Nigerian artist residing in the UK wins top platinum honor at this year's MUSE photography competition

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A Nigerian photographer based in the United Kingdom, Olamide Adegboye, has won a Platinum award at the 2026 MUSE Photography Awards in the Fine Art Photography Conceptual category.

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Information on the organisers’ website, seen on Monday, showed that Adegboye’s winning entry, Ara Ní ń Rántí, Ẹ̀mí Ní ń Rí, was assessed by the International Awards Associate, which evaluates submissions from photographers across the world.

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The organisers described his project as “an investigative journey into the Black interior life” that serves as “a visual record of the spiritual energy and memory held within the Diaspora community.”

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They noted that his compositions and storytelling stood out among global entries.

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The award, according to the organisers, recognises Adegboye’s contributions to contemporary visual culture and reflects his growing influence within the international photography community.

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Reacting to the recognition, Adegboye said winning was a milestone but that his broader goal was documentation and cultural preservation.

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“Winning this award is a significant milestone, but my ultimate goal is to document these untold histories so they are preserved as a permanent part of our culture.

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“I view my practice as a form of Visual Stewardship; it is a meticulous archival intervention that protects the spiritual cartography of the Black interior life,” Adegboye said.

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He described the award as more than a personal achievement, saying his work focuses on documenting underrepresented histories and contributing to a broader understanding of the Black experience.

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The photographer is scheduled to exhibit his works in London from May 15 to 20, 2026.

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The exhibition will include a dialogue with art critic Jean Wainwright, whose works are archived at Tate.

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