There are no traffic snarls, no Danfo with aggressive conductors chanting various destinations for passengers, no LASTMA to pick erring pedestrians, yet it has few unique resemblance with the state called the Centre of Excellence despite the location in the heart of Nigeria, Centre of Unity- Lagos CRESCENT is a replica of the usual Lagos night life. As you take a stroll into this street off the Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, no matter the time of the day, you are welcome to a place where the sun rises at night.
Located in the heart of Garki district, the crescent welcomes visitors to the aboriginal Garki village. Snaked off the Ladoke Akintola Boulevard that itself host the popular Garki Market; Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Nigeria Minting and Printing Press Limited, the crescent rejoined Enugu Street, another street off the Boulevard.
Lagos crescent has the perfect silhouette of a night-life Lagos. A visitor from the commercial capital of the country who by chance finds himself on Lagos Crescent would fit-in with less ado. Unlike other streets of Abuja, that are active in the day, Lagos crescent dwellers and visitors alike make hay when the moon shines.
From the palace of Sagbeyi of Garki Village, where the street links up with Enugu street up to the main entrance from the beginning of the crescent opposite Regina Pacis School, night crawlers are welcome with various activities accustom to nightlife.
From the entrance, blast of music from different genres oases from all angles. Sound systems of disc marketers provide visitors sensual red carpet to a long, long night of fun and adventure. Joints dotted every space on the pedestrian path while spaces not occupied by these alcohol vendors are taken up by food vendors.
“Ladies of the night” adorned in different shades of fashion dot the street, although not unexpected. Visitors should not get it twisted, a typical lady standing on the street or seated at a joint (with no male companion) could be active in this regard. Interestingly, due to the proscription of prostitution in the FCT and the strict enforcement by the Social Development Secretariat, a good number of these ladies devise covert means to attract attention. Interestingly, some are dressed with conscious regard to womanhood inspite of the social stigma that goes with the enterprise. Others invite customers boldly with their dresses and loose fashion comportment.
These ladies of different shape, size, height and colour line the street in various considerate positions strategic enough to bait philanderers, yet safe to keep an eye on law enforcement agents assigned to implement the ban on prostitution.
You may wonder how they provide abode for their trade; a range of hotels along the street avail these ladies lucrative enterprise. Of the 26 one-storey buildings on the street more than six are hotels, meaning out of every three one-storey building on the street one is an hotel, guest-house, or inn, (at least from the signpost on the houses), while a keen observer would know that there are some of the other buildings that operate covertly.
To some, the night life is a necessary distraction, stress reliever and the antidote for a stressful day. This is otherwise for another group of people; those who are there to render services and sell their products. They see the night as the right time to cash in money that is not forthcoming during day time. Fruit sellers, departmental stores, and service providers like barbers, disc jockeys are at their peak in the late hours and early hours of the morning.