“I left Ibadan because I knew I needed to leave and pursue my dreams. I had just graduated from the University and I really needed to get my career started. I did not have much when I came to Lagos. Let me just put it like this: everything I had could fit perfectly in the trunk of a car; and at the time, I didn’t even have a car. Life in Lagos is hard, here the hustle is real and here, the hustle is rewarding if you stick to it.
There are days when I miss the peace and quiet of Ibadan. If there was anything I could take along with me from Ibadan, it will be the quietness. Imagine you have had a long day at work and you come home, you’d hope to go home to some quiet and rest but in Lagos, no. You return home to the noise of generators and all that, you know. More than the noise, space is a keenly contested thing in Lagos, everywhere you turn is crowded – crowded spaces all over the place.
I have also had one or two horrible experiences in Lagos. There was this one time when my house was robbed. There was another one where an armed robber tried to rob me while in traffic. It was quite an ordeal. I wrestled with him, it was a struggle. He jabbed me with a knife but I did not give in. I eventually got away, but not without him breaking my mirror. That was all. I don’t think much about all these things – they are bound to happen when you live in a metropolitan state. I consider it to be somewhat like a baptism to usher you into the Lagos life. There is no way you will stay in Lagos and you won’t get baptized. Everyone undergoes the baptism, it is the spirit of the city.
After staying in Lagos, I am finally used to the life and so I can’t say I really miss Ibadan. Even when I come to check my loved ones, I can’t bear to stay in Ibadan for long because I can’t just put up with how things drag and everything is all so slow. I guess I have grown out of my Ibadan skin. Now, I live and breathe Lagos and I won’t give it up for anything.
You may not like my stand but at the end of the day, the truth is that nowhere is perfect. Everywhere has its pros and cons, you get to choose where you want to be. For me, I have made my choice – Lagos it is!
Remember when I said that all I brought to Lagos with me could fit into a car trunk? Things are different now. If I have to move out of Lagos today, I will need a truck to move my things.
Like I said – hustle; that is what Lagos is about.”
(Lagos, 2017)
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