For a second successive time, another budding female photographer has emerged winner of this year’s photography contest organized this year by the Fashola Photography Foundation (FPF) and curated by Temple Management Company (TMC), a pan-African talent agency and event company.
Ebun Akinbo, a young talented full-time photographer based in Lagos shone high among a group of 10 finalists to snap up the top prize of Canon Camera as well as an exclusive exhibition at the Lagos Photo Festival holding in October this year.
The duo of Oyedeji Fawaz, 2nd runner-up, and Nnamezie Asogwa, 1st runner-up won, Apple Mac Book Air and Nikon Camera, respectively. Other contestants who participated include Anthony Onyejesi, Ralph Eluehike, Adedokun Oluwatoyin, Akhenebiri Joshua, Adekunle Bryan, Christopher Nelson and Stephanie Ugwu.
It would be recalled that last year, the duo of Vivian Nwobi and Kehinde Yusuf emerged winners and underwent a month-long training course at the New York Film Academy.
The winners were unveiled at a private ceremony which held in Lagos and was hosted by children of the late Alhaji AdemolaFashola. They were led by Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing (PWH), Babatunde Raji Fashola, his wife, Dame Abimbola Fashola, brother, Tokunbo Fashola among other members of the family.
While accepting the prize, Ebun said, “I want to thank my colleagues, without you, I wouldn’t have won. You brought out my real self. It never looked like a competition; it was like a team bonding exercise. I am excited to be a winner.”
Commending the winner, ex-Governor Fashola saluted her humility and sportsmanship for acknowledging her co-finalists. He added, “I would like to say this especially to my siblings that women have really taken over. “While the prizes were announced, nobody felt any sense of shortcoming but that of fulfillment for having participated. For me, that is a very important spirit and value for our nation today and I feel privilege that my family is involved with something that is contentious yet not acrimonious. They are very strong values. A sense of competition; the nation needs it. Our communities and homes will thrive with competition and it will increase productivity.”
It was the climax of a one-week free intensive workshop where the budding photographers were exposed to street photography, documentary-making, video art and portraiture, as well as developing curatorial and technical skills.
The exercise was helmed by professionals including Uche OkpaIroha, Charlotte Langhorst, Adeola Olagunju, Uche James Iroha, Isaac Emokpae and Tam Fiofori. Other facilitators include Emmanuel Oyeleke, OyindaFakeye, Abraham Oghobase, Lukman Olaonipekun (Lukesh) and Logor Oluwamuyiwa Adeyemi.
About Fashola Photography Foundation (FPF)
The Fashola Photographic Foundation was founded with the aim to support, promote and develop the art and technology of visual arts- photography, cinematography and videography in Nigeria. Programs lined up for community engagement each year include a series of contests for Emerging and Professional photographers, portfolio reviews, exhibitions and more to serve as platforms for participants to gain recognition in the region for their artistic and technical achievements. Other objectives include:
-To organize exhibitions, seminars, workshops and publications to raise awareness and develop critical thinking in contemporary photographic Art in Nigeria.
-To establish a resource centre of photographic related texts for consultation, research and documentation
-To establish a public database of photographers, photographic organisations and galleries in Nigeria
The foundation was founded in honour of the memory of Late Alhaji Ademola Fashola, himself a talented photographer and avid lover of the artform.
