Engineer Adamu Ajunam is a multi-talented artist. Apart from making photography his second nature and profession, he is also a painter, a classical fine artist. With his world-class gallery at Surulere, Lagos, named Anthill Global Gallery and Studio, he has come to display, market and showcase some of the most electrifying photos taken by him over the years. He speaks to EDOZIE UDEZE.
Adamu Ajunam is a passionate photographer. In fact, he lives, breathes and enthuses photography. Although a trained engineer by profession, he had in the past attended some of the best and foremost photography schools around the world, receiving trainings in all aspects of photography. Now owner of Anthill Global Gallery, and Studio, Surulere, Lagos, he has come to make this aspect of the art quite enviable. Through the exposition of some of the most outstanding scenic views and patterns in Nigeria, he has also written a lot of photo and historical books to embellish his profession and draw world attention to Nigeria’s many faunas and floras.
He worked with Julius Berger Plc for over thirty years. Having retired a few years ago, he decided to go full time into photography gallery business. Now situated on Nnobi Street, Surulere, Lagos, Ajunam has enough time to play with and develop photos of all sizes. The gallery is a beehive of photos; it harbours the best crops of scenes; market scenes and beaches and streets and peoples. All of these were taken at different times and periods in different locations. They all speak volumes about Nigeria, nay other parts of the world where he had been privileged to travel to. And he has indeed travelled a lot.
He says thus in an interview: “I retired as an engineer after over thirty years with Julius Berger. Then I went into my second profession which is photography. I studied it as well in some of the best institutions in the world. Now, this is a photography gallery and studio. I dare to say it is the only photo gallery dedicated entirely to photos in Lagos”. For him, the transition from the multi-national into his private business was not too tough. “While at Berger, I learnt some aspects of business operations, ethics and values. I knew all along I’d get into this. So I did not waste time in learning the act and art early enough. This has helped me to transpose from a worker into an owner of a business concern. All the experiences I gathered at Bergers have helped me a great deal. They are indelible”.
He chose Nnobi Street for some reasons. One, the business premises in his own property. “Before I finally retired, it took me quite a while to locate this place. I’d have gladly be in Ikoyi or Victoria Island, but my purse could not take me to those places. As at now when people come here they are surprised at the level of the photos we have here. They are delighted. However because of the location, they are often unable to buy. The studio has some of the best photographs you can imagine anywhere in Nigeria”.
With degrees and diplomas from New York Studio Academy, New York Photo School and London School of Photography, he is well-grounded to fit into this profession. “I am not into paparazzi. No, I do real life photos as part of my role to document faunas, scenes and more, for the sake of posterity. Soon, some events in time and space may be forgotten, but with these remarkable photos, one would look back into time and remember”. More or less, his works serve as reference points for photo scholars, researchers and historians who may have recourse into time.
This is why he does not develop or print his pictures in a hurry. He takes his time to edit, re-edit and reset. Thereafter, he allows them to ferment and appreciate. Over time this routine has come to make him the best
professional in this regard. From the numerous photos in the gallery, one could see scenes, mainly people-oriented, that show him as a serious and committed docu-photographer. Ajunam loves to photograph uncommon street values, places that depict real, down-to-earth shows in Nigeria. His photos are easily discernible; easily attuned to realities. And he rummages in the euphoria for it gives him pure and undiluted satisfaction to identify with the people.
He continues: “If God permits I will make this place a museum of photography… In my childhood days in the North where I was born, it was good to see a beautiful Nigeria then. The things that happened were good. So part of my work now is to transfer some of those memories into photo and book and film forms in this museum. This is also one of the reasons I write those historic and remarkable photo books relating to Nigerian history in photos and more. These come with challenges, which tend to slow you down a bit. But for me, the dream is still there. By making it a museum, the dream would have been totally actualized”.
The book he wrote on Nigeria entitled Nigeria – A Harvest of Nature, says it all. Apart from being an encyclopedia of Nigerian scenic views of old and modern, it takes into account the geography, the vegetation and physical features of Nigeria. It also dwells on climate, population, pioneer explorers, history, native authorities and more. The book is an expose on people, some traditional rulers of some important towns and settlement within this enclave. In them all, Ajunam is thorough, scholarly and expository. All of the events and scenes come with the appropriate photos; photos that depict uncommon factual facts and how the facts have shaped the society, redirecting motives and moods.
For him, “I have travelled vastly in Nigeria. Things that need to be documented for tomorrow have to be taken care of now. I don’t want to explode too quickly. I want to retain photography. I want to archive what I have today for tomorrow. Things that happened forty years ago, for instance, remain in my memory. About the same time span in the North, Christmas was celebrated by all. Then Northerners admired Christians in their Christmas dresses; very colourful, with different masquerades and all. All those issues no longer happen. But if you have pictures of them and then document so for history, that will be very remarkable. Those are the sorts of things that I am delighted to do”.
The beauty of the gallery is accentuated by the avalanche of such pictures. The scenes from Abuja Carnival, from the Dubar, from Obudu Cattle Ranch, from masquerades, all adorn the hall. The old scenes of Ojuelegba, Badagry, Badiya, Mile 12, the Rail way, abandoned ships in the high-sea and others add unprecedented value and beauty to his collections.
And taking you round the hall with the appropriate explanations make the photos appear fresh, alive and more valuable.
Ajunam’s passion is indeed incontrovertible in relation to the camera, to the lenses and to photographs. He wears a long, impeccable smile on his face once he begins to take you round. The tallow on his face glitters. You could see him bristle and bubble with aplomb, an energy that is unstoppable, indescribable. “It is my second passion, no, not really, it is my second profession”, he enthuses with joyfulness. “We need therefore to transfer all these to the next generation, next, next generation and more. I have travelled to over thirty states in the country for this. It is my intention to do more”.
He likes the motor-bike scenes. “Yes the okada mode of transportation is good. All the government has to do is to regulate their operation, make them be more orderly. That way, incessant cases of accidents and other ugly sides of it would have been eliminated”, he says. This is why there are many of such photos in his collections. The scenes of okada therein are arousing, showing in truth that they have to be regulated to function well. “Even in some developed nations okada mode of transportation are invaluable means of movement. There are places where cars or vehicles cannot get to, then okada becomes useful”, he clarifies.
Besides, the gallery comes in sections, stretching deeper inside the foyers. Each section or compartment displays picture taken over time. Yet, he confesses he does not cover or take delight in reporting social events such as wedding. “No, I don’t do that”, he quickly says. “I go to places to do what will last a long time in history”. However people go to the studio asking to learn one or two techniques about modern photography and how to make it a serious profession. “But I don’t give them time to do so”, he noted with a glimmer of satisfaction on his face. “Yes, some people try to consult me on how to make photography big business”.
He believes nonetheless that some of his docu-shows can help the Nollywood stars in their acting. “Yes most of them do not have enough historical facts on Nigerian history. That is why you see plenty of juju scenes, often without depth. Some of the things I document can be of help to them”. In other words, the Nollywood sector can conveniently liaise with him to produce properly structured scripts to set Nigerian film history right and correct.
“There are stories embedded in pictures”, he states. And the history of the nation are better seen and understood by the people concerned. “I will try to be focused and play the little role I can. I am an artist too. I paint; I draw. But photography is my foremost medium of expression because I have enough materials to do so”, he states matter-of-factly. However, he complains he cannot safely travel these days due to insecurity. “I have been to Sambisa forest twice but I cannot go there now. And to so many places I cannot also travel to now. It is so unfortunate”, he bemoans. For now he says he needs plenty of quietness and serenity to be able to produce the best pictures ever. “Serenity is good for this business. Even for now, I have plenty of photos I still have to develop” he concludes, beaming with smile.