Chapter 04

The Gallery

The albums, opened. Office corridors and convocation gowns, the cake with her face on it, the lakes she stood beside, the photographs, and the people in them.

49Photographs11Occasions1Films

The beginning

Where the long climb starts. Everything after this room, the desk, the taskforce, the doctorate, begins with the child in the first frame.

A worn black and white photograph of Oby as a baby, seated, wearing a beaded necklace and bootees — Plate 01The child her father named at the hospital door: Obiageli, one who has come to eat and enjoy.Onitsha · the early years

Oby as a schoolgirl in a green school dress and pink cap, standing on a path at a school event — Plate 02A school event at Premier Primary School, where she learned to speak up, and won with a song.Onitsha · the early years

Oby as a girl in her school dance group costume, a tall conical headdress and rattles at her ankles — Plate 03In the dance group outfit, rattles at her ankles.Onitsha · the early years

A studio portrait of Oby in full dance costume with a plumed headdress, standing between her father and her mother — Plate 04She led the school dance group, and they won. Photographed afterwards between her father and her mother.Onitsha · the early years

Anglican Girls, Onitsha

Library prefect in JS2, unheard of for a junior, and five committees after it. The uniform years, and the friendships that outlasted them.

Oby Attoh as a schoolgirl in girl guide uniform, seated on a step before an iron gate — Plate 05In her girl guide uniform.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

Oby Attoh in her secondary school uniform, a white blouse and dark skirt, standing on a balcony — Plate 06In school uniform, as library prefect.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

Oby as a schoolgirl standing in a hall in white with a red sash, a rolled scroll in her raised hand, mid-speech — Plate 07Performing Mark Antony's speech from Julius Caesar, Caesar's will in her hand. The girl her father sent back to read her own words.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

A large group of schoolgirls in white Red Cross uniforms and caps seated outdoors around a table at an event — Plate 08President of the school Red Cross, watching an event with the senior prefect of the day.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

Oby and her childhood friend Onyechi standing together in front of a green door, both in patterned dress — Plate 09Cultural Day, with her childhood friend Onyechi.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

Oby standing beside her brother, who is seated on the bonnet of a car, on grass — Plate 10Her late brother, at a Red Cross event.Anglican Girls Secondary School · Onitsha

The house she came from

The open house in Onitsha, her father in the chair, and the blessings he gave before anybody left.

Oby's father seated indoors in white, holding hands with her mother, who is bending towards him — Plate 11Her father's blessings and prayers.The family house · Onitsha

Oby's father seated outdoors in white with her mother and the children gathered around him — Plate 12The same blessing, with her brothers and sisters around him.The family house · Onitsha

Oby as a young woman in a white lace dress, dressed for her father's Ozo title — Plate 13Dressed for her father's Ozo title.The family house · Onitsha

Oby reclining in an armchair at home beside a curtained window — Plate 14At home during the holidays.The family house · Onitsha

University of Jos

She filled the JAMB form herself and put Jos, against her father's wish for somewhere closer. Her room there became the rallying point.

Oby Attoh as a young woman in a green cap and gown, smiling, at her matriculation — Plate 15Matriculation. University of Jos.University of Jos

Oby Attoh in full green academic gown and hood, holding her scroll, at convocation — Plate 16Convocation, scroll in hand. University of Jos, 1988.University of Jos

Oby walking on grass in a patterned dress, cars and a bungalow behind her — Plate 17Stepping out, shortly after graduation.University of Jos

The family they made

Married in December 1998. What followed: two children, the school fields and the front rows, and the portraits taken when everyone could be got into one room.

Dr. Oby Nwokedi with her husband, his arm around her, he in white and she in blue lace — Plate 18The friendship began over a stack of plates nobody else at the party was willing to wash.The family they made

Dr. Oby Nwokedi and her husband standing behind an elder seated in gold and coral beads — Plate 19Respect for elders is the third of the seven rules of her house. She did not invent it; she inherited it.The family they made

Dr. Oby Nwokedi holding a framed award, her husband beside her — Plate 20Anything I wanted to do, Mr Nwokedi gave me his maximum support. Her career, and her charity work.The family they made

A studio portrait of Dr. Oby Nwokedi seated in purple with her family around her — Plate 21Not simply what they achieved, she says, but the people they became.The family they made

Dr. Oby Nwokedi outdoors with her husband and two of the children — Plate 22Celebrating every moment as a family: the second of the rules the house runs on.The family they made

Her husband seated in a gilt chair with their daughter and son standing beside him — Plate 23Igwe once told a friend at school that his mother and father never quarrel. He was telling the truth.The family they made

Dr. Oby Nwokedi standing between her son and daughter on a school sports field — Plate 24Time was the price she paid for the career, and she says so plainly. She spent what she had of it here.The family they made

Two children outside a house, one holding up a hand-lettered sign — Plate 25A home where people are welcomed, and are at peace. Nobody said it had to be a solemn one.The family they made

A gathering under a red canopy, several people in academic gowns and caps — Plate 26The family they made

Dr. Oby Nwokedi outside a building with two others, one holding a framed certificate — Plate 27The family they made

A hall of children in uniform and sashes at a presentation, Dr. Oby Nwokedi among the adults — Plate 28The family they made

At the desk

Her office: the plaques on the shelf, the papers never quite cleared, the “think big” notes on the wall, the door out of frame and open.

Dr. Oby Nwokedi at her desk with a celebration cake — Plate 29A birthday, marked at the desk.Her office · Abuja

Dr. Oby Nwokedi behind her desk on her birthday, papers stacked beside her — Plate 30The papers, never quite cleared.Her office · Abuja

Dr. Oby Nwokedi in her office among gold balloons — Plate 31Gold in the office.Her office · Abuja

On the road

A Special Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Unit 21 Command. The vest goes on at weekends, in the rain, and nobody in the traffic has any idea what she does on a Monday.