'The most inspiring thing about Lagos is the enterprising spirit.'

By Jude Anogwih

This week we meet Oyindamola Fakeye. Oyinda describes herself as a curator of art, fashion and music. She currently works with the Video Art Network and The Wardrobe Stylists to promote Nigerian Fashion and Art to both local and international audiences.

Voices of the City is a weekly feature that spotlights the everyday lives of our citizens, living and working in the city. By asking the same five questions to all our interviewees, we discover not only how our experiences of the city differ, but also what we share. It is a daunting task to try and capture the diverse experiences of our city's inhabitants, but we feel that it is a worthy, and necessary, endeavor, in order to better understand the present and future of our city. 

Question: What about Lagos inspires you the most?

The most inspiring thing about Lagos is the enterprising spirit. It's infectious. From the women selling boli on the side of the road, to the young men and women weaving through traffic selling everything from plantain chips to the kitchen sink. The revolution that has happened in the creative and technological industries over the past few years has challenged many to see the potential for growth within the contemporary art sector.

Q: Do you have a secret space or place that you enjoy in the city?

I love the rooftop at City Hall. The Goethe Institute hosts a few events up there as they are based within the building. It just feels like endless possibilities up there.

Q: What was the last exciting event you attended in the city?

The opening of Rele was extremely exciting as contemporary art spaces were previously few and far between; they are however now springing up all around the city, showing the shift in culture.

Q: What frustrates you about the city?

Traffic. It makes life so much more difficult. The struggle of having to navigate through the build up can be the difference between attending an event or passing up the opportunity.

Q: You can have dinner with one person living or dead. Who is it and why?

Aung San Suu Kyi. Her story just blows my mind. I love a woman with fight in her and yet so much peace.

Can I have two…? I would have loved to meet Maya Angelou, I know what the Caged Bird Sings was the book that turned a failing English Lit student into a lover of words. Her autobiography is the blueprint I would attribute to my Uptown Gypsy life.

For more voices: Lola Adefope  Papa Omotayo