Watch Nigeria’s first homegrown skate edit
- Text by Alex King
Home to a staggering 21 million people, Nigeria’s capital, Lagos might just be the biggest city in the world without a skate park. But a lack of infrastructure and the growing presence of armed police officers isn’t enough to hold back the hardy skaters who call Lagos home – and the local scene is hotting up.
Jide is a calling card for this emerging movement: the first skate edit produced by Lagos skaters – not just foreign crews rolling through. Featuring locals Olaoluwa ‘slawn’, Yinka, Samuel ‘Ziggy’ and John ‘Enigma’ alongside Lusaka, Zambia-bred skaters Saidi Lungu and Evaristo Mutale, who are both competing at the KDS African Skateboarding Championship in October, it’s an indication that the future’s bright for African skating.
WAFFLESNCREAM started life as a UK/Nigerian skate lifestyle brand, born to build a bridge between UK and African street and skate culture scenes. After officially setting up in Lagos last year, it was reborn as a platform for African skateboarders across the continent, with roots in Leeds, UK and Lusaka, Zambia. They’re also involved in pressuring to build Lagos’ very first skate park.
“We’ve recently focussed on pumping out content in terms of skate edits, to highlight what the scene is like here and just to have proof it exists,” explains Creative Director Jomi Marcus-Bello. “This edit is the first attempt at recording the Lagos scene. This video is where our story starts and is not filmed or edited by an external source, but by us. We are asking for help to give it a big push and show the world we exist.”
Find out more from WAFFLESNCREAM.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Leticia Bufoni is one of the greatest skaters ever. Now she’s tearing up asphalt.
Vamos, Leticia! — The Brazilian trailblazer helped rewrite the rulebook for women in skateboarding – and now she’s setting the pace behind the wheel for Porsche. For Huck’s 20th Anniversary Issue, she reflects on shredding stereotypes, building a career in male-dominated spaces, empowering the next generation, and the lessons that defined her journey.
Written by: Tracy Kawalik
Dropping in at Lahore’s first ever public skatepark
Skate Pakistan — Set right in the centre of Pakistan’s capital city, the free-to-use space has started a mini youth revolution in the country. Z. Raza-Sheikh tracks how it came to open its doors.
Written by: Z. Raza-Sheikh
What went down at the London screening of STEPS: Deo Kato’s Run for Justice
Cape Town to Shoreditch — Taking place at Rich Mix, the evening featured a Q&A with the runner himself and Huck’s Phil Young, as well as plenty of community connection.
Written by: Ella Glossop
Imprisonment, illness, internal strife: Deo Kato’s mammoth run for justice
STEPS — Spanning 17 months, 21 countries and two continents, the Ugandan born athlete ran from Cape Town to London to raise awareness of racism and migration stories, while trying to find his own place in the world. A new film explores his obstacle-filled path and what he learned along the way.
Written by: Olivia Fee
The concrete skatepark oasis in the Navajo Nation desert
Diné Skate Garden — Opening in 2023, the Two Grey Hills spot is getting people of all ages on the reservation onto boards. We spoke to those behind the project about its impact, its growing importance as a community gathering space, and their ambitious vision for expansion.
Written by: Tyrone Bulger
Inside the London rollerskating scene’s fight for space
Chop & shuffle — A new, young generation is skating with a style unique to the UK’s capital, but they’re up against security guards, dog units, and padlocks. Sunny Sunday reports on the community’s search for a home.
Written by: Sunny Sunday
