By: ‘dayo Adedayo
In the quiet hours of going through my digital archives, memories etched through a lens since 2002. I found myself overwhelmed by a single truth: Nigeria is breathtaking. Not just in its sprawling landscapes or iconic monuments, but in the spirit of its people.
As I lingered over the images from 2008, I was reminded of the unfiltered joy I’ve captured, smiles unbound by tribe, religion, status, or wealth. Just people. Just happiness.
This geographical space we call Nigeria is more than a nation. It is a living, breathing canvas painted in hues of resilience and rhythm of heritage and hope.
From the green veins of Obudu’s hills to the golden sands of Yobe, from the bustling heartbeat of Lagos to the tranquil hush of the Sokoto Caliphate, every inch of this land tells a story. And nowhere does that story burst forth more vividly than in our festivals.
At the Abuja Carnivals of 2005 and 2008, I stood behind my camera, not just as a photographer but as a witness to the unity that often escaped headlines.
I saw Fulani dancers spinning in perfect cadence, Igbo masquerades cloaked in ancestral pride, Yoruba bata drummers echoing rhythms that connect generations.
I saw Tiv, Kanuri, Itsekiri, Nupe, and Ijaw faces aglow under the sun—different, yet beautifully the same in joy.
The masquerades, oh, the masquerades! Each one is a living relic of our forebears, draped in symbolism and mystery.
Some stride solemnly with regal grace, others leap into laughter, like the unforgettable “Elvis Presley” masquerade that danced its way into our hearts, blending satire with sacred tradition.
I look forward to the day I’ll publish a book solely on these moving testaments of Nigerian heritage.And so I say: forget politics for a while. Let us press pause on the noise and simply think Nigeria.
Think of the warmth in a stranger’s smile in Calabar.
Think of the sunset over Zuma Rock.
Think of the shared laughter in a Lagos danfo.
Think of our jollof, our proverbs, our fabrics, and our festivalsMay peace reign in our hearts, and may love, not the fleeting kind, but the enduring one that transcends difference binds us together.
For when we love ourselves, we begin to live our country the way it was always meant to be lived: with pride, compassion, and shared purpose.
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