Fuel will present The 419, a new poetry and photography exhibition by award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Three Sisters, Half God of Rainfall) and acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Oluwamuyiwa “Logor” Logo, at Somerset House’s West Wing Gallery from 8–14 September 2025.
Part of the Step Inside Weekend celebrating Somerset House’s 25th birthday, this free interactive event will feature recorded performances of Ellams’ poems alongside Logor’s portraits, offering a vivid glimpse into the economics of life in Africa’s most populous city.
The exhibition pairs 14 sonnets with 14 striking portraits, each depicting how money changes hands in Lagos over the course of a single day. Inspired by Ellams’ encounters in Lagos while researching Barber Shop Chronicles, the work subverts the negative stereotypes associated with the phrase “419”—a reference to Nigeria’s anti-fraud law—through humorous and heartfelt storytelling.
The poems will be performed in recordings by Jonathan Ajayi (Noughts and Crosses), Hammed Animashaun (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Barber Shop Chronicles), Sule Rimi (Doctor Who, Blues for an Alabama Sky), Diana Yekinni (Three Sisters, For Love), and Antonia Layiwola, directed by Gbolahan Obisesan (The Last King of Scotland, Cuttin’ It).
Ellams explains, “The 419 represents an opportunity to explore, debunk, and narrate the stereotypes I had unconsciously digested as a Nigerian expat living in England.” Logo adds, “When poetry and photography meet, they tease out the soul of a place. In Nigeria’s case, that soul is layered, lyrical, and always on the brink of theatre.”
The 419 runs 8–14 September 2025 at the West Wing Gallery, Somerset House, as part of the Step Inside Weekend. Admission is free.