Fragile Legacies showcases the fascinating photographs of Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911-1994), Nigeria's premier twentieth-century photographer and the first official photographer to the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Benin. Alonge's historic photographs document the rituals, pageantry, and regalia of the Benin Court for over a half-century, and provide rare insight into the history of Nigeria from an insider's perspective. With important contributions by leading Nigerian writers, this volume examines the transformations of colonialism in Africa, and more specifically Nigeria, within the context of global capitalism in the early to mid-twentieth century. "The book offers a rich tapestry of essays and viewpoints illuminating Chief Alonge’s legacy. For scholars of visual culture in Africa and, more generally, global photographic practices, the publication presents a major milestone and a timely addition to the literature. For readers interested in colonial and postcolonial history and changing cultural landscapes in African kingdoms and particularly in Benin, it adds to the understanding of social and political dynamics through the lens of photography."—Christraud M. Geary, African Arts Tam Fiofori is one of Nigeria’s most renowned filmmakers and photographers. Jide Adenyi-Jones is a Kenyan-based, Lagos-born documentary photographer Daniel Inneh is a former minister of Edo State and secretary to Oba Erediauwa, Johnnetta Betsch Cole is Director of the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA). Amy Staples is Senior Archivist of the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA). Flora S. Kaplan is the Faculty Emerita of Museum Studies at the Graduate School of Arts and Center, NYU. Kokunre Agbontaen-Eghafona is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Benin, Nigeria. George Osodi is a leading Nigerian photographer and filmmaker