By: Dayo Adedayo
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, friends of photography, and our highly revered Chairman of today’s occasion, His Excellency, Chief Aremo Olusegun Osoba.
Today, we gather to celebrate not just an art form, but a universal language, the language of photography.
It is most fitting that this celebration takes place here, at the *DAP Experience Centre*, even in its yet-uncompleted state. This unfinished space is symbolic. It reflects the ever-evolving journey of photography, a craft that is never static, always growing, and forever pushing boundaries.
Photography has always been more than images frozen in time. It is memory, it is truth, it is storytelling, and above all, it is power.
A single photograph has the ability to ignite revolutions, preserve heritage, and inspire generations. In the recent past, we saw how the KWAM 1 and Comfort saga at the Abuja and Lagos airports generated national interest, reminding us of the power of an image to shape conversations.
It is with this conviction that the DAP Experience Centre is being established, not as a commercial enterprise, but as a platform for photographers, free of charge.
This space is envisioned as a hub to train, learn, share, and promote the art of photography. It is my way of giving back, of ensuring that the next generation of Nigerian and African photographers have a home where creativity is nurtured, skills are sharpened, and stories are told without restriction.
The DAP Experience Centre itself is a world of photography and culture.
The floor where we are gathered today is the exhibition space for analogue pictures and also houses a museum showcasing the evolution of photography, from the pinhole camera to today’s mobile phones with cameras.
Here, you will also find a functioning dark room for processing negatives and transparencies.
On the first floor sits the immersive experience centre, where visitors can digitally travel from Abia to Zamfara without leaving the comfort of the building.
There is also a boat room, where you can journey from Marina into the Atlantic, through the Niger Delta creeks, and straight to the confluence in Kogi State.
In addition, we have a dedicated library exclusively for photography students, stocked with books from across the world on and about photography.
The ground floor features a café, a store offering over 400 Nigerian-themed memorabilia, and just outside lies our garden, alive with colourful flowers, a haven for picnicking and photography alike.
Most importantly, the DAP Experience Centre is a platform for photographers to sell their images to the world at a premium, making it the first point of call for anyone seeking authentic images of Nigeria.
In recognising the essence of today’s gathering, I must pay special tribute to our Chairman, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Osoba. A man whose name is etched in the annals of Nigerian journalism, Chief Osoba has, through the power of the written word and investigative journalism, shaped narratives, championed truth, and amplified voices that might otherwise have been silenced. Just as photographers tell stories with light and shadow, he has told the Nigerian story with courage and clarity.
Beyond journalism, his distinguished service as a former governor of Ogun State stands as a testament to his leadership, vision, and dedication to public service. Sir, we are deeply honoured by your presence here today.
The DAP Experience Centre is, in many ways, an extension of the values that both journalism and photography uphold, truth, preservation of history, and service to humanity.
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It is my hope that from this space, many voices will rise, many stories will be told, and many truths will be preserved for posterity.
On this World Photography Day, let us not only celebrate photography but also commit to supporting its growth in Nigeria.
May the images we create continue to shape minds, inspire change, and capture the soul of our great nation.
Through the lens, we remember. Through the lens, we dream. And through the lens, we create tomorrow.
On this World Photography Day, I extend my prayers for our beloved country: May Nigeria succeed. May her people prosper. May her culture flourish. And may her stories captured through our lenses echo across the world as a testament to her resilience, beauty, and greatness.
Once again, I welcome you warmly and thank you for being part of this journey.
Thank you all.