Lagos, Nigeria: Coronavirus is the least of concerns in the ‘Venice of Africa’

Blackened waters in the Makoko neighbourhood of Nigeria’s commercial capital mirror the harsh reality of lockdown. Photo: Damillola OnafuwaBy Kevwe OkporuaLAGOS, Nigeria, Jun 24 2020 (IPS-Partners) A riot of canoes bumping into each other in narrow waterways — paddlers yell a chorus of instructions to other boats: “Move! Shift! Stop!” Expletives are thrown in for good measure in one of three languages spoken here — Egun, Yoruba and French. Children can be seen floating by in large plastic basins, joining the hustle and bustle of traffic. The Nigerian Government is reaching out to vulnerable urban areas, with some technical advice from WFP. Photo: Damillola Onafuwa Makoko, an informal waterfront settlement in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, is often referred to as the ‘Venice of Africa’, if also ‘the world’s largest floating slum’ where thousands live cheek by jowl in stilt houses nestled deep in murky black waters. One participant in the daily chorus is Owolabi James. He’s ferried residents and visitors around these waterways for almost 20 years — yet he’s only 25. “I was born and bred here,” Owolabi says with a smile. “I started doing this work when I was a child, and now I own the canoe that I work with.” With the shortage of boats, getting a ride is difficult at the best of times. Photo: Damillola Onafuwa At first glance, Makoko’s population could be considered at extreme risk from coronavirus — hygiene and social distancing...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Health Humanitarian Emergencies Source Type: news