Portrait of an African American man smiling at an African American infant he holds in his arms, July 1975.
For some of the world's greatest artists and creatives, the first person who stood behind their passion was their father. There is an immeasurable sense of courage and strength that comes from a father's steady guiding hand as one chases one's dreams. Especially if those dreams are non-traditional. Music artists like Davido and Beyoncé, for instance, have routinely credited their fathers for instilling a sense of responsibility in them, even as they chose unconventional pathways, and when it didn't immediately make sense.
Yagazie Emezi: Artist
"He would always have a snack for me: some roasted plantain, Suya, or groundnut, and we would walk back to the house together."
Photo by Yagazie Emezi
I have many fond memories with my father, but this one resonates the most. I was a latchkey kid, and at that point, it was just my father and me living alone. He would usually come back late from work, around 8 or 9 p.m. Sometimes 10 p.m. I would always go outside to greet him whenever he returned and help him with his bag. He always had a snack for me: some roasted plantain, suya, or groundnut, and we would walk back to the house together. As we walked back, he would ask about my day, and I would ask him about work. The night sky was always very clear where we lived, and you could see a lot of stars.
At the time, I had taken an interest in astrology, and my favorite thing to point out to my dad was the Orion's Belt. It was the most recognizable to me as a child, and I always liked telling my dad fun facts about the pyramids of Giza being replicated as Orion's Belt, and it being a mirror to the heavens. Every time I told him these facts, he would always be interested and engaged, although now I know he may have been faking interest. I love that memory so much that I had a part of the Orion's Belt constellation tattooed on my arm because of what that memory means to me.
Nicole Asinugo: Writer and Filmmaker
"That moment felt like permission — the kind I didn't even know I needed."
Photo by Nicole Asinugo
One of my fondest memories of my dad is the day he saw my magazine. I was in law school at the time, struggling to stay afloat — and this was the first creative project I'd ever made that he could actually see and hold in his hands. He picked it up, studied the cover, and flipped through each page slowly, silently. Then he turned to me, a little puzzled, and asked, "You did this?" I nodded. He looked me square in the eye and said, "Then do this."
That moment felt like permission — the kind I didn't even know I needed. It wasn't about law school anymore. I realized he didn't need me to be great at school; he just wanted me to be great at something. And if writing was that thing, then he was all in. That affirmation still means the world to me.
Joojo Addison: Artist
Most of the memories I have of my dad are from my childhood. We watched football together and took strolls. And he often taught me how to pray when he was about to leave for work, and I headed to school. When I started making music, he saw a story about me in school where I had on my earrings. He asked why I was wearing earrings and tried to talk me out of it, but in the end, he was open-minded rather than being too strict or dictatorial about it. We had a conversation about it, and he listened. He was very receptive, and I liked that about him.
Emeka Nwagbaraocha: Actor
"That moment made me realize that he understood each of his children and would do anything to provide for us."
Photo by Emeka Nwagbaraocha
I have many fond memories of my dad, which often involved him taking me to his office and spending time there after school. But there's a specific memory that's etched in my brain, and every time I think about it, I realize how much my dad loves me and all his children. Growing up, I didn't like bread. One time, I refused to eat it for breakfast. Everyone else and my mum, who refused to indulge my dislike for bread, ignored me as I threw tantrums. I was banging my head on the wall and crying till my dad came back. When my mum told him why I was having a fit, my dad asked, "What do you want to eat?" I said, "Biscuits." He sent someone to get it for me, and that moment made me realize that he understood each of his children and would do anything to provide for us.
Goodness Emmanuel: Producer
"One of my fondest memories with him was when I was still at University."
Photo by Goodness Emmanuel
My father has a knack for anticipating the needs of his loved ones, even when they don't know they need it. He's also very doting. One of my fondest memories with him was when I was still at university. I was living off-campus, and on this day, I had returned from lectures feeling tired. The next thing, I saw my father sitting in front of my door, watching a man cut the patch of grass in front of my flat. He had left work, called the gardener, and brought him to where I was staying. He didn't call or tell me; he just wanted me to return from school and see that the front of my house had been cleared. I hadn't even realized it was overgrown. There are many such memories of my university days.
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