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The Lekki Lagoon

the end of a world, lekki lagoon
the end of a world, lekki lagoon
About 80km, East of Lagos, the lagoon is narrowing to a few hundred meters in Epe which allowed a bridge to be built to link the two shores. Further east, the lagoon, called the Lekki lagoon, develops into a U-shaped expanse. It is the end of the water that stretches from the very south of Ogun state to Benin Republic.
That part of the lagoon is very quiet and clean. Rare are the huts that are built along its shores and for a good reason: most of the area can get flooded during the rainy season, turning the bush into a swamp. It is therefore still a paradise for Nature, birds, butterflies, dragonflies and many other insects and plants.
looking for the lagoon
looking for the lagoon
We started our walk off the Lekki-Epe expressway, a short distance away from Epe on the right side at the location of the old botanical garden. The bush can be very dense in places. We followed a sandy track that was leading to a small village made of bamboo huts on stilts with chicken running around. We turned right to follow another track leading to a fishermen settlement right by the Lagoon. On the way we saw a wild pineapple growing by the side of the track, we had to cross a small stretch under water nursing white lilies.
a wild pineapple
a wild pineapple
The guide also pointed out to a plant before uprooting it and starting munching the root, a perfect man's virility enhancer, he said raising his forearm with a clenched fist to emulate the effect that it is meant to procure. Various sorts of palm trees could be seen, from the giant one with branches between 5 and 10 meters long, the one used for oil with its shiny black seeds and the one used to produce palm-wine.
the fishermen's settlement
the fishermen's settlement
A few simple huts, chicken again, the head of a doll lying on the ground for girls to practice hair braiding, nets hung for repair. The heat was strong and the air motionless, no breeze to refresh, the surface of the water seemed like a giant mirror reflecting and merging with the sky in a quasi imperceptible manner. Some wooden boats were parked on the shore. They looked like an invitation to embark on a magical journey over the lagoon towards an unknown land, forever.



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