The Nigerian city is a powerhouse of art, culture, and fashion.
Ike Edeani
The last time I traveled to Nigeria, I was seven years old.
They were eager to introduce their four daughters including me, their second oldest to their family.
Nigerian musician Obongjayar performs at Art X Lagos.Credit:Ike Edeani
Where are you from?
America, I would reply, a bit confused.
I was promptly told that I was not an American, but a child of Nigeria.
From left: A model wearing pieces by Elie Kuame at Lagos Fashion Week; a Lagos Fashion Week attendee.Ike Edeani
But most of my extended family in Nigeria doesnt know that Im gay.
And, in Nigeria, being openly gay is an actual danger.
The penalty for a conviction is imprisonment for up to 14 years.
An exhibit by Victor Ehikhamenor at Art X Lagos.Ike Edeani
I was both exhausted and excited.
To me, these canvases were a portal to a world of audacious possibility.
The little queer kid in me was awestruck; the adult me was radicalized.
Lago di Bilancino -Tuscany.Elborgo/Wikimedia Commons/( CC BY 3.0)
I traveled to Lagos, about 400 miles northwest of my parents home state.
With 17.5 million people, Lagos is both Nigerias and Africas most populous city.
(Lagos was also the capital until Abuja was given the title in 1991.)
From left: Rukky Ladoja and Ozzy Etomi of the fashion label Dye Lab; Adeju Thompson, designer and founder of the label Lagos Space Programme.Ike Edeani
I knew that once I was on the ground, I could not openly exist as a queer person.
I didnt know how that would make me feel, and I was afraid to find out.
But I knew I wanted to see art by Nigerians, in Nigeria.
From left: Bogobiri House, a boutique hotel and gallery in Ikoyi; hitting the waves at Tarkwa Bay Beach.Ike Edeani
My cousin Ebuka made plans to join my weeklong trip.
I hadnt seen him since that first visit nearly three decades ago, but I trusted him.
Ebuka is very tall and sturdy, with a smile as wide as his face.
Twilight in the city’s Victoria Island neighborhood.Ike Edeani
Green vines curl around her thighs.
In capital letters, the artist had written, in Igbo, Meche Okpa Gi, I Bu Nwanyi!
I decided the answer didnt matter.
From left: A glimpse into Nike Art Gallery; the exterior of Untitled art gallery, in Ikoyi.Ike Edeani
I saw replicas of the kobo, a Nigerian coin that is rarely in circulation.
Some body parts, like eyes, butts, and bellies, were exaggerated into absurdist forms.
Some pieces were monochrome, executed entirely in yellows and blues; others exploded with multiple colors.
Michael Elégbèdé, the chef and owner of Ìtàn.Ike Edeani
The Yoruba wordtiwaniloosely translates to it belongs to us.
(In Lagos, much of the population speaks Yoruba.)
Every curve, roll, and imperfection of her body was contained in the frame: nothing was airbrushed.
From left: Reni Folawiyo, founder of the concept store Alára; the patio at Nok by Alara.Ike Edeani
The show reminded me of a conversation Id heard back at my hotel, Bogobiri House.
The property, in the posh Iyoki neighborhood, also hosts events at its adjoining art gallery.
You wont be satisfied if you dont bring out whats inside of you.
From left: Artist and designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello at his studio in the Lekki Phase 1 neighborhood; Tushar Hathiramani, the co-owner and curator at 16x16, a boutique hotel and gallery on Victoria Island.Ike Edeani
I also made time to eat.
In Lagos, travelers can eat at fast-food joints that serve traditional dishes cafeteria-style.
I did a mix of all three.
From left: Patrick Koshoni, the owner of Mìlíkì, with his daughter Ariadne; a record-listening room at Mìlíkì, a member’s club in the Victoria Island neighborhood.Ike Edeani
I always choose my favorite: pounded yam.
A waitress in (what else?)
We toasted, looking out at the lights of the city below.
From left: A performance by Somadina, an up-and-coming artist; a performance by Obongjayar.Ike Edeani
A few days before the end of the trip, I began to feel homesick.
I was craving solitude.
Nigerian mixed-media artist Olu Amodas solo show, Carte Blanche, was on display.
Smoky jollof rice, plantain, charred tomatoes, and chicken-thigh roulade at Ìtàn Test Kitchen.Ike Edeani
Circular sculptures made of pieces of scrap metal appeared to stare down at me from the white walls.
Strewn around were dead leaves, mixed with champagne corks.
More red threads were bleeding into the leaves, interwoven with metallic cutouts of beasts and birds.
I couldnt help associating the red threads with blood or, rather, bloodlines.
We watched other beachgoers sunning on recliners in cabanas, and I paid for a guided horseback ride.
That night, I splurged on an eight-course meal at Itan Test Kitchen itanis Yoruba for story.
A dozen diners sat together at a wooden table shaped like a tree.
I looked around at my tablemates, all dressed in smart clothing: brown leather suspenders, gator-skin flats.
It could have been a scene from New York, but it was also distinctly Nigerian.
Each course had a theme corresponding to a different Nigerian festival, like Agemo, which celebrates children.
Another plate had fried mackerel topped with spicy peppers.
When I shared my story of coming out to my similarly traditional Nigerian parents, he visibly winced.
As we said goodbye, I wished him luck in finding the sort of freedom Id been experiencing recently.
No other moments in my trip were as sweet as that one hour I spent with him.
I never thought my return to Nigeria would be one of assertion, power, and self-love.
These things were totally anathema to what my parents home country had long represented for me.
There was so much vitality, I found, and so much determination for a good life.
16x16
Each of the 10 rooms atthis Victoria Island propertywas designed by a different artist.
Where to Eat and Drink
Calabar Aroma
Head to the low-keyCalabar Aromafor traditional Nigerian cuisine.
Nok by Alara
Nok by Alarais a contemporary African restaurant helmed by Senegalese-born chef Pierre Thiam.
Atmosphere Rooftop
Join Lekki Beach residents for alfresco drinks long after dark.
Sailors Lounge
Expect a pulsing cocktail bar with views of Lagos Lagoon atSailors Lounge.
