Monday 2 May 2011

April 25th 2011- Returning to Lagos

I have returned toLagos for the third time in as many years, but this time my charity work here isn’t my reason for coming. I have been invited to attend the wedding of Dr Femi Olaleye to the beautiful Aderemi.
I had a good flight from London, the plane was not full and I got three seats to myself which was great almost feeling first class, I put my feet up and relaxed, read my book and watched the Black Swan. The food however didn’t quite feel so first class with one of my least favourite combinations for sweet, rhubarb and ginger.
As I looked out at the now familiar terrain of Lagos, which suddenly appears after the green landscape before it, a mass of brown, blue and red roofs and the yellow buses and taxis on the busy roads, we landed smoothly. I departed the plane feeling less anxious than on previous journeys, knowing what to expect. The escalator down, which can be manic at the bottom if queues are backing up and end in people falling onto each other, was even ok this time, although I was cautious to check before embarking onto it.  
I went though the control with relative ease, even remembering to write an address down on my blue form. I walked to get my trolley gave my hundred naira and waited for my bags, and waited and waited. Eventually as most passengers had picked up their luggage and left the airport I was just starting to feel anxious when “Hallelujah” I said aloud as my bag came through onto the conveyer belt. I had received a text and knew Femi was waiting (patiently) outside, so I headed out saying no thank you to the many offers of help from the many people trying to make their money from the airport traffic. I looked around the area which as always is manically busy and loud and caught Femi waving in the distance, welcome to Lagos.
We took the short drive to Femi and Remi’s home which is situated in a well secured area of town. I was welcomed by Remi to their house and shown to my room, all a far cry from Femi’s previous lodgings in Mafoluku. Remi prepared a lovely meal with pounded yam and then I retired to my room where I unpacked and went to bed.

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