Why Bonny Island Foundation is Immortalizing JA Green – Halliday

The Bonny Island Foundation (BIF) recently held some events to honour and immortalize Nigeria’s first professional photographer, Jonathan Adagogo Green (1873-1905). Born in Bonny, Rivers State, Green is significant in being a pioneering photographer in what is now Nigeria, noted for his documentation of the colonial power and local culture, particularly his Ibani Ijaw Community.

Green studied photography in Sierra Leone and then established a studio in Bonny, which later became part of the British Oil Rivers protectorate in 1884, which was renamed to the Niger Coast Protectorate in 1893. It was part of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate for the last few years of Green’s life, starting in 1900.

President, Bonny Island Foundation (BIF), Professor Norman Halliday

According to Wikipedia, Green was active as a photographer for only a short lifetime, dying at the age of 32. But during this period, he was both energetically productive and remarkably adroit in serving both indigenous and colonial clienteles. When he set up shop his work was appreciated and rewarded by two very different communities. His strategic use of initials on his business cards and stamps… disguised his African origins”, part of his working with the colonial era officials.

In this interview with the Kristina Reports Editor, Confidence Buradum, the current President of the Bonny Island Foundation (BIF) in USA and Canada, Norman Halliday gave reasons why the photography icon is being immortalized by the body, as well as their other activities during the Yuletide season. Enjoy the read!

Kristina Reports: Good day, Sir, please let’s meet you.

Norman Halliday: My name is Engr. Norman Halliday, and I am the current President of Bonny Island Foundation (BIF) in USA and Canada.

We understand you carried out some activities this yuletide season in Bonny, can you give us details of these events?

Yes, BIF, that is Bonny Island Foundation came to Grand Bonny Kingdom to host our 21st Year Anniversary Convention between December 20th and 23rd 2024 with the theme: BIF at 21: Our Homecoming, Celebrating Jonathan Adagogo Green, and also held an outreach to our community. BIF also built and returned home to unveil a new 17-foot granite monument built over the old one of the 1st Nigerian Professional Photographer of Bonny extraction- Jonathan Adagogo Green.

Also, as part of our 21 year anniversary activities, there was also an outreach program in which food packages of rice, geisha, and knorr cubes were distributed to about 408 bonny widows, and the elderly across the 34 chieftaincy houses in Grand Bonny, among other activities.

These activities are quite cost-intensive, how do you fund them?

Yes, these activities are quite cost intensive. We fund them through the sacrifices of BIF members and
friends of BIF.

The idea of immortalizing JA Green, the first photographer in Africa, what is it all about? Who is JA Green?

Jonathan Adagogo Green is the first Nigerian photographer and happened to be of Bonny extraction. His life, and works are exemplary to all. It was he who captured a lot of historic events in Bonny and other parts of Nigeria in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His great and historic works are archived in the United Kingdom, United States and other parts of the world.

As renowned as he is known abroad, little is known about him at home, hence our commitment that we honour our own, and bring his life, and work to the knowledge of our people at home.

What drives your group to go about these social impact initiatives?

It is the realization of the need to give back to our community in ways that will impact them positively and engender growth at the individual and community levels. That is what motivates us. For example, we have awarded scholarships for tertiary institutions to over 70 Bonny indigenes in the fields of Medicine, Engineering, Law, Business Administration, Accounting, Mass Communications, etc., more than half of whom have already successfully completed their programs.