Unidentifiable emotions of patriotism in Chidozie Maduka’s Atumatu Madu Lara Niyi (Drenched Dreams)

By Sanjo Lawal

A resonating moment captured as a photograph, two individuals—one male one female, most likely Nigerians because their faces are painted in the national colors of green and white. The composition is intimate, arresting, if not for its sombre outlook, it could have passed as lovers comforting each other. This extends an invitation to the viewer into a deeply reflective moment shared between the subjects before them. Their faces are adorned with obvious face paint: the man’s visage boldly split into a green-white-green vertical banner, echoing the Nigerian flag; the woman’s face bears a more undefined representation, decorated floral on one side of her cheek, lips covered in national flag colors, an arrow pointing downwards from her forehead and a part around her eyes that could pass for a portion of the Nigerian map.

The power of this image is its duality—silent and loud emotion captured simultaneously. The man’s head gently resting upon the woman’s head—she is wearing braided hair that is partly visible, it appears the woman’s head was the first to lean into the man’s shoulder and the man’s head resting on hers was in response to that. One can almost see the motion before the picture. They both seem to be in a moment of joint consolation. The man’s eyes almost closed, his expression—fatigued, solemn, and undescribable. The woman, her eyes looking downward, gazes off-camera with a striking undefined melancholy depth. Together, they present a layered portrait that straddles pride and burden, the cost of patriotism demanding an emotional toll, especially in a peculiar country like Nigeria.

Compositionally, the use of black in the background creates a striking contrast that makes the colors obvious, emphasizing both the green and white and the skin tones of the subjects. This darkness surrounding the image may not be coincident, beyond aesthetic or intention for compositional accuracy, it metaphorically amplifies the isolation, perhaps a mirror of a nation’s feeling of being overwhelmed and lonely.
The artistry of the face paint is not without notice, the man’s direct representation of the flag suggestive of allegiance, strength, or identity, while the woman’s painted lips, flower, and arrow introduce a softer, more interpretive voice, perhaps the voice of resilience, of beauty amid struggle. It attests to the duality of national identity, it can be both institutional and personal.

Symbolically, this image touches on themes of unity, endurance, and introspection. It prompts critical questions: What does it mean to carry the weight of a country on one’s face? Can patriotism be both empowering and exhausting? The quiet solemnity in their eyes loudly tells a story of hope disappointed, of love for a country entangled with lived complexity.

In conclusion, this photograph is more than a visual tribute to Nigerian identity, it is a portrait of emotional truth. Through minimalism, symbolism, and expression, the image challenges us to think beyond the excitement of nationalism, and to engage with the inner personal and collective experiences of those who wear their country’s colors not just on holidays, but in their everyday lives.