Taiwo Olusola-Johnson’s Tale of Resilience

Yinka Olatunbosun

Within the arts community in Lagos, the indefatigable photographer, Taiwo Olusola Johnson otherwise known as TOJ is a ubiquitous individual. Known to all as the official photographer of the leading cultural hub in Lagos, Freedom Park, TOJ has captured and documented many historical events at the Park and beyond. Lagos International Jazz Festival, Lagos Theatre Festival, Eko Theatre Carnival, Lagos Book and Arts Festival, Afropolitan Vibes, Felabration, Soyinka at 80 are just a few of the events that he had covered.

Behind his camera lies an incredible story of resilience. Like most young Nigerians, TOJ left the Nigerian shores in search of greener pastures in different parts of Africa for five years after his OND programme. When it finally dawned on him to return to his motherland, he met the film maker, Femi Odugbemi in church.

“It was when I discovered that he was a filmmaker that I spoke to him that I’d like to go to a film school. He encouraged me,’’ he recounted. TOJ’s father, Akanbi Taiwo was a multi-instrumentalist and a percussionist with the legendary juju musician, Chief Ebenezer Obey. So, he thought he could also try his hands on music. After a year, he gave up on his music dreams. And then, Femi Odugbemi decided to sponsor him to the PEFTI film school.

“After that, I went through a lot of online training- Canon, Nikon and other online platforms. I worked with Femi Odugbemi for a year and later I joined Nike Art Gallery where I happened to be the official photographer for four years. One day, I met Mr. Theo Lawson. I have known him for a long time. I had been coming to Freedom Park and I discovered that no one was documenting the park. So, I approached him on Keith Richards’ birthday. I told him that Felabration was approaching. Someone should document it. He agreed and I covered Felabration for a week. I presented the pictures to him. After seeing them, he said, ‘You have been too far away from me- work with me’.”

A tiny work space was made available for TOJ at the park in lieu of salary; all he needed to do was to document events and upload the pictures online. If you’re wondering how he survives on doing a selfless job, he revealed that the people he’d met through Freedom Park events had engaged him for coverage.

“Even when I was in Nike Arts Gallery, I was not a salary-earner. Mama Nike would just introduce me to an ambassador, for instance. ‘This is my son; he is our official photographer. He is a good boy o.’ That was how I made my money which could pay ten people’s salaries. Photography was just what I chose even though I studied film making. I have done behind the scenes photography for Tunde Kelani in movies like Dazzling Mirage, Yeepa! And Sidi Ilujinle. TK is like a father to me; he would not hesitate to correct you. I met TK who was just passing by Freedom Park one day. He looked at my small space and the pictures and said, ‘’This is what Hakeem Shitta used to do.’’ I didn’t know Hakeem Shitta so I googled him.”

Hakeem Shitta was an ace photographer, chronicler of arts who died in 1997 after a protracted battle with a tumour in the head region.

TOJ has made a name for himself in the most unassuming manner. He covered Saro the Musical 1 and 2, WAKAA the musical, worked behind the scenes for BAP’s 93 Days movie which involved setting up of equipment at locations. He had done still photography for popular movies too.

“I remember the first time I did it for TK, I wasn’t expecting to be paid,” he said. “I thought it was a privilege to have an opportunity to work with him. He paid for feeding and hotel accommodation. Two weeks later, he called me and said I didn’t even ask for my pay. I thought he wanted to complain about my shot. But he asked for my account number. Covering marriages is mentally disturbing because it is very stressful especially in selecting the pictures for a photo album. But theatre productions, I can shoot and without editing post online within 30minutes. That’s easy for me. I cover covering iconic birthdays like Soyinka at 80, Tunde Kelani at 70 especially people in the arts community- they are very good with referrals.”

TOJ often attend rehearsals and read scripts every time he needed to cover a theatre production. This habit has stood him in good stead for taking shots of live actions especially those of moments that embody the story.

His younger years were marked by mischief. He would jump the fence during school hours and still arrived late in the evening after school hours.

His father owned a cold spot where TOJ was expected to resume after school hours and help with some work. That was when he met with artists like Toba Opaleye and Goke Aina. After he completed his secondary school education at Ebenezer Comprehensive High School, Lagos, he proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti where he studied banking and ginance.

But none of his formal education prepared him for an evil encounter that almost claimed his life. He was at a big programme organised by his church in Lekki when armed robbers struck. Unemployed, he was actually in church to pray his way out of poverty and unemployment.

“As a martial artist, I was trying to defend myself. They had locked up the security men, unknown to me. One of the robbers hit my head with a sledge hammer. I was also stabbed in the left eye. I was unconscious for a week and I was admitted for a month at Military Hospital, Ikoyi. My head was swollen and the church members tied my head with the banner.” That experience was in itself incapacitating but TOJ was determined become someone.

Fast-forward to his recovery, Odugbemi extended his generosity, sponsored his film school and continued to be his pillar of support as he grew in photography and film making. Not even the lockdown could stop him. TOJ took his camera and documented the streets when all arts events were cancelled. In time, some charity groups discovered him and called him to cover their food sharing activities twice a week. That’s how he got paid during the lockdown.

While he is gearing up for the World Photography Day on August 19 to showcase some of his timeless images, he is looking forward to a solo exhibition in October which would be part of the 11 years’ anniversary of the Freedom Park, Lagos.