A fisherman throws out his net on the lagoon's calm
waters. Fisherman immigrating from Benin and Togo initially settled Makoko over
a century ago. But as the population of Lagos exploded to its current size of
at least 15 million, so too did the population of Makoko. Estimates are
anywhere from 85,000 to 250,000 people live there.
Nicknamed
by some as the "Venice of Africa," the floating village of Makoko in
Lagos, Nigeria, is inhabited by people who not only live on water, but also
also depend on it for their livelihood.
Although Makoko dates
back to the 18th century, when it was established as a fishing village, the
area is still considered an informal settlement with very limited government
presence.
Young
men in Makoko are typically put to work building canoes, in business ventures
supervised by elders. Here, one teen sits on a plank of timber as two others
work to saw it into pieces.
Baale
Ekaso is one of the many chiefs in the sprawling water city. While his parents
immigrated to the area, Ekaso, like many others, has never lived anywhere else.
"If we leave this community for the city, what is there for us?" he
says. "We are humans, we have rights and we implore the government to
respect that," he adds.
NGOs
and other charity organizations provided money to help build this school. It is
the only primary school for Makoko's residents and is starting to bend and
buckle after only five years since construction. It serves more than 300
students who can be seen here waiting for their canoe home.
Many
of the walls of the "floating school" allow for wind gusts to pass
through, reducing the risk of movement or tipping. In the distance you can see
older and battered structures crippled and weathered by nature.
Just
like any other busting town, there's a rush hour in Makoko. Most children
appear comfortable steering canoes as it is the only mode of transportation in
an all-water community, but they must be careful.
Through
a wired screen sit convenience items in this Makoko-style corner store. Instant
noodles, rice, canned goods, fruits and vegetables are all on sale in a
structure that also houses a family.
Women
and children congregate under the Third Mainland Bridge, which connects Lagos
Island with Nigeria's mainland. CNN's Errol Barnett describes the image as
representing two separate worlds, "Many who travel over this bridge daily
tell me they've never been to Makoko and don't know what life is like for
people living there."
From Soni
Methu, CNN
December 24, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment