It is hard to believe that Lagos, Nigeria's biggest, busiest
city with a population of roughly 14 million and counting, had its
origins as a small Yoruba settlement. Spread over several large
islands on a vast lagoon (hence its name) and the mainland near the
Gulf of Guinea, Lagos is Nigeria's principal port and its
commercial and cultural centre.
The former capital grew to prominence when it was 'discovered'
by the Portuguese in the late 1400s and became a central trading
post for the area, also serving as a major hub of the slave trade.
When the British annexed the city in 1861, they effectively put a
stop to the slave trade, but took control of the trade and industry
of the area. Once Nigeria gained independence in 1960, Lagos
experienced a boom, which swelled the city's population and today,
Lagos is one of the world's fastest growing cities with a full and
complex tapestry of religious and ethnic groups.
The sprawling city is chaotic, crowded and lacks a major tourism
infrastructure; most visitors come here for business and there are
few sights in the tourist sense. Streets are congested, drivers are
maniacal and blackouts are common. However, there is an interesting
National Museum, the National Theatre, several markets and some
decent beaches to explore, and of course the convoluted history of
the city, and Nigeria as a whole, contributes to its exotic
flavour.
