Carpintarias de São Lázaro

R. de São Lázaro 72, 1150-199 Lisboa

17 . 10 . 2025 → 09 . 11 . 2025

thursday - sunday → 12:00 pm – 06:00 pm

Artist

KC Nwakalor

They arrived with children, suitcases, and no clear plan—only the urgent need to escape.

This series documents the return of Nigerian immigrants who fled a wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa. Many had spent years building lives—running businesses, raising families, and contributing to communities—only to be forced out by unrest and suspicion.

Photographed at a transit centre in Lagos, the images capture a delicate pause between displacement and homecoming. Fatigue, fear, and resilience echo through each frame.

Nigerians Flee South Africa is a reflection on what it means to be African in a fractured continent, and the quiet burden of starting over on soil that is both familiar and changed.

Photographer’s Note:
I witnessed their return not just as a documentarian, but as a fellow Nigerian—torn between empathy and helplessness. I hope this work offers space for reflection, and a reminder of the human stories behind headlines and politics.