(CNN) -- Celebrated Cameroonian-born photographer Samuel Fosso, famous for his compelling self-portraits, has had his work exhibited in major museums across the world -- from New York and Paris to London and Buenos Aires. Yet Fosso's thought-provoking creations, in which he transforms into characters ranging from symbols of black identity to pop culture icons, had never been exhibited in Nigeria, the country he grew up in but had to flee at a young age to escape the Biafran War in the late 1960s. Not any longer. Fosso, who now lives and works in the Central African Republic, has chosen the LagosPhoto Festival for the global premiere of his latest photographic series, "The Emperor of Africa." In his latest work, the award-winning artist uses his constructed images to explore the relationship between Africa and China by assuming the part of Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
@highlight
LagosPhoto Festival is underway
@highlight
This year's theme is "The Megacity and the Non-City"
@highlight
The festival features more than 50 photographers and artists spanning 15 countries
@highlight
It also introduces the global premiere of Samuel Fosso's latest photographic series
"The real goal of @placeholder is not only in the work that we show but also to show that there's another side of Nigeria -- there's another side of Africa -- and we hope that spreading that message will lead to positive change."