On the streets of Lagos, it is not the police who wield power but gangs of fight-hardened young men known as Area Boys. Louis spends time with several outfits, joining them as they patrol their turf, clash with local rivals and keep the peace in a brutal and haphazard fashion.
The main income for the Area Boys is an arbitrary and unofficial form of taxation, extracted from local businesses and commercial drivers. Louis gets to know the rich and glamorous Area Boy leader MC, a former street youth himself, who has now become a friend of the most powerful men in the city. Taken under MC's wing, Louis experiences the top levels of the Area Boys' world from the inside, complete with a tour of MC's grand residence and extensive shoe collection, and ending in a chaotic mini-riot with gunshots, blood and mayhem.
On the side of the law, Louis rides with KAI, the government's Kick Against Indiscipline paramilitary task force, as they storm different city districts. With bulldozers and arrest warrants, KAI use their own strong-arm tactics, and are in their way as feared as the Area Boys.
In Law and Disorder in Lagos, Louis wrestles with life in a world in which the forces of law and the forces of disorder are not always readily distinguishable and nothing is quite what it seems.
Law and Disorder in Lagos : Sun, 10 Oct 2010, 21:00 BBC2
Their last documentary on Lagos wasn't flattering, wonder what they are up to again.
they just couldn't find another color, abi?
ReplyDeleteMolineux? una go let Louis Molineux enter naija? The boy go expose us o!
ReplyDeletei don't think these docs on naija are supposed to be flattering. more like expose the nature of or people and govt. wake up calls come in various shapes and forms. and i applaud BBC for taking it upon themselves to highlight the corruption and lawlessness on a global level that our people have chosen to eternally ignore.
ReplyDeleteLinda, the last documentary might not have been flattering, but wasn't it a reflection of the truth? If the Nigerian media won't tell the stories of the average Nigerian life, then allow the foreign media to do it. :D
ReplyDeletehttp://lookingglassofanimmigrant.blogspot.com/
The BBC sure loves Lagos, we'll be waiting for this too.
ReplyDeletenothing good will come out of this for nigeria. we'd be a laughing stock.
ReplyDeleteone day sha they will leave Nigeria alone.
ReplyDeleteopen their ynash so that the world would see that they refused to use toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteBBC has an obsession with naija. they will use us in spooks ohh, eastenders ohhh, holby city ohhh and documentaries every other month. Anyho lets see what Louis Molineux has to say cos i usually like him, hope I still will at the end of this.
ReplyDeleteThe embarrassment is good...for all thieves in Nigeria who think living like this is normal...watching Funmi Iyanda's docu some bloated b.uffon on a yatch when put on the spot about the disparity in wealth,the poverty and squalor in lagos..his words..people should be happy..'cos of the sea..having nature at close call..monkeys and crocs..and mentioned sometimes he takes the canoe..yeah right!!.. with all that weight..probs capsize...
ReplyDeleteDude's full name is Louis Theroux and not Molineux. I enjoy watching his Wierd Weekend series and he brings humour into wierd situation he encounters. I don't like the copy and paste reporting you used Linda in this post rather you should have informed us you are quoting the BBC.
ReplyDeleteI think it's time you left the blogspot platform or have a customised domain name. You blog has overgrown this platform.
BZ
@Uju you forgot to include The Apprentice...
ReplyDeleteWill be looking forward to this.
ReplyDeleteOMFg!!! Who let Louis into Nigeria? This guy is the king of 'Gonzo Journalism' Expect a lot of sacarsm, humour at Nigeria's expence, in a very subtle but yet painfull way...am sure you won't find it funny at all, LOUIS is a wll know British reporter touring the globe..seen loads of his docus...ha ha ha, can't wait for another round of embarrasment from this guy..
ReplyDeletethe music at the end was the best thing about the documentary and said a lot about more Nigeria than the actual programme managed to do.. how was that by the way, I must know
ReplyDeletewow! all the years in Nigeria and this is the first time i've heard of this. amazing.
ReplyDelete--
call Nigeria