Makoko: The Venice of Africa, Where Resilience Meets Beauty

Makoko: The Venice of Africa, Where Resilience Meets Beauty

Makoko, often called the “Venice of Africa,” floats gently on the waters of Lagos Lagoon. At first sight, its stilt wooden houses and wooden canoes tell a story of survival, but look closer and you’ll see so much more a thriving community filled with warmth, resilience, and hope and joy.

Here, children paddle to school on little canoes, their laughter echoing across the waters. Families gather in the evenings, sharing meals and stories as the sun sets, painting the sky with fiery orange and soft purple hues. The lagoon, though modest, reflects the spirit of Makoko: everflowing, enduring, and deeply connected to its people.

Makoko isn’t just about challenges it’s about ingenuity. The community has built a world which beats all laws where life thrives on water, proving that beauty can rise even in the most unexpected places. It is a place where music, smiles, and dreams float as freely as the canoes that glide across its surface.

To know Makoko is to understand the heartbeat of Lagos itself raw, resilient, and endlessly inspiring. It is not just a settlement; it is a reminder that humanity’s greatest strength lies in togetherness, creativity, and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

(Department of fine-art, Yaba college of technology)