a tale of two cities

It has been a long time between updates. That’s partly because internet connections are thinner on the ground than I expected, but also (and happily) because I’ve been REALLY busy, mostly with research. I’ve gotten some interviews and a lot of press archival materials, plus general conversations with people that are helping to fill in my understanding of Nigerian politics more generally.

I’ve now moved north from Lagos to Abuja, the new (since 1991) capital city. It’s quite the transition. Lagos is the old capital. It’s one of the world’s true megacities, with a population of over 30 million. All of whom seem to be crammed into a very, very small space. It’s hot and humid, cement and diesel, crazy and chaotic, especially on the roads. Okadas (motor bike taxis) swarm around tuk-tuks, taxis, minibuses, and plenty of private cars, all trying to make their way in and out of the islands that form the heart of the city. I was staying at the university, away from the center, which meant I commuted for a couple days.

This involved walking to a campus shuttle stop, waiting for the minibus to Yaba station to “go-when-full,” which means once there are 2 people in the front seat along with the driver, then 3 rows of 4. All in a space not much bigger than your average minivan. Once we got to Yaba, I did another “go-when-full” to Obalende motor park, on Lagos island. From there, I would take a taxi to Victoria Island, the location of the National Institute for International Affairs, where I was working.

To get home, I reversed the procedure. Only I could never quite end up at Yaba Motor Park. So, much to my chagrin, I’d often have to resort to okadas. They’re generally not recommended due to very high accident rates, but it was either that or hoof it to points barely known. I managed pretty well—thank god for previous travel experience, which made the process at least familiar—but, after a couple days, I was ok with moving on.

Which brought me to Abuja. By plane. One thing I hadn’t quite grasped before leaving: Nigeria is BIG. Like, 500 miles from Lagos to Abuja big. And the thought of 9+ hours in a 3-4-4-4 minibus, with knees wedged forward, no AC, irregular bathroom breaks and traversing (again) the Lagos-Ibadan road I’d taken to Ife, the most dangerous road in the country…well, I decided flights were the better part of valor. Plus, I’m on a tight time schedule.

I flew into Abuja and managed to hitch a ride for the 40 km ride into town from the airport. Turned out the guys I asked were working with the embassy, so the ride was a van with diplomatic corps plates! Once I got to town, I realized it was exactly the opposite of Lagos. It’s a planned city and everything is massively spread out. There are lots of undeveloped patches in between buildings. The roads are sprawling and, because it was Sunday and people often leave town or aren’t coming in from outlying villages to work, there was no one on them. It felt bleak, barren; even the landscape, all scrub and rockier, feels closer to the Sahara. And it’s hot, hot, hot sun.

I’ve settled in for a week, so hopefully I’ll be able to update more regularly. As for pics, I didn’t feel overly comfortable traipsing around Lagos snapping photos, so I don’t have many to share. But I’ll see what I can come up with here…