Many people shy away from revisiting moments from their painful pasts, but for some, the pull of nostalgia is hard to resist. Déjà Vu—that feeling of reliving something you’re certain or uncertain to have experienced—opens a doorway to reconnect with memories, whether clear or faint.

The foundation of my artistic journey was shaped during the festive seasons spent at my late maternal grandmother's home, as a Yoruba boy. Each December, I would flip through her numerous photo albums, looking into catalogues of photos filled with family history, and familiar faces staring right at me. Alongside these images came the stories of events that happened long before my time. Those moments ignited my curiosity about photography, family heritage and storytelling, and thus shaped how I see the world today.

In "Few Days to Christmas", I reflect on, and attempt to relive these cherished memories through my own mother and nieces, documenting their shared moments, especially during the holidays. This project is not just a personal narrative; it resonates with the collective experience of many African homes. This project celebrates the threads of family continuity and the quiet passing down of traditions between generations.

Through this work, I ask questions about belonging, the unnoticed skills and habits children inherit, and whether traditions like returning home during the holidays that we once cherished, can survive in the face of the "japa" phenomenon, and negative superstitious beliefs especially in African households.

"Japa" is a Nigerian term used to describe the large number of people who have left their country in recent years to seek better opportunities abroad. The term "japa" is a Yoruba word that means "to flee" or "to run". According to Statista, Nigeria is believed to have a negative net migration of -0.29 per 1,000 population in 2021 and a projected -0.16 per 1,000 population by 2050.

Ultimately, this work is an attempt to preserve the meaning of homecoming in a rapidly changing world.