Monday, 10 February 2014

My father was passionate about his family and photography -Ehiz Ojeikere



Ehiz Ojeikere, 53, is first son of Late Pa Ojeikere. The civil engineer speaks with ADA DIKE on the passion his late father had on photography.

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Can tell us about your father?
My father had slight fever some days ago. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated. Suddenly, things changed. So he gave up the ghost last Sunday.

What aspect of your father’s life are you going to miss as his son?
There are two things my father loved as his passion – his children and his work. He loved us with all his hearts. In everything we were involved in, he made sure he encouraged us. He inspired us and asked questions about what we were doing and wanted things we were involved in to succeed. I will miss that. He was quite concerned about us and about how were doing.
For his work, though I am not an artist, I will miss that his exemplary life of being dedicated to a cause. Today, we celebrate him as a photographer but many years ago, he wasn’t getting returns but he was there. Those two things – his family and his works were dear to him.
 It was a model for me a person because my father showed me how to do things I love doing. He was not involved in photography for just doing it but involved in it because his whole life was attached to it.

What special work did he do that made him so popular?
Some of his works that got international acclaim are his work on hairstyle of yesteryears and others. He met some people when he wanted to do it but many did not take interest in doing it but he held on to it until people were interested in that particular work.
We found out that it wasn’t something he started with hairstyles; all his works were popularly arranged. They were categorised including events, people, weddings and so on.
He had so much passion in taking pictures of traditional and cultural events about Nigeria and Africa. Whenever he meets someone and asked them where they came from, he would tell them that he went to their village at so so time to cover so so event. He covered many dance troupes, masquerades, culture and foods of many places. He did a lot. Beyond the hairstyles, he was involved in covering masquerades. He covered Argungu festival several times.

Who was sponsoring his trips to all the places he went to cover events?
Most of the time, he sponsored himself. But he was sponsored by advertising companies, organisations and individual for contract jobs he did for them.  

He was a documentary photographer that was very popular in promoting art and culture through photography. What made him tick?
The other day, I was reading the Bible and came across the verse that says: Seeing a man diligent in his work, he will sit with kings and princes and will not sit among mean men (Paraphrase).”
Many young people want success without working for it. He worked hard. He used to say that he had two things: biological children and his camera. His camera was so precious to him like his children.
My father worked harder despite the challenges he came across, he didn’t wait for money or for somebody to encourage him.

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