Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don’t let anyone limit your dreams – Donovan Bailey[i][/i]


So I decided to take my time off writing today and focus on another love of mine, photography.

I concluded my photography training and I wanted something fun, that would tickle readers’ interest. An everyday thingy in Deedees own way. Pictures of a place that reeks of strangeness, poverty but yet outstanding living amidst a cosmopolitan Lagos; Makoko came to mind.

Makoko is a settlement of about 85,000 settlers situated at the Ebuta Metta diversion just below the Third Mainland Bridge. You will see the settlement if you are coming from the Mainland towards the Island through 3rd Mainland bridge.

Naijdotcom described Makoko as unlivable, Wikipedia termed it the Venice of Africa, even Aljazeera claimed that it is a small fishing village built by fishermen who came from Benin to make money more than a hundred years ago, before it grew into an illegally constructed one-square-kilometer urban settlement.

http://deedeesblog.com/2016/04/16/shocking-photographer-lagos-slum/

ok

We got to Makoko and then proceeded to the floating settlement. Segun our tour guide informed us of the need to meet with the Baale, but unfortunately he was not in. That notwithstanding we got the go ahead to move into the community and take pictures.

After haggling with the guy that paddles the canoe, we agreed at a price to paddle his taxi canoe around the slum. Weird though, there were no available life vests to protect us from any form of mishap (I no go try am again in my life) LOL! It was crazy.

The first odour that hit me was that of the brackish water. A very thick nauseous smell is what greets you as you enter the lagoon due to the dirt, poo and all sorts that have piled up over time. Untroubled by the smell, we forged ahead.

Most of the inhabitants in the community are engaged in the fish selling business and I quickly noticed that the air was thick with fumes; smog seeps out from the hundreds of wood-burning kilns and smokehouses all around the community.

Our taxi canoe maneuvered through the informal canal which serve as routes in the community. Hawkers were selling their wares along these informal canal as if it was the Sabo/Yaba market. From a mobile boutique to a local “Buka”, life is as enjoyable as living on the mainland.

To satiate your lustful desires is a floating hotel very close to Timi’s barbers shop where you can decide to have a romp depending on your agreement with the seller of the ‘good’ if you know what I mean… (winks)

Not to forget are the “agberos” that we met along our way to the floating school who asked for N5,000 before we could pass through a canal, surprised but motivated to move on, I negotiated with these guys and parted with some amount of money, and we continued our adventure on water.

I know what would be going through your mind, was Deedee not scared, oh! I was. The fact that there was no life vest made matters worse. Anyways, our nerves were calmed a little when Segun (our canoe paddler) told us we had not gotten to the deep part ‘yet’.

We could not get to the floating school though. How disappointing that was, and it was because yours truly was scared stiff.

I was able to take awesome pictures of the environment, the floating school and we even got a Makoko View of the Third mainland bridge because we were so close.

MY CONCLUSION:

Makoko is as amazing as it sounds, people live in such agonizing conditions and there has been no evidence of endemic or pandemic outbreak over the years. Amazing!

I have played my own part. I have been able to show through these pictures that regardless of your situation, look at these pictures above, reflect and thank God for your life!

Mouth a word of gratefulness to the almighty for the best in life that you have got. DidI hear you mention recession? You better be careful! I intend to take this a step further, assist these settlers the little way I can. Not only are these pictures inspiring, but they allow me reflect deeply on life and how blessed I am.

Whatever talent/skill you have. Do not only look at how you would make money from it. Also look at how you affect lives positively using the tool God has blessed you with. While I could not do a lot when I embarked on this journey, I hope to be there again and affect lives positively.

Sit back and mouth a word of gratefulness.

http://deedeesblog.com/2016/04/16/shocking-photographer-lagos-slum/

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cc:

Mynd44
Obinoscopy
Lalasticlala

Nigerians can adapt to any environment. And I mean ANY environment. Next stop, Antarctica!

emorse:
Nigerians can adapt to any environment. And I mean ANY environment. Next stop, Antarctica!

LOL! Antarctica bawo?

If am to exaggerate, $15m will make this place a better place.

Happy, Healthy children. while some wey dey inside Full AC dey get cholera,florela, mislela, think of the disease...........LIFE IS FULLY AN IRONY

Is this the lagos everybody talk about

SMH
Thank God for my situation.

simonlee:
SMH
Thank God for my situation.

We should be grateful.

Those are the kind of images taken from Lagos slums that our Niger Delta brethren upload to win sympathy for the scavengers. They won't show you these....

cc:

sugarbeesmith
SmoothCHN
VictoriousVic

wow I can see happiness on many of those faces

These two pictures are heart breaking. These kids will most likely end up being lost to the slum. What a life

iyama. dat place shud be demolished and the settlers relocated abeg

And they looks happy while some that lives in a mansion cries in the night...I bless you lord.

eddyjibs:
iyama. dat place shud be demolished and the settlers relocated abeg

Do you have anywhere in mind?

At Op... Very inspiring... I always wondered each time i was on the third mainland bridge.... Looking at those structures... Wondering who were the people who stayed there... Wondering if they couldn't be relocated to some place....

duduade:
At Op... Very inspiring... I always wondered each time i was on the third mainland bridge.... Looking at those structures... Wondering who were the people who stayed there... Wondering if they couldn't be relocated to some place....

This is what everyone is talking about. Infact, I would advocate that as well. But the problem is, Is there any hope of that in the near term? Lagos is too congested already for re-settlement, unless they want to resettle these people to the New Eko Atlantic City.

All I'm advocating for is proper and continous assistance, empowerment of the settlers so that they can thrive as well. Their location should not delimit their capabilities.

MrDavidson:
Those are the kind of images taken from Lagos slums that our Niger Delta brethren upload to win sympathy for the scavengers. They won't show you these....

Must you tribalism into every situation?

Pidggin:
These two pictures are heart breaking. These kids will most likely end up being lost to the slum. What a life

Hmmmn......

evy1:
Must you tribalism into every situation?

I thank God for my life

limeta:
Is this the lagos everybody talk about

Thats the Lagos we hear often of having an economy bigger than some African countries.

But the untold truth is the average Zambian,the average Dakar resident and the average resident of Luanda lives better than the average Lagosian.

Bifwoli:

Thats the Lagos we hear often of having an economy bigger than some African countries.

But the untold truth is the average Zambian,the average Dakar resident and the average resident of Luanda lives better than the average Lagosian.

Check out the images of slums in Bangkok Thailand, Mexico city, Rio de Janeiro and many other cities accros the world. This is what happens when there's too much pressure on one urban area. The case of Lagos is not unique, this is a big challenge for governments all over the world.