Celebrated Nigerian photographer and filmmaker Niyi Fagbemi showcased the beauty of Nigeria in his maiden exhibition held in Lagos on Saturday.
Known for his aesthetic captures of the Ojude Oba and Durbar festivals, Mr Fagbemi announced his commitment to spotlighting Nigeria through tourism photography at his ‘Naija In Motion Exhibition’.
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Themed “Showcasing the Nigerian Heritage, the exhibition, which was held on Saturday in Lagos, took guests on a vibrant journey across Nigeria through the lens of the filmmaker and photographer.
Intermittently, Mr Fagbemi gave explanatory talks about the stories behind the photos and artworks on display.
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Highlights included photos of the colourful Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebuland, Ogun State, and patterns in Eastern Nigeria’s food, clothing, and architecture. Collections from his travels to Northern Nigeria, including documentation of the Durbar Festival in Kano, were also unveiled.
Visitors also saw long-range shots of Ibadan’s brown-roof city, Juju Rock in Niger State, mountain views of Taraba State and the bustling water community of Makoko in Lagos, all presented without colour manipulation to preserve their natural essence.
Mr Fagbemi emphasised that many special places remain unknown until revealed through his style of photography, citing Juju Rock as an example.
Inspiration
Speaking at the Lagos exhibition, the tourism filmmaker told PREMIUM TIMES that the inspiration behind his photo tourism and documentary work is to say to narratives of Nigeria’s beautiful scenes.
“What inspired my work was my passion for travel and my desire to change the narrative about Nigeria. The first challenge is funding, and the second is that few people have travelled to all these places.
“The infrastructure might not be fully developed yet, but when you visit these places and showcase them, it enlightens people about them and helps boost development. Security is critical to me; I don’t compromise on it. There are places I can’t visit, not because I don’t want to, but because of the security situation,” he said.
While stressing the importance of showcasing Nigeria’s artistic beauty through photo stories, he noted that such visuals are essential for shaping positive perceptions of the country.
“However, Nigeria suffers from a perception problem. Many negative stories about some communities are not entirely true; sometimes, just one incident shapes the perception of an entire place. I aim to encourage people to see Nigeria differently and from a better perspective. Spotlighting Nigeria will improve its image and help develop and build infrastructure.
“The more people know about Nigeria, the better it is for us as a country. More jobs will be created, more tourists will visit, and our tourism potential will grow. Nigeria has immense tourism opportunities, and showcasing them will attract investment and strengthen our communities.
“I expect that Nigerians will take more interest in exploring their own country, change their perceptions, and appreciate its beauty. By highlighting towns and places that are often overlooked, within Nigeria and across Africa, I hope to help communities grow and inspire people to see them in a new light,” Mr Fagbemi concluded.
Niyi Fagbemi
Mr Fagbemi is a professional travel and documentary filmmaker who is celebrated for showcasing the beauty of Nigeria and Africa through photography, videography, and storytelling.
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His work captures the continent’s culture, landscapes, and people, offering authentic narratives that challenge stereotypes while amplifying African perspectives.
With nearly a million followers across platforms, he aims to inspire others to explore and celebrate Africa’s unseen richness. One of his most remarkable works, on the Ojude Oba Festival, achieved global recognition with over 100 million views across all platforms.
Although initially trained as a mechanical engineer, his passion for photography emerged during his university years and has since grown into a full-time career. He is committed to reshaping Africa’s narrative, one story at a time.
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