Dee Documentary Lifestyle

MY SHOCKING ILAJE STORY: LIFE IN LAGOS SLUM

Ilaje Lagos

If you don’t want to be inspired, please don’t scroll down. However if you really want to! Then this is the page for you to be! Amazing pictures await you on this post. Pictures that will show you that indeed you need to be grateful for life’s precious gifts.

After the Makoko trip, I saw a kind of beauty that only a photographer would see and also the need in the slums, so I decided to plan the second trip to Ilaje Community in Lagos State. I noticed how people around my area (which is not only limited to my area alone) argue day in and out about the dwindling economy and socio-political landscape. Fuel, Electricity and the price of Tomato. Now there is recession, I figured that the timing has never been better in dropping this post! Yaaay!

 

 

I wanted my readers to see what these people go through and then decided to embark on a trip that would not only be inspiring to you my readers but also charge us to look beyond our conditions and leverage our situations to survive.

Brief on Ilaje Community

Ilaje

Entering into the Community

Ilaje is a sprawling slum located along the Bariga axis in Lagos, situated by the Lagoon. As you move closer to the settlement , you would immediately begin to see wooden houses constructed on that brackish water of Lagos lagoon. You would also notice an environment so dirty that you would think it’s not fit for anyone to reside. But then, people live here even happily. As you move into the community, you would begin to see both the young and old wander about, some aimlessly, and some with intentions, work or business as the case is.

Apart from the various shanties that you would see on the bank of the lagoon, most of the people in the community live in huts made of planks, bamboo on the lagoon. I also noticed that many of the people were mainly Egun. Ilaje is an area in Lagos where the poorest poor reside; from an environment laden with filth and excreta to houses with open bathroom. The community is surely laden with poverty at the end; illiteracy, filth and other social ills.

The amazing part about Ilaje is that there has been no story of an pandemic/endemic and that the community boast of the best portable water which was said to have drawn out from the same brackish lagoon water. We also observed that a lot of Non-governmental organizations have come to impact the people positively in terms of food, education and health facilities. However, it seemed from my view and what you would see that these were never enough. They need more support, right.

The interview with in the soon to be released video has a lot of young minds that are very ready to work and are skilled one way or the other. Can you imagine, I met with producers, mobile phone engineers, fashion designers in Ilaje. On my discussion with them, I realized the need for these guys to be empowered! The video would be dropping soon! It is amazing!

My Conclusion

It is very pertinent that the government should move its arm of support into these communities. Empowerment is very key and massive sanitary lectures should be given to these people, to incite them on the act of cleanliness in all ramifications. The earlier research I saw online showed that the government was looking at resettling the Ilaje people, which to me is even not feasible in the near time. To this end, it would be important to support the community in whatever capacity they can. Enough of the media hullabaloo of empowerment we see on TV.

I saw a couple of wastes here and there, which was predominantly dominated by top brands in Nigeria. Bottles of drinks, purewater, sanitary pads, and all sorts muddled together to form the terrible and stinking environment where they live. If the FMCG’s are looking for where to channel their Corporate Social Responsibility to, it is in the Ilaje Community. Away from all the fashion shows, beauty pageants and ‘show-off’ on TV. Ilaje is the real deal.

Ilaje Lagos

Pile of Wastes right in the middle of the community

To my friends, we can support in our little way, A child/man/individual in these communities may lack what we snap our fingers to enjoy! Many thanks to BellAfricana, Mofolusade, SapientVendors, 100+ effects, WlilsonsJuiceCo, friends on Facebook who supported, and my blogger friend Coloursandgrey who supported this beautiful dream of mine. I appreciate you a lot.

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Beyond a slum, I saw beauty, life, people living happily within their means, no argument on fuel, tomato and recession. They just want to live; to survive!

Be Inspired!!!!!!!!

Ilaje Lagos

Ilaje Supermarket

Ilaje Lagos

Wastes littered about

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Ilaje Lagos

Premium Ilaje Toilet and Bathroom

Ilaje Lagos

Christmas Chicken wandering about

Ilaje Lagos

Do you see what I’m seeing?

Ilaje Lagos

Filth all around

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The Little we could do as support

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Ilaje Lagos

Support from the Brands! Deedee is grateful

Ilaje

Papa on his grind, with a bottle of Wilsons Juice

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The Beauty I saw

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Ilaje

Two boys enjoying a game of draughts

Ilaje

The teens having fun! I interviewed some of them

Ilaje

The leaders of tomorrow! Believe me when I say that

Ilaje Lagos

Oga! Don’t snap it!

Ilaje Lagos

Beautiful or Slummy? Viewers discretion!

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Ilaje lagos

Madam sell me Ofada rice N50

Ilaje Lagos

This good woman was peeling scaled off the Tilapia fish meant for Deedee

Ilaje Lagos

Do as I do! The toddler copying his mother’s movement

Ilaje Lagos

Row Row Row your boat, Young girl heading to town!

Ilaje Lagos

Trust me, the water he fetched inside the kegs is very clean! Like Very!

Ilaje Lagos

Mini Market on the Brackish Lagoon

Ilaje

Boy playing in the dirty water.

Ilaje

Time to hang out in our rendevouz!

Ilaje Lagos

You see the houses? Amazing!

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Ilaje Lagos

Oga Snap It!

Ilaje Lagos

Desola coming back from school and paddling the canoe all by herself!

Ilaje

PhotoBlogger, Won’t you snap Us too?

Ilaje Lagos

One young boy and his sister take turns to have their bath!

Ilaje Lagos

Uh Oh! What are you looking at?

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Ilaje Lagos

The Best Bathroom and Toilet Ever! – Convenience on the Slum

Are you inspired? Now it’s your turn to inspire someone else! Click the share button below and let us all keep sharing this post till we are all inspired!

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18 Comments

  • Reply
    Olaitan
    September 14, 2016 at 11:36 pm

    When I saw the title of this post, I thought it was in Ondo state where I come from. Never knew there was Ilaje in Lagos. I love how you used photography to inspire this post.
    Laitanbee Blog

    • Reply
      Deedee
      September 17, 2016 at 11:10 am

      Awww…

      There is another Ilaje in Lagos State, Olaitan.

      Apparently, some indigene of the popular Ilaje tribe in Ondo State migrated here. Thanks for dropping by Dear.

  • Reply
    Lakunle
    September 21, 2016 at 5:25 am

    Cool piece, I was there a couple of times… I grew up in BGC!

  • Reply
    reni
    December 6, 2016 at 2:43 pm

    Oh my…

    • Reply
      Deedee
      December 6, 2016 at 4:16 pm

      Hi Reni.

      Great to finally have you on my blog. I guess you are inspired! LOL!

      Thanks for dropping by.

  • Reply
    Kristen
    December 9, 2016 at 1:20 pm

    I couldn’t resist commenting. Very well written!

  • Reply
    Punjabi Songs download
    March 25, 2017 at 8:22 am

    Very informative post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.

  • Reply
    Get Paid to Write Online
    March 25, 2017 at 10:15 am

    I really enjoy the post.Much thanks again. Much obliged.

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    April 8, 2017 at 8:02 am

    Really appreciate you sharing this blog article.Really thank you!

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    April 16, 2017 at 8:11 am

    Im grateful for the article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.

  • Reply
    #TheSapientIMPACT: Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Contributions in Nigeria (2016-2017) - Sapient Vendors
    June 23, 2017 at 1:50 pm

    […] In 2016, Sapient Vendors together with BellAfricana, 100+ effects, WlilsonsJuiceCo and the founder of DeeDee blog reached out to the ilaje community with charitable gifts. Details can be read here. […]

  • Reply
    Akintaro
    June 27, 2017 at 9:04 pm

    Great shots and well captured

    • Reply
      Deedee
      June 27, 2017 at 9:16 pm

      Thanks a lot.

  • Reply
    Ogunsanya Adetayo
    July 3, 2017 at 8:58 am

    Wow, thanks a lot

  • Reply
    Ogunsanya Adetayo
    July 3, 2017 at 8:59 am

    Wow, thanks wonderful

  • Reply
    Taiwo Ifetayo
    July 3, 2017 at 3:51 pm

    Wow…! Going through all these piece of shots revealed how awesome and great your deep sense of being a photographer and blogger could make a difference and impart lives positively Deedee. Great shots and well captured!

  • Reply
    Harrison Onokwai
    July 4, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    Deep! I saw it through your eyes, your perspective, your writing, your shots. Great article, it is gonna stick in my head like forever, with the brilliancy of your article

  • Reply
    Memunat
    September 29, 2019 at 11:17 pm

    Good day sir, can I request for a one on one chat with you, ASAP, thanks in advance

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