He was the darling of editors and envy of his colleagues.
Dipo Onabanjo worked with several newspapers and international news agencies. Last week when he spoke with ICON, age has taken its toll on him. The nimble steps that once made him the toast were gone. But the flashes are still intact. And the memories too.
There is no missing that. No Nigeria photojournalist alive has covered more military take over than Onabanjo.
He did not only cover the first republic, he was there to record it on camera when the regime headed by Tafawa Balewa and Nnamdi Azikiwe was toppled. He also had the onerous task of covering all the other military coups in the country as well as the one that brought Jerry Rawlings and Matthew Kerekou to power in Ghana and Benin Republic.
As he recalled his career, sparks of joy shot through his wrinkled face. He
eyes came alight with happiness. If he has the opportunity to live his life
again, he would still chose photojournalism as a career, all over again, he
emphasised.
Particularly, he described his sojourn at Daily Times as the icing on the cake of his career, which spanned many decades, and saw him working in a number of organizations.
According to him, it was while working with the Daily Times that he covered dangerous assignments, which eventually earned him the sobriquet "The man at the hot spots.
" In this encounter, the 70-year-old veteran talks about his memorable career as a photojournalist. Below is an excerpt:
Could you recollect how your childhood was like? I was born 70 years ago in Massey Hospital, on Lagos Island. I started primary school at Saint Saviour's Primary School, Idumagbo, Lagos Island. This was between 1953 and 1956. In primary three, my parents took me to Ijebu-Ode where I enrolled at Muslim Boys School, Soku. On leaving primary school, I gained admission into Olu-Iwa College, which later became Adeola Odutola College in 1959. I passed out in 1963.
How did you develop interest in photography? I started developing interest in photography when I started coming to spend holiday with my uncle, Mr. Shittu Fabiyi, who was popularly called Baba Ahmed in Lagos. He was a photographer with the defunct Daily Express. I always admired the way he carried his camera.
Anytime I opened the newspaper, I saw his name and photographs he took inside the paper. I later resolved that anytime I passed out of secondary school that I was going to be a photojournalist. I remember that when I was still in secondary school, I did a correspondence course in photography at American School of Photography in New York. I later bought my first camera in the final year in secondary school.
How did you get the money? I stole it from my aunt when I came to spend holiday with her in Lagos. I later confessed to her when she inquired about missing the money in her wardrobe. Before I confessed to her, I had gone to Kingsway Store where I bought a Kodak camera.
When I confessed and showed her the camera, she was not annoyed with me. She asked me to bow down my head, while she later prayed for me that I would rise to become a successful photographer in life. I thank God that her prayers came to pass as I later rose to the pinnacle of my career in the profession when I became photo editor of Daily Times. Not only that, photography has also enabled me to visit many countries especially in the sub-West African region. I bought my first camera for two pounds and fifty shillings. With the camera in my possession, I started taking photographs of anything I saw. Any object, individual or building that caught my fancy, I snapped.
I was using my pocket money to print them. It was, however, while I was still in school that I started freelancing for the Daily Times. There was one man called Ajibade Fashina-Thomas, he was the editor in charge of Saturday Highlife. He was always using the photographs I brought to Daily Times. I was going to nightclubs, stadium and other places of interests where I took photos, which he used.
At times he used to invite me to follow other photojournalists to assignments, especially during holidays. I remember there was an occasion I can't ever forget. I was at Onikan swimming pool in Lagos, and suddenly I lifted up my eyes and I saw the prime minister driving past. He was driving himself in a Chevrolet car. I was amazed to see a prime minister driving himself without escort. I decided to follow him. I had an uncle who used to release his motorcycle to me during holiday. I came to the swimming pool with the motorcycle. I quickly rushed to where I parked the motorcycle, mounted it and followed him. Unknown to me he was driving to the Governor-General's house.
That was Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. He was living then at the State House, Marina. On getting there, as soon as the gate was opened for him, I entered with him. The security personnel on duty didn't stop me, because they thought we were coming together. Zik later came out to meet him.
I started taking shots immediately. But Zik later asked about my identity, and I told him that I was a freelance photographer with the Daily Times. He, however, summoned his press secretary, Mr. A. K. Disu, now of blessed memory. Zik asked him to call the police, and immediately I was arrested and taken to police station at Sand Grouse.
The following day, I was charged to court for trespass. At the court, Mr. Agbabiaka, a retired police officer who was then the magistrate at Tinubu Court, and Mr. Aderibigbe, my uncle who was a lawyer came out to defend me. At the end of the trial, the magistrate ruled that I didn't trespass, that the place where I took the photos, the Governor-General's residence, was a public place, and that any citizen has a right to enter the place. I was discharged and acquitted. My detention, and trial story was carried by the BBC. Then I was not a full time staff of Daily Times. But this issue made Daily Times to develop interest in me.
Did you then join Daily Times immediately after leaving school? No, there was an international news agency based in Holland that approached me to be their photographer. I worked with them briefly between 1963-1964. I was taking photographs and sending it back to their country. I later joined Daily Sketch. I was covering Lagos for them.
At what point did you join Daily Times? At that time, I was informed that Alhaji Alade Odunewu (now late) and Chief Areoye Oyebola were interested in my services. I then applied, and was given a letter of appointment as a member of staff.
Some of those people I worked with, apart from Odunewu, and Areoye Oyebola, included Gbolabo Ogunsanwo and Chief Segun Osoba. Shortly after I joined Daily Times, there was a military coup in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. It was then known as Dahomey. I had spent up to two years in Daily Times then. On getting to Cotonou, the man who took over government, Matthew Kerekou, had ordered that military men should mount surveillance in major spots around the country.
These include the airport, broadcasting house and the presidential palace. These places were heavily guarded by stern looking soldiers, yet I was confronted with the problem of how to take good shots. On getting to the presidential palace, I saw heavily armed soldiers. There was no hope of gaining access into the place. But luckily for me, I saw some bricklayers working inside the palace coming out to carry sand.
An idea struck me; I quickly mingled with them, hiding my camera inside a basin, which I put on my head. This idea worked as the military guards quickly passed me with the masons entering the presidential palace. Inside the place, I removed my camera, and proceeded inside the palace. A crew of foreign pressmen was already there, and I immediately started taking shots.
The soldiers thought that I had been given the green light to do so. As I was taking the photos, I later came out to remove the film, which I handed over to the scooter driver that took me to Cotonou. I was the first African photojournalist to have photographs of Kerekou. When the photographs were taken to the head office, the then editor, Chief Segun Osoba used them lavishly on the front pages of Daily Times. He later gave me the nickname, the man at the hot spots, because by this time, I had developed interest in covering crisis prone areas; I mean taking photographs at dangerous spots.
After your first baptism of fire in Cotonou, can you remember other tough assignments you cover? After my first assignment of covering Kerekou's take over of power, I found myself in Cotonou again when a band of mercenaries invaded the country in a bid to topple Kerekou. I also covered Jerry Rawlings' take over of power in Ghana in 1979.
When the mercenaries invaded Cotonou, and the information got to us, I was summoned again, and as usual I quickly took up the challenge. On getting to Cotonou, I saw hell. The invading mercenaries were shelling the airport and I was almost caught in the crossfire between them and soldiers loyal to Kerekou. Under intense shelling, I was taking shots, I remember a bullet whizzed past my head.
While carrying out what I knew how to do best, one of the government soldiers saw me. He pointed his gun at me, and he was corking his rifle with the aim of shooting me before I quickly raised up my hand and identified myself as a Nigerian photo journalist.
The fierce looking soldiers demanded for my identity card, which I showed to them. I was taken by the soldiers to President Kerekou who personally interrogated me, and when he realized that I was on a legitimate assignment, he ordered his soldiers to release me. He also ordered the soldiers to release films of shots I had taken back to me.
Another memorable assignment I can't forget is that of Rawlings coup in Ghana. This was in 1979. I was at an assignment to take shots of a molue bus that plunged into the lagoon with full passengers. On my return to the office, I was informed that I had to proceed immediately to Ghana where Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings had just toppled the government. Two of us went on that assignment, Laja Akindele, a reporter. When we got to Aflao the border was closed. This was border town between Ghana and Togo. I saw a bush path very close to the border; we decided to take a risk by driving my Peugeot car through the bush.
Some soldiers saw us, and inquired about our mission, we told them we were Nigerian journalists, and they allowed us to proceed. We got to Accra by midnight. Upon enquiries about the Presidential Palace where Rawlings was staying, we were told he was in Osu Castle. On getting to Osu, we lodged in a hotel called Pentax Hotel, it was close to Osu Castle. Unknown to us, security agents had been alerted about our arrival.
We were being monitored. But we didn't know that security agents had infiltrated the hotel, and that all the comments we were making praising Rawlings regime were being recorded. On the third day of our arrival, we just saw some security operatives in the night. When we inquired about their mission to our rooms, they told us that the new president had sent for us. When we were brought before Rawlings, who not only granted us an exclusive interview but also took photographs with us. We were in Ghana for almost two weeks. A day before General Acheapong and former Heads of State including General Afrifa were executed on Rawlings' order, we got the information, and quickly rushed to the beach where they were tied to the stake.
It was around 4 a.m. that I got to the execution ground, and I was able to hide behind a rock. I started taking photos when the soldiers arrived and started taking positions. I was the only photojournalist from Nigeria that got that photo, and Daily Times used it prominently on the front page.
Apart from the assignment in Cotonou, and Ghana, are there any other memorable ones, especially that put your life at risk? Those that readily come to my mind are that of Dimka's failed coup which led to the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed. Covering the Orkar coup of 1990 was also challenging.
On that day, I wanted to collect my new car from the Wharf. I was on my way to Apapa when I started hearing gunshots, movement of soldiers and military trucks. I immediately turned back, and proceeded to Obalende where we were told the mutineers had shot General Muhammed inside his Mercedes Benz.
I took some good shots, but again in the process of doing that I was almost killed in exchange of gunfire. Immediately after I dropped the photos in office, I returned to the Military Hospital where Muhammed's corpse was taken. I followed the hearse that took his corpse to airport on the way to Kano. Then in 1985, during the Sallah festival when I was celebrating with relations, we suddenly started hearing martial music, I knew that there was trouble again.
I asked for a radio, and later a voice came on air announcing the sack of Buhari's regime. I immediately forgot all the festivities, and started heading for Lagos. On arriving Bonny camp, soldiers had already taken over everywhere, but I managed to smuggle myself inside in a military jeep.
It was Abacha I saw first, I took his photos in the midst of some senior military officers. Later Babangida joined him, and I took their shots together. During the Orkar coup of 1990, I was also in action. At times, I don't even wait for my editor to call me anytime I heard about crisis going on anywhere.
At Dodan Barracks, it was a battle royale. I have never seen such fierce battle between Orkar's men and Babangida's loyalists. The battle later spread to Obalende, and I managed to manoeuvre my way to the place taking good photos in the process. I covered all coups that took place in Nigeria.
Can you recollect some of those people you worked with in Daily Times? There were so many of them: the late Andy Akporugo, Segun Osoba, Onyema Ugochukwu, Tony Momoh, Tunji Oseni, Tola Adeniyi, Adagogo Jaja. All these people were nice to me.
Osoba would not only give you assignments, he also would ensure that he gives you support that would make you succeed. He was a nice boss. Gbolabo Ogunsanwo was also good to his subordinates. The late Tunji Oseni was also good. He was a thoroughbred professional who refused to compromise on his principle.
I remember when Oseni had a running battle with Obasanjo because Obasanjo wanted him to kill a story. Oseni refused despite the fact that both of them were from Abeokuta. Out of anger, Obasanjo who was then Military Head of State removed Oseni as editor of Daily Times. He was later transferred to Enugu. But later Oseni came back to serve as Managing Director of Daily Times.
What were some of the favourite cameras you used during your active days in service? I started with box cameras, which only had 12 exposures. Later we graduated to black and white cameras. From there, I started using 135 cameras, which has 36 exposures. I also used Kodak, Nikkon, and others. As a photojournalist, you must advance with technology.
Who are some of your contemporaries during your active years in service? When I joined Daily Times, I worked with Yusuf Oladele who was the photo editor. Later, I worked with Akin Adedayo. In those days, we had good photographers who could smell good photographs several kilometres away. But today most of the young photojournalists don't have nose and sight for good photos.
If you know your onions, this job will not only expose you, it will also afford you the opportunity of meeting eminent people, and also travelling to various places. In the course of this profession, I have travelled to different parts of the world. I've covered presidents, governors, and traditional rulers. Photojournalism is a noble job, it open doors for you.
Any regret being a photojournalist? None. If I have to come to this world again, it is the job I will still prefer. I will still remain a photojournalist till my old age. I want to die in action as a photojournalist.
Did security agents ever harass you in your days? There were several occasions when overzealous security operatives had tried to prevent me from doing my job, but I always found ways to manoeuvre and get the result. I will advise upcoming photojournalists never to be discouraged. As professionals, they have a duty to perform, and as such they should not allow security operatives to create obstacle in their way.
What are your best and worst moments? My best moment is any moment I found myself holding a camera taking memorable and historical photos. I also love being assigned dangerous assignments. It always brings the best out in me. Worst moment? I thank God that he has kept me. I'm in good health, I've never for one day been admitted in hospital. God has also been wonderful to my family.
It always give me inner joy that this profession has not only opened doors for me, but has also enabled me to work with many past Nigerian leaders covering their activities with the lens of my camera.
Particularly, he described his sojourn at Daily Times as the icing on the cake of his career, which spanned many decades, and saw him working in a number of organizations.
According to him, it was while working with the Daily Times that he covered dangerous assignments, which eventually earned him the sobriquet "The man at the hot spots.
" In this encounter, the 70-year-old veteran talks about his memorable career as a photojournalist. Below is an excerpt:
Could you recollect how your childhood was like? I was born 70 years ago in Massey Hospital, on Lagos Island. I started primary school at Saint Saviour's Primary School, Idumagbo, Lagos Island. This was between 1953 and 1956. In primary three, my parents took me to Ijebu-Ode where I enrolled at Muslim Boys School, Soku. On leaving primary school, I gained admission into Olu-Iwa College, which later became Adeola Odutola College in 1959. I passed out in 1963.
How did you develop interest in photography? I started developing interest in photography when I started coming to spend holiday with my uncle, Mr. Shittu Fabiyi, who was popularly called Baba Ahmed in Lagos. He was a photographer with the defunct Daily Express. I always admired the way he carried his camera.
Anytime I opened the newspaper, I saw his name and photographs he took inside the paper. I later resolved that anytime I passed out of secondary school that I was going to be a photojournalist. I remember that when I was still in secondary school, I did a correspondence course in photography at American School of Photography in New York. I later bought my first camera in the final year in secondary school.
How did you get the money? I stole it from my aunt when I came to spend holiday with her in Lagos. I later confessed to her when she inquired about missing the money in her wardrobe. Before I confessed to her, I had gone to Kingsway Store where I bought a Kodak camera.
When I confessed and showed her the camera, she was not annoyed with me. She asked me to bow down my head, while she later prayed for me that I would rise to become a successful photographer in life. I thank God that her prayers came to pass as I later rose to the pinnacle of my career in the profession when I became photo editor of Daily Times. Not only that, photography has also enabled me to visit many countries especially in the sub-West African region. I bought my first camera for two pounds and fifty shillings. With the camera in my possession, I started taking photographs of anything I saw. Any object, individual or building that caught my fancy, I snapped.
I was using my pocket money to print them. It was, however, while I was still in school that I started freelancing for the Daily Times. There was one man called Ajibade Fashina-Thomas, he was the editor in charge of Saturday Highlife. He was always using the photographs I brought to Daily Times. I was going to nightclubs, stadium and other places of interests where I took photos, which he used.
At times he used to invite me to follow other photojournalists to assignments, especially during holidays. I remember there was an occasion I can't ever forget. I was at Onikan swimming pool in Lagos, and suddenly I lifted up my eyes and I saw the prime minister driving past. He was driving himself in a Chevrolet car. I was amazed to see a prime minister driving himself without escort. I decided to follow him. I had an uncle who used to release his motorcycle to me during holiday. I came to the swimming pool with the motorcycle. I quickly rushed to where I parked the motorcycle, mounted it and followed him. Unknown to me he was driving to the Governor-General's house.
That was Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. He was living then at the State House, Marina. On getting there, as soon as the gate was opened for him, I entered with him. The security personnel on duty didn't stop me, because they thought we were coming together. Zik later came out to meet him.
I started taking shots immediately. But Zik later asked about my identity, and I told him that I was a freelance photographer with the Daily Times. He, however, summoned his press secretary, Mr. A. K. Disu, now of blessed memory. Zik asked him to call the police, and immediately I was arrested and taken to police station at Sand Grouse.
The following day, I was charged to court for trespass. At the court, Mr. Agbabiaka, a retired police officer who was then the magistrate at Tinubu Court, and Mr. Aderibigbe, my uncle who was a lawyer came out to defend me. At the end of the trial, the magistrate ruled that I didn't trespass, that the place where I took the photos, the Governor-General's residence, was a public place, and that any citizen has a right to enter the place. I was discharged and acquitted. My detention, and trial story was carried by the BBC. Then I was not a full time staff of Daily Times. But this issue made Daily Times to develop interest in me.
Did you then join Daily Times immediately after leaving school? No, there was an international news agency based in Holland that approached me to be their photographer. I worked with them briefly between 1963-1964. I was taking photographs and sending it back to their country. I later joined Daily Sketch. I was covering Lagos for them.
At what point did you join Daily Times? At that time, I was informed that Alhaji Alade Odunewu (now late) and Chief Areoye Oyebola were interested in my services. I then applied, and was given a letter of appointment as a member of staff.
Some of those people I worked with, apart from Odunewu, and Areoye Oyebola, included Gbolabo Ogunsanwo and Chief Segun Osoba. Shortly after I joined Daily Times, there was a military coup in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. It was then known as Dahomey. I had spent up to two years in Daily Times then. On getting to Cotonou, the man who took over government, Matthew Kerekou, had ordered that military men should mount surveillance in major spots around the country.
These include the airport, broadcasting house and the presidential palace. These places were heavily guarded by stern looking soldiers, yet I was confronted with the problem of how to take good shots. On getting to the presidential palace, I saw heavily armed soldiers. There was no hope of gaining access into the place. But luckily for me, I saw some bricklayers working inside the palace coming out to carry sand.
An idea struck me; I quickly mingled with them, hiding my camera inside a basin, which I put on my head. This idea worked as the military guards quickly passed me with the masons entering the presidential palace. Inside the place, I removed my camera, and proceeded inside the palace. A crew of foreign pressmen was already there, and I immediately started taking shots.
The soldiers thought that I had been given the green light to do so. As I was taking the photos, I later came out to remove the film, which I handed over to the scooter driver that took me to Cotonou. I was the first African photojournalist to have photographs of Kerekou. When the photographs were taken to the head office, the then editor, Chief Segun Osoba used them lavishly on the front pages of Daily Times. He later gave me the nickname, the man at the hot spots, because by this time, I had developed interest in covering crisis prone areas; I mean taking photographs at dangerous spots.
After your first baptism of fire in Cotonou, can you remember other tough assignments you cover? After my first assignment of covering Kerekou's take over of power, I found myself in Cotonou again when a band of mercenaries invaded the country in a bid to topple Kerekou. I also covered Jerry Rawlings' take over of power in Ghana in 1979.
When the mercenaries invaded Cotonou, and the information got to us, I was summoned again, and as usual I quickly took up the challenge. On getting to Cotonou, I saw hell. The invading mercenaries were shelling the airport and I was almost caught in the crossfire between them and soldiers loyal to Kerekou. Under intense shelling, I was taking shots, I remember a bullet whizzed past my head.
While carrying out what I knew how to do best, one of the government soldiers saw me. He pointed his gun at me, and he was corking his rifle with the aim of shooting me before I quickly raised up my hand and identified myself as a Nigerian photo journalist.
The fierce looking soldiers demanded for my identity card, which I showed to them. I was taken by the soldiers to President Kerekou who personally interrogated me, and when he realized that I was on a legitimate assignment, he ordered his soldiers to release me. He also ordered the soldiers to release films of shots I had taken back to me.
Another memorable assignment I can't forget is that of Rawlings coup in Ghana. This was in 1979. I was at an assignment to take shots of a molue bus that plunged into the lagoon with full passengers. On my return to the office, I was informed that I had to proceed immediately to Ghana where Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings had just toppled the government. Two of us went on that assignment, Laja Akindele, a reporter. When we got to Aflao the border was closed. This was border town between Ghana and Togo. I saw a bush path very close to the border; we decided to take a risk by driving my Peugeot car through the bush.
Some soldiers saw us, and inquired about our mission, we told them we were Nigerian journalists, and they allowed us to proceed. We got to Accra by midnight. Upon enquiries about the Presidential Palace where Rawlings was staying, we were told he was in Osu Castle. On getting to Osu, we lodged in a hotel called Pentax Hotel, it was close to Osu Castle. Unknown to us, security agents had been alerted about our arrival.
We were being monitored. But we didn't know that security agents had infiltrated the hotel, and that all the comments we were making praising Rawlings regime were being recorded. On the third day of our arrival, we just saw some security operatives in the night. When we inquired about their mission to our rooms, they told us that the new president had sent for us. When we were brought before Rawlings, who not only granted us an exclusive interview but also took photographs with us. We were in Ghana for almost two weeks. A day before General Acheapong and former Heads of State including General Afrifa were executed on Rawlings' order, we got the information, and quickly rushed to the beach where they were tied to the stake.
It was around 4 a.m. that I got to the execution ground, and I was able to hide behind a rock. I started taking photos when the soldiers arrived and started taking positions. I was the only photojournalist from Nigeria that got that photo, and Daily Times used it prominently on the front page.
Apart from the assignment in Cotonou, and Ghana, are there any other memorable ones, especially that put your life at risk? Those that readily come to my mind are that of Dimka's failed coup which led to the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed. Covering the Orkar coup of 1990 was also challenging.
On that day, I wanted to collect my new car from the Wharf. I was on my way to Apapa when I started hearing gunshots, movement of soldiers and military trucks. I immediately turned back, and proceeded to Obalende where we were told the mutineers had shot General Muhammed inside his Mercedes Benz.
I took some good shots, but again in the process of doing that I was almost killed in exchange of gunfire. Immediately after I dropped the photos in office, I returned to the Military Hospital where Muhammed's corpse was taken. I followed the hearse that took his corpse to airport on the way to Kano. Then in 1985, during the Sallah festival when I was celebrating with relations, we suddenly started hearing martial music, I knew that there was trouble again.
I asked for a radio, and later a voice came on air announcing the sack of Buhari's regime. I immediately forgot all the festivities, and started heading for Lagos. On arriving Bonny camp, soldiers had already taken over everywhere, but I managed to smuggle myself inside in a military jeep.
It was Abacha I saw first, I took his photos in the midst of some senior military officers. Later Babangida joined him, and I took their shots together. During the Orkar coup of 1990, I was also in action. At times, I don't even wait for my editor to call me anytime I heard about crisis going on anywhere.
At Dodan Barracks, it was a battle royale. I have never seen such fierce battle between Orkar's men and Babangida's loyalists. The battle later spread to Obalende, and I managed to manoeuvre my way to the place taking good photos in the process. I covered all coups that took place in Nigeria.
Can you recollect some of those people you worked with in Daily Times? There were so many of them: the late Andy Akporugo, Segun Osoba, Onyema Ugochukwu, Tony Momoh, Tunji Oseni, Tola Adeniyi, Adagogo Jaja. All these people were nice to me.
Osoba would not only give you assignments, he also would ensure that he gives you support that would make you succeed. He was a nice boss. Gbolabo Ogunsanwo was also good to his subordinates. The late Tunji Oseni was also good. He was a thoroughbred professional who refused to compromise on his principle.
I remember when Oseni had a running battle with Obasanjo because Obasanjo wanted him to kill a story. Oseni refused despite the fact that both of them were from Abeokuta. Out of anger, Obasanjo who was then Military Head of State removed Oseni as editor of Daily Times. He was later transferred to Enugu. But later Oseni came back to serve as Managing Director of Daily Times.
What were some of the favourite cameras you used during your active days in service? I started with box cameras, which only had 12 exposures. Later we graduated to black and white cameras. From there, I started using 135 cameras, which has 36 exposures. I also used Kodak, Nikkon, and others. As a photojournalist, you must advance with technology.
Who are some of your contemporaries during your active years in service? When I joined Daily Times, I worked with Yusuf Oladele who was the photo editor. Later, I worked with Akin Adedayo. In those days, we had good photographers who could smell good photographs several kilometres away. But today most of the young photojournalists don't have nose and sight for good photos.
If you know your onions, this job will not only expose you, it will also afford you the opportunity of meeting eminent people, and also travelling to various places. In the course of this profession, I have travelled to different parts of the world. I've covered presidents, governors, and traditional rulers. Photojournalism is a noble job, it open doors for you.
Any regret being a photojournalist? None. If I have to come to this world again, it is the job I will still prefer. I will still remain a photojournalist till my old age. I want to die in action as a photojournalist.
Did security agents ever harass you in your days? There were several occasions when overzealous security operatives had tried to prevent me from doing my job, but I always found ways to manoeuvre and get the result. I will advise upcoming photojournalists never to be discouraged. As professionals, they have a duty to perform, and as such they should not allow security operatives to create obstacle in their way.
What are your best and worst moments? My best moment is any moment I found myself holding a camera taking memorable and historical photos. I also love being assigned dangerous assignments. It always brings the best out in me. Worst moment? I thank God that he has kept me. I'm in good health, I've never for one day been admitted in hospital. God has also been wonderful to my family.
It always give me inner joy that this profession has not only opened doors for me, but has also enabled me to work with many past Nigerian leaders covering their activities with the lens of my camera.
Such a brave and assiduous man.
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