – to sculptures and hoped that through fleeting fashion trends to “record moments of beauty, moments of knowledge”.
His retirement in 1975 as the head of commercial photography of the advertising agency led to the creation of his own studio, Foto Ojeikere. Here, he worked as the chief photography consultant until he answered the ultimate call on Sunday, February 2 after a brief illness.
The period after his retirement turned out, arguably, to be his most productive years. His works wormed their way to such world’s most prestigious museums and galleries as the Tate Modern in London (UK), the Guggenheim in Bilbao (Spain), the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas (USA) and the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (Japan). Thanks to his solo exhibitions and his participation in group shows, his works were also ogled at in cities like Lagos (Nigeria), Toronto (Canada), Geneva (Switzerland) Paris (France), New York (USA), Marrakech (Morocco), Antwerp (Belgium), Kassel (Germany), Monaco, Washington DC (USA), Cologne (Germany), Toulouse (France), San Sebastian (Spain), Anvers (Belgium), and Sydney (Australia) among others.
His membership of the Nigerian Arts Council in 1967 at the prompting of his friend Erhabor Emokpae became his next career’s milestone. Among the other members were Alhaji Maitama Sule, Gbenga Sonuga and Segun Olusola. The Council, charged with organising arts festivals, provided him the platform he needed for the development of the series of black-and-white photographs, which explored Nigerian culture and would launch him into prominence. From 1968, he began to produce the Hairstyle series which not only became his best known works, but also highly treasured anthropological and ethnographical materials. He had likened these hairstyles – which he took on the streets, in offices and parties – to sculptures and hoped that through fleeting fashion trends to “record moments of beauty, moments of knowledge”.
His retirement in 1975 as the head of commercial photography of the advertising agency led to the creation of his own studio, Foto Ojeikere. Here, he worked as the chief photography consultant until he answered the ultimate call on Sunday, February 2 after a brief illness.
The period after his retirement turned out, arguably, to be his most productive years. His works wormed their way to such world’s most prestigious museums and galleries as the Tate Modern in London (UK), the Guggenheim in Bilbao (Spain), the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas (USA) and the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (Japan). Thanks to his solo exhibitions and his participation in group shows, his works were also ogled at in cities like Lagos (Nigeria), Toronto (Canada), Geneva (Switzerland) Paris (France), New York (USA), Marrakech (Morocco), Antwerp (Belgium), Kassel (Germany), Monaco, Washington DC (USA), Cologne (Germany), Toulouse (France), San Sebastian (Spain), Anvers (Belgium), and Sydney (Australia) among others.
Perhaps, his career’s highest points were the showing of his works at the last year’s edition of the Venice Biennale and their showing in 2007 at the Documenta in the German town of Kassel.
His renown as a leading African photographer brought him to the attention of the French art promoter, André Magnin, who in 2000 published a book on him, which was titled J. D. Okhai Ojeikere: Photographs. The biographical work, published by la Fondation Cartier pour l’ Art Contemporain, was issued in both French and English. The other publications he was featured in include: 100% Africa, an exhibition catalogue, published by TF Editores & FMGB Guggenheim Bilbao Museum in 2006; Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection, an exhibition catalogue edited by Merrell in association with la MFAH in 2005; L’Art Africain Contemporain, Christophe Domino, by André Magnin, published by Editions SCALA in 2005, Parures de Tête : Hairstyles and Headdresses, exhibition catalogue, published by Editions Dapper, in 2003; Century City : Art and Culture in the Modern Metropolis, exhibition catalogue, published by Tate Modern, Editions Tate, in 2001; La Beauté, exhibition catalogue, published by Palais des Papes, Avignon, France, Editions Flammarion, in 2000; Africa Inside, and Nigerian Traditional Hairstyles, exhibition catalogue, published by Goethe-Institute, Lagos, in 2006.
His renown as a leading African photographer brought him to the attention of the French art promoter, André Magnin, who in 2000 published a book on him, which was titled J. D. Okhai Ojeikere: Photographs. The biographical work, published by la Fondation Cartier pour l’ Art Contemporain, was issued in both French and English. The other publications he was featured in include: 100% Africa, an exhibition catalogue, published by TF Editores & FMGB Guggenheim Bilbao Museum in 2006; Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection, an exhibition catalogue edited by Merrell in association with la MFAH in 2005; L’Art Africain Contemporain, Christophe Domino, by André Magnin, published by Editions SCALA in 2005, Parures de Tête : Hairstyles and Headdresses, exhibition catalogue, published by Editions Dapper, in 2003; Century City : Art and Culture in the Modern Metropolis, exhibition catalogue, published by Tate Modern, Editions Tate, in 2001; La Beauté, exhibition catalogue, published by Palais des Papes, Avignon, France, Editions Flammarion, in 2000; Africa Inside, and Nigerian Traditional Hairstyles, exhibition catalogue, published by Goethe-Institute, Lagos, in 2006.
Before these publications, he was commissioned by Mandilas in 1990 to photograph the endangered Brazilian-style Lagos buildings, where were being pulled down by blue-chip companies for more modern edifices. The founders, Mr. and Mrs. Mandilas, were visiting Nigeria for the first time since their retirement and were alarmed by the trend. They felt that having these buildings photographed was the little their company could do to preserve their memories for posterity.
Ojeikere’s photographs can be found in both public and private collections within and outside Nigeria as well as in such prestigious institutions as The Walther Collection, Brooklyn Museum, New York (USA), Cartier Foundation, Paris (France), Studio Museum in Harlem, New York and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (USA).
Obviously accomplished in his chosen career, Ojeikere passed away disappointed in the Nigerian project. “We had so many dreams at the time,” he had told the BBC in a chat in 2010. “We thought a country so rich in natural resources could really go ahead on its own. But our dreams were shattered by tribalism.
“Then came the military dictatorships, one after another, for so many years. It makes me sad to think that things have not changed much. You see the same elites holding on to power and getting richer and richer.”
He was especially embittered by the fact that the Nigerian state “never really cared about the arts”, lamenting that “although we have many people who are very rich, we also lack good private institutions for the promotions of the arts.”
His family has announced March 6, 7 and 8 as the dates for his funeral.
Ojeikere’s photographs can be found in both public and private collections within and outside Nigeria as well as in such prestigious institutions as The Walther Collection, Brooklyn Museum, New York (USA), Cartier Foundation, Paris (France), Studio Museum in Harlem, New York and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (USA).
Obviously accomplished in his chosen career, Ojeikere passed away disappointed in the Nigerian project. “We had so many dreams at the time,” he had told the BBC in a chat in 2010. “We thought a country so rich in natural resources could really go ahead on its own. But our dreams were shattered by tribalism.
“Then came the military dictatorships, one after another, for so many years. It makes me sad to think that things have not changed much. You see the same elites holding on to power and getting richer and richer.”
He was especially embittered by the fact that the Nigerian state “never really cared about the arts”, lamenting that “although we have many people who are very rich, we also lack good private institutions for the promotions of the arts.”
His family has announced March 6, 7 and 8 as the dates for his funeral.
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