Lagos is once again preparing for what has become one of its biggest attractions of the year.
As December approaches, the city will welcome thousands of visitors from across Nigeria and around the world. Tourists, Nigerians in the diaspora, investors, and celebrities will arrive for the concerts, nightlife, food, fashion, and everything else that has made “Detty December” a global brand.
That is something to be proud of. Few African cities command the kind of attention Lagos enjoys every December. But there is a problem we can no longer pretend not to see. Wherever you go in Lagos today, heaps of refuse have become part of the landscape. Drive along many of the state’s major highways and you will find them. Visit several densely populated communities and the story is the same. In some places, the refuse has remained for so long that people hardly notice it anymore. What should have been temporary collection points now look like permanent monuments. This should concern all of us.
The excitement around Detty December should not distract us from the image we are presenting to the rest of the world. The name may be “Detty December,” but nobody expects a city that is physically dirty. Visitors should remember Lagos for its energy, creativity, and hospitality, not for overflowing refuse dumps that line major roads.
