Events  

Abuja Photo Festival hosts youth empowerment, global connections

By Lucy Ladidi Ateko

26 October 2024   |   9:37 pm

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The Abuja International Photo Festival, a transformative platform for young Nigerian creatives, is gaining traction as it empowers youths in the creative industry and connects them with global experts. Now in its 8th year, the festival was founded by Osaze Efe to bridge gaps he encountered in his early career. “When I started in 2012,…

The Abuja International Photo Festival, a transformative platform for young Nigerian creatives, is gaining traction as it empowers youths in the creative industry and connects them with global experts.

Now in its 8th year, the festival was founded by Osaze Efe to bridge gaps he encountered in his early career.

“When I started in 2012, opportunities were scarce, so I thought, why not create something here in Abuja?” Efe explained, noting how the festival has empowered over 3,000 photographers and filmmakers by providing mentorship and access to career-building opportunities.

Without access to Lagos’ established creative hubs, Efe built a platform in Abuja to foster mentorship and support young people’s creative ambitions.

Today, the festival has become a beacon for the Nigerian creative economy, inspiring a generation of artists to drive change in Nigeria’s creative landscape.

“The aim is to amplify Nigerian arts and culture, bringing young people into the creative economy and connecting them with both local and international voices,” Efe remarked.

Past festival participants, including award-winning photographers, have used connections made at the event to launch careers with international agencies.

One of such talent is Mayor Otu, who credits the festival with helping him build a global career in photography. Other notable young creatives, like David Dawali, John Peters and others, who have all similarly leveraged festival connections to gain international recognition.

Speaking on the importance of resilience, Efe said, “Despite funding challenges, community support has been essential to our growth.”

He encouraged attendees to return each year with proof of their growth, urging them to act on what they’ve learned and continue inspiring others.

Onye Ubanatu, an African Creative entrepreneur, shared his experience supporting festival creatives with cameras, lens and tools, recounted an emotional moment when an attendee received a long-desired camera lens.

“It felt like God was at work, using us to touch people’s lives,” he said, encouraging young artists to “keep thriving” and stay connected to their artistic vision.

He said, “The future of the country for creatives depends on how well we connect with fellow entrepreneurs to share knowledge” he also reminded them that your legacy as a creative is not in the finished product, but in the process.

International photographer Obinna Obioma, who traveled from New York for the event, also expressed his hope to inspire young photographers.

“I want them to see photography as a viable career. “It’s a craft that can support families, enrich lives, and showcase our Nigerian heritage and culture,” Obioma shared.

Reflecting on the festival’s theme, Rythms of Resilience , Obioma emphasized the power of resilience amid Nigeria’s challenges, describing image-making as a way to offer hope to the public.

Obioma, born and raised in Nigeria, shared his own journey, crediting his mother for gifting him his first camera and his mentor, Big H, for guiding him.

“From there, it’s been about putting in the hard work and resilience needed to build a career,” he said.

Obioma offered a message of perseverance to this year’s attendees: “Don’t give up. Keep striving to be the best, keep producing, and keep sharing your work. With dedication and grace, success will come.”

As the festival concluded, Bayo Omoboriowo, the official Photographer to the former President, who was surprised to see the huge turnout of creatives in the pursuit of knowledge said “With the current challenges we are facing as a continent, storytellers are the vehicle that can take us to the right destination by telling unique stories that resonate with the World and positions Nigeria and Africa in good light, so people see the value of who we are as a people and our nation takes its rightful place in the committee of nations”.