Meet Solomon Osagie Alonge, Most Renowned Photographer in Africa during the Early 20th Century
Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911-1994) was born in Benin, Nigeria. He learned English at the Benin Baptist Primary School and in 1925, at the age of 14, moved to Lagos, where he lived with an uncle to learn a trade. He quickly became interested in photography and began professional practice to expand his knowledge and skills. For Alonge, photography proves to be a lucrative and respected profession. In 1930 he returned to Benin and began photography in his home on Rue Ugbague. He often traveled outside Benin by bicycle, taking annual portraits at schools and gathering at social…