Sortie aux éditions GÒKÈ de Unyọñ Ufọk d’Emily Nkanga.
The project began in January 2021 when Nkanga returned home for her father’s burial. After living in the UK for more than seven years, she was struck by the love her father—a beloved patriarch who “changed the generational story” of their family—received from the community. This inspired her to document life in Akwa Ibom. Over nearly two years, Nkanga photographed local life, from governance and monarchy to unsung heroes, including a youth boxing club. The book is comprised of a three-part project.
For Nkanga, Unyọñ Ufọk, a project both personal and reflective, became a therapeutic means of redirecting grief into art. In Akwa Ibom she learned her father was nicknamed Idongesit Akwa Ibom, translating to “Comforter of Akwa Ibom.” Through the book, Nkanga creates a portrait of her father, not as a single figure, but as a composite of the lives he touched. “It gives a bit of closure,” she reflects, “especially for someone who really loved my work. I feel like if he saw these pictures, he would be happy.”
The book also asks broader questions about identity and belonging. “What is our connection to our homes? What, and where, is home?” Nkanga reflects. Though deeply rooted in Akwa Ibom, her time abroad lends her a distinct perspective, allowing her to document the community with both familiarity and curiosity. Unyọñ Ufọk is a time capsule, a family archive, a regional diary. As community elders pass on, a new Akwa Ibom is forming.
Emily Nkanga : Unyoñ Ufok
Published by GÒKÈ (March 2025)
Essay by Isaac Huxtable
Hardcover, 172 Pages, 6 x 8 Inches
Limited edition of 200 copies
ISBN 978-1-3999-9820-8
£45
https://www.nkanga-archive.com/products/unyon-ufok
