One silver lining of not being in Lagos for so many years is that everything seems new again. Since I first moved to Benin City, Edo State for work in 2008 I lost touch with the constantly changing social climate in ‘Gidi’. Certain popular nightclubs and restaurants are no more but for every one of those another ten have since opened.
I don’t recognize my Lagos anymore but in the spirit of being an adventurer I look forward to rediscovering every nook and cranny. Just last week I attended #MentedeModa advertised as a unique shopping experience and I had a good time, #EatDrinkLagos I hoped would be even more fun. I confess I have not done any research into either event. I don’t know what year it started or who the organizers are but kudos them.
Most people who can afford to travel leave Nigeria during the summer months because they find Nigeria boring during that time of year. If the turnout at Fantasy Land on Sunday July 17 was anything to go by; it’s not so boring any more.
The event started at noon and would end at 7pm, featuring 32 food and drink vendors and the music was supplied by media partner and hot new radio station on the scene URBAN96.5FM. I pulled up a little after 3pm and finding a place to park was a nightmare. I had eventually found a workshop up a side street that let me add my car to the already overflowing space. Camera and phones at the ready I trekked back to the Fantasy Land Ikoyi venue. It felt a little bit like the crowd of a concert not a food fair, everyone looked good, dressed fashionably casual but with hungry expressions.
Things were well underway every stand had a mob in front of it, each person yelling over the others heads trying to get someone to take their orders. Some of the vendors like ‘Shakz Shack’ I recognized from the #MentedeModa event; others I had never heard of. I also bumped into quite a few familiar faces so I had people to talk to. One thing I didn’t particularly like was the disorganized service everywhere. I stood in line at a table that was selling Chicken & Chips till the chicken finished so I asked for Turkey. While I waited they ran out of potatoes so I agreed to the proffered alternative which was fried yam chips.
Before you could say David Copperfield, no less than eleven line jumpers ordered all the ready food. All the clueless vendor could offer me and other long suffering people on the queue as an apology was to put raw freshly marinated Turkey wings on the grill. He promised they would soon be cooked but I remembered my feet still worked and so with a rather loud hiss I went looking elsewhere for my repast.
There were many drinks stands too, I found the only one offering Jello shots and ordered a Mojito to calm my nerves. The vendor is called What Dami Did, I had my drink and decided that Dami had Done Good.
I found an unbelievable number of people waiting for the only person selling burgers in the place. A little later on I found the Caribbean food stand but the Jerk Chicken was all gone. All they had left was fish and no side dishes. In the end I settled for chicken suya from a neighboring stand, I can’t tell if it was good because by that time I was willing to give anything a go.
With my hunger satiated I decided to check on my friends at the URBAN96.5FM stand. The DJ was showing the crowd why they were the hottest new thing on Lagos radio. One banging tune after the other had people nodding to the beat. The exhibitionists among them were full on gyrating and wriggling bottoms to each new song. Thankfully there wasn’t much dabbing going on. I took pictures of the presenters (some of whom were old colleagues) and called it a day around 6.07pm. The fear of Lagos traffic is the beginning of wisdom.
I parted with 500 naira for my impromptu valets and drove towards Lekki as fast as could. All the vendors without exception were a hit at #EatDrinkLagos and I hear there’s another round in December. I intend to be there but this time I will arrive early, eat and drink a lot more and leave my car at home.
Thank God, Lagos has got UBER now.
