Hit show tells tough truths about Nigerian wealth

Lagos - With its tales of infidelity, backstabbing
and money-grabbing, "Lekki Wives" has become
one of the most talked-about television
programmes in Nigeria.
But the edgy portrayal of life in one of Lagos'
newest suburbs is far from imagined -- and a
sharp turn for an entertainment industry long
shaped by outlandish plots and, at times,
supernatural storylines.
Instead, the series dives straight into key issues
facing the country, notably "the ills of what people
do for money", said its creator Blessing Egbe.
She wanted to show how Nigeria's so-called
economic boom has brought untold riches to a
lucky few but left life unchanged for most.
"We have pushed the envelope," she told AFP.
"We didn't try to be nice about it."
And the scripts push the limits in this largely
conservative, God-fearing country, as one where
a character seeks a partner to indulge his need
for sado-masochistic sex.
Smoke and mirrors
With Africa's biggest population and largest oil
industry, Nigeria has averaged more than seven
percent economic growth over the last decade,
among the highest rates in the world.
But poverty has worsened since 2004, the
government conceded last year. And while the
middle class has expanded, a good part of the
wealth is concentrated at the very top.
The show's tension is driven by such nuances --
how all is not what it seems: a tiny minority have
gotten rich quickly but many are just faking
wealth. Destitution largely remains the norm.
Egbe said her plotlines were "99 percent" inspired
by real stories of people craving to be seen as
elite, even if the show -- whose title was inspired
by the US hit "Desperate Housewives" -- is
highly stylised. Characters deliver monologues
straight to the camera and performances could
not unfairly be described as over-the-top.
Public reaction has been largely positive and the
next season, currently being edited, will be even
bolder than the first.
"I hope I don't get chased out after season two,"
Egbe said.
Like a visa to America
A blue tollgate spanning a six-lane expressway
marks the entrance to the real Lekki, one of
Lagos' fastest-growing and most-coveted
neighbourhoods.
Banks, hotels, shopping centres and mega-
churches line the well-paved roadway. Many of
the buildings are under construction and others
look brand new.
The expressway's exits lead to gated
communities, partly filled with US-style suburban
homes.
Rents in Lagos's posh neighbourhoods have long
been astronomical and Lekki is no exception: a
studio apartment can cost $24,000 (18,000 euros)
per year, with payment due in full up front.
Egbe, a 37-year-old mother of three, moved eight
years ago to Lekki, a community she says is full
of people "who will do anything just to be seen,
just to be looked upon as wealthy".
But the pretence does not always hold up.
"You see a big mansion and you go in there and
maybe there is no electricity, empty rooms, or
maybe the living room is so well-furnished and
when you go into the rest of the house there is
nothing. It is not real," she said.
Blogger Chigo Compere, who has written about
the show, said that for some Nigerians, a Lekki
address is "not quite a visa to America" but
considered a decent consolation prize.
She recounted a widely shared story about a man
who supposedly cannot afford to live in Lekki but
has chosen to sleep there in his used Range
Rover, parking it in a different location every night
to avoid notice.
"Not everyone in Lekki is crazy" and parts of the
show are embellished, said Compere, but she
calls it a much-needed departure in a domestic
industry which can be "very conservative".
Huge demand
Cast member Kiki Omeilli, 29, who plays the bed-
hopping Lovette, said Nigerian film and television
creators tend to "shy away" from basic realities
about society.
"Even if everybody knows what is going on,
nobody wants to put it out there," said Omeilli,
admitting it's Lovette's extra-marital antics that
allow the character to maintain a luxurious
lifestyle.
As for the show's popularity, the actress said she
is constantly stopped on the street.
"People used to recognise me from past
productions but nothing like this," she added.
Egbe, herself, is "shocked" by the broad appeal of
season one, which was first broadcast online in
April, then on DVD.
When it caught fire, satellite television provider
DSTV took notice and began broadcasting an
episode each week.
"I thought I was feeding the upper class but I
ended up feeding everybody," said Egbe of the
appeal, which cuts across socio-economic
groups.
The ramshackle DVD shop run by 29-year-old
Uchenna Theelar in Lagos' Obalende market is a
good example. Demand for the "Lekki Wives" has
been overwhelming and she has been sold out for
three months.
"People are still asking me for it," she said.