Freedom Park, Lagos is now home to the first skatepark in Nigeria: the waf. Skatepark project. Since its long-awaited opening in the spring, the park has magnetised skaters and creatives from all over, providing a safe recreational space and community hub for Nigerian youth. So where better than the ramps and half pipes of waf to shoot stylish Nigerians, straight up? Get to know the scene below, and check out our other Worldwi-De Straight-Ups in in London, Accra, Paris and New York.
Rachel Ojuromi
How did you get into skating? I run The Process Africa, and we have an ongoing collaboration with Dencity. They invited our team for a skate day – I had been watching them skate for a while and I just really wanted to try. I fell almost immediately, though. I’m better now! What is unique about the Nigerian skate community? I don’t think you can find this amount of drive anywhere else. What’s it like living in Lagos? It’s fun, expensive and insane.
Kaizar
What gets you out of bed in the morning? The hunger to evolve. How did you get into skating? I used to play the Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland java game on my phone and then I made up my mind to find a skateboard. I told my mom, who gave me some cash and I took a trip to the island to find one. My first ever was a toy one from HUD skateboards.
Fahd Bello
What’s your first memory of skateboarding? My friend George came back from America with an Airwalk skateboard; I’d go to his house every day to try and learn. One day, he decided to let me keep the board . Who were your skate heroes growing up? Rodney Mullen, Chris Haslam and Antwuan Dixon. What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? It’s packed with so much diversity and talent. We have been through a lot of pain and suffering collectively and we still find a way to make something of it: one of those things is skateboarding.
Henry Okwubuasi
How did you get into skating? Boredom and curiosity. It felt interesting. What’s the biggest misconception about Nigeria? That everyone’s involved in fraud. Who’s your favourite musician? I’ve got a lot, but I’ll pick A$AP Rocky, Burna Boy and MF DOOM. What food can’t you live without? Spaghetti but I’ve been living without it. What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? Every individual style and the community.
Blessing Ewona
How did you get into skating? When I watched the film Skate Kitchen a few years ago, I fell in love with the freedom, movement and community they had. What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? Despite not having a skate park, people still showed up to skate. We’ve been kicked out, or even been arrested – but it didn’t stop us. We have a tight-knit community in Nigeria because skateboarding is still kinda new here, but it’s getting more popular and we all look out for each other.
Amat Uthman
What’s your first memory of skateboarding? The day I fell off my board and Moshe said ‘congratulations!’ What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? The uniqueness that makes you want to shout: “Are you out of your mind?!” What does this skatepark mean to you? My third home. Name one film you always come back to… Harry Potter. What food can’t you live without? Fufu, rice.
Tura Ibrahim
What gets you out of bed in the morning? My 9-5, sadly. How did you get into skating?
Someone invited me to the National Stadium on a date. The date ended up being skate lessons from different people. What makes skateboarding special to you? The idea that I have a relationship with my board. What’s the biggest misconception about Nigeria? That everyone is a fraudster. Who’s your favourite musician? Lana del Rey.
Tolani Adu
Who are your skate heroes? Kyle Kheswa from South Africa. What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? Despite the lack of infrastructure, the skateboarding scene is thriving. What makes skateboarding special to you? It makes me see the world in a different way. Doing the same thing over and over again will definitely yield a result, and that’s life. Fav skate trick? Nollie Pop Shove-it!
Adeshewa Adeniran
What gets you out of bed in the morning? It used to be the thought of bugging and kissing my dog but she passed on. So now, it’s: make some money and go on a lifelong vacation. I don’t like stress. How did you get into skating? I went to a competition with a friend. Afterwards I went home and got a board. Started practicing on my own until Blessing reached out to me and I joined Dencity. What is unique about the Nigerian skate scene? We’re always turnt!
Sophia Balogun
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
God, my lovely family, friends, a good novel or a movie, the hope of landing a new trick on my board… How did you get into skating? I saw a board on a music video set. I didn’t have any friends there and I was so bored; I decided to try riding the board despite everyone advising me not to. As soon as I got on it, we clicked, and it has been my joy since. What food can’t you live without? Rice, plantain, eggs, yam, egusi soup, spaghetti and Indomie noodles!
Photography: Manny Jefferson