JD Ojeikere: Exit of a photographer extraordinaire

Pa Ojeikere

ADA DIKE

A visit to the house of one of the foremost photographers in Nigeria, Pa JD 'Okhai Ojeikere, at No. 6, Ogunbanwo Street, Ketu, Lagos, confirmed that a photography icon has departed from mother earth.

Beside his large personal photograph at his balcony upstairs, were some elderly men and women signing a condolence register and others sitting in his living room and discussing in low tones. His living room surely showed that he was a professional and season photographer as his family pictures adorned the walls.

The family of this prominent photographer announced that he died in Lagos on Sunday, February 2, 2014 at the age of 83, after a brief illness.

Born in 1930 in Ovbiomu-Emai in Edo State, Nigeria, he began taking pictures with a Brownie D camera when he was 20 years old in a village in south-western Nigeria where he grew up. He started working as a darkroom assistant in the photographic department of Ibadan's Ministry of Information in 1954.

Few years after Nigeria gained independence, he became a photographer for the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Services, and in 1963 he moved to Lagos.

Popularly known for his series of about 1,000 black and white photos of African hairstyles series in the late 1960s after he joined the Nigerian Arts Council and began documenting the country's culture, last year a selection of them was shown at the Venice Biennale and were also exhibited at Documenta in 2007, and in many galleries and museums. Also, a selection of Ojeikere's hairstyle photographs was shown at the Venice Biennale in 2013.

His other photographs included iconic buildings of Lagos as they were being built, including the National Theatre, among others.

Some of his solo exhibitions among others include: 2011; J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Moments of Beauty
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland and Center for Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria, 2010; Sartorial Moments, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria, 2005; Hairstyles Maison de France, Lagos – Nigeria and Blaffer Gallery, Houston – USA, 2002; Hairstyles Wedge Gallery, Toronto – Canada, 200; J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, MAMCO, Geneva – Switzerland, 2000; J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, Paris – France, 1996; Nigerian Traditional Hairstyle, Goethe-Institut Lagos, Lagos – Nigeria and 1995; J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, National Arts Council, Lagos – Nigeria.
Selected group exhibitions he participated in are: 2013; International Art Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy, 2013; Sartorial Moments and the Nearness of Yesterday, Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, USA, 2013; Paris Photo Los Angeles Art Fair, Paramount Pictures Studios. Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2012/2013; Sept 18 - July 14 2013, Cheveux Chéris, Quai Branley, Paris, 2012; Portraits et Identités - The Walther Collection - Burlafingen, Germany, 2012; Drawing Now - Salon du dessin contemporain, Magnin-A - Paris, France, 2011; Paris Photo, Grand Palais, Arthur Walther Collection,
2011; Art Paris Art Fair - Magnin-A Paris - Grand Palais, France, 2011; ARS 11` - Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art - Helsinki, Finland, 2010/2011;The Global African Project, Museum of Arts and Design, NY, 1983; «Ten top Photographers » National Museum, Lagos – Nigeria and 1978; Photography in Advertising, 50th Anniversary of Lintas Limited, Lagos – Nigeria.
Below are some of his selected bibliography: 2010; Events of the Self: Portraiture and Social Identity. Contemporary African Photography from The Walther Collection. Steidl, 2009; Willis, Deborah. Posing Beauty African American Images from the 1890s to the Present. New York: Norton, 2008;
Harney, Elizabeth editor. Flava:Wedge Curatorial Projects 1997-2007.Toronto: Wedge Curatorial Projects, 2006; 100% Africa, Exhibition Catalogue. TF Editors & FMGB Bilbao: Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, 2001; Century City : art and culture in the modern metropolis, Exhibition Catalogue, Tate Modern, Tate Editions.
2000; Magnin, André. J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere/Photographs. Germany: Cartier Foundation with Scalo,
and 1996; Nigerian Traditional Hairstyles, Exhibition Catalogue, Goethe- Institut: Lagos.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Helen Afegbua and five children –four males and a female. One of his sons, Amaize, is also a famous photographer in Nigeria. His family told Daily Newswatch that his burial arrangements would be announced later.