Jonathan Adagogo Green, born in 1873 in Ayama (now Peterside) in Bonny, Rivers State, became Nigeria's first known professional photographer in 1891, capturing colonial Nigeria, African royalty, and everyday life in the Niger Delta until his death in 1905.
A Pioneer Behind the Lens in the Niger Delta
At a time when most photographs of Africa were taken by European colonialists, Green, an Ibani (Ijaw) man, used his camera to tell stories from an African perspective. He documented Nigerian chiefs, colonial officials, cultural traditions, and daily activities across Bonny, Opobo, Brass, and Calabar. His work remains among the earliest visual records of Southern Nigeria, showing traditional rulers, local communities, and significant historical events.
Green came from a respected family. His father, Chief Sunju Okoronkoye Dublin Green, was a prominent figure, and his mother was Madame Idameinye Green. After his father died in 1875, his uncle, Uruasi Dublin Green, raised him and played a major role in his upbringing and education. Green received Western-style education in Lagos and possibly Sierra Leone, then a major learning centre in colonial West Africa.
Establishing Nigeria's First Commercial Photography Studio
After gaining photography training, Green returned to Nigeria and, at just 18 years old, established a professional photography studio in Bonny in 1891. This became Nigeria's first commercial photography studio. His career quickly took off as he worked across the Niger Delta, building a reputation as one of the most skilled photographers in West Africa. His camera captured Nigerian chiefs, wealthy merchants, British colonial officers, missionaries, families, ceremonies, buildings, and everyday activities.
During the late 19th century, Bonny was a major centre of trade and British activity. Green's skill made him highly sought after by British colonial officials, European merchants, and local elites. His professional relationship with British authorities gave him access to important people and events, including colonial administrators, military officers, and civil servants. However, his work went beyond serving colonial interests—he documented African people with dignity, showing them as powerful individuals with culture, wealth, identity, and social status, countering the negative views common in colonial records.
The Famous Oba Ovonramwen Exile Photograph
One of Green's most famous works is the photograph of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi of Benin aboard the naval ship SS Ivy in 1897. The image captured the Benin monarch as he was being taken into exile after the British invasion of the Benin Kingdom. This photograph became one of the most recognised visual records of that historic moment, preserving a painful chapter in Nigerian history.
Green's name and background helped him navigate colonial society. Because his name sounded British, he gained acceptance among colonial officials who became major clients. His family's influence and connections also opened doors, but his success was primarily due to his photography skills, professionalism, and ability to produce high-quality images.
A Legacy Preserved in Museums
Jonathan Adagogo Green's photography career lasted about 14 years. He died in 1905 at the age of 32 and was buried in Bonny in an all-marble tomb imported from Belgium. After his death, British ethnographer Gwilym Iwan Jones acquired many of Green's photographs and continued reproducing them until the 1990s. Today, some of his works are preserved in international collections, including the British Museum. More than a century after his death, his photographs still tell stories about Nigeria's people, culture, and history—helping Nigeria remember itself through images.
