Rumble on the Atlantic: Lagos chic boxing

elegant round announcement

The wind was sweeping sand over a vast flat expanse. Light from street poles was giving a dimension to the space in the night. City skyline was visible on the horizon. In the center of that expanse stood a box ring erected on the occasion of a "white collar charity box tournament" called "Rumble on the Atlantic". The scene took place in the middle of Eko Atlantic. Club lights and sound system filled the air of what is due to become a smart or futuristic city of the area. Around the ring were VIP tables catered with small chops (the usual chicken wings, fish fingers, samosas, liver etc...) and gin cocktails. Water was nowhere to be found. Behind the tables dressed in red, where black clad plastic chairs for ordinary guests.

wait, don't throw him just yet

The tournament started with light weight fight where the two opponents seemed cautious of not punching or being punched to hard. Then came a more aggressive pair opposing a South African to a Lebanese. Those two gave their best and no winner emerged from their 3 rounds of 2 minutes.
Ladies' turn then came. A women who is undergoing box training, but was not part of the tournament was saying that she did so to be able to earn respect from bus drivers by pushing them back if needed.

a Dubai feeling from many years ago

The wind was the forerunner of a few drops of rain which intensified and turned into a proper storm prompting the fight of the ladies to be interrupted during the second round as everyone rushed out to their cars to seek shelter from the heavy rain which lasted a good half an hour. The sky was full of lightings and most people drove away home or to the following party.
Some stayed behind in their cars until the rain had eased.

after the storm, the show must go on

can you still see something

The place looked devastated chairs upside down, the guys in charge of sound were packing and so were those managing lights. Despite the dispiriting sight, the ring was dried, chairs put aside, cars brought to light up the place so that the tournament could resume as best as it could. This brought people standing and cheering loud enough to encourage the fighters for the remaining three and a half fights left. It now felt like a spontaneous underground serie of fights in a secret place.

pugnacious ladies

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The Ogiamien family in Benin City: about wood and history

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Nigeria, the land of plenty

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