eko elle

was having a conversation with a friend of mine struggling to make a decision about moving back to lagos or staying put in the states. like him i used to hate lagos years back, but now, i'm a changed apostle. I LOVE THIS TOWN. i might not be the social butterfly, not making friends and all but i love lagos.
decided to repost an edited version of some reasons to love eko elle i wrote a while ago.

lagos...a city of possibilities, where little men too can become big, where hard work and relentlessness pays off, where hustling has a nice ring to it, where little children dare to dream and realise their dreams, where westernization comes to life in the midst of the rich representation of africanism....well, simply put, where everything is possible...sort of...em... whatever but lagos is one city that dazzles and puzzles me, gives me thrills inspite of its frightful nature, you just can't hate but love to hate love it, i constantly have this love hate relationship with it.

the traffic is frustrating, but hey, sometimes you can't help to just love it, especially on those days where you're surrounded by those handsome cute dudes on all corners in the flashiest cars ever and you can't help but look up to the heavens and bless God for his creations... but then again, the hot days which just seems to grow hotter the more you turn up your ac, then to top it off, those area touts try to scare you and rob you of your favorite gadgets by hitting on your window hard and threatening to unlease hell on you if you don't comply(by the way, when did this touts start finding their way to the island?)and of course u have to comply cos u're stuck in a stagnant traffic situation.

the unpredictability of rains that just pours on your plans for the day and although it cools the weather, you're still stuck in a standstill trafick. urgggh.

I like to compare lagos to newyork city and i wouldnt be wrong to do that....lagos has got a blend of everything newyork from commerce, finance, weirdism, to culture and entertainment filled to the brim of extremity. i love it. the mainland is my brooklyn and the the island my manhattan. and like most newyorkers would rather die than move from brooklyn to manhattan so would lagosians rather die than move from the island to the mainland or vice versa.

the night life is so craziliciously fun, theres nights out in lacasa/number 10/auto lounge, where the mix of nose in air sorts and honey glazed spoilt richyrichy live in their illusion of have it all perfection....left to me, i think its highly overrated, people just go there to be seen, buying drinks at the most outrageous prizes in the whole of lagos, and then we all drown in the sights of fendis and guccis and louis vuitton floating around, my best moments there is trying to figure out whos' with a fake, whos really honey glazed and whos just a wannabe, whose purse would have a heavy setback for the rest of the month after the showy night out in la casa/number 10(bcos you've just got to be seen there) and whos won't even bulge...you've just got to love the craziness...and oh...not to be hypocritical, some of those honey glazed silver spoon daddys assets on my forehead fellas actually do look appealing and maybe even know how to light my fire:). then theres bacchus/caliente which i'm not too enthusiatic about because i'm not a crazy club hopper,picolomondo's cool too, bungalow. Soul lounges got its appeal, although its a little lost on me now,churrasco the brazillian resturant/bar just gives you the thrills always and the electro music rocks too,boat clubs also cool especially on those days where the water is calm and you just loose yourself in the sight, the boat rides in those luxury boats are crazy..., newscafe...well thats sort of like a viewing ground for me, don't pass any comment, i'm a sociologist(well in name)and my job is partly to observe/study people, and so i sit in newscafe, solo, cup of hot chocolate and just stare at the troop people and marvel at how some members of my species could be so shameless and obvious, i fly solo, not enough to make me look desperate or enough to welcome any unwanted guest, just a girl seating out alone with her drink....
posh cafe's sort of cool, fabolous ethnic meals at yellow chillis and jevenik, good thai food at reeds on awolowo road, classy dining at sky resturant eko hotel, good enough chinese at pearl gardens, marcopolo and errrr......you get the point, theres good food.

Theres the wonderful events, the muson and terra culture keep you culturally entertained, taruwa and anthill, naija's own def poetry jam happens here in lasgidi, fashion shows that blow my mind....theres just so many places/things to do to unwind in lagos the list goes on of the hangouts and events but all in all you always have a good time in lagos, it caters for the rich, middle class and poor, to have fun to the limits of their status. how could i forget the music, lagos is home to the music revolution happening in the country, they may be from all over nigeria but they're here, right here in lagos, you've just got to love the music. lagos, a city viewed by some as a wonderland, you go back to anywhere in the world with a nigerian community and say"i'm just back from lagos" and everyone looks up to you like you're from the centre of civilization and you hold all the answers to the newest trends back home, the melting pot of everything nigerian, trend setter of the nation:)...it ought to be so, with the talented designers springing fort everyday, from tiffany amber, deola sagoe,lanre da silva, jewel by lisa, bespoke, to mya to zelua... you just go on and on naming them...

And the scandals, i love the scandals, the gossips from the soft selling gossip magazines which no one admits to buying but sells out every single week of publication(just checking out to see if your name entered the big girl catergory or if the bribe you offered was enough to get your new car mentioned,don't you just love city people as much as its pretty annoying) the social events, the much anticipated polo tournaments, which is more of a fashion event than an energizing sports event, the award shows....aw...don't you just love the city of relentless possibilities...everyone wants to have fun in lagos and everyone gets fun in lagos. can't remember why i'm ranting about all this....oh yes, i was trying to convince a friend how not so bad it is, and well maybe myself too....somehow i'm begining to want a little bit more of abuja.ciaociao

Comments

  1. hmmm i think i'll visit lagos on my Tour D'Afrique, in 2yrs most definitely

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  2. Ehn!.......talk about my hood. One of it's kind.

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  3. Mehn, Eko for life o where real hustlers make it

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  4. Emmm...ol gal...u really did serious research on lasgidi o!

    Oya talk true, how many of those fine guys in traffic have chased you, confess o!

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  5. Lagos is cool, but veeeeeeeeeeeery expensive to live in. I know thats the complaint of most people moving back. its even more expensive than living in yankee sef! i'm still dropping into town sah!

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  6. You definitely need a little bit more of Abuja. But kai, that place is not half as exciting as Lagos in terms of places to go to and all....I'm in the states now so I hope it improves when next I touch down there.

    Lagos is very posh, very rich nice joints, spas, elite book clubs (nawa!) or the complete opposite, the slums, area boys, kiri-kiri, and poverty. Its sad!

    Brooklyn-Manhattan. Hell yea but worse! Sounds like gossip girl.

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  7. I have to agree with one thing, "Lagos DOES give me thrills..." Lol...yes, it does!!!! Yay for EKO!

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  8. This was great to read. Still, your background shows, the poshness of it, that is. There's a wonderful, seedy side to the town too.

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  9. never really cared much for Lagos. I am a small town boy and i love my small town mehn!! of course, show in lagos every once in a while but thats about it.
    I have noticed and this is not even a joke. Every single time i go to lagos, the moment i see the 3 statues signifying that i am in Lag, i get a headache...its inevitable. even when i came from here last time!!!

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  10. nurrin nowhere be like my lasgidi

    me loves it men!!!!!!!!!

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  11. i looove lagos.. many oppurtunities unlike here, but the traffic drives me CRAZY!!!!!!!

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  12. This is one of the best travel reviews of Lasgidi I've read in a while though it focuses more on the leisure spots. And did you actually mean "Eko Ile" in the title or are you referring to Eko as a belle?
    @ IncogNaija: Anytime I see those 3 statues, my travel headache disappears! (lol)

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  13. sounds like a great place lol

    i just hope i dont get stuck in traffic

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  14. I love Lagos too. But my Lagos story is very different from yours. Maybe I'll tell it one day. 2 Tales of one city

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  15. you shld be employed by the lagos tourism board!!

    but u know ur an abuja girl at heart *wink*

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  16. i was born there but never really visited.tell us ,is this a paid notice?lol!!!

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