Fati Abubakar, Bits of Borno, details, Eva Maria Ocherbauer 2017.
Born Maiduguri, Nigeria (1986), lives and works in Nigeria
Bits of Borno 2015
Photo series, different formats
Courtesy of the artist
Artist’s statement
Bits of Borno since Boko Haram, literally means “Education is Forbidden”. Since the terrorist group launched its first attack on a quiet morning in 2009 in Maiduguri, Borno State, North East Nigeria, there has been a media frenzy. From 2009 till date, there have been attacks, suicide bombings, abductions and silent killings. And mainstream media covered everything as Breaking News. There were no other stories besides the numbers and the blasts. The state is currently being plagued by the images of turmoil and despair with a total neglect of its resilience.
Our hometown has been reduced to statistics: 20,000 died, 400,000 malnourished. We have become numbers. There are no faces to the conflict. No survivors. And it is as important to document death as it is resilience. What is life like for the people left behind? What is like after the breaking news and bombs? With my “Bits of Borno” project, I am bringing the faces of the people who have survived Boko Haram. An everyday life. It is a story of a resilience; people who are thriving in the midst of adversity. The project which has been ongoing for a year has also been documenting the humanitarian crisis in the state. Therefore, the images of the impact of Boko Haram will be included to create an understanding not only of the horrors of the crisis but the resilience of the people of the state post insurgency. The aim of this project is to help show the true image, literally and figuratively, of Borno State beyond mainstream media.
