Supporters Club is a project that explores the culture of football fandom in Nigeria, especially among supporters of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

With football being a big industry all over the world, and with footballers being famous celebrities, it’s not uncommon for footballers to get all the attention, especially on match days. It’s for this reason that I turn my camera to the supporters, the people who often have a lifelong commitment to the teams they support, who are also the ones who have to part with resources like time and money to ensure that their team grows. This is even more important in a country like Nigeria where resources like time and money are difficult to part with.

With the Nigerian football structure not being exempted from the incompetence and corruption that has bedevilled the country, fans aren’t always exposed to the most comfortable match day experience. With this project, I explore the experiences of fans on a regular match day in the NPFL, and the role they play in creating an exciting atmosphere.

With football being one of the most important ways that Nigerians, especially young men, seek to escape the harsh economic and social realities, I turn my camera to the fans to capture the joy, excitement and the heartbreak that comes with being a football lover. I explore the weekly ritual, weekly escapism.