Two weeks back, precisely 5th of August, 2017, the Fashola Photographic Foundation was launched at the City Hall, Lagos Island, Lagos.
The foundation was in the memory of Pa Ibrahim Ademola Fashola, father of the Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Raji Fashola’s who died 4 years ago at 79. Late Pa. Ibrahim Ademola Fashola had a strong passion for photography.
Late Pa. Fashola was born on 25th September, 1933 in Lagos to Raji Olayinka Fashola and Sidikat Amori Fashola (nee Shomade) both of blessed memory. When he was 2 years old, he moved to Acheamong Town, Gold Coast in Ghana with his grandmother, Mama Kike.
He grew up there until 1938 before being brought back to Nigeria and left in the care of his paternal grandfather, Tiyamiyu Bashorun Fashola, the first born of Alfa Bello Fashola.
Upon his return to Nigeria, he could only speak Fanti Language and only his mother, Alhaja Sidikat Fashola could converse with him. That was when he first met his brother, Bolaji Gazal Fashola.
Communication was sparse, owing to language barrier, which led him to being nicknamed “Demola Kogbede”.
Pa. Fasola started his primary education at St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Idumagbo Lagos from 1938/39 before going on to Ade Oshodi Memorial School. He later attended Methodist Boys’ High School, Broad Street, Lagos until 1954. He worked briefly at the Clerical department of General Hospital, Lagos before proceeding to England for further studies in 1956.
He returned from England in 1967 to take up an appointment with the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc as an Advert Manager, a job he was very passionate about. He became the pioneer General Manager at Times Leisure Service and served in that capacity until he resigned his appointment.
He also rendered public service when he served as Secretary to the Surulere Local Government. A widely travelled man, he lived in many countries, including the United State of America (USA) and enjoyed taking vacations in different parts of the globe. He particularly had a deep passion for photography; a hobby he continued till his death.
Two weeks back, at Lagos City Hall on Lagos Island, the Hon. Minister recounted his days with his father and he also revealed the first gift he got from him. According to him: “Our father passed on four years ago, 21 days to his 80th birthday. For so many years, his services reached so many places and touched so many lives beyond what we could contemplate. There are so many people who knew him in different ways: from his days in college, to his days in the United Kingdom, (UK) to his days in the Daily Times, to his affiliation across many different social groups and families. I still meet many relations whom I never knew before. My father, somehow served as a multi-rooted man; as if he connected everyone.
So, when he passed on,after his burial, my siblings and I began to think what we will do in his honour and celebration of his simple, but very profound life and somehow, we all agreed that photography was a deep passion for him and not only him; I still have some of my Uncles, who still have this traits. There is something with them and photography. I got my first camera from my father at my 13th birthday. He gave me a more professional camera when I was 21. It was the camera he had used in Germany during his school days, unfortunately, I don’t know where it is today (smiles), but interestingly, the thing about that camera was that, that was my first real exposure to film, to light, to aperture, to lens management.
And throughout my University days, I was on the side behind a camera, my friends would always be in the front of the lens, but I still have records of those photographs, which invoke most memories; personal records of what happened many years ago.
“Long and short of it, we thought if there is anything we could do in his honour, something that he had passion for, it has to be photography.
“So, we agreed; we registered the foundation; it’s not registered as a profit organisation under the Corporate Affairs Commission. The trustees are some of my siblings and some are photographers, who want to serve, and some we called.
We thought if we did something like photography, it would help us to reach many people and I am happy because we had about over a thousand entries to this initiative, but our plan is to launch the foundation. Hopefully, in time to come, it would assume another dimension in which everyone of you who have come to celebrate with us would be a critical and important part owners. This is very, very important. The prize for the winner as we would have it here today is for all expenses paid trips to the New York Film Academy, for the successful winner of this first exhibition.
“We would welcome the ideas on how to improve on it. All that we ask is that, you should bring these ideas, allow us to do it with you in honour of our father and through you; working together we will perhaps be able to cross many more bridges. I have had people who come to me and say, how can we contribute to this and I told them to come and see what we are doing. If there is a way your spirit moves you, make your suggestions to us. I listened to the speech given about photography earlier on and I think it is a speech that should be kept on the website of this foundation, to first inform those who look at photography as something unimportant. To also inform photographers that they have a difficult job at hand and they must remain inquisitive and be creative in how they do it. In the course of my tenure as a governor, I have wondered why our phtographers all stand in front of us and kept us from seing the real event we came to watch; part of the problem is that they use wrong equipment, and part of the the reasons is that they dress improperly for the event.
Some of the best press photographers I have seen used to sit on the floor and sitting on the floor you get the best shot angles and the best angle for a shot. So, if you are in this business, understand that it’s a profession and practice will make you perfect. Interestingly, as I was telling you about my father and his brothers, who represent the fourth generation of the Fashola family, my generation is the 5th and my children’s are the 6th. So, in a way this infected me, I try to sterilise my son of photography, but somehow, much as I tried it’s a battle I could not win.
– ISAAC ABIMBADE
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