Obituary: end of an era

THE FUMBA TIMES wishes to pay tribute to a great photographer and chronicler of news in Zanzibar, Ramesh R.T. Oza. The renowned photographer passed away on 6th September 2024 at the age of 74 years.
With his “Capital Art Studio” on Kenyatta Road in Stone Town he captured the entire history of Zanzibar – in black and white. Rohit, as he was called by colleagues and friends, lives on in countless photos he took in the historical heart of Stone Town and elsewhere on the island. He is survived by his wife. With him, Zanzibar has lost another important eye-witness of history.
THE FUMBA TIMES covered Rohit Oza’s remarkable work in a feature in 2020, saying that he captured heads of states and other visiting dignitaries from all over the world including former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. But in his photo shop, customers could also discover the most stunning palm tree scenarios, sunsets, historic buildings and everyday life in Zanzibar – all of it mostly in black-and-white photography. “I still like to process my own pictures”, Ramesh Rohit T. Oza explained.
He has chronicled life in Zanzibar since his early youth taking over the craft and a rich heritage from his father Ranchhod Trikam Oza. Senior Oza opened the studio in 1930. Through thick and thin, revolution and changing governments it has never closed ever since. “I still remember learning everything about photography from my father following him around as a young man”, said Ramesh Oza, to friends simply known as Rohit.
The good-looking character of Hindu origin had become slightly camera-shy himself in recent years. The reason had to do with ever-growing tourism and visitors who view inhabitants of Stone Town like exhibits in a museum: “Everybody likes to benefit, using our stories, our memories, even using my photography. Copycats are everywhere”, Rohit said and developed a strict “buy a photo but leave me alone” policy towards strangers.
A man of the news
Still, his studio doors remained wide open all day while the photographer, whose hair had turned from black to silver, casually sat on his entry steps often reading a daily newspaper. Like his father, Roza junior was a man of the news with every fibre of his body. He also took passport photos and family portraits in his studio and roamed the streets and events in Zanzibar for current shots.
In 1985 he had taken over the studio with its antique wooden vitrines from his father. Extraordinary black-and-white photography is covering all the walls of “Capital Art” – some chronicled by events, others by location. Especially popular is the “Then-and-now”-line of photos depicting Stone Town benchmarks from the 50s to the 70s. Compared with their current state many of the locations looked better 70 years ago than now!
When asked if he remembers any unusual episode of his photography life, Rohit Oza dryly remarked: “No it was always business as usual” – whether catching the Iranian president Rafsanjani during his Zanzibar visit in 1996 or Paul Kagame, head of state of Rwanda, in 2005. But one thing Oza remembers of a German presidential visit. When Hans-Joachim Gauck came calling in 2015, the pastor who became president humbly proclaimed “I am a learner in Africa” walking with his entourage the entire sea promenade from the ferry port to the House of Wonder. “Everybody like that in Zanzibar”, Oza recalled, “he did not require a motor escort but was a simple peasant mixing with local people.”
BU:
In memory of a chronicler of news: Ramesh R.T. Oza in his studio in Stone Town. The well-known photographer died in September 2024
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