Nigeria for beginners… #003 Lagos to London - by private jet

Finally watched the much talked about Lagos to London billed as ‘a fascinating documentary meeting the new wave of super-rich Nigerians coming to Britain’ . It’s still available to watch on Channel4. Beware of my spoilers…

Mixed feelings on watching it as a Londoner who has done the reverse. Gone from London to Lagos. People like DJ Abrantee and Alexander Amoso who services the elites with high end accessories remind me of growing up in London with the biggest dreams and not so big pockets. It’s always great to see what hard work and commitment over many years can achieve.

I also liked seeing Toke Makinwa, who is self-made and has really put in the hard graft for her success. No problem with me if she likes Chanel bags and has a personal shopper in London and New York. I would genuinely have liked to hear more about her story and how she has been part of the astonishing Nigerian social media transformation that has taken place over the past five years.

There was much over-egging the pudding for the cameras at times from all interviewees. I felt that that was quite Lagos though where appearances are everything. Not everyone has the money or lifestyle they claim. You won’t get far here unless you look a little deeper than the designer label on someone’s neck.

Enter the Mbadiwe twins who say ‘Never judge a book by its cover - fair enough but let’s face it if you see a book with an amazing cover, you might wanna just open it up.” wink wink! How much of this image management is the sterotypical rich Nigerian traveller using his wallet as a penile extension, spraying cash in an ejaculation of self-celebration and how much is simple insecurity in London where blacks, especially immigrants, generally occupy a lowly status in the public imagination as cleaners, trouble makers and welfare recipients?

The ostentatious wealth of the kind displayed by DJ cuppy and the Mbadiwe twins is very unBritish — you would think they would know this after so many years of education in the UK. It’s considered ugly, insensitive, idiotic and lacking in self-awareness. I’m a Brit so was somewhat repelled by the show even though there was nothing overtly unlikeable about anyone featured. Indeed I’ve always heard good things about Cuppy and am sure she’s lovely in the flesh.

One has to look at this show in the context of other shows like ‘The Nigerians have Arrived’ by Tatler which was broadcast on BBC1 a while back and there’s a pattern of revealing ultra wealthy Nigerians to be obtusely ostentatious and inviting the British audience to lightly mock them King of Zamunda style.

When Welcome to Lagos came out — a show about Nigerians living on a rubbish dump, there was an outcry about the constant ‘Band-Aid’ type portrayal of Nigerians or black Africans generally. People wanted more balanced coverage which reflected the diversity and the improving fortunes of Africans living and working in Africa. But Lagos to London is right at the other end of the spectrum. Ivory tower elites existing above the ruff and tumble of real life, who seriously think they are transforming Africa in pink Swarovski crystal headphones. What’s really happening for them I’m not sure. A lot of great parties and followers on Instagram. I guess they inspire a multitude of lesser Lagos elites to do the same. I don’t know what that says about Lagos or London. It’s such a small minority, it doesn’t really say anything. A young Nigerian woman recently started a much-lampooned petition for wealthy Nigerians to be properly recognised and acknowledged by Harrods. Maybe this will help them get the recognition they deserve.