Sustainability in Shagamu: How Green is This Urban Space? (Spoiler: It’s All About the Threads)

so, i heard you're asking about shagamu. look, i’ve been picking vintage threads in this town since my tote bag was new, and let me tell you-sustainability here isn't about solar panels on every roof. it’s about what’s already in the pile, you feel me?

meet mama t. she’s been running a stall in sabo market since the ‘80s, shifting adire and dead-stock fabrics like it’s her life’s work. i called her up, bought her a sogbo (that’s local gin, and it’s rough), and she gave me the real talk.

*me: mama t, how green is shagamu? i see piles of clothes everywhere.
mama t: laughs green? child, this town is a rainbow of reuse. every bale of "okrika" (that’s used clothes from overseas) that lands here gets a second life. i just sold a 1970s nigerian wrapper to a uni student for less than her lunch. that’s sustainability. but the dye pits by the osun river? ehn, that’s another story. some small-scale dyers still use chemicals that make your eyes water. the government talks, but the action? slow like traffic on iwo road.

me: what about rent and jobs? can you actually live here sustainably?
mama t: rent? if you’re not in gbagi or the new estates, you can find a room for ₦50k/month. but watch for the rains-july to september, some areas flood like a bathtub with no plug. jobs? textile’s dying, but the thrift game? booming. you see those okada riders with giant bags on their backs? they’re moving fashion, not people, half the time. safety? don’t walk alone at 10pm near the motor park. it’s not scary-scary, but it’s not your grandma’s village either.

now, the weather. right now, the harmattan is doing its thing-dust everywhere, like the sky sneezed yellow. it gets in your threads, your throat, your plans. but it’s cool, which is a win. and the neighbors? abeokuta is a stone’s throw away (okay, a 45-minute okada ride), and lagos is that loud cousin you visit for the buzz but can’t wait to escape. shagamu’s got that middle-child vibe-not too quiet, not too chaotic.

overheard rumor (drunk advice from a guy at a buka): "bro, if you want real sustainability, go to the iyana-isheri dump site. people are burning electronics. it’s a horror movie. but some guys harvest copper from the cables. it’s dirty, but it’s a living."

another local, a bike repairman named musa, told me: "the mayor planted trees on the road to ogun state. cute. but they water them with the same water that’s brown in the taps. make it make sense."

let’s talk data, because i promised you the tea.

*thrift economy: a single bale of used clothes (500 pieces) can go for ₦200k-₦500k. resale per item: ₦300-₦2000. that’s a whole micro-economy.
*rent (real talk): a self-contained apartment in a decent area: ₦80k-₦150k/month. a room in a shared yard: ₦30k-₦60k. but factor in generator fuel (because light fails like my phone battery) and well water if your area’s tap is sketchy.
*transport: okada (motorcycle taxi) within town: ₦200-₦500. to lagos: ₦2000-₦4000. petrol? ₦600/liter last i checked, but it jumps.
*green initiatives: there’s a plastic buy-back program at some markets-₦5 per bottle. it’s token, but it’s something. the university has a small "eco-club" that does clean-ups, but they’re always begging for gloves.

neighbors & escape routes:
*abeokuta (45 mins): the famous olumo rock. feels like a different century there.
*lagos (1.5 hrs by bad traffic): for when you need a craft coffee and to feel judged for wearing thrift.
*ijebu-ode (1 hr): pure heritage, but the road will test your suspension.

reviews from the street (not yelp, my guy):
"the suya at alaba junction is life, but the smoke from the grills will give you asthma. worth it?" - a regular at the pepper soup joint.
"don’t buy the ‘organic’ honey from the roadside. that bee might have sipped from a factory drain." - my photographer friend who shot a documentary on shagamu’s water.
"the ‘green spaces’ are mostly vacant lots where they dump construction trash. but kids play football there anyway. that’s community, not green." - a teacher at the community school.

*where to get the real gossip:
nairaland thread on shagamu cost of living - it’s messy, it’s nigerian, it’s accurate-ish.
tripadvisor’s page for shagamu hotels - mostly for lagos commuters, but some hidden bukas listed.
yelp: best suya spots in ogun state - the ratings are wild, but the comments tell stories.

iframe time-this is where you are:

look, is shagamu sustainable? in the way it breathes life into discarded fabric? absolutely. in proper waste management, clean energy, and planning? we’re still writing that chapter. but the people? they’re resourceful like a fence that doubles as a clothesline. that’s the real green.

i’ll be at sabo market, digging through a bale of ’90s nigerian prints if you need me. bring cash, patience, and a bottle of water-the harmattan’s still out here playing.

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