After nearly three decades of documenting Nigeria’s local football league with a decades-old camera, veteran photojournalist Akeem Olamide Olaosun has been honoured by leading camera manufacturer, Canon.
Olaosun, popularly known as Ola Photo Sports, has spent over 25 years capturing moments from the Nigeria Premier Football League across various cities. Despite limited resources, he remained dedicated to his craft, earning the respect of both colleagues and football enthusiasts.
His story gained national attention in 2024 when fellow photojournalist Taofeek Ibrahim Adeshina, popularly known as FotoNugget, shared a photograph of Olaosun working at a league match.
The post, which described Olaosun’s long-standing commitment to sports photography, quickly went viral and sparked widespread support.
In the post, FotoNugget wrote: “For over 25 years, Mr. Akeem, fondly known as Ola Photo Sports, has tirelessly captured the essence of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with his camera.”
Following the widespread recognition, efforts were made to raise funds in support of the veteran photojournalist.
On Thursday, April 10, Canon officially recognised Olaosun’s contribution to sports journalism with a certification and the gift of a brand-new digital camera.
Mr. Adeshina shared the development on his social media platforms, writing, “Do you remember Mr. Akeem, the renowned Nigerian sports photojournalist with 25 years of experience, whose story I shared here and we crowdfunded for? I’m happy to share that Canon recognized his work and honoured him with a certification and a brand-new camera in support. Truly, a single picture can change a story.”
Olaosun, a native of Ibadan in Oyo State, is widely regarded as one of the most enduring figures in grassroots football photography in Nigeria.
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