Welcome to Lagos! Artists show love to the ‘city that never sleeps’

Lagos, one of the most densely populated urban regions on the continent, is considered to be the art and economic capital of Nigeria. It bustles with intense traffic and is filled economic disparity but its pulsating creative scene, driven by young artists, is rejuvenating and reshaping the future of this megacity. Amarachi Nwosu, Justin Irabor, Kadara Enyeasi and Dipo Doherty create visual and written love letters to this city where the hustle never the stops.

Amarachi Nwosu

Amarachi Nwosu, a Nigerian-American self-taught photographer, filmmaker and writer speaks about the energy of Lagos.“The Lagos hustle is an energy like no other. It’s an extraordinary sight that allows you to see opportunity, history and culture within view. My perspective is unique, somewhere where I can both experience and reflect through my dual identity. It allows me to take a deeper look and try to understand the things I witness. However, Lagos is a city that always seems to surprise, even when you least expect it.

“The youth energy is all around. As a country made up of so many young people, it’s only a matter of time till a revolution takes place but the Irony is that it’s already in pace. History is being made now. If you look around, you see. The key is to open your perspective, there’s so much going on from skaters to street sellers. The revolution is happening before our eyes, the story is still being written and in Lagos time always flies.” — Amarachi

Justin Irabor

Digital marketer, graphic designer and content producer Justin Irabor describes Lagos as “the land that never sleeps”.

“When I finally came here [from Benin City], the city rushed to greet me, eager to express itself. I saw, indeed, that it is skyscrapers, but much more: an eternal line of people in all skin tones, working and partying with such intensity and arbitrariness that it was difficult to tell where work ended and partying started. Lagos is crinkled eyes twinkling with mutual amusement and mischief. We were washed in the spirit of the hustle and the grind was us. As in New York, so in Lagos: if we make it here, we can make it anywhere.” — Justin

Dipo Doherty

Through a public artwork, artist Dipo Doherty speaks about the renewed optimism of Nigeria’s youth and how it’s reviving the “lost optimism of post-independence years”.

“For me, juxtaposing these images tells a story of a consistent Nigerian spirit to achieve. Elemental Orchestration brings to light the duality of reality. This is the same picture taken from different fields of perception. Many public works have emerged in a short two years, and it stands not only as a testament to the promise Lagos holds, but a motivating factor for me to continually participate in this growing community.” — Dipo

READ artistic tributes to Joburg and Cape Town