‘Lost in Lagos’ Magazine Marks Fifth Anniversary

Iyke Bede

Recently, art and lifestyle enthusiasts convened in the vast space of the Geely Centre located on Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Lagos compass magazine ‘Lost in Lagos’.

The soirée that received a sizable number of guests culminated in a Photo of the Month competition, a monthly programme that showcased the most striking photos in each month’s edition.

To mark the fifth anniversary, the programme was expanded to showcase all winning photos from every edition published to date. The photos ranged from scenic landmarks of Lagos (Cathedral Church of Christ, Civic Towers), inspiring portraits of people, outstanding events (Lekki protest), to colourful foods and fabulous lifestyles unique to Lagos.

Founded by Tannaz Bahnam, the magazine, which is distributed to the public for free, was born out of a need to help people —foreigners and natives alike— explore and easily discover the authentic Lagos culture.

“I think the best way to talk about something… anything, is to picture it.” explained Bahnam “We are visual people and we respond well to imagery, to pictures. And the way that people have captured Lagos in different ways, I think tonight each of the pictures shows a different side to Lagos.

“Lagos is an amazing city that is growing and developing, yet there is a very authentic cultural side to it that exists, and it is growing alongside these developments. That is what these pictures capture.”

Having spent 14 years in Lagos, the Iranian national only fully conceptualised the idea of ‘Lost in Lagos’, three years after she moved to Nigeria. But it would take a while to start the magazine.

“When I first moved to Lagos, I felt lost, and I had to find my way around, and I felt that I can’t be the only one. There are also other people who feel that Lagos is such a big city that we can get lost in.” Bahnam said of her inspiration to start the magazine.

“Lagos’ story is multifaceted; there are so many sides to it, and every person has a different experience of Lagos, and I think that’s what’s beautiful about it. There is no one story, there is no one experience, there are so many. There is the art world, there is the music world, entertainment, retail, fashion, the food, there are so many different worlds, and you can choose to be part of all of it or part of one of it. There is so much to discover that your options are quite endless,” she concluded.

Acknowledging the complex nature of the city, Bahnam continually works with a dynamic team of creatives who translate these rich cultural aspects of the city into unique themes each month.

Although she has long fallen in love with the city and its people, she hopes that they will become more conscious about taking care of their immediate environment.