In the bustling heart of Ibadan — where the echoes of history bounce off the walls of Gege, Foko, Popoyemoja, and Oja’ba — few names evoke as much quiet reverence as Born Photo, the legendary photography studio nestled in Isale Osi.
More than a studio, Born Photo was a keeper of memories, a silent recorder of Ibadan’s soul. For generations, families trusted its lens to capture their defining moments — from childhood to adulthood, from ceremonies to simple portraits.
In a heartfelt tribute, a native of the city recalls his earliest encounter with the studio — a black-and-white photograph taken at the age of two. Unusually, the photographer, fondly called Baba Born Photo, came to their home, a gesture that spoke volumes of the relationship he shared with the writer’s father.
“Your father was one of my earliest models,” Baba Born Photo once remarked, sealing a legacy that extended beyond the image itself into something deeply personal and generational.
From primary school passport photos to examination documentation for WAEC, GCE, and JAMB, Baba Born Photo’s lens was a quiet but constant companion. Many Ibadan natives will share similar stories — of lining up outside the studio, adjusting collars and head ties, and waiting to be frozen in time.
Now, as Ibadan stands on the cusp of another historic moment — the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja — the significance of Born Photo takes on renewed meaning. The studio’s proximity to the ancestral home of the incoming monarch in Isale Osi draws a poetic connection between heritage, community, and memory.
Where royalty will rise, memories already reside.
Born Photo was not just a business; it was a cultural institution. It bore witness to the lives of ordinary Ibadan people and turned their fleeting moments into lasting artifacts. Its legacy is woven into the fabric of the city, especially now, as Ibadan prepares to celebrate tradition, continuity, and leadership.
As the city beats its drums for a new king, many will also quietly remember the man who, through his camera, crowned generations with dignity and light.
May Baba Born Photo’s soul rest in peace.
And may his work — his eternal frames — continue to remind us of who we are and where we come from.
