Nigeria, the land of plenty

Cycologists riding the bridge early morning The Third Mainland Bridge is 11.8km long. It spreads over the lagoon along the Mainland shore of Makoko and Lagos University (Unilag). It is a highway above the water. Below the lagoon lives. Fishermen go about their routine to catch fishes with nets or collect them from the enclosures set in the middle of the lagoon, anchored on old tyres and wooden poles. The nets are white like a veil. The bridge is a highway with three or four lanes in each direction. It carries an impressive number of vehicles every day, especially during week days, to transport all the workers to and from the islands as well as goods. The name of the bridge inspires an element of fear in the subconscious of Lagosians. A few years ago it used to be the place where armed robbers would come and pillage passing cars, possibly hurting or killing people in the process. Its length makes it an impractical place to get help if something happens, if a tyre bursts, ...

everyone is stuck in traffic It has now been two years that I live in Lagos. The indiscriminate fears of a freshly arrived traveler have morphed into a more focused knowledge of the things I like and enjoy doing and those I would rather avoid and stay at home. Let’s start with some of the do’s: military vetted hairdresser (not immune to KAI) Yo!          Go to Elegushi beach or Tarkwa bay to have fun on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and enjoy the swag of young Lagosians          The Eko hotel rooftop to chill, with a music not loud enough to drive you away or discourage you from having any sort of sensible conversation ( however the playlist is somewhat repetitive and short if I recall the number of times,  in the interval of two drinks,  I heard the word “pussy” which was part of the first song). But the view is awesome and the breeze fantastic.        The boat club (if you have a f...

welcome to Makoko Makoko is nested along the mainland of Yaba. It is build on the shallow waters of the lagoon. It is neighbouring another area where wood logs transported from forests in Oyo are being turned into construction wood. Some fire wood smoke permanently fills the sky and depending on the direction and strength of the wind is thickening the air with a strong smell as well. Circulation is by wooden boat exclusively, motors are pretty much impractical on the narrow waterways that separate the houses built on stilts. Especially so, because these water channels are full of boats transporting people and mini-shops, here a lady selling hot food, another one fruits, a third clothes, grocery, etc... During peak hour, boats are bumping gently into each other and crossings can require a bit of coordination to let everyone go its own way. doing business in traffic Kids are numerous, playing together on the tiny spaces above the water, on small wooden terraces, sometimes also ...

KM 31 is nearing, smile Saturday February 6th, 2015 was the day of the 2016 Lagos marathon. Hold on a Saturday not to collide with church service on Sunday. The event, started at 7am, ran through much of the city. It started on the Mainland at the National Stadium then went through Oshodi before coming to Third Mainland bridge, the emblematic bridge of Lagos that runs on the lagoon for over 10km and offers a view on Makoko where streets are replaced by water and house are perched on wooden pillars. From the bridge one can have a look at the skyline of the islands. Then the marathon went on through Ikoyi to the Lekki Bridge before reaching Victoria Island, going back to Ikoyi before finishing on Bar beach next to the future city of Eko Atlantic. everyone is welcome Many participants joined the run, numbers up to 20,000 could be seen on the bibs. Kenyans arrived on first and second position; an Ethiopian arrived third. The weather was hot and it probably took a toll on the run...

Lagos Island, the old business center Back to the 70's what is striking about Lagos Island is the amount of ageing concrete buildings worn out by the heat, the salt and the humidity. It was probably at its peak in the late 60s or 70s. The streets are generally one-way and narrow, full of bustle and traffic during the day. Life is everywhere on the street, even late at night. Government offices are still partly there. The Central Bank building towers it. Lagos Island is actually the link between Mainland, Ikoyi and Victoria Island. Freedom park, the old prison The old prison was turned into an event space called "freedom park" accessed from prison street. This is a popular hangout place for middle-class Nigerians and foreigners. It is hosting a monthly edition of Afropolitan Vibes, an evening when local bands come and play. This year, it hosted the Lagos Jazz Festival , which is displaying local bands playing all sorts of music with a possible jazzy ...