Many Lagos residents hope that increased trade, tourism and positive Western influences will help their city. Lagos has this allure. It's the hotbed of all activities. It's the pivot around which Nigerian life revolves. In the scramble to survive, polio and burn victims compete to see whose disfigurement will elicit the most sympathy and cash.
Elderly men wearing caftans and skullcaps sit cross-legged on mats, playing cards, praying, musing.
Marwa, the business-savvy military administrator of the three islands and mainland territory that make up Lagos state, is repairing roads, tackling the housing crunch and cracking down on crime. Some expatriates acknowledge being taken with a city they once feared. I thought we would be murdered as soon as we stepped off the plane. Now, I love Lagos, and I feel bad that I had these ideas about Nigeria. Nigerians do nothing else but show their emotions, and this can be quite threatening.