Kola Oshalusi: Our Culture, Lifestyle Can Become a Global Revenue-generating Export

Kola Oshalusi is a creative photographer based in Lagos with a keen eye for detail and capturing moments. Currently the Director of Creative at Insigna Media, a leading photography and content creation company that aims to add value and build Africa’s largest content creation company, Oshalusi is also the convener of the Business of Photography Conference, BOP, West Africa’s largest photography conference. Committed to human capital development and providing educational and knowledge-sharing opportunities for creatives, his work which spans events, portraits, fashion, lifestyle, and advertising photography, has been published widely across three continents. In an interview with MARY NNAH, Oshalusi reveals that the 2024 edition of the BOP conference, which will be held on March 20th at The Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos, will improve the nation’s economy through the pursuit of timeless ideas and imagery that constantly evoke thoughts and emotions

The upcoming Business of Photography Conference (BOP) is a topic we should discuss. Could you tell me what inspired the conference, how long it has been running, and what makes this year’s event different?

The BOP Networks (Business of Photography) Project was borne out of the desire to increase financial capacity in the Creative space with a bias for visual creative works which includes still and motion photography, the conference is just a core part of it, but it also includes a resource magazine website for creatives to learn and identify new tricks, trends and opportunities in the Creative industry, smaller conversations that goes around to isolate, identify, discuss and proffer solutions to Creative business challenges across the country. It’s in its 6^th year running and this is 5^th Edition, the COVID year created a gap year in the conference, but we have consistently continued to drive the conversation. This year is unique because of the Theme: Culture Exchange – The Art of Business. We will be focusing on the opportunities and challenges that are currently prevalent globally with a focus on Nigeria and Africa and will be discussing how we can shift focus to identify the inexhaustible wealth that we have left untapped which is our Culture and Lifestyle (our soft power) which can become a global revenue generating export

How has the annual conference impacted the nation’s economic growth, specifically in the field of photography?

Oh in a quantum leap, the industry (Photography “still and motion”) before the conference globally was estimated to be about $78billion with projected year-on-year growth of about 6.1 per cent anticipating growth in technological advancement and Europe and America, with the industry in Nigeria was hovering around $1.3Billion being the second largest in Africa based on investment and revenue, but Covid year acceleration of technological advancement in Blockchain, NFTs, Metaverse, Artificial intelligence and social media has pushed the industry to almost double its value, with the global value hovering over $150 Billion based on unforeseen rise in the Asia, South America and most importantly the African market. It is currently valued at over 2 Trillion in Nigeria depending on the exchange metrics you are using to compute. So yes it has improved, we have more photographers, lots more people in the value chain, a lot more employment opportunities and a lot more businesses have been created.

I’m interested in learning about your experience as a photographer. How did you first get started?

That’s a whole long story, but I would say I have been working actively in this sector for nearly two decades, my forte is Event photography, but I also work in other disciplines of photography, I have serviced quite several local and global brands across three continents and I have been lucky to have worked and still work on some of the biggest projects in the country and the continent. And yes I have been blessed with amazing clients and super-productive team members.

Before you became a photographer, what did you do?

I studied science, so was a scientist, worked in medical science for a while as well as Computing and data science. I have a degree in Computing.

Did you always want to be a photographer growing up? If not, what other profession would you have pursued?

Not at all, wanted to be a Pilot as a little child, guess I just wanted to see the world, but now I see the world through my lenses and my imagination.

Who were your mentors or role models when you were growing up? How have they influenced who you are today?

Quite a number of them both within my industry and outside my industry and yes they have and are still shaping me, some have ended up becoming my mentors and I am learning quite a lot under their tutelage. They have helped shape and guide my dreams and perspective on life and my art.

What sets you apart as a photographer, and what kind of impact have you had on the industry so far?

My willingness to bring ideas to life, my attention to detail and my desire to try something new. I love to teach, share and transfer knowledge as well as collaborate, all our projects have been a product of collective efforts. The Conference itself has only succeeded because it has been industry-focused, knowledge and growth-driven. That way we can say we have directly and indirectly impacted over 30,000 creatives in the last 6 years

Your company, Insigna Media, is aiming to become Africa’s largest content creation company. What steps have you taken to achieve this goal?

Quite a lot, we have built human and service capacity in the creative space in the last few years and have spearheaded lots of empowerment projects, we have focused on training and knowledge transfer and at the same time built structures around our business to ensure sustainability, productivity and profitability. We have also ensured to stay ahead in evolution and technological adoption to improve our workflow to meet present-day business demands. But our biggest asset has been our people and they are the ones driving all that we do. While we want to build the largest content creation and management company, we have not forgotten the importance of people in building. This is why we believe in the saying ” To go fast you go alone, but to go far, you need people”, Because we understand that success is a journey and not a destination.

Could you share your most memorable moment as a photographer?

I am lucky to have quite a lot of them over the years but I think one that resonates with me was coordinating photography for the first edition of the One African Music Festival, having to source and manage a team of photographers in another continent for such a huge project, the first time an African will headline a sold-out concert at the 19,000 capacity Barclays Centre in New York.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a photographer and content creator?

Can’t think of anyone as being the biggest, all major challenges have become opportunities to be better and stepping stones to greater opportunities.

How do you mentor young people who are interested in pursuing photography, and what strategies have you found to be effective?

Share my journey with them and let them know they are limitless in what they can achieve and become, stories inspire and also help people find their part. Beyond the craft are narratives that can inspire. I also let them know there’s nothing wrong in failing or making mistakes, the challenge is not learning at every turn.

What are the prospects for photography in Nigeria?

Huge. It has the potential to employ millions of our population both directly and indirectly, also it has the potential to define how we are perceived globally. It can serve as a tool and a means. So I will say the prospect is limitless.

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We have focused on training and knowledge transfer and at the same time built structures around our business to ensure sustainability, productivity and profitability. We have also ensured to stay ahead in evolution and technological adoption to improve our workflow to meet present-day business demands