15 Things You’ll Only Understand If You Grew Up In Lagos

 Growing up in Lagos is like having a lifetime subscription to drama, comedy, adventure, and a little bit of chaos — all rolled into one. The city shapes you in ways outsiders will never fully understand. If Lagos was your playground, these memories will hit you right in the nostalgia. Eyes Of Lagos reports,


1. NEPA’s Surprise Power Cuts

You could be watching your favorite TV show and boom — darkness. The famous “Up NEPA!” cheer when electricity returns is a Lagos childhood soundtrack.


2. The Early Morning Rush to School

Whether in a yellow school bus or clinging to your mum’s wrapper, Lagos mornings were all ab

out dodging traffic and making it before the school bell.


3. Buying Puff-Puff From the Street Corner Auntie

Hot, sugary, and wrapped in old newspaper — no Lagos childhood snack beats fresh puff-puff from your favorite vendor.


4. Sunday Rice Tradition

No matter what happened during the week, Sunday rice — usually jollof or white with stew — was non-negotiable.


5. The Danfo Bus Shouting Match

Growing up in Lagos meant being serenaded by danfo conductors yelling destinations in rapid-fire Yoruba or Pidgin.


6. Playing Football on the Street Until Dark

Stones for goalposts, slippers for defense, and every game ending when “Mummy say make you come inside!”


7. Turning the Compound into a Playground

Shared compounds were mini-communities where everyone knew everyone — and your neighbor’s aunty could discipline you like her own child.


8. The Lagos Rain Floods

When it rained, streets turned into rivers, and kids either splashed in the water or got stuck indoors dreaming of the sun.


9. The Tailor’s ‘It Will Be Ready Tomorrow’ Promise

If your tailor said “tomorrow,” you knew to expect it next week — Lagos kids learned patience early.


10. The Hustle of After-School Lessons

Extra classes weren’t optional — parents believed education was a full-time job.


11. The Lagos Market Experience

Whether with your mum or big sister, going to Balogun or Mile 12 was a full sensory overload — sounds, smells, and bargaining wars.


12. The Owambe Wedding Weekends

Bright fabrics, loud music, jollof rice, and party souvenirs — Lagos kids grew up knowing weekends were for celebrations.


13. Street Hawkers as Your Snack Dealers

From gala sausage rolls to fan ice cream, Lagos streets were your moving supermarket.


14. The Drama of Lagos Public Holidays

Public holidays meant playing from sunrise to sunset — until parents dragged you back inside.


15. Growing Up Street Smart

Lagos taught you how to cross busy roads, bargain with market women, and never get lost — survival skills for life.


Final Word

If you grew up in Lagos, these moments are more than memories — they’re a badge of honor. They shaped your resilience, sense of humor, and ability to thrive anywhere in the world. And no matter where life takes you, Lagos will always be home.

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