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“I would never go out without an armed guard.”
Years ago, I visited Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja. My stay was short and we never saw much of the city aside from the ride to and from the airport. This time, I was headed back to Nigeria and gifted with time…about seventy-eight hours…to enjoy the country’s coastal city.
As I expressed an interest to see what Lagos, Nigeria had to offer, I was met with much opposition, even the quote above. Still, I had done some research and though there were some negative reviews, there was not enough to deter my curiosity.
Hiring a driver and enlisting the company of a few co-workers, we set out early in the morning, hoping to get a jump-start on the the traffic that reportedly torments the city. It’s a long haul to Lagos from New York and apparently, it can sometimes take almost as many hours to fight the congestion that clogs the cities highways and roads. Handing the driver a list of things that we thought would be interesting, we left it in his capable hands to figure out an itinerary which would allow us to see as much as possible.
As we made our way through the congested streets, we finally found our way to the Third Mainland Bridge which connects the mainland to Lagos Island. Our driver slowed so that we could get a glimpse of the Makoko floating fishing village on the right. Definitely not a place tourists would venture, it looks serene with its brightly colored buildings and fishing boats bobbing in the gentle surf.
Founded as a fishing village in the 19th century, many residents still practice the trade, however, throughout the six different villages that comprise Makoko (Oko Agbon, Adogbo, Migbewhe, Yanshiwhe, Sogunro and Apollo), its many thousand residents (estimates range from 40,000 to 300,000) resort to various enterprises, some extremely dangerous or illegal, to survive. Hiring a boat to cruise its crowded. sludge-filled waterways is not advised as residents view outsiders with a wary eye.
Since closer inspection was out of the question, we continued on, passing through Lagos Island and onto the southernmost Victoria Island.
Our first stop was the Yellow Chille, a local restaurant highly recommended to us for its legendary Seafood Okra Soup. While I didn’t sample their spicy, fare my companions said it was delicious. The service was slow, however, and we had to push them to get a bill that was very different from our calculation of the prices in the menu. Ever hear, “TIA”? Yes, “this is Africa”. Sometimes, sadly, this is what you get.
Rounding up our driver, we headed to the Lekki Market (also known as the Oba Elegushi International Market or Jakande Art Market), anxious to find some special Nigerian handicrafts. Having been to many markets in Africa, I was pleasantly surprised to find a wide array of crafts beyond the usual fare. More than that, the people were quite welcoming and didn’t push for you to enter their establishments. A simple, “no thank you“, sufficed and you could move on, looking for whatever else captivated your interest. Our driver accompanied us through the market, insisting that he could assist in better bargaining, however, I think I did much better without his help, getting three, better quality items than he procured for another person. Still, in all, it was an enjoyable time, though short, and we managed to walk away with some nice pieces.
A quick drive down the highway led us to the Lekki Conservation Center. Despite my research on the Lagos area, I somehow had not stumbled upon this property, however, one of my companions knew of it and our driver enthusiastically agreed that we should visit.
The Lekki Conservation center encompasses 190 acres and was established in 1990 to serve as a biodiversity conservation and environmental education center. An amazing urban park, designed to satisfy one’s curiosity of nature, it is the only protected area in Lagos state and a place to observe many species of Nigeria’s wildlife.
After admiring a couple of monkeys begging for a handout, we paid our admission and joined a group that began to traverse the boardwalk leading into the trees. Our guide pointed out items of interest and described the many reptiles and mammals that reside in this protected area. Monkeys swung through the trees and followed us on the walkways, hoping to steal a treat or something else they deemed of value from the trespassers in their swamp.
We soon encountered what the Lekki Conservation Center is most known for, its 401 meter long canopy walkway, reportedly the longest canopy walkway in Africa. Having walked along the highest canopy walkway in Ghana, I knew we were in for an amazing treat.
I soon learned that much more was involved with this walkway. Whereas, Ghana’s walkways were mainly made of rope and wood, this one is an engineering feat…more of a series of suspended bridges constructed of steel that clash with the bright green landscape. With entry and exit portals connecting six towers, it is quite exhilarating to creep along the shaky walkways while investigating the various vegetation and wildlife residing in the treetops.
After our descent, we continued through the park stopping for a rest in the picnic area, enjoying fresh coconut water while seated in one of the thatched roof huts. Checking the time, we realized that we would have to get back on the road to try and beat the traffic back to our hotel. Heading back into the swamp, we made our way along the boardwalk with a quick stop to climb the park’s treehouse.
Our driver was ready to hit the highway when we emerged from the treeline and even though we had been conscientious of the time, we got to…slowly…experience some of Lagos’ bumper to bumper traffic!
So, did I feel like I got to see what Lagos had to offer?
Absolutely!
Did I need an armed guard?
Absolutely not!
Everyone we encountered in the city was gracious and friendly and never did I feel as though my life was in peril. Being a well-seasoned traveler, I used my experience and good judgement to guide us in selecting what to see and do.
So, if you find yourself in Lagos…absolutely go check it out! It’s an amazing, vibrant city filled with nature, culture and good food!
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The Yellow Chille
- http://yellowchilling.com/
- Address: 27 Oju Olobun Cl, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
- Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 1100-2200, Friday and Saturday 1100-2300.
Lekki Market
- Address: Elegushi Modern Plaza, Nigeria
- Hours: 0800-1800, daily
Lekki Conservation Center
- http://www.ncfnigeria.org/
- Address: 19 Lekki – Epe Expy, Lekki Penninsula II, Lekki, Nigeria
- Hours: 0830-1700, daily
- Admission: Adults, 1000 NGN (about $2.77 US), Children ages 11-17, 300 NGN (about $.83 US), Children ages 1-10, 200 NGN (about $.55 US)