Bits of Borno – the region’s resilience celebrated in photographs

Enajite Efemuaye (EE): What do you see through your lens as you photograph the people of Borno?

Fati Abubakar (FA): What I see in Borno is strength, and that is what I photograph: A people who have been through difficulties beyond imagination but are still trying to live a normal life and are keen to move on.

EE: How do you separate yourself emotionally from the subjects of your photographs?

FA: I love photographing children. They are a joy. The reason that you see a lot of children on the page is because they are cheerful and blissfully happy. And I love to see happiness in unusual places.

The most devastating photograph of a child I took was of a street child at the garbage disposal under the bridge. It haunted me for days. It is definitely a traumatising profession but the story has to be told.

Girls at Galtimari Primary School, Maiduguri

EE: How long have you been a photographer and why did you decide on photography as your creative outlet? 

FA: I have been a photographer officially for 11 months. I chose photography because visuals are very powerful. People stop to look at an image; it is arresting. I also felt that the story of Borno cannot be imagined and that’s what is expected when you write an article about it. I felt that only visuals could do justice to the true situation. And we don’t have a big reading culture in Nigeria. People have more of an interest in imagery.

EE: You do a bit of storytelling in the captions that accompany your photographs. Do you think that this distracts from the power of the images you have captured?  

FA: Visual story telling is a well-respected genre of photojournalism. Sometimes the situation cannot be deciphered without a narrative. And in the special case of Borno, the stories need to be told. The photographs can stand alone but it is imperative that the story is added. I personally feel art can exist and is open to interpretation without narrative but I want my people’s voices to be heard and their stories to be told.

EE: A while back I interviewed a number of Internally Displaced Persons from Borno living in Lagos and the most often repeated desire was ‘we want to go home.’ It is a desire I see repeated by the people you spoke to. How much time do you think it will take to resettle displaced people back in their villages?  

FA: Resettlement could take a while. Towns have to be rebuilt, and the military needs to ensure that they are rid of landmines and all the other threats. It is a huge task for all involved. At this point, there is no fixed time or date because of the complexities involved.

Women rush to a food distribution point

EE: Why is it important to you that people see a side of Borno not shown by media? 

FA: It is imperative that the world sees a new side of Borno, given that our image is of death and devastation. Our strength needs to be highlighted. I want us to be viewed as people who are keen to heal and rebuild.

EE: How do you balance photographing people, some of whom are at the lowest point of their lives, and respecting their dignity? Do you get many people saying no?  

FA: Dignity is something I insist on. I have to make sure the people I photograph have their dignity. I always talk to people about cultural sensitivity. As photographers we need to ensure that the people we document are not exploited. So I don’t photograph nudity, compromising situations or without consent. And also, when a person says no, I move on from them and don’t insist. But I don’t get a lot of no’s. I use a very soft approach. It is very much a community I am familiar with so it’s not difficult for people to agree. They identify with their own.

EE: In the last month or so, Bits of Borno and you as the photographer have received a lot of international media attention. What has this meant for you as an individual and for the work you do? 

FA: The media attention from the international community has helped people view Borno in a different way, which I am happy about. I love that our strength shows and that Borno is bouncing back. For me as an individual, it has helped me. More people are sending me e-mails supporting and commending me, and also urging me to tell more stories. It is a good feeling. There is some interest in developing the project and I am thrilled about that.

EE: You are planning to have an exhibition later this year in Nigeria. What should we expect? 

FA: Yes, I am hoping to have an exhibition soon, and my goal is to show that we are a people moving on, despite all of the difficulties. The resilience of the people of Borno must definitely take centre stage.