If the history of photography in Central Nigeria were to be written, one photographer that must be named is Moses Adeojo. He worked extensively along the Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti axis of present day Nigeria.

My Ph. D thesis in 2016, titled “Historiography of Selected Professional Photographers of North Central Nigeria, 1950 -1980”, featured Adeojo Photos,  as one of the six outstanding photographers of North Central Nigeria between 1950 and 1980. During that period, photography was regarded as a mere craft, therefore, it was yet to be classified as a genre of art, as it is today. The idea of considering works of photography as mere craft denied most photographers who practiced in Nigeria before the 1980s, the fortune of being acknowledged as visual artists. Their works were not valued as artistic creations and, therefore, undocumented in art history. Only a few of the photographers of that era have their works catalogued or documented as works of art. This is why it is critical to review the history of Adeojo Photos photography practice and situate it properly in art history.

The news of the death of Chief Moses Adeojo (of Adeojo Photos) on the 28th of February 2023, in Ilorin,  at the age of 95 as announced on Facebook by one of his daughters, Oluwaseyi Adeojo Yasalem, came as a sad development for many. It is a great loss to the art and photography profession, and a worrisome one, because not much has been done to document the professional history of this great photography icon. 

Chief Moses Adeojo popularly known as Adeojo Photos was born on 2nd February 1928 at Obbo Aiyegunle in Kwara State. He was one of the most versatile photographers of Central Nigeria between the 1950s and 1980s. He attended St. Luke Anglican School, Obbo Aiyegunle. In 1952, Adeojo had his first contact with photography as a student. He saw a photographer in his school premises and was immediately interested. He then, approached the photographer to express his interest in his fascinating equipment (camera) and the photographer accepted to teach him. According to Adeojo, no one from his family was into photography as at that time.

Between the 1950s and 1980s, Adeojo practised mainly around Obbo Aiyegunle, Omu – Aran, Egbe and other communities within the, then, Kwara State. According to him, he shuttled between these areas for five years. The areas span the present-day Kwara and Kogi States. His area of focus was the Igbomina, Ekiti and Yabga tribes of the Central Nigeria. Adeojo expressed photography in those days as a roving profession; he traveled from one location to another. For photography in that period, mobility was essential. Adeojo’s passion for photography was evident in his creativity and prolificity. He went on to bring about a photography revolution within the area he practised. As one of the pioneering photographers of the area, many of the photographers who practiced between 1950s and the 1980s in the area were directly or indirectly influenced by him. Some who trained directly under him were authorized to use the franchise (Adeojo Photos). The adoption of name was for two reasons. One, as a photography trainee, you could not have your own signage on the photos you took, and the second reason which in this case is very important, is to associate with a known and successful brand. Some of the photographers he trained did this to gain acceptance before they changed signage to their own names. Some others maintained the name throughout their professional practice.

Adeojo eventually opened a studio in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, where again he became one of the most renowned photographers. Some of the photographers who studied under him were Babalola Aina from Egbe, Kogi State (formerly, Kwara State) who was under training between 1955 and 1959; and Titus Adewunmi  (of Adewunmi Photo House) from Odo-Ere, also in Kogi State (formerly, Kwara State). Adeojo might have seen his profession just as a trade, but a study of his photographs reveals that he approached his compositions with obvious knowledge of the principles of art. His photographs between 1960 and 1980 were essentially portraiture, group photos and a few architectural photographs.  As at that time, photography was yet to be seen as a genre of art in Nigeria, his images were artistically rendered in such a way that they tell volumes about mood, style and history when one looks intently at them. When asked if he considered photography as a craft or art, he responded that it is both, because you manually operate the camera when you snap and print, then he noted further that “in photography, printing is very essential, it is a craft because one’s skills are utilized in the shooting and printing process”. Adeojo sees photography as historic documentation; he states that “photography helps in bringing back old and lost memories”. This is true as many of his images now tell stories of life, culture and the people of the 1950s and 1980s.

As stated earlier, not much has been written about the photography guru whose influence on contemporary Nigerian photographers is remarkable. His impact on photography in Nigeria, particularly Central Nigeria, cannot be overemphasized. Many of the most successful photographers around the locality where he practiced (Kwara and Kogi) between 1970 and 1980, were directly or indirectly influenced by him. Undoubtedly, this influence has trickled down to contemporary photographers. His documentary of schools and institutions reveals a lot about education history in Central Nigeria.  Adeojo left a legacy as far as photography practice in Central Nigeria is concerned; his images speak volumes as far as the people and their culture are concerned.

It would be expected that the government of Kwara state and art organisation would find a way to honour, posthumously, the vast Photographer who documented the people and culture of that area.

Ayo Adewunmi Ph.D

Artist/Photographer