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The disappearance of fish from sewage, full of manure, lack of drinking water, electricity, are some of the many problems that the people of Makoko have learned to deal with. Their biggest fear is that they will be evacuated by the administration and real estate sharks, who can't wait to turn their floating slum into a luxury neighborhood. Makoko is a fishing settlement built on the water, on the edge of Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria, about 200 years ago. Recently, Lagos developed as the economic center of Nigeria and became the largest city in Africa (20 million). Makoko and his life on the water, a stone's throw from the ever-growing skyscrapers of Ykoyi (the mall), remained untouched by the economic boom around him. Today, Makoko has an estimated population of 100,000, mostly fishermen from Benin and Togo.
The Nigerian government does not recognize the legitimacy of this settlement and does not provide any public service. There is no running water, electricity, sewerage, schools or state hospitals. As a result, Makoko set up a parallel system to survive and manage. Five local leaders, Baale, with the help of vigilantes (volunteer police officers among the residents) make local decisions and ensure security. There are several private schools and health clinics, traditional healers, restaurants, hairdressers, hairdressers, churches, kindergartens, photo studios, tailors, electronics repair shops. Ironically, drinking water is the biggest shortcoming of this water settlement - it is drilled and sold in cans for household needs. The canal spider web is full of garbage and human waste. Fish is no longer enough for its own consumption. Today, the stalls or boats of Makoko merchants are filled with frozen mackerel imported from the Netherlands, which people then smoke to withstand the heat.
The lack of sewers and drinking water endangers the health of the population. But all this seems like a trifle for the locals, compared to the fear of being evacuated overnight by the government. The water below them is worth billions. Makoko is located in an area of great real estate interest in Lagos; it could be filled with sand, dried up and sold to the rich. This created Banana Island, located on the opposite side of the lagoon, just one km from Makoko, where fishermen claim to have the best fish catches. Now only the wealthiest Nigerians can afford an apartment in this new part of the city. According to Forbes, a 3-room apartment costs $ 2 million, and a house for between 4-6 million dollars.
In an attempt to evacuate and clean up Makoko, war-armed police ordered the entire population to leave the area within 72 hours. Many of the houses were destroyed and then set on fire, leaving thousands homeless. Many of them today continue to live where, until now, the boat has remained their bed and roof. The locals reacted, trying to stop the demolition. One of the leaders was shot dead and others were injured. The determination of the inhabitants to resist the armed police and the pressure of the NGOs made the authorities put an end to the demolition.
It is not certain what Makoko's future will be. There are various initiatives to regenerate the area. Influential businessmen want to turn the area into a Dubai through a grandions project, Eko-Atlantic. NLE, a group of Nigerian architects, designed and executed a school prototype that could serve as a model for the entire area. The project impressed internationally, among many others being nominated for an award by the London Design Museum. Authorities remained cold, repeating the same thing: an illegal construction without permission to operate as a school is only good for demolition.
Late last year, a group of young volunteers began mapping the area in the hope that navigating the Makoko canals would become easier. Thus, some canals and areas have been named, and points of interest, such as the place where drinking water is found, have been marked on the virtual map.
Source descopera.ro
