The Federal Government on Wednesday protested against a documentary on Lagos aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation, which portrayed the city as a slum. The documentary entitled, “Welcome to Lagos,” was broadcast on BBC2 in the United Kingdom on April 15. Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, conveyed the protest to the BBC.
See news link : http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100422311576
But in a review by John Walsh, film-maker Gavin Searle takes his camera to Nigeria's biggest city, and into the most god-forsaken, rat-infested, polymorphously revolting territory you can imagine - the vast Olusosun rubbish dump, about the size of Slough - where he discovered a miniature model society. The 1000-odd inhabitants scavenge directly from the back of refuse lorries, sorting through the reeking cascade of rubbish with fearsome metal hooks. The dump is a mini-city with its own bars, restaurants, shops, a mosque, even a barbers shop.
See review: Welcome to Lagos, BBC2 The Prisoner, ITV
So why exactly is the government complaining? Could it be the TITLE as several blogs have protested? Seriously, why not "Welcome to Lagos"? Isn't it too apparent that the documentary was NOT about the title but rather a highlight of several Lagosian's speaking for themselves and their own Lagos. Eric's Lagos took us into his world of scavenging to achieve his dream. Joseph took us through his own Lagos where he had to work hard to tend to a wife and two kids. The Cattle-negotiator's Lagos, the cattle-blood entrepreneur's Lagos, Baba Chubbey's Lagos etc all tell their individual experiences. So why is the government and dear diplomat upset? seriously, why? Are they trying to declare the experience of these hardworking Lagosians INVALID because some would rather pretend they don't exist? After all, the images were NOT a work of fiction? What is more special about the Ikeja GRA's, Banana Island, Lekki, Ikoyi etc?
The lives of those in the documentary deserve equal measure of respect. They are proud of the fact that they earn an honest living, and are making a better life for themselves and their families through sheer determination and hard work. If anything, the documentary celebrates their resourcefulness, and challenges its audience view of poverty.
Ironically, their might be a lesson or two to learn here. The scavengers had their own form of democratically elected chairman with a 3yr tenure, who sorted out any arguments or disagreements. A seemingly lawless, dangerous place but in actual fact, through the eyes of the people who actually do work there, a well-organized place where there's good money to be earned. Decent, Honest people chose to work there, preferring a life of grime to a life of crime.
Furthermore, the documentary exposes cardinal issues such as recycling processes, health and sanitation, deforestation, child-labour, amongst others which should call the government's attention.
In the words of the documentary producer - Will Anderson, the characters, wherever they lived, however extreme their working environment, went through all the same things as people in the West - love, heartbreak, marriages, births, deaths, desires, aspirations, etc. They simply live on a different scale to those in the West, in the slums of the fastest growing city in the world, and with no money. This forces them to be more resourceful, energetic, and optimistic than most people in the West.
Indeed, this is a WELCOME TO LAGOS for them.
