Abandoned

This body of work captures my reflection on the Marina in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. This colonial-era building once stood as a hive of trade, import and export beyond the shores of Nigeria. The glories of the Marina are still spoken of as part of Calabar’s history before Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule. While the older generation recalls these “good old days,” the Marina now stands as a shadow of itself. Its staircases, gates and facades, stained by rust, moss and decay, echo the grandeur and bustle of a past era when it was a vital hub of commerce. Today, the structure is abandoned, its fading signs and barred windows silently testifying to histories of connection, exchange and neglect.

This work seeks to capture the duality of abandonment: the physical erosion of stone and timber, and the emotional weight of uncherished and unpreserved memories. The building, though forgotten by time and the people it once served, continues to speak, reminding us of the cycles of progress, decline and the fragile endurance of place. This is the Marina, not forgotten, yet abandoned.