Going to Nigeria a second time is like falling in love again. It’s never the same as the first time but if you open yourself up to it,it can be one of the most fulfilling and exciting experiences ever. The reasonI make the analogy between love and Lagos, is because the first time I wasthere, I fell in love with the city. Its’ rugged charm, brash swagger and themany contradictions in motions that make up its magic. Under the auspices of ourdear friends and hosts, the Ajadi brothers we were given a taste of Lagos’ verybest – the oldest restaurant in the city; a free concert at Fela Kuti’s shrine;shopping at The Palms and exclusive boutiques, on Victoria Island having apersonal chauffer and chef and clubbing in some the city’s most pulsatingclubs. This time around however, we are here to attend the African MovieAcademy Awards (AMAA) in Abuja, though our first stop is in Lagos for two days.Though not quite sure what to expect, I look forward to acquainting myself withLagos outside of our friends’ cocoon. We arrive at Murtala Muhammed Airportmid-evening on Wednesday night. Like I’ve never seen it before, the airport isalmost empty and calm before the surge or the last flight in crowd floods inthrough customs.  As always, we aremet with charming would-be suitors who try to convince us of their marriagesuitability while the outside is a hustle to help with bags; drive you to yourdestination and any service that renders 500 naira (about R25) or more.

We are staying at Aquatic Hotel in Ikeja, which is on themainland in downtown Lagos. Aquatic Hotel, at approximately R1000 a night is byno means a luxurious abode. I end up spending the next two days squatting withmy friend Melanie in her room as the shower and air con aren’t working in myown. Of course, asking for compensation for this proves futile but we arehounded for our breakfast bill (the standard breakfast – eggs and bread arefree but the rest – a wrinkly sausage and beans come at an extra cost.)  We spend the next day doing admin –changing money, getting local SIM cards and lunching at Terra Kulture, arestaurant cum art gallery and cultural centre on Victoria Island where we wolfdown Naija cuisine – amaala, okro soup and spicy spinach, washed down with a Chapman (a local fruitcocktail) or Star Beer. That night, the governor of Lagos and UBA bank host apre-AMAA sickle cell charity ball, a condition which is quite rife in thecountry. Here, the who’s who of Nollywood show up in their finest and we , thehumble Mzansi journos that we are, are given A-lister treatment, with the MCeven greeting us in Zulu. The next day we set off toAbuja, the capital of Nigeria, famed for its modernity and complete calmcontrast to Lagos’s busy bustle. At the very last minute, the Wednesday wearrived in fact, the venue of the AMAA’s were changed from Baylesia State inthe Niger Delta to Abuja, due to unrest in the fomer. The flight is like a roadtrip on air – everyone who is in anyway involved in the AMAAs is put on thesame (Virgin Nigeria) flight and after the drama of some of us not being on thelist, we eventually get onto the flight and have a ball mingling, flirting andmaking teasing squeaky kiss sounds at each other (these are usually used tobeckon street vendors, waitrons and anyone of help). In Abuja, its’contemporary aesthetic is criticized by some of our traveling party assoulless,  and we are thrust intomore drama as no one is really sure where we’re supposed to stay. After thebrief excitement of driving into the Hilton, we are ushered back into theshuttle and taken to a non-descript (in comparison to the Hilton) hotel, calledthe First 40 seasons only to be told that we haven’t been booked into thiseither! The highlight of the detour is meeting a producer couple, Nneka and herhusband (whose name I forget) who produce a TV travel show and are the mostdelightful and friendly (not to mention stylish) peoplewe’ve met so far.Eventually, someone puts two and two together (the AMAAswill be held at the Hilton) and we are taken back to our ‘rightful home’ forthe weekend, the Hilton J . Hot showers, bubble baths, (expensive) drinks inthe lobby and a swim in the pool later, we head to dinner at one of thein-hotel restaurants which turns out to be a pricey and tasteless experience,but at least we’ve got rooms with a great view, right?

At the freestyle media breakfast the morning of the AMAAs,we all chase stories and photo opps with Nollywood stars like Ramsey Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Rita Dominic, the vodka sipping in the morning,fabulous actress as well as other  actor, producers and directors.

With a few hours to spare before the main event, we set ofto one of Abuja’s ‘township’ hair salon to get our hair and nails ‘did.’ Thesalon, full to capacity, looks and feels like any barbershop or hair salon in aSouthern movie – the ghetto hairstyles, the extra long, crystal embellishednails, the gay-esque guy hairstylists and the jaw dropping Pidgin gossip.

THE AWARDS

Red carpet call time is at 8pm and I miss it becausemy make up just isn’t going right! But eventually I make it to the awards,which are held in the Congress Hall, which holds about 300 guests. Running afew minutes late, the awards open with actors Chinedu Ikhedieze(Aki) and OsitaIheme (Pawpaw) as the hilarious anchors. Guest of Honour, Angela Bassett makesa touching speech about being back home in the motherland while founder andexecutive director Peace Anyiam-Fiberesima echoes her vision to tell Africa’sstories by Africans to the rest of the world. At the last moment, three of us,Lelo, Melanie and myself are asked to co-present awards and we, of course jumpat the opportunity and do our thing up there Mzansi style. All in all theawards go almost flawlessly, etching themselves as a great, gliterattigathering of Africa. I look forward to the AMAAs growth and increased inclusionof other African countries’ works in years to come. Catch a broadcast of theAMAAs on 25 May 2008 on the Africa Magic Channel. Consult TV guide for time.

Lelethu L