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This article is part of the new ft Globetrotter guide to Wet
I was born in Lagos but my family moved elsewhere before I came back one. Even then, it was a city that my parents often visited because many of our relatives were still living there. If I were to travel with them, there would be stops for some decadent vanilla ice cream. When I did not, my parents brought again meat pies from the fast food chains that had not set up store in Illa, where we lived.
My childhood was thrilled for beach trips and danced with cousins at family holidays while uncles and aunts crushed fresh Naira notes against my forehead; It was the place of uninterrupted joy. Especially I was looking forward to strolling through the Bookstore of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in Marina, one of the oldest bookstores in Nigeria. By then it was renamed Church and School Libraries (CSS), But no one seemed to have taken this into account. Founded by missionaries in the 19th century to sell Christian literature, it had expanded its field into textbooks and educational materials by the time I went there with my family in the early 1990s.
As I grew up and started traveling to or through the Lago on my own, I found its overwhelming intensity. I asked for respect for the bookstores and continue to recommend them to anyone who wants to discover a city with such a vibrant creative energy. Pahah He became a favorite during my Lagos attack on the National Youth Service of Nigeria, a mandatory scheme in which most young Nigerians have been posted in different parts of the country for one year after tertiary education. I was posted in another city, but eventually I settled in Lagos. My placement in the head office of a bank asked me to travel from Ojodu daily on one side of the Lago, in the Marina on the other. An average work day saw me leaving home until 5am and I was returning around 9am. On Saturdays they were committed to catching lost sleep and discovering the city with friends. It was during one of these Saturdays that I was stuck in Patabah.
Now located in Adeniran Ogunsanyya Mall in Surulere district, this bookstore has been a major part of the Lagos Lagos Book Community since 1987, when it was founded by Olatokunbo Somolu, the first Nigerian female to win a doctorate in the engineer, and her Foluseke Somolu husband. I like to stop there to browse their shelves whenever I’m in the mall, and I never leave without a new reading. It is a great store to discover various self-possessed titles, along with books by Nigerian and international publishers. Beyond the sales of books, Patabah has been a cornerstone of the literary community through book clubs and literary events. I remembered that I was inspired to go home and continue to work in my first book from the common energy of readers and writers in a space while following a reading there. Whether I’m looking at the store or moving through his Instagram page, it’s a place where I appreciate.
Over time, my ambivalence against Lagos was distributed and I eventually moved there eight years ago. Over the past three years, my family and I have shared our time between Lagos and Norwich in the UK. I want a lot for Lagos when I’m away, but in the first few weeks after I come back I feel like a little city girl in the city, uncertain again how to navigate the rush and energy that so many lagosian finds invigorating. In the days when I can’t worry about to go out, Enraged heights It’s my reliable arrangement for all books. They have a reliable delivery service, as they have begun as only online sister and brother Oluwatobi and Eyinade Adedotun and Adedotun Adebola’s wife. After running the bookstore for three years from their dining room, Eyinades were able to open their first brick and mortar store.
Roving Heights’ Victoria Island has become one of my favorite places to get back in time and again. Whether you are looking for contemporary African fabrications, global bestsellers or warm self-help titles makes it easy to find exactly what you need. The staff is also always happy to call in titles from their branch to Suruler if they don’t have what you are looking for in the store. The thoughtful cure of this bookstore extends beyond the shelves – Roving Heights collaborates with the open country magazine to issue an annual list of bestseller. This list offers a sharp look at the Nigerian reading tastes and is often topped by on -site published books (and available in Roving Heights), many of which you will not find abroad.
entomb In Ikoyi is an experience – whether you are looking for books, art or recordings, its charm invites you to extend. From the eternal classics to the courageous contemporary works, it offers a selection of new and used books that feel deeply personal, as if each title was chosen to light something in the reader. The type of place where you stumble on books and magazines you don’t even know you are looking for. If you are lucky to get to the Kunle Tejoso founder while in the store, he can give you stellar recommendations for books and music.
In addition to his literary offers, Jazzhole is known for an eclectic collection of vinyl and CDs, nourishing music enthusiasts with different flavors while cures and archives an impressive selection of African and Afro-Diasporic black music. The store also has an interpretive space for concerts and recently released two Nigerian music lp: Adult adjacent – outer AND Period. The coffee inside the jazzhole adds another layer to its charm. Serving a variety of beverages and light foods is the perfect place to relax. Jazzole is a space where the buzzing of the lago is drawn, replaced by the gentle humor of the conversation, a tune from a vinyl record in the background, and the rustling of the pages returning.
Ouida book In Opebi is the heart of a dynamic cultural center known as Ouida Lagos. Founded by Lola Shoneyin winning writer and publisher, this creative shelter also includes a cafe, a workspace, a publishing house and a gift store. Bookshop Champions Local authors and shows the rich heritage of the continent’s story. With the choices of contemporary African fabrication, poetry and non-tice, there is something significant for every reader. Friendly staff increases the experience, providing personalized recommendations that make each visit memorable.
Ouida events add another layer of revitalization. From the “Sip and Paint” sessions to the opening of germs nights, there is always something that happens to ignite creativity and connection. The January edition of its recently launched series presented the presentation of a new book by Nigerian Nnamdi Ehirim. Ouida is more than one place to find books – it is a community for creators and a celebration of African voices. If you are in Lagos, do not miss this gem.
Reserve Nook In the Lekki phase phase is my most recent finding of the bookstore, and it is already a loving space. It is in the busy way of Admiralty, and I have enjoyed going after traveling to banks, centers or restaurants nearby. This intimate bookstore reserves various genres and titles from around the world. You will always find interesting cooking books here, some of which have been previously recommended by founder Uzo Orimalade in the kitchen library, its YouTube interview series about cooking and books. I like to buy children’s titles here as they keep a carefully curated range of different options that entertain, inform and inspire. As someone who catches the love of reading as a child and wants to share this with the little ones in my life, the book Nook always has something for me to treasure.
Ayọ̀bámi adébáyọ̀ is the author of A magic of good things (canongate)
What is your favorite Lagos bookstore? Tell us in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @Ftglobetrotter
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