Rare photos of life in the royal court before Nigeria's Independence

omotolani

October 19, 2017 11:40 AM

Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge documented the Benin society starting in the 1930s while working as the official photographer for the Royal Court of Benin.

Thanks to Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge, a self-taught photographer from Benin City, Benin people can now view what it was like in the 30s.

Alonge documented the Benin society starting in the 1930s while working as the official photographer for the Royal Court of Benin.

He snapped photos of the royal wives, visiting dignitaries and celebrities, annual festivals, and court ceremonies.

As the owner of the first commercial photo studio in the city, he photographed birthdays, weddings, and graduations throughout the years before and after Nigerian independence in 1960.

A rare collection of Alonge’s work, preserved and curated by the Smithsonian Institution, has been returned to Nigeria where it will be on permanent display at the National Museum of Benin City.

The goal, according to organizers, is to share knowledge about the history of the former capital of the pre-colonial Benin empire and the lives of its residents.

In 1938 Alonge photographed the Benin Social Circle, the first local social club in Benin City. Its members would go on to become teachers, civil servants, businessmen, and local politicians.

More photos below:

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