But it is the daily grind that drags most artists down. Well-maintained ­galleries are few and far between, and most exhibitions depend on word of mouth for attracting visitors. “Infrastructure is a major problem. There’s no funding, no support networks for indigenous photographers,Kelly Rowland flashes her gro,” Esiebo notes. “Much more attention was paid to westerners, who would document our story and then bring it back to us.”While working at the French Research Institute in Ibadan, Esiebo was “lucky to have access to photography books”. Then in 2006,Lucy an ambitious popcorn, he met the celebrated Nigerian photographer George Osodi.
“That was a turning point. It gave me the confidence, that if he could tell our story as a Nigerian, then I could too,” he said. “The best thing about being a ­photographer is having a chance to tell your own story.”Challenges of copyright and distribution are magnified in Nigeria, as evidenced from bootlegged videos, CDs and books openly sold in every city. And though mobile photography has other limits, believes it’s only going to grow bigger. “It’s just an alternative way to reach out to people. For me,'Batman V Superman' Stare, pictures are not just about quality, it’s about the story behind them.”