2024 Climate Change Photo Essay Award Winner Announced by Africa Soft Power

The recipient of the 2024 Climate Change Photo Essay Prize is Garba Bakura from Nigeria. The selection process was held anonymously in two stages, carefully designed to ensure fairness and accuracy based on various criteria. Bakura’s poignant work, In Search for A Drop, underscores the critical role of water and its logistics in sustaining farming communities that are enveloped by desert.

Alongside Bakura, four other finalists will be featured in the exhibition:

Ahmed Abubakar Bature (Nigeria): After the Waters: Tales of Flood, Displacement, and Resilience;

Jules Munyantore (Rwanda): Caught in the Tide of Change;

Adedolapo Boluwatife Abimbola (Nigeria): Invitation to Invade; and

David Olayide (Nigeria): Zero Green.

Moreover, four entries received special commendations, including:

Edgar Kanyike (Uganda): Lake Victoria – aka Nalubaale – Takes Over;

Aida Namukose (Kenya): Men of the Water;

Cheikh Oumar Diallo (Senegal): Victim or Responsible; and

Hamadomo Timothe Guindo (Mali): Architecture Traditionnelle.

Increasing Urgency, Changing Perspectives

Now in its second year, the prize calls for individuals aged 18-30 from Africa and its diaspora to submit 3-5 photographs that collectively depict the effects of climate change in contemporary society. This year’s theme, “At a Crossroad: Climate and Change,” highlights the importance of Africa-focused narratives within the global sustainability dialogue – a story often framed through a Western lens, despite Africa’s historic place at the forefront of social and environmental transformation.

“African viewpoints on climate change are crucial, particularly those from the younger generation, as these issues will increasingly influence their daily lives,” remarked Nkiru Balonwu, founder of the ASP Group. “Bakura’s submission proved exceptional to the judges; however, all finalists – along with many other entries that were not selected for the final exhibition – exhibited an astonishing level of quality, which made our selection process particularly challenging. This year, we witnessed a significant surge in entries, indicating a clear intent to tackle this urgent issue.”

Expert Evaluation

The judging panel was made up of five experts, each bringing diverse experiences and backgrounds:

Adenrele Sonariwo (Nigeria): Founder, Rele Gallery & Rele Art Foundation;

Mario Macilau (Mozambique): Multi-Disciplinary Artist and Activist

Paula Moreno (Colombia): Founder, Corporación Manos Visibles

Kojo Boakye (Ghana): VP, Public Policy, Africa, Middle East, and Türkiye, META and

Adriana Barbosa (Brazil): Founder & CEO, PretaHub.

The choice to utilize photography as a medium was deliberate, as it conveys universal messages about a global challenge requiring collaboration across diverse populations. Additionally, the increasing visual language among youth on social media positions photography as an ideal medium for involving them in meaningful dialogues regarding this critical issue.

As part of the international exhibition, Bakura will not only be awarded a cash prize for his winning submission but will also receive enhanced media support to promote his work. All participants maintain complete copyright over their submissions.