The canoe cuts through the murky waters of the Lagoon, guided by a young man standing at the rear, his long stick plunging deep into the black water as the vessel winds between wooden structures perched on stilts.
Other canoes drift past—some filled with women selling fish, others carrying children navigating their way across the settlement, and young men, still in their work uniforms, returning from jobs in the city.
The scene reflects the vast community that calls Makoko Waterside home.
As the canoe moves deeper, the realities of life here become more apparent. There are no flats—only one-room and two-room wooden structures, with most of them standing above the lagoon. On the rare patches of land, only a few buildings stand, but none provide the basic amenities. Residents must pay N100 each time they use shared facilities for bathing or relieving themselves.
“This place has been home to my people since the 19th century,” said Chief Victor Panke, the Baale of Adogbo 1…
