Nigeria, the land of plenty

once upon a time, the train came to Jos Blond is the colour that could best describe the Jos plateau several weeks after the end of the rainy season. The sun is treacherously burning and the air is dry. The altitude keeps temperatures lower than in the neighboring Nassarawa plains. The wind that sweeps the plateau is cool and refreshing. Dry grass pastures, grazing land, clay soil, all looks blond under the blunt sunlight. The landscape is occasionally disturbed by rocky outcrops and small villages fenced by cactuses and planted with majestic and tormented trees that look like they have been there for a very long time. The harshness of the sun turns every tree into a place of gathering, its shadow is a haven for conversation, for spending time and exchanging information, for witnessing the passing of time. Unlike in Lagos, basic constructions are much more robust and covered by proper corrugated iron roofs often of pastel color...

time for draft, fish can rest The sky brightens progressively turning from grey to pale blue. The line of horizon is filled with large dark-grey clouds. Above my head some elongated clouds have turned to white in high altitude while those a little lower catch their first shade of pink. The illumination of Lekki bridge has just been switched off, it must be around 6.30am. Traffic is light, nonetheless some pick-up trucks carry their loads of construction workers and fill the air with dark exhaust smoke. Probably thirty people squeeze, on the open platform at the back of the truck, around a cement mixer and a few piled up tools. Some of them sit on the platform lid. Truck with passengers look like a truncated pyramid on wheels choking its way up the Lekki Bridge. Coming down will generate less smoke because there will be not need to press the accelerator. Gravity is strong enough for the vehicle to gather speed downwards towards the toll gate. At this hour, there are mor...

Va-Bene on a crusade for tolerance and respect Long deep red artificial fingernails were busy setting up earrings with sparkling shades of white and red, as if they were incrusted with diamonds and rubies. As soon as it was done, it was time for make-up to be applied. Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, alias crazinisT_artisT on Instagram, a Ghanaian contemporary art performer, was holding his iPhone as a mirror to apply a blue pencil on the contour of his eyes and lips. He would then add a pinch of pink gloss at the center of his lips which he would rub expertly to create a gradation of colors. Va-Bene talked with conviction about his imminent performance at the Iwaya Community Art Festival (ICAF Lagos 2017). His eyes were sending flashes, as he spoke, while two hair assistants were undoing his braids to turn them into woolly pompons. Va-Bene with make-up He was getting dressed-up in an open corner room on the first floor of an construction building over...

Brymo has just put his glasses down A red carpet covered the swimming pool in the leafy courtyard of Moorhouse hotel. Long tables, with chairs on one side only, had been arranged over it parallel to the stage. The organisers had thankfully done away with the usual round tables around which half of the seats can't possibly give a decent sight of the stage. Lagos Jazz Series 2017, the latest edition of Lagos Jazz Series, was an entirely Nigerian affair with its theme "back to the basics". Oti B: anything else would be uncivilised Oti Bazunu is the man that made it possible for that one night to take place. In a way, back to the basics, may have a broader meaning since the vintage and now legendary Oti's cellar is also transitioning to something new, due to open early next year. Ed Keazor, a historian, a lawyer and a keen singer, was the MC of the evening, a perfect host never short of praise for the talent of artists (maybe it helps to ...

a corner of the suspended lake on Ado Hill My eyes set on a diamond incrusted gold purse embossed with a dollar sign which was dangling around Otun's neck at the end of a gold chain. Were these real gold and real diamonds? I did not dare asking. Otun wore a very bright suit, a kaleidoscope of violet, green and orange. He also had a traditional dark pink and violet yoruba aso-oke hat, a necklace and a bracelet of deep red beads to mark his chieftaincy in Ado Awaye. Otun was the youngest of the three Chiefs who had gathered to greet us at the residence of the Alado (local king) of Ado Awaye, somewhere between Abeokuta and Iseyin in Ogun state. Otun's golden purse Aro, the second Chief, was dressed in a light blue traditional suit embroided with beige flowers and turquoise leaves, a yellow Yoruba hat and beige leather mocassins. Next to them sat the an older man with an impaired eye.  Balogun was wearing an ample green suit assorted to...

forest and crops at the heart of Ibadan Fifty years ago, in 1967, one thousand hectares of land were earmarked for research on tropical agriculture several kilometers away from Ibadan. The land was leased to IITA (an American NGO called International Institute for Tropical Agriculture) for a duration of 99 years and a symbolic yearly fee of crop to be paid to the local Oba. The goal of IITA is to study how to improve crops of cassava, yam, maize and plantain by selecting the varieties that are pest-resistant but also generating higher yields. Peter Kulakow showing garri and fermenting cassava Peter Kulakow, who heads the cassava department at IITA, took us on a tour of his activities. He has a PhD in genetics from the University of California. Cassava in West Africa is often victim of the mosaic virus which affects the leaves of the plant and therefore the ability of its tubers to grow. Peter’s team is working on selecting varieties of plants which are able to resist to ...

connecting between mother Earth and Heavens Waves are crashing remorselessly on the sand of the ocean-shore beach, westward of the entrance of Lagos harbor. This stretch of sand is protected by the stone wall which extends into the sea up to a lighthouse to signal the entrance into the Lagos lagoon. As a result, the water current is deviated from the coast such that sand declivity into the water is minimal. It is a good place to safely go into the water. A group of women, aligned on the sand, stands on one leg. They are looking at their yoga instructors who are currently standing on their heads. The women, who wear the same dark blue sweater, after having exercised for ten or fifteen minutes soon retire under their light shed to have some food and some drinks. The two instructors, meanwhile, carry on executing more advanced positions. a fairly quiet sea The sun has actually disappeared behind a thick layer of clouds forming to the outer rim of a storm positioned...