Oluwatobiloba Sofolabo

THE MASTERCLASS 10/10 The @hatricksbytolani carved by Ms. @tolanialli was a two-day experience that proved—without question—that the $2,000 fee was worth far more than the price tag. What Amazon, Ms @tolanialli began as a teaching around photography and storytelling quickly evolved into something much heavier and more demanding. It built stamina around communication, responsibility, and the weight that comes with excellence. The class reframed my thinking completely—that a person can be an organisation. One man carrying vision, structure, execution, and profit. The strength of a thousand, with results to show for it. We moved into conversations around public relations for brands, organisations, and individuals. Just as the idea of becoming excellent in a single lane began to settle, @ifeyinkar disrupted that comfort. He called us out of the loop of being one-brand winners and showed us the importance of sustaining communication and putting on another assignment across multiple endeavours. Financial weight matters. Capacity must translate into longevity, not just applause but for answering to life. Then @tybello spoke—and as always, grace led the room. You know those people you honour from afar, not for showmanship but for substance? She is like the sun—essential, quietly present, shaping everything without noise. Her teaching on understanding how God is framing your life, and how that framing must reflect even in the mundane, was wisdom personified. She said I made teaching easy because I listened with rapt attention and wrote intensely—and truly, who wouldn’t lean in fully when the purpose is clear? The conversation with @chuckkennedydc felt like preparation for the global stage. Take the image valuable for global stage. From positioning my photography to navigating storytelling assignments in the Western world, he gave clarity on structure, expectation, and scale. Hearing him speak about photographing the President of the United States, and now the Secretary of State, grounded my understanding of what world-class storytelling truly looks like. @tolanialli shifted paradigm with this class Cont’d in the comment…… #tobilobadearest #hatricksbytolani

God doesn’t leave a man, He sends you, equips you, and backs you up. I’ve seen Him not just in the spiritual, but in the everyday details, the rooms, the work, and the process. @officialbenkalu gives me room to express myself, and allows me work outside the box. Thank you sir for the confidence, the freedom and access, it means more than you know. I can’t deny God’s hand on my craft in 2025. I’m locked in for more this year. Work Review 2025! Special S/O to the good people of @thex_projects for the visuals! #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

There are days that it’s fire brigade (most days) they’re subtle days too, there’re days that are like graphs, 18hrs and a sprinkle of fun moments and quick mood change, unprecedented times, rollercoasters of emotions, only one thing is constant, provable and tangible results. Last frame, quite personal, it was the last image i took before DS asked that i go home and get rest because i was on drugs and wasn’t myself. The schedule this day was spare headed by @maybleade 20-04-2026 #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

You really can’t catch pastor, he’s Vast. Pastor? You can’t catch him unaware and this is not just because he’s a pastor, few minutes with him the other day was like listening for an hour and No, he wasn’t teaching but i was learning in the midst of what i believe isn’t a random conversation. Pastor taught me the “don’t get too used to people” principle in pseudo, you abaze and abound. The work of photography has put me in rooms and moments that i cherish and some i took note but with pastor, the experience is another chapter already, a handful of people say Pastor is like that but the last assignment was on another wavelength. Pastor waited, i was lost in transit 😂, @holyskilz wouldn’t stop making jest of me, but he also had no choice than to wait also. Pastor? Doesn’t miss his coffee, amongst a thousand help, he’d preferably pour it himself if you wouldn’t let him make it. Pastors flight is in few minutes but he won’t miss the quick counsel if you would catch him as he moves. Pastor, a worthy Priest and covering. Pastor’s favourite people as he hands his bag on the walk way at midweek service are the children and his listening hears to show a representation of “abba” Pastor said he’d ban the name “Dj Pope” but he should let me have a picture of him on the DJ wheel before he does that. Happy Birthday sir @pastorpoju i can’t take the privilege of service to you for granted, may you continue to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the father. #tobilobadearest

Happy Birthday Enyi Baba! (only me calls him that) you wouldn’t guess what his response is and a little wink by the side 🤭 Behind the discipline, the pressure, and the weight of leadership, there’s a side of you many don’t get to see, the humor, the subtle goofiness, even on the toughest and most hectic days, just like how it took 3days to make this not so serious portrait session that @_viviannah made happen. And somehow, in those moments, you still find time to connect. As your four eyed photographer and your youngest serving aide, it’s an honor to witness that balance up close. The respect you show me, and little jabs alongside, how you catch my signals mid-assignment and adjust without a word makes the work seamless and the experience even more meaningful. Thank you for your trust, your awareness, and the kind of leadership that carries both strength and humanity, IGI IWE! Wishing you many more impactful years ahead, Sir. @henry_chikwado thank you helping me calm and execute this S/O to my sponsor who would give me access again and again for the make shift set up and the people of @folakaystudio for the end of this images. #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

Committee of Supply . Make sure to come correct on this day, observe the order paper, do well to get your aide to pick up the order paper in your designated pigeon hole, be sure to have attended and contributed at committee meetings for the sake of your constituents. The conversations at The Committee of Supply is finite, they are not necessarily open ended except the draft by the serjeant-at-arms hasn’t gotten to you, then you can raise a point of order, else you have yourself a pen and draft as the Chairman and Co chairman (The Speaker and The Deputy Speaker) receives the synopsis of the bill from the Appropriations Chairman. Sitting on this day lasted about 5hrs and the silence was as loud as the bang of the Garvel. 31-3-2026 #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

Committee of the whole, numbered motions. 11-3-26 #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

To throw in the towel was never an option, to show up as light isn’t a choice, it’s a commandment! . Lately i have been divided between two walls and world, the certainty of what a win should look like and what the present reality is, understanding the presence in a position and a location, i have found words as i enquired what the presumption should be and truthfully the answers are enough to run with and they still fuel the journey. I believe i can yet accelerate again and the former mould doesn’t exist any longer. Knowing this, let’s progress. It’s an honor that you find my journey inspiring and thoughtful, if you ever do. The works that would be shared after this post aren’t as energetic as such, they are testaments to what must be even if the other parts of my life were falling. Archive raid’ 4th month, 20th day, 2026.

In Ecowas Parliament Again! You know the only place I have truly been able to frame his diplomatic essence is inside the Parliament of the (ECOWAS) @ecowas_parliament . This is my second rodeo. He belongs to other parliamentary assemblies, yes — but as we say in photography, “if it isn’t frame by us….” You sure know what is being done at ECOWAS? Simply speaking, super impose what is done at the national assembly here also, only that its discussion is about West Africa…you get? So policy reviews, committee work, economic direction and all, but here, it is weightier. Different languages. Different schools of thought. Different national interests. You can’t afford to be too familiar with the order paper, legislative terms are somewhat different too. I tell you, it’s big here and core diplomacy is what sells you. No one speaks for a single constituency, they speak for an entire region. Winning here is diplomatic between nations, not just colleagues. The House of Reps press playbook doesn’t fully apply here. It feels like shooting blind. Like Igbo conversations in Bende, Abia State. You observe first, then frame. And then here are the moments when #ds004🇳🇬 engages, not just as a member, but as Chairman, Committee on Administration, Finance and Budget. Cerebral exchanges, on and off the mic. His speech carefully carved by Dr Salome @sallyosia his Special Assistant on this assignment (see frame 5) and still refined by himself. (ígí ìwé — the tree of knowledge.) Fixing up this assignment, I doubled up shooting stills and video simultaneously. In my head was the meme, “Yakubu manage.” I shot photos, Shot videos, Sorted audio, Synced sound and Colour graded, all by myself. Tasking? Yes. Worthy? Absolutely. Like it is expected of you in honour to God and the craft He has given you, you must get better until there is a signature on a blank page. Without further ado, I present my diplomatic frames from the ECOWAS Parliament @ecowas_parliament 23rd February, 2026. #tobilobadearest #ds004🇳🇬

Plenary sessions in 3,2,1…….. I’m excited to photograph and film the process of motions and bills that would cause a ripple effect to every part of all constituents. . Parliamentary assignment, a continuous forte #tobilobadearest

I have drunk of this well by proxy, and I have also accepted the invitation to drink of it permanently. Time and again, I have been a partaker of the riches of a community that draws from this well—shaped by men who win with the sword clung to their hands and who have not fallen. They win in different helms of life by virtue of being partakers of this stream—through shared knowledge, growth, and a palpable grip on the many shades of life. To some, Writers. To some, Skilled communicators. To some, Schedulers for kings and top noblemen. To some, Skillful Executive Assistants with precision and intelligence. To some, Top directors for private conglomerates and to some, Silent whispers making daring decisions that cause ripple effects at the peak of government parastatals, all from this stream drilled by THE HAT. If you are just starting, you are not leaving as that person; you are leaving as the person. October 2021 marked my first encounter, and 1,540 days later, the results speak for itself. There is surely more that myself—and yourself—can be. You wanna know How? The answer is this class, carefully tailored for the next version of you, the one the world expects BIG THINGS from. You can be a testament of this shared knowledge, and so can your works. My fellow creators, this is me personally inviting you to this all-in-one class, The HaTricks, by the Amazon herself @tolanialli Some good news on the last two slides from @mypayaza #tobilobadearest

What does it really take to go from documenting real life… to shaping national perception? This is more than a career story. It’s a message for every young creative finding their way. 📺 Full interview drops Wednesday on YouTube (link in bio) Subscribe and turn on notification 🔔 #ConversationsWithCreatives #DocumentaryPhotography #CreativeJourney #NigerianCreatives BehindTheLens