Returning to the Point of no Return

a new addition to the point of no return

The point of no return in Badagry used to be materialised by two concrete obelisks, slightly inclined and pointed towards the sky. It conveyed, very simply, the sense of a gate towards the unknown, erected at the end of the sand track that separates the lagoon from the ocean.

The two pillars were small compared to the slender neighbouring coconut trees planted along the beach.

Tourism has always been a dream for Nigerian developers, especially coastal historical sites, that are fairly close to Lagos. Badagry with its pivotal role in the history of slavery is a perfect candidate. But so far, the place is not exactly a hotspot to attract tourists usually looking for nice beaches, comfortable accommodation and nice restaurants. Badagry rather feels like a place where something happened a long time ago, a place that has fallen into oblivion and been left to decay absent-mindedly.

Could this be about to change? There are a number of projects to develop the site. Ambitious for some that have the necessary scale to fire-up the imagination at the prospect of quick and juicy returns promised by an optimistic business case.

As we speak, one project is about to be completed: a new monument to complement or perhaps replace the tired concrete pillars. The construction is an alpha-shaped tunnel ascending through the air. The walls are made of polystyrene, reinforced with metal on the outside, and pierced with a few circular openings. The tunnel finally opens on the ocean and has a lateral staircase exit. Apparently the monument will be air-conditioned to provide comfort to visitors who have come a long way without necessarily knowing what to expect and may actually never return to this place after having seen it.

from concrete obelisks to polystyrene serpentine

inside the serpentine

view from the sea of the new point of no return

Comments

Benin City, at the heart of the Benin Kingdom and its great past

Benin City's popular fashion Benin City is one of the largest cities in Nigeria. It is the capital of Edo state. It probably shines less than it used to a few centuries ago when it was a powerful and advanced kingdom, lauded for its administrative and military strengths by the first Europeans who came to trade in the 15th century. Nowadays modern Europeans hear more about Benin City because Edo's gangs export girls for prostitution and compete with the mafia in Sicily on some markets. Traces of the past are very present, for instance the Oba's palace is still surrounded by a large mud wall. The city has sprawled in all directions. Trading buildings, administration buildings are among the tallest, most of them worn out by time, dusty winters and strong rainy seasons. Large avenues are running through the city, but as soon as one leave them to adjacent roads, potholes and dirt roads slow down navigation. Easier for motorbikes. Market areas are usually buzzing with peopl...

tanker for sale

tanker for sale As in Singapore, many ships are crowding the horizon on the sea along the Atlantic coast of Lagos. These are patiently waiting for their turn to come to unload or load their containers in the harbour of Apapa or Tincan Island. Most of them come and go after have completed their duty. But unlike Singapore some are just staying longer than expected, by design or by accident. Hence the coast is littered by ship wrecks which are rusting away and sinking in the sand progressively so that, in the end, they are no longer visible. once a great ship Stories point out human error as a reason for the ship's beaching. The captain went to see his girlfriends and the ship drifted ashore... seriously? More probable is that these ships are either beyond repair or the company owning her in financial trouble and therefore the ship is abandoned. from raw material to recycling One of them was a complete tanker standing ominously on the sand at the e...

The Ogiamien family in Benin City: about wood and history

Roland Ogiamien in his wood-carving workshop Wood Roland Ogiamien is a renown wood carver. He is now retired in his home town of Benin City and is now in his 80s. We met him in his simple workshop, a barn opened on the surrounding greenery. A part of the studio is used to store wood pieces and make sure they are well dried. He is using a collection of german ustensils to carve and polish the wood. He spent most of his career working out of Lagos before relocating to Benin. Roland was explaining that the wood he uses today is different that the one he worked on in his early days. Ebony has become rare and wood carvers have had to switch to other types of wood. Traditional heritage is a large part of his inspiration which he translates on wood with his own particular style, exploring various techniques for the finish of his pieces. Roland Ogiamien and two of his favourite masks History Ogiamien is the name of an important royal family in Benin Kingdom. Towards the end of the ...

Nigeria, the land of plenty

Search This Blog