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Octogenarian
photographer, J.D. Okhai Ojeikere`s ‘Sartorial Moments and the Nearness
of Yesterday’, opened at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Yaba,
Lagos on October 1 to acclaim from viewers.

Unlike his famous
photographs of Nigerian hairstyles of the 60s and 70s, works that were
displayed at the exhibition were Nigerian fashion photographs of the
pre-Independence and Indepence era. However, three images from the
hairstyles series still made their way into the exhibition, curated by
Bisi Silva.

The about 50 black
and white framed photographs feature people in fashionable dresses at
different occasions. There are some showing a wedding of the 60s with
the bride and groom attired in Aso Oke, while there are also group and
individual photographs of women smiling into Ojeikere’s lens. There is
a touching one of a woman assisting her husband with his necklace,
while belles of the period in hot numbers are also featured.

Pre Independence
and Independence campus fashion did not escape the documentarist as he
captured images of students at the University College, Ibadan (now
University of Ibadan) and the University College Hospital (UCH) from
around 1958 to 1963.

Welcoming guests to
the opening, Silva began on a note of gratitude. She thanked all for
making time for the event and explained that it was a three-in-one
celebration incorporating Pa Ojeikere’s 80th birthday, “60 years of
incredible photography”, and 50 years of Nigeria’s Independence. She
reserved special thanks for Ojeikere “ for this incredible body of
works of his” she spent two and half months going through.

Silva further
disclosed that the CCA had, in the last one year, been exploring the
intersections of art, fashion and identity as part of its interest in
post-coloniality and its related ambivalence. Pa Ojeikere’s fashion
photographs, she said, helps in giving a peep into Nigeria’s cultural
heritage. The founder of CCA also noted the skills Ojeikere has
demonstrated in his photography, adding that the exhibition was an
“opportunity to show the world the diversity of his practice in
fashion, architecture and Television.”

Silva said that
apart from being honoured that Pa Ojeikere agreed to work with her,
going through his archives have raised more questions about Nigerian
history, for her. “What of the earlier photographers, those in the
1900s and before, what happened to them?” Asked Silva who disclosed
that she has started researching into the past.

In a short speech
at the occasion, Pa Ojeikere thanked Silva, the CCA, his children and
his wife who was also present. “I am honoured that such a great number
of people are gathered here because of my work,” he concluded.

Commenting on the
exhibition, Pascal Ott of the French School, Victoria Island, and an
associate of the photographer, said though the photographs are not new
to him, “I am enjoying myself because I know most of these pictures but
I have not seen them on the wall like this.”

Another guest, Bowo
Olateru-Olagbegi, said, “I think it’s a very nice exhibition and it
brings old memories, particularly when you see someone like Pa
Ojeikhere at 80 and he’s still taking photographs, it’s quite a
challenge. He challenges you that if somebody like that can still be up
and going at 80, it tells you that he still has many more years ahead.
But the pictures themselves speak volumes and it’s quite exciting. I
really appreciate what the man has done.”

In a chat with
NEXT, Pa Ojeikere disclosed that he was just having fun when he started
taking the pictures. “I never knew anything about exhibition then. I
was taking it for artistic sake, artistic interest. I wasn’t taking
them for any purpose, except people who came to me in the university to
take their portraits.”

Most of the
photographs, he said, were taken at UCI, UCH , Saint Theresa and Saint
Annes, all in Ibadan because he spent most of his time in the city.

“I feel very happy,
of course. I’m grateful to God for giving me the energy and the wisdom
to have taken these pictures and preserve them,” he disclosed on how he
felt with the photographs being in the public domain.

Asked how he
preserved the photographs, Ojeikere said, “When the pictures were taken
I kept the negative, That’s divine direction. Any picture I take, I
keep the negative.” He added that even when moving house, “The cupboard
containing my negative were usually in my bedroom. When I move, I move
them first.”

Sartorial Moments
and the Nearness of Yesterday is at the Centre for Contemporary Art, 9
McEwen Street, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, till October 14.