Photography with Bura-Bari Nwilo

Today, we are looking at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka through the lenses of Bura-Bari Nwilo. He takes us  on a tour, through structures, paths and trees, guiding us with his memory and interpretation of what  captured moments means to him.

Enjoy…

(black and white) – Odim Road by The Faculty of Engineering. This road is my favorite. The reason has to be the canopy the trees form. I usually walk back home, to Odim where I had my apartment. Whether I was tired from walks or just fascinated, this road made it worth while.

Mbanefo Boys’ hostel or the Ghost House – this was the first hostel I stayed in when I visited Nsukka for the second time. I slept at the secretariat of Methodist Campus Fellowship. I was welcomed and I felt great. I later visited the fellow inconsistently for about a year or two until I stopped going for meetings. This hostel used to be very lively. The boys played football at the court and it had so much life. This image was taken during one of the holidays.

 

This view is from Block A, Faculty of Arts building in UNN. The uncompleted building is the postgraduate block. The sight is beautiful, it shows the forming of a beautiful dream. It is even better in black and white as it reminds of us everything that we know as beautiful was in a messy state but what determines messy isn’t the act but our eyes. I have taken a couple of photos in the building.

 Odim Road by ICT. This road is special because it leads to Odim where I lived for 4 years. The ICT building is chaotic. Students queue up every day to rectify issues with online portals. The lady in the photo is my girlfriend.

                                           Zik’s Flat was probably the coolest designed hostel but it didn’t lose that even as relic. This photo was taken to show the beauty that could not be seen. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Zik family, I learned, have some misunderstanding concerning properties owned by the late Nnamdi Azikiwe. The line of structures that make up Zik flat is currently frail and could collapse anytime.

 

 Enugu Road by Ogige Market in Nsukka – This is the first mark of busyness you’d see when you enter the Nsukka town. It is one of the busiest part of the town. This photo was taken from a now demolished pedestrian bridge. It  was my intention to capture the busy town, its red earth and the green UNN shuttles.

 This is almost same with the 6th photo but this view looks towards the path that leads to the university. It shows the roof and the packed dirt on the road. It captures Nsukka in its raw state.

View from the Odim Hill – this was one of my past time addictions in UNN – taking pictures from this hill. It was a place of healing and musing for me. I wish I smoked up there. That is one act I regret not trying. The hill and the view are some of the coolest experiences in Nsukka.

 Jimbaz or Faculty of Engineering quadrangle – when I was admitted to UNN, this was one of the worst scenes in UNN. Its transformation was applauded. I didn’t spend much time here but it was a view I came across each time I was walking to school or going back home. I liked it terribly.

 The former Student Union Building is one of the oldest student Union structures in Nigerian universities. I never visited it for that purpose. There were two restaurants in the building. I had attended a church service in the building too. I liked it but I was never fond of it.

Bura-Bari Nwilo     says he is human and a writer. When he is not being human, he drinks Heineken. He now lives in Port Harcourt.