Lagos Walls: A Street Artist's Love Letter to Humidity
so i touched down in lagos and immediately felt the air like wet wool. i just checked my phone and it's *sticking to you at 25.96°C with 87% humidity right now, so if you enjoy feeling like you're wrapped in a warm towel, this is your paradise. my fingers are permanently prune-damp between spray sessions. this city doesn't mess around with weather, it just dumps it on you in thick, soupy layers.
spent the first week hunting walls like a stray dog. got pointed towards ikeja city mall by a street kid named tunde - turns out their security guards are cool as long as you don't touch the fancy glass. i overheard two guys arguing near a food market about where the best jollof rice was, and one dude was like, "bro, if you get tired of lagos' concrete jungle, ibadan is just a hop skip north for actual greenery." like the city itself gets bored of its own buzz.
"someone told me that the national museum security guard collects bribes in akara balls. also, that muralist kola? he doesn't actually exist - it's three guys using one pseudonym to confuse cops."
"i heard that the governor's secret bunker entrance is disguised as a giant concrete chicken sculpture in lekki. also, never paint near the third mainland bridge at night. they'll arrest you for 'disturbing the river's equilibrium.'"
"saw this artist get chased by cops yesterday - turned out they were just fans wanting selfies. lagos cops love street art, just not when it's on their auntie's wall."
my main struggle? finding waterproof gloves* that won't melt in the heat. tried local markets, ended up ordering these terrible chinese ones from this lagos hardware store - waste of naira. also discovered that ikeja under bridge is basically the street artist's cafeteria at midnight. they sell cold water for 50 naira and stolen paint for 200. legit.
"beware that artist collective in yaba? they'll invite you to paint, then try to sell your mural to tourists as 'authentic lagos folk art' behind your back."
humidity makes the paint dry weird - like it's sticky forever. but the locals? man, they get it. a woman selling plantain chips told me my work made her walk slower every day. that's the real validation. if you wanna see this madness for yourself, hit up lagos art week - just bring an umbrella. and maybe some antiperspirant. this city sweats art, literally.
oh, and this local forum has some wild gossip about where the mayor actually sleeps. spoilers: it's not a mansion.
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