Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Adolphus Opara is a seasoned visual storyteller who started out in photography by chronicling Nigeria’s rich culture and heritage. His work is induced by the need to demystify personal childhood notions as regards Identity and as his career advanced, he delved into more conceptual territories, exploring nuanced social impacts of forced changes in the lived environment as necessitated by the Anthropocene.

A multi-award-winning photographer, he has completed photography briefs for institutions and his works have been published globally and exhibited in top galleries, museums and publications.

He has lectured and facilitated photography trainings Around Africa and abroad, most notably being at the Creative Photography Masterclass, Lagos. German Agency for International Cooperation Lagos. Centre for African and African American Studies at Harvard University, Cambridge USA. Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos. and Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge USA.

His long-form documentary photography projects and keen interest in the plight of socially marginalised individuals led to his co-founding of Foundation for Art and Social Integration (FASI) through which several photography trainings around Africa have been completed in collaboration with artists and socially focused institutions. He co-created the Creative Photography Masterclass in visual storytelling (CPM) and have facilitated several photography trainings around Africa.

In 2023 he was appointed a collaborator with the West African Cluster of Harvard University’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, a research project on Sea level Rise, Coastal Erosion and Urban flooding in the Gulf of Guinea and his photography and short films are being used for policy advisory in Ghana.

Opara served as grand jury of the Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art along with Yinka Sonibare MBE, N’Gone Fall, Prof El Anatsui and Ablade Glover amongst others.

His works are held in notable international public and private art collections