Nigeria Content Online

NEXT’s contributor,
Tam Fiofori’s photography exhibition ‘1979: A Peep into History and
Culture’ has gone on display at the palace of the Oba of Benin, Benin
City, Edo State. A major feature of the exhibition are images of the
coronation of Omo N’Oba N’Edo Ukuakpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa,
photographed by Fiofori on March 23, 1979. The exhibition, first shown
last year at the Didi Museum in Lagos, has recently moved to the
Hexagon in Benin City, where it had been on display for three weeks.

At the Oba of
Benin’s request, the exhibition was moved from the Hexagon to the Oba’s
Palace, for a long weekend’s view, from Friday April 16 to Monday April
19, 2010.

Oba Erediauwa led
his entourage of chiefs to view the exhibition. Seeing hitherto
unexhibited images of his coronation ceremonies and related cultural
activities from 31 years ago, the king asked Fiofori, “You mean you
were there?” The Oba of Benin then acquired four of the works for the
palace archives.

The ‘1979’ Exhibition becomes the first photography exhibition to
have been held at the very prestigious Oba’s Palace. A travelling
exhibition, ‘1979’ is scheduled to move to other venues in Nigeria and
overseas, soon.