Comfortable weekend in Lagos

It has been a surprisingly civilised weekend in Lagos.

I have spent a lot of time protected by the over-cautious Nigerian sensibility - residing in this "palace" (as Modupe's father called it) and being strongly recommended not go anywhere without an escort. Because, "you know, Lagos is not like London-o... where you can take an A-Z and just walk from one site to another-o".

I am not complaining though and here are the highlights…

Friday 9 Sept evening:

Toju's (a Nigerian friend based in London) fiancé (Victor) took me drinking at a swish bar in Victoria Island (commonly called VI) called La Gaucho. A great band with astonishing stamina was playing - they didn't stop between songs and played non-stop whilst we were there for about two and a half hours! I stayed at Victor's place for the night and in the morning got my first taste of no-NEPA (no electricity from the Nigerian Electric Power Agency). This city is hot without a/c.

Sunday 11 Sept morning:

Went to church.

I am staying, as noted in a previous post with the sister of a friend of mine (Modupe) and the sister’s family. The sister (Abi - a GP) and her husband (Charles - a pastor) run a church here in Lagos and I went to experience the famously intense Nigerian religiosity. However, instead of being an observer I became a participant.

When I arrived, my hope of being able to hide in the back corner was dashed. I was escorted straight to the front row. A couple of times prayers were given to me for coming into the lives of Nigerians and for my travels to be safe.

The congregation was small (for Nigeria) - only about 50 people (I've heard that one million is possible at Church Camps!). There was much singing, clapping and preaching, with the theme being a disciple and a discipler.

Some experience.

At the end there was even an impromptu healing prayer session. After the healing-prayer an elderly lady, dressed fantastically in an all white buba and with a high pink gele, came forward and gave testimony that her joints were no longer stiff. To prove it she crouched down and stood up, twice!

Sunday 11 Sept afternoon:

At the Ikoyi Club '38 (an ex-colonial club founded in 1938), I played tennis with Charles in the humid heat of 35 degrees! Exhilarating and exhausting. To finish we ate Suya – Nigerian’s famous spicy barbequed kebabs.

Tomorrow morning (5.30am) I am off to the north of Nigeria. I'm flying to Kano to start a more intrepid phase of the holiday.