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 ...