As a first-generation Nigerian-American, Are you coming back? was a frequent question from my extended cousins, aunties, and uncles in Nigeria since my last visit in December 2011. I was fresh into my twenties then and at the mercy of my parent’s to-do list as I was too naive to sightsee alone. Now, as a thirty-something grown woman, I returned a decade later and got to explore and experience Nigeria on my terms during the most popular time to visit: “Detty Decemba.” It’s a period in December around Christmas and New Year’s when thousands of Nigerians and Africans from the diaspora flock to both Nigeria and Ghana for the holidays. “Coming back” to me meant coming back to my original home. Although it had been 10 years, everything felt familiar, and everyone felt like someone I already knew. I was returning to my culture, my people, and me.
I made new friends, reconnected with family I hadn’t seen in decades, and made sure to have as many experiences as possible on the continent. I spent some time in Lagos, the hustle and bustle heart of Nigeria, where most people come for work and play. If you ever find yourself in the city, the most populous one in the world, here are four places you must check out while there.
Lekki Conservation Center
After a few days getting settled in Ikeja on the mainland of Lagos, my mom and I made our way over to Lekki Phase 1, a neighborhood many young Nigerians working in tech, fashion, and business call home, and also where the famous Lekki Conservation Center (LCC) is located.
The LCC is home to Nigeria’s most extensive nature preservation area and the longest canopy walkway in Africa. Soon after we bought our tickets, two small monkeys ran to our waiting area table. They were seemingly cute, and I got a few videos of them. But then my mom naively ate a piece of gum in front of them, and all of a sudden, they decided they were a part of our group. We walked through a boardwalk over a swamp, then out onto the canopy walk, which gradually elevates to over 20 feet off the ground and is the length of over three football fields. We were terrified yet elated to make our way across the wobbly bridge in the sky. My mom, who is deathly scared of heights, made it to the very end. After the bridge, there is a rest area where you can buy drinks and food, and you are rewarded with relaxation after conquering the trek.
Balogun Market
When I first walked into Lagos’ most prominent bazaar, Balogun Market, with my mom and aunt, I was immediately overwhelmed. The streets, alleyways, and sidewalks are filled to the brim with people bartering for everything from goat meat for that night’s soup to asoebi fabrics for upcoming weddings to elaborate feather fans to beat the heat in style. Based in the heart of Lagos’ mainland, market sellers move as fast paced as the city itself and will do anything to get your attention, including calling you “mommy.”
The market highlights the essence of Lagos, where chaos and aggression are the primary love language, and you must reciprocate the same energy or be played for your hard-earned money. My mom and I zoomed through the tightly crowded stands and managed to find the fabric I needed to make a dress for an upcoming event, beaded necklaces for my brothers, and a brand of braiding hair that can’t be found in the United States. While the stress levels can be high, you cannot beat the deals you’ll find. Be prepared to spend most of your day here.
Beach Houses
Nigeria is considered a tropical environment, and what else do you do while on vacation in a tropical location? The only correct answer is to grab a cute swimsuit and lay in the sun on a beach. However, my Lagos friends quickly told me they “don’t lay out on the beach in Nigeria.” They instead go to beach clubs to enjoy private pools, cabanas, and drinks. Three of the more popular ones are Ilashe, Moist, and Landmark. My friends and I ended up at Moist, and the setting was gorgeous, with beautiful locals and a beach backdrop. Many beach houses regularly hold events, and you’ll get to mix and mingle with fashionable Lagosian youth and influencers dressed to the nines.
Nike Art Gallery
I make it a point always to visit a local museum or art gallery no matter which country I travel to, and the Nike Art Gallery was one of my favorite stops in Lagos. The sheer volume of art is astounding. No matter which style you prefer, whether contemporary, mixed media, or even French-era impressionist inspired, you’ll find it at this art gallery. Founded in 2009 by Oyenike Okundaye, affectionately known as Mrs. Nike, the gallery highlights Nigeria’s past, present, and future in art form. I felt represented, seen, and inspired to see every piece of art embody my culture differently.
Nigeria will always be home. Decades won’t separate us next time I decide to “come back,” and I hope more people from the diaspora come and join me.