SAND IN MY CLOTHES

Lagos state is the economic hub and nerve centre of Nigeria; its moniker is the centre of excellence, it is Nigeria’s dream city all because Lagos appears to possess everything the roving traveler or dweller seeks after. For many it’s a land of plenty; jobs, fun, money, people, and anything else that the mind can conjure up. One striking thing about Lagos however, is that it is situated along the vast Atlantic Ocean.

The ocean does indeed add more colour to the city as it creates a good number of leisure spots. One of these is the suntan beach in Badagry (a part of Lagos that is proximate to the republic of Benin). The size of the white sandy beach is awe-inspiring.  Just watching the great grayish undulating waves build up and tumble down in a gargantuan splash over and over again is always a reviving experience.

Every visit to the suntan beach brings me in close communion to unraveling the mystery of creation. With the sun beating down mildly upon my forehead, I can make out in the horizon the slant of the bluish grey sky meeting the crest of the Atlantic Ocean, purely breathtaking. A typical day at suntan beach is an assortment of revelers; young and old, skilled and unskilled swimmers, white and black, there, everyone soaking in the fun without pride and prejudice.

The swimmers usually won the grudge match; coordinating and managing affairs at sea, diving and doing the medley. Not feeling left out in anyway, upstarts like me looked for sea-shells, conches and built sand-castles near-by. Whatever stance we took, it was okay, the grand lesson was we were all having a ball.

Last time around I decide to get a little more adventurous by getting a few meters to the shoreline, I beat a fast retreat as I tried to outrun a rapidly receding wave-the feeling was absolutely sublime. Aha one thing you’ve got to be prepared for is the fine sand in your clothes, it’s like some souvenir you’d always get; want it or not. But it doesn’t stop most of us, visitors, from just sitting and lying down in the light mousy colored sandy beach listening to languid playing Caribbean songs

Whatever one decides to do on the beach, either sitting, riding horses (there are a few for hire) or swimming (or pretend to swim as the case may be), the suntan beach is one of the places that makes Lagos tick. So, if you ever visit Lagos and want to relax, the suntan beach may just be a good stop-over. Don’t forget to take a dip, but whatever you do, ensure you close your mouth while in the ocean because you don’t want to gulp some of that VERY SALTY water! Have fun guys!   

Fadekemi, CONNECTAFRICA