CNN’s Inside Africa explores Africa’s next-generation cities

In a new episode of Inside Africa, CNN explores how Lagos is evolving with social inclusivity and climate resilience in mind. CNN hears from Jumoke Sanwo and Papa Omotayo on how Lagos is dealing with rapid urbanisation.

Storyteller & Cultural producer, Jumoke Sanwo says, “Lagos is regarded as the epicenter of creativity, whether in the West of Africa, to the rest of Africa, and to the rest of the world as well.” Sanwo founded one of the country’s first art incubators and in 2019, she created a VR film called ‘Lagos at Large,’ showcasing the city’s multifaceted nature. Lagos at Large “kind of delved into more complex issues that is very particular to postcolonial societies such as Lagos, so the issues of urbanization, gentrification, stratification. In a way that also is something that people can experience, because you know that’s what VR does, you’re right within the city, you’re having all these experiences, you’re seeing people, you engage in it.”

For both Sanwo, and architect Papa Omotayo, artists and creatives are vital in shaping Africa’s modern cities, ensuring cultural identity remains at their heart. Omotayo focuses his work on “how design and culture can make for a better built environment. It’s a space for architects, artists, urbanists, ecologists, material researchers and cultural programmers. Or people that are really interested in different ways of thinking about urban and rural spaces.”

He continues on Lagos’ rapid growth, “Lagos has grown at an unprecedented rate and Lagos will be the biggest city population wise in the next 10 to 20 years. Lagos is a hugely complex ecosystem that requires like deep thinking and planning to create. I think for us what’s important is equitable spaces that are sustainable.”

Despite these challenges, Omotayo and his team are dedicated to architecture that’s collaborative, socially impactful and community orientated. Some of his projects include “trying to reimagine new civic and cultural and creative spaces for a new generation of makers right. We think about the youth population of Nigeria, it’s going to hit 75% in the next few years. And we’re looking at how we can reengage our historic centers.” He is currently achieving this through the building of the new Q Dance Centre, the first contemporary, purpose-built dance studio in Lagos.

Omotayo explains this project is “more than a dance center, it’s sort of a community that looks at how dance can empower us, give us new voices.” He continues that the location is a “very busy, quite an intense space, and I think putting a dance center in the middle of this, what is quite a busy bustling and transactional space in terms of there’s a lot of commerce and activity around it, it sort of offers an opportunity for rest.”

Lagos is the living embodiment of Africa’s dynamic spirit, resilience, and commitment to a uniquely African future.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/inside-africa