The father of photographers still loving his old trade despite Instagram photography

By Sunmi Smart Cole

The gentleman is the one and only Cornelius Oyemade, a veteran photographer. He recently turned 80 years old on the 10th of November 2018. Cornelius Oyemade was born in Lagos in 1938 and got his training as an apprentice photographer before he became a freelance photographer contributing photographic images. Since the 1960s, his photographs of high society parties have been published in leading newspapers and magazines.

On his special day, I spotted him working at the dedication of baby Ruth Isemede, a miracle child who was born recently by her 55 year old mother, Mrs Oluwatoyin Isemede née Akindele (her first biological child ) and wife of the retired vicar of Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Lagos, Venerable S.Igien Isemede.

Words Sunmi Smart Cole /Photography /Sunmi Smart Cole

Sunmi Smart Cole is an accomplished photojournalist and documentary photographer who lives in Lagos.