Sodiq Adelakun won the World Press Photo Award (African area) under the tales category at the 65th edition of the World Press Photo Regional Awards. What the prize means to Adelakun and his career is shared with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI. Adelakun is the picture editor at Channels TV Digital Team and works globally as a contributing photographer for AFP, Everyday Africa, and Everyday Everywhere.
How did you find out that you had won a prize in the World Press Photo Regional Awards 2022 Photo Contest in the tales category for the African region?
When I found out I had won the World Press Photo Regional Awards, it was a welcome relief because my son wasn’t feeling well and I had been in the hospital for about a month. I was devastated since I had spent so much money. But soon I received the mail from the organisers, I was relieved and I smiled that was the first time I was smiling after I had been in the hospital. I thought, “Finally, I got this,” since it felt so surreal.
Both my spouse and I were ecstatic. My son was released from the hospital the next day, which was a pleasant surprise for me as I had been expecting a lot from the prize. For me, it was a truly remarkable occasion.
What opportunities does that kind of recognition present for you as a young man pursuing a career in photojournalism and photography?
The accolades and acclaim I’ve received in the fields of photography and photojournalism will inspire and encourage me, as well as other young people aspiring to the same, to realize that bias has no place in journalism—especially in photojournalism. This kind of acknowledgment will enable me to share additional tales and pique my interest in sharing tales about individuals in general rather than just politicians. It concerns the people. Telling stories about the people in the country makes both the people and the country better. It aids in the photographer’s improvement as well. Since I’m working to correct the misconception that many people have about Nigeria, this prize will allow me to pursue new opportunities. Many people think that Nigerians who travel abroad simply want to stay there and never want to return, but as a young man, I want to be a change agent and tell more stories that will alter the perception of my country and help it gain a positive reputation abroad. Additionally, it will present more chances for up-and-coming photojournalists.
Your “Afraid To Go To School” series garnered recognition for the unsaid tales it conveyed. Could you tell us what kind of message those are?
The award-winning piece I wrote, “Afraid To Go To School,” speaks to my emotions and accurately describes the situation of education in Nigeria across the board. Here, I’m concentrating on the local level effects. It is said that if a youngster at a lower level does not find school appealing, it will be difficult for them to find education appealing as an adult. The story’s message focuses on young girls in the North-East, North-West, and some regions of the North Central who are not in school and are frightened to return because they fear being abducted by bandits, don’t want an education, and have many other anxieties. These anxieties prevent them from receiving an education because they result from the pain experienced by the parents of abducted children. It conveys the idea that even the parents and kids won’t want the kids to return to school if they are later freed in order to prevent kidnapping.
You must have shot a ton of pictures during the review period as a professional. What motivated you to apply for the award with the “Afraid To Go To School” series?
solely to be clear, I don’t take pictures of tales solely to win awards. I do it because I enjoy doing it. I examine the narrative, conduct research on it, consider its current situation, and consider why it should be told now or why someone should purchase a paper copy to read the story or watch it on YouTube or television instead of other stories. I therefore questioned myself what issues are hurting the nation and causing long-term harm to the system when I was writing a lot of stories in 2021, and I ultimately chose the story of the girls. I also gave the narrative a lot of thought, and I believed it made clear why Nigeria, particularly the North, needed to make changes to its educational system.
A panel member complimented you on the project’s deft editing and said it was considerate of the families of the missing schoolgirls. But because you were the one in the field, how did it feel to record those heartbreaking moments?
One needs to exercise caution when editing. One of the challenges we photographers encounter is wanting to summarize all of the photos you have on your desk after a shoot. At this point, you want to make sure you treated the story justice while also making sure you don’t forget any important details. When I went to these places, I was starting a voyage that would be dangerous. Many of the villagers told me media were reporting with bias when I first arrived. I had to be patient with them and stay in the village for a few days since I didn’t want to leave without finishing the story. Additionally, I told them that my purpose was to assist them in telling the narrative in an appropriate manner. I also asked them to rank the order of importance in the narrative because I wanted to experience the feelings of being the parent of an abducted child—anguish, hatred, etc. The locals eventually came around, and I realized that I had to tell the narrative exactly as it was delivered.
Could you describe some of the difficult situations and events you have covered and how you managed to fulfill your reporting responsibilities?
The #EndSARS rally in Abuja was one of the worst settings I covered; people there constantly begging me to leave or risk being shot. I made an effort to hide and recognize my limitations. Another included a corps member colleague who was killed in an incident between the Shiites and the police. It is really difficult, therefore I am constantly thankful to God for keeping me safe. I make an effort to share stories and to be a responsible person. Many Nigerians denigrate journalists, saying that we don’t report stories and that we fear harm. However, we want to counter that some of us are responsible, have families of our own, and wish to continue living as we report. Telling a story like this requires a lot of guts.
You are the person who started “Everyone Has a Story.” What is the purpose of this initiative, and how will it improve the storytelling abilities of aspiring photojournalists?
This is a non-governmental organization’s project to support young journalists and photographers in their ability to report stories from anywhere in the world. We’ve heard from young people on multiple occasions that they have visited a specific location but don’t believe there is any significance there. With time, we’ve come to realize that a picture without a narrative can still have a tale, even if you visit a location where they claim there isn’t one. I’m attempting to refute the notion that there are no stories in specific locations or that stories have already been told and that there is a fresh method for telling stories. The NGO will also assist these photographers in obtaining equipment and funding from global communities.
