BRUISED NOT BROKEN – Photos by Fati Abubakar from northeastern Nigeria

1 – 18 March at the Photbastei in Zurich, www.photobastei.ch

When we read and hear about Nigeria it’s often in connection with the kidnapping of schoolgirls or with Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist organisation that’s been ravaging the northeastern part of the country for years. Suicide bombings, kidnappings and murder are everyday occurrences. The young photographer, Fati Abubakar, aims to show glimpses of the real Nigeria in her photos and in so doing to demonstrate that her country is much more than a set of tragic headlines. With her camera she captures the happy and hopeful moments in the lives of the inhabitants of her home town Maiduguri: children on their way to school, festivities, farmers working in the fields, friends chatting. The portraits are colourful, humorous and full of dignity, but also frequently contain traces of sadness and loss.

 

Fati Abubakar (*1986) was born and raised in Maiduguri. She is a trained nurse. From 2013 – 2015 she completed a degree in Public Health in London. She is employed by several NGO-run aid programs in her home town and in the surrounding area. She has always been fascinated by photography, an interest that has led her to complete a number of photography courses. These days she can always be found with her camera in hand. Around two years ago, Fati Abubakar started posting her photos on Instagram under the name bitsofborno and has since gained international attention. Her photos have been displayed in exhibitions in the USA and Europe as well as in Africa.

Impressions from the opening of Fati Abubakar’s exhibition at the Photobastei in 2018