Nigeria, the land of plenty

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 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 ru...

throwing nets in circle It is dark, 4AM perhaps. Wooden boats leave Makoko, paddling towards the lagoon. First, they pass under the Third Mainland Bridge, then head towards the middle of the water expanse that separates the Lekki peninsula from the Mainland. Groups of ten boats go fishing together. Each boat carries two people, sometimes three if a younger one joins to observe, learn and help sort out the fishes from the net when it comes out of the water. The person sitting at the back has the responsibility to direct the boat and keep its balance when the one at the front stands and throws the net with a gyrating movement. pulling the nets The fishermen are wearing long sleeves and usually trousers. The wind in the middle of the lagoon can be chilly and one is rapidly wet from the contact with waves and bringing up the net. The fishing routine comes as follows: the group of ten boats decides in which area where they hope to catch fish. They form a circle, wide enough to be a...

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 ...

Epe fish market by the lagoon Epe (pronounced Ekpe in yoruba) is a small city located on the narrow stretch of water that separates the lagoon of Lagos from the one, further in the east, known as Lekki lagoon. It is built on the small hills that border the water. It is connected by a bridge to the Lekki peninsula. The town is famous for its fish market located on the water side. It is the place to buy fresh water fish, some of them still alive. They are kept in plastic buckets but also directly in the lagoon water in woven baskets. available once a year Many more is for sale such as crayfish, crocodile, turtle, monitor lizard, big snails.  Game meat is also available coming from the nearby forest of the Omo reserve. We saw two wild cats with white spotted black fur and a strong scent; As we left we saw antilope legs arriving to the stall. Some fishes are particular, one is sending electricity shocks when you touch it, another one was looking like a prehistoric fish with ...

Lagos Island on the harbour: open with Heineken As in all cities located by the sea, the harbour plays an important part in its activity. Lagos is no exception. It actually has quite a large expanse in the lagoon to host container ships and oil tankers, some of them parked directly next wooden huts spreading on the shore like a dense brown low height vegetation. Sea, ship and clouds The presence of open sky full of clouds, the sheer size of the boats and the expanse of water makes the place a exciting one for dreamers among others. That does not come from its beauty, but rather from its size which makes one feels like a tiny ant in this industrial environment. the container dock Containers are laid on the water side like a colourful wall barring the view of what is happening behind.  a wall of containers Boats are also works of art of their own, each one with a particular shape designed to perform a specific function. Their decoration ...

improvised art market between the lagoon and the ocean Lagos is set on the lagoon that borders the Atlantic ocean. In places, the strip of land separating the lagoon from the ocean is just a few hundred meters wide. the ocean between Lagos and Cotonou The lagoon is linking "inland" Lagos and Cotonou, the capital city of neighbouring Benin distant of about 80km. In places it is shallow depending on the tide, but small motor boat can use it easily. It therefore offers a waterway protected from the strength of the ocean. This relative protection is ideal for fishermen's villages to spread on the water side. boat construction in progress and obviously motor boats are the natural transportation vehicles. boating on the lagoon