Lagos ... Nigeria

I want you to think a city filled with 15 million people ... in a country whose population has grown to 140 Million at the end of 2006. For those South Africans reading this blog here's the perspective... A quarter of your population in a City the size of Cape Town. That being the pure human mass of this city.

Now I want you to think the motion picture The Gangs of New York... the over cast, pollution filled air... abject poverty and corroding infra-structure... Fast forward that to 2007 and you have an idea of modern day Lagos. So why live here?

Lagos is Africa's New York, fast paced, energetic, on the Move... over the next two years I will endeavour to to tell tales, share moments and post pictures to give readers a view into life in Lagos. However I will never do justice to this amazing city, the City pulsates with Chemistry( I was going to say electricity... but with 9 power failures a day, that would have been pure poetic licence!) For every bad thing one has to say for Lagos, there are 10 moments of awe and wonder that make the discomfort factor minor hiccup.

So lets Get the Bad out of the Way:

Nija Darkwings Top Ten Worst of Lagos:

1. The Traffic
2. NEPA - The state owned Electricity Giant
3. The Traffic
4. Bureaucracy
5. Pollution
6. The gap between Socio-economic classes
7. Politics
8. Did I mention the Traffic?
9. Infra-structure
10. The con Artist

Just so we are clear about this... THE TRAFFIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I said earlier for every bad thing there is a sublime antidote ... Public transport in Lagos consists of four major modes of transport ... Bus (called a Danfor), Taxi (Mini-bus), Car Taxi's, and introducing the Okador ( A 125cc Motorcycle driven by a pilot with nerves of steel, the type of Human that would have made any Kamikaze Training Camp General convinced that world domination was a mere Honda away.)
Much maligned and on the bottom of the public transport food chain, the Okador driver is loved by all whom wish to get through the traffic with a little zest and zip. Over my past 30 days here I have witnessed ... pilot & 3 passengers on one bike; pilot,passenger and goat ... substitute goat for... step ladder, wheelbarrow, a broken down okador... ect ect ect ... if you can imagine it & carry it... your pilot will transport it.

My pick as the Antidote to the traffic ... The Okador Pilot.

The traffic has such a key role that I think two regular features in this blog will be:

a) Adventures of "The Kawasaki Kamikaze''

b) Tales in the Traffic

After 30 days in Lagos I can safely say here are some of the reasons to love this city:

1. The food ... Spicy, Flavoursome and an adventure every time ... Love your food hot then taste the Pepper soup; pounded yam and Melon lamb stew
2. The people
3. Street side vendors
4. The Market Places
5. It's vibrancy
6. The music of Nigeria ... POP, Traditional and Gospel
7. Road side Bars
8. The spirit of entrepreneurship
9. Entertainment venues ... Joeys Pub on the beach
10. The team of Local drivers that keep us sane in the traffic
11. This country's unlimited potential
12. It's low rate of violent crime
13. The smiles
14. Pidgin English
15. Nollywood

Over the next period we will introduce the Oyebo's, their adventures, the Music, Events and showcase some photo's that hopefully will let you into the world of an ex-pat in Nigeria.