BY JAPHET ALAKAM

Last week was the 70th birthday of veteran and award-winning photographer, jazz percussionist, one-time trend-setting barber and publisher, Sunmi Smart-Cole . And as a way of celebrating that great moment that took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 1941, SS Cole as he was fondly called who is of Nigerian-Sierra Leonean parentage put together a befitting birthday bash.

The event which was a two fold affair, kicked off by 3.00 pm with a thanksgiving service held at Our Saviour Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos and after that, family and friends gathered for a special dinner at Harbour Points, Victoria Island, where he was celebrated in style.

It was indeed a memorable day for the self made man and a confirmation of that popular saying that “failure is an orphan while success has many relations” as friends, colleagues and relations of the quintessential artist turned up to celebrate with him.

L-R: Tobi, Sunmi Smart-Cole, Bankole, and Mrs Violet Ladipo cutting the birthday cake.

The guest list was endless and an heart warming representation of the manner and height S S Cole has elevated his trade. They include: Senator Ike Nwachukwu, Prince Julius Adelusi- Adeluyi, Chief Oprah Benson, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Mr Odein Ajumogobia and wife, Mr Ola Vincent, Mr Sam Amuka ,Vanguard Publisher, Dr B. Koleosho, Rt. Rev. Akin Odejide from Ifo Diocese, Venerable Rotin Odugbogwu from Ife Diocese ,Ben Murray Bruce, Folorunsho Alakija, Tony Elumelu, Tunji Braithwaite, Mobolaji Johnson, Segun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State and his deputy , Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Dr Sunny Kuku and others were all there to rejoice with the icon .

In his sermon during the church service, Venerable Rotin Odugbogwu from Ife Diocese described the celebrant as a courageous,determined and focused gentleman who started life from nowhere. He pointed out that the occasion is to thank and praise the lord for the life of the celebrant. Going back memory lane, Odogbogwu recalled how the young Sunmi started life as an untrained teacher at the age of 15 and later ventured into many areas where he established himself as great achiever.

On the other side, he also recalled the various incidents that happened in the man’s life , especially the accident that nearly killed him but in all, God spared his life. He then tasked the celebrant to refocus his lens and look towards heaven, “At 70, you are an accomplished human being, famous and comfortable so the question should be what next? You should then refocus your lens on God who has brought you through.” He added.

The celebrant who is still taking photographs at 70 stated that he is celebrating because he is happy to be alife to celebrate his 70th birthday. “I am happy to be alive, like the preacher told you I survived in the accident, I fell from the helicopter in flight, my knee shattered and I had to go to America for a knew replacement surgery. Apart from that I was involved in many other accidents but in all God spared my life.

Aside the obvious things they told you of how I struggled to see myself up, I have a lot to thank God for, because a lot of people I know died before they were 40. Every day you find yourself alive , you give thanks to God, that is why I am celebrating.” He added.

On his part, Senator Ike Nwachukwu who has followed Sunmi for years,described him as a good historian and photo journalist. “Like I predicted in 1971 when I wrote a recommendation for him that I was sure he will be somebody great in the society in the future, now he is, I thank God for him. Sunmi is a very nice person, dogged, reliable, self educating, he is someone you can rely upon. My family and I are delighted to know him.” He added.

Percy Sunmi Smart- Cole was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on September 25, 1941, to Nigerian-Sierra Leonean parentage. He is known at home and abroad for his creative versatility and wide range of interests. For a man so versatile in the creative arts, Sunmi is mostly self-taught. He was an elementary school teacher at age fifteen. At seventeen, he started training as an architectural draughtsman. He is a soul music drummer and jazz percussionist, in the 1960s, he was a founding member of the Soul Assembly.

Sunmi has performed or “sat-in” with well-known jazz musicians such as the late alto saxophonist Julian “Canonball” Adderley, organist Jimmy Smith, and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, the late multi-instrumentalist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti among others.In 1967, his Yaba barber’s shop “Sunmi’s Place”, was a trend-setting centre for the fashionable Lagos elite.

In 1972, he went to the U.S.A, where he worked as an electronic drafter and technical illustrator. His strong visual sense made him embark on a photography course in 1976 at Foothill College in Los Altos, California. He held his first solo exhibition at Stanford University, Stanford, California in 1978. After that he was invited by the National Council for Arts to mount an exhibition at the National Theatre in 1982.

And ever since then, he has consolidated his position both as a professional photographer of international repute. He worked in many media houses and has trained up to 30 photographers though his dream of setting up a photography school has not materialised.

He is a multi-award winner including the 3rd Commonwealth Photography Exhibition award in Hong Kong (1983); the JADEAS TRUST award for creativity (2001); the first TINAPA Movie Awards “Achievement in Entertainment Award” (GOLDEN CAMERA AWARD – 2007); the VIVANTE award as a “Champion of Nation Building” – 2008 (category UniqueValue Innovators);and the Photo-Journalists Association of Nigeria (PJAN) award (2008) for Inspirational Support.