Every four years, when elections are approaching, thousands and thousands of party-political posters start to invade Nigerians’ everyday life. This has become almost a campaign weapon for parties' rivalries over urban space and for politicians to demonstrate their power and demarcate their territories. It is a visual performance of power.
This work looks at the role of election posters as one of the most crucial forms of political communication in Nigeria, especially during electoral campaigns.
Printing in Nigeria is a growing industry that plays an increasingly significant role in political culture. Valued in the multi-trillion Naira range, it predominantly relies on artisanal methods, yet it has the potential to employ over a million Nigerians each year. Posters, banners, and billboards are never too large to carry the weight of politicians’ electoral ambitions. With each campaign, the posters become twice as large, twice as tall, and even more imposing than those of the previous election.
The candidates want to convince voters that they would be the best choice to run their life, through portraits that mimic historical and reassuring political leaders, either smiling or with emotionless faces. For the few months of the campaign, they are everywhere, on every corner, every street or bridge, and major road… We, as citizens, experience the hyper-visibility of politics before the images tarnish and the promises fade.
Fawaz Oyedeji is a documentary photographer, photojournalist, and historian from Nigeria whose practice is fueled by a deep motivation to record everyday life, as he believes in the significance of documenting not just for a superior understanding of our times, but for individuals in the future to reflect on who they are and how they got there. Much of his work examines political expression in Africa, focusing on human activity in relation to power.
Website - http://www.fawazoyedeji.com/
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