Today, I took a moment to walk along Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, and what I encountered was nothing short of inspiring. What was once a stretch of plain walls has been transformed into a vibrant open-air gallery, alive with color, meaning, and movement.
As part of the Lagos Street Art Festival, artists from different parts of Nigeria and beyond have come together to reimagine our streets. Each mural tells a story — of identity, resilience, culture, and imagination. Together, they turn everyday pathways into powerful expressions of who we are and what we believe in as a city.
Art should not be confined to closed rooms or distant galleries. It belongs in the open, woven into our daily lives, where everyone can encounter it freely. These murals do exactly that. They meet people where they are — commuters, pedestrians, residents — reminding us that creativity is not separate from life, but an essential part of it.
The works along Ozumba Mbadiwe reflect the spirit of Lagos itself: bold, expressive, dynamic, and full of life. They speak in colors that demand attention and in symbols that invite reflection. They remind us that even in the rush of our daily movement, there is room for beauty, thought, and inspiration.
I am deeply grateful to every artist who poured their time, talent, and heart into this transformation. Your work has added color to our shared spaces and meaning to our everyday journeys. You have shown us that our streets can be places of connection, not just transit.
If you find yourself passing through Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, take a moment to slow down and look around. What you’ll see is more than art — it is Lagos telling its story, proudly and out loud.
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