Meet 8-year-old wunderkind who’s into photography, music

Immediately setting to work, he brought down the back pack he was carrying, coupled the bigger camera and set to work. In between, he went to his father for lessons and approval, often muttering ‘thank God’ for every good shot he took. Turning nine on October 28, Akin, as he is commonly called, already plays […]

Immediately setting to work, he brought down the back pack he was carrying, coupled the bigger camera and set to work. In between, he went to his father for lessons and approval, often muttering ‘thank God’ for every good shot he took.
Turning nine on October 28, Akin, as he is commonly called, already plays the piano, drums, football, and is gearing towards professional photography, which he started at the age of four. “I started photography one day when we all went to the beach and my dad gave me his camera. I began taking random pictures. I remember it was a beach because I enjoyed the view a lot and the water,” he recalls.
Taking photographs helps him develop his career, which he considers to be inclusive of playing drums, guitar, recorder, piano and football among other activities.   
The primary five pupil said that being involved in all these doesn’t distract him from his studies: “In my house, we know the rules and what should be done and when. I also love school and like to excel there too.”
On his love for photography, the youngster said: “I find it interesting, especially when I photograph buildings. I love the dimensions, the uniqueness of some of the designs as well as the combination of the shapes that make up the building.” This love is so intense that his eyes twinkled as he said: “Do you know that sometimes when we drive past some buildings and I don’t have my camera, I mark the buildings in my head and look forward to a shot next time we go through the same place. GT Bank and Protea and Bellissimo hotels are some of my best shots. I keep some of the photos and dad keeps the others in his computer which he sometimes prints.”
Bragging about taking photographs at his 14-year-old sister’s birthday party, Akin, when asked if his photography numbers in hundreds, with a slight frown exclaims: “You underestimate me, thousands.”
His plans for them in the future are unsure but Akin sees the prospects of them being income generators for him even though he hopes to become a footballer and musician, with photography on the side.
“As much as I can, I carry a camera with meor an extra device which I could use. I feel sad when I miss a good picture. I determine a good picture by the appeal I get from looking at it. I don’t like taking bad pictures. I like big cameras and automatic ones,” Akin says enthusiastically.
Although photography seems to be what he is known for, Akin says he enjoys playing the drums and piano the most of all his activities.He picked a keen interest in drumming at age two, his parents told him, growing up in a house full of drums from different regions across the world.
“I started drumming the drum set this year but the others I began much earlier because they are all over the house. I also started the piano and guitar this year too. The recorder I started when I was about three or four,” he explains.
These, he said have benefitted him a lot. “My mum strongly recommended that I played the piano to calm me. Playing the drum has also helped me adapt to noisy environments,” he said.
Unperturbed about his father allowing him follow this path, Akin says confidently: “We play football together. So he knows I like the game.” The long vacation has given him the opportunity to hone his talents.
His father, Akin Jimoh, on why he felt the need to encourage his son, said he’s always believed that a child has more capacity than parents give him credit for.
“In Yoruba, they say if you read your books, your shoe will make ‘kokokan.’ If you don’t, it will sound like you are wearing slippers. But what about the inherent talents that God gave our children? I’ve observed in my children that they have more ability than we think they do,” Jimoh noted.
 “One day we were discussing and we listed up to nine things he can do. I go around with cameras. One morning at about 6am we went to Akodo as a family and took a walk on the beach. He was taking shots. By the end of the day, his shots were better than mine. From then on, I give him the camera, regardless the size. He does what he has to do,” he said.
Commenting on his son’s zeal, Jimoh said: “There was a training in Ilorin, I took my three kids, him and his sisters, who were rapporteurs for the programme and he carried the cameras. He was crouching, bending in determination to get good shots. He simply got lost in what he was doing with no inhibitions at all.”
He added that: “I also collect drums from my destinations around the world. We play them, make noise and do all sorts with them. His sisters sing, he plays the drum. I encourage them to explore all these.”
Asked if these aren’t distractions to academics, Jimoh swiftly said: “No, not at all;there are a lot of distractions for kids; phones, games and all sorts. I had a discussion with his teachers about his performance. He is a very highflyer and when he starts dropping to 80 percent, I worry. His teacher told me this: ‘Don’t compare him with his mates who know about book and reading. He is an all-rounder.’ And I said ‘this is good enough for me’ because you see first class graduates who employ third class graduates. The distractions, if not well-managed could affect the child. He plays piano. We got a classical pianist, to teach him. He sight-reads with his songs. His advantage is that his sisters sing.”
 With many not earning a living from their original courses of study at the university, Jimoh emphasised that it wouldn’t bother him if his son chose photography or drumming as a career path. “Earning a living is different from what you studied. Also, parents need to realise that when our children begin to earn a living, we may not even be alive.
“What foundation would we have built? I’m not looking at when two, three years after they have graduated, they are still job hunting. Why can’t we look at what they can do now, that can earn them a living? The education has to be done. That’s priority. But anything they can do now, they have to start doing now and develop their skills in those areas. I don’t have any problem what he decides to do, but I’ll provide the guide. We are parents, but God is the ultimate parent for them all,” he said.