Out and About Lagos: LIFI Behind the Scenes

Deborah Iyalagha, intern at the Book Buzz Foundation, reflects on the time spent with guest illustrators before the festival kicked off.

Before pencils hit paper and workshops began, the Lagos International Festival of Illustrations (LIFI) treated the visiting tutors to an unforgettable crash course in the spirit of the city. Think: art, culture, rainstorms, and a five-hour love letter in Lagos traffic.

Day One: Art, Culture, and a Side of Jollof

International illustrators at the JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History

On Monday, Lagos greeted the team with a sunny smile as we set out to visit the legendary Nike Art Gallery. Two hours later, the group was warmly welcomed to the gallery by the founder and iconic artist, Chief Mrs. Nike Okundaye and her team. As West Africa’s largest art gallery, the space was a visual buffet of colour, texture, and tradition. The illustrators wandered from floor to floor of contemporary and traditional Nigerian artworks, speaking with gallery staff, sketching impressions and absorbing influences of colour, form, and narrative. After the tour, the tutors put on a mini fashion show decked in cultural attire and beads provided by the gallery.

Next stop: Flowershop Café in Victoria Island. The warm lighting and plant-filled corners softened the morning’s intensity with laughter, discussion, and the sharing of expectations for the week ahead. Some illustrators had their very first taste of Nigeria’s famous jollof rice—and yes, it lived up to the hype.

LIFI facilitators with the legendary Chief Mrs Nike Okundaye

The afternoon took a cultural turn at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture & History, a newly revitalised cultural hub in Onikan. Equal parts museum, performance space, and immersive storybook, the Centre brings Yoruba heritage to life with soundscapes, historical artifacts, and mythological narratives. Its exhibits traverse topics from creation myths, masquerade traditions, colonial-era history, and the genealogy of Yoruba lineages. For the guests, it was a crash course in Yoruba cosmology, culture and history, and a beautiful end to the day's activities.

The day ended on a cool and cheerful note, with everyone feeling creatively energized, inspired by all they had seen, and eager for the next day’s adventure.

Day Two: Rain, Reroutes, and Road Time

A determined Lagos downpour washed away Tuesday’s original plan of exploring the Lekki Conservation Centre and a breezy beach day. So, Plan B was a road trip to the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) at Pan-Atlantic University. And what a backup plan it was! YSMA boasts a stunning collection—from ancient Nok terracotta to contemporary works by Nigerian masters. The illustrators enjoyed the interplay of heritage and contemporary African art.

Of course, no Lagos experience is complete without a brush with the city’s infamous traffic. Five hours. One highway. Eleven bus occupants. It was the ultimate bonding exercise—and a reminder that in Lagos, the journey is part of the adventure. Thankfully, the traffic eased up and the day ended on a high note with dinner at Hua Han Lagos, filled with laughter and conversations.

Lagos had officially made its mark—not just on their sketchbooks, but in their hearts.