Nigerian Photographer Godiva Omoruyi Documents Sacred Symbols and Personal Stories on Lagos Bus Dashboards
Sayart
sayart2022@gmail.com | 2025-10-23 17:53:40
Nigerian photographer Godiva Omoruyi has embarked on a fascinating documentary project that captures the unique cultural landscape of Lagos through an unexpected lens: the dashboards of the city's ubiquitous buses. Her work focuses on documenting the shrines, religious symbols, personal talismans, and meaningful objects that drivers display on their vehicle dashboards, revealing intimate stories about faith, protection, and identity in Nigeria's bustling commercial capital.
The project showcases the rich tapestry of beliefs and personal narratives that characterize Lagos's diverse population. Bus drivers in the city commonly decorate their dashboards with a mixture of Christian crosses, Islamic verses, traditional African spiritual objects, family photographs, and protective charms. These personal displays serve multiple purposes - from seeking divine protection during dangerous daily commutes to expressing cultural identity and maintaining connections to family and faith.
Omoruyi's photographic series captures these dashboard arrangements with meticulous attention to detail, treating each composition as a window into the driver's personal world and belief system. The images reveal how individuals navigate the intersection of traditional African spirituality, imported religions, and modern urban life. Some dashboards feature elaborate shrines with multiple religious symbols representing different faith traditions, while others display simple but meaningful personal mementos.
The work has gained recognition within contemporary African photography circles and contributes to broader conversations about urban culture, religious syncretism, and personal expression in modern Nigeria. Through her lens, Omoruyi transforms everyday objects into powerful symbols of resilience, faith, and cultural continuity in one of Africa's most dynamic cities. Her project demonstrates how photography can reveal profound stories hidden in plain sight within urban environments.
This documentation effort is part of a growing movement among African photographers to chronicle the authentic, lived experiences of their communities rather than relying on external perspectives. Omoruyi's work joins other contemporary projects that explore identity, environment, and cultural expression across the African continent, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of modern African urban life and spiritual practices.
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