#100knaija: Google is documenting Nigeria’s history through photographs

This is pretty cool. As Nigeria’s centenary anniversary approaches, Google Nigeria has kicked off an initiative called 100k Naija, a project that hopes to document Nigeria’s history in the last one hundred years, through iconic pictures.

The initiative was launched on October 25, with a Photo Day event attended by a group of professional photographers from Lagos Photo Walk, where they were encouraged by Google to harness the power of the web to tell Nigeria’s story through iconic photographs.

According to Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Anglophone West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, the 100k Naija project will “help document Nigeria’s history and capture memorable and characterful moments around Nigerian themes such as Governance, Lifestyle, Fashion, Nostalgia, Places of Interest, History, Only in Naija Moments, and more”.

He reckons that the centenary photographs have to be “one hundred percent Nigerian” for them to qualify for the 100k Naija project.

“Our target is to get 100 000 iconic pictures of Nigeria’s history on a specially dedicated 100K Naija Google+ page at the end of the project,” he states.

The whole thing rightfully, is taking place on Google Plus and Nigerians from all over have begun adding and tagging photos with the #100knaija hashtag.

Google believes that some the iconic photographs could tell stories ranging from history and politics to arts and culture, from important personalities to everyday life — in short sum the Nigeria ideal. Some of the photographs could include those from pre — and post — colonial rule, the Nigerian civil war, various coups that took place, independence, architecture, vehicles, old currencies, musicians and celebrities.

This is quite an interesting project for a country like Nigeria because it gives the citizens the opportunity to show the country from their point of view.

Lanre Aina, from Google’s Business Development team, reckons that “with the evolution of the web, Google products have created opportunities for photographers to increase awareness about their work locally and internationally”.

“For instance, you can edit photos on Google+ and influence your work visibility on Google search,” he explains.

Photographer Femi Coker feels that the project will help Nigerians appreciate their own history. “I am eager to be a part of this project and I’m positive that the iconic pictures will remind Nigerians of those memorable events in the last 100 years that has kept Nigerians united in diversity,” he said.

All photos for the project are to be shared using the #100k Naija hashtag, with a brief description on the dedicated 100k Naija Google+ page.