Peter Obe and the Lens of History

Nigerian Photojournalism, the Civil War, and a Visual Legacy

One of the most enduring visual records of the Nigerian Civil War is a photograph taken shortly after Federal troops captured Enugu in October 1967. In the image stands Peter Obe (1932–2013), one of Nigeria’s most accomplished photojournalists, alongside Lieutenant Colonel Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma and other military officers. Beyond its immediate wartime significance, the photograph symbolises the power of photography in documenting Nigeria’s most turbulent moments and preserving them for posterity.

Peter Obe: A Pioneer of Nigerian Photojournalism

Peter Obe was among the finest photographers Nigeria produced in the twentieth century. He served for many years as Chief Photographer of the Daily Times of Nigeria, then the most influential newspaper in the country. In this role, Obe documented political leaders, military campaigns, social life, and historic national events during Nigeria’s formative decades.

In addition to his work with Daily Times, Obe undertook freelance assignments for Agence France-Presse (AFP), giving his work international reach. Later, he established his own photography studio in Surulere, Lagos, a creative hub for Nigerian media professionals during the post-independence era.

The Photograph: Enugu, October 1967

The photograph featuring Peter Obe with Lt. Col. T. Y. Danjuma was taken shortly after Federal forces captured Enugu, the capital of the secessionist Eastern Region, during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). The fall of Enugu marked a significant turning point in the conflict, symbolising the collapse of Biafra’s early administrative structure.

As a frontline photojournalist, Obe risked his life to document military operations, providing visual evidence of events that shaped Nigeria’s history. His work from this period remains an essential archival resource for historians studying the war.

Nigerian Photography Before and After Peter Obe

Nigerian photography predates independence by over a century. In 1859, George Da Costa established the first known portrait photography studio in Lagos, laying the foundation for indigenous photographic practice. From this early beginning emerged a lineage of photographers who shaped Nigeria’s visual culture.

Notable figures include:

Jonathan Adagogo Green of Bonny

H. Sanya Freeman

Solomon Alonge of Benin

Matthew Faji

J. D. ‘Okhai’ Ojeikere, famed for his hairstyles series

Yusuf Oladele

Jackie Phillips

Sunmi Smart-Cole

Gani Layiwola

Cornelius Oyemade

Baba Shettima

In the later twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, photographers such as Don Barber, Jide Adeniyi-Jones, and Tam Fiofori continued this tradition, blending documentary realism with artistic expression.

Peter Obe stands prominently within this continuum, bridging early post-colonial photography and modern Nigerian photojournalism.

Publication and Archival Value

Many of Peter Obe’s most important images, including the Enugu photograph, were compiled in his book:

Nigeria: A Decade of Crises in Pictures

This work remains a critical visual archive of Nigeria’s political instability, military rule, and civil conflict between the 1960s and 1970s. It is frequently cited by scholars, journalists, and curators documenting Nigeria’s modern history.

Legacy and Significance

Peter Obe’s contribution transcends aesthetics. His photographs:

Serve as primary historical evidence

Preserve moments that written records alone cannot capture

Help humanise political and military history

Through his lens, Nigerians can see their past clearly—unfiltered, immediate, and honest. His work helped establish photography as a respected tool of journalism and historical documentation in Nigeria.

The photograph of Peter Obe with Lt. Col. T. Y. Danjuma in post-capture Enugu is more than a wartime image; it is a testament to the courage of Nigerian photojournalists and the enduring value of visual history. Peter Obe’s legacy remains firmly etched into Nigeria’s collective memory, ensuring that critical moments of national crisis are neither forgotten nor distorted.

Sources

1. Obe, Peter. Nigeria: A Decade of Crises in Pictures. Lagos: Daily Times Publications, 1978.

2. Falola, Toyin. The History of Nigeria. Greenwood Press, 1999.

3. Madubuike, Uche. “Photojournalism and the Nigerian Civil War.” Journal of African Media Studies, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2014.