8 REASONS WHY VISITING LEKKI ART AND CRAFT MARKET SHOULD BE TOP ON YOUR WISH LIST.

LEKKI ART AND CRAFT MARKET

Visiting the Lekki Art and Craft Market has been top on my wish list for a while and I am hyped that I finally ticked it off.

At first I scouted for people to join me, well because the more the merrier but it didn’t seem like it was going to work out and I honestly got tired of waiting for a day that’s suitable for everyone and decided to go on my own if need be. Fortunately, my best friend came through( reasons why we are besties), she is amazing and after a bit of tinkering about Lekki we finally found each other and located the market.

Locating the market was a hassle, I got to know about this place from bloggers on Instagram and most of them referred to it as the Lekki Art and Craft Market which is sort of misleading because the name of the market is actually The Oba Elegushi Market, just behind Jakande Market.

I don’t know where it got it’s Lekki A & C name but the motorist and people around the environs reacted like the name was alien and not one out of the five people I asked knew about it. Left with no other option, I called Biba of RoyalBiba and lamented my plight, she told me I was on the right path and it’s actually the name that’s confusing people. It was then I got to know the real name is Oba Elegushi International Market. So please if you have plans of visiting the Lekki A & C market, kindly know that the name is Oba Elegushi Market.

Location

This market is located in the upscale area of Lekki precisely at Oba Elegushi Street | Off Lekki-Epe Expressway Between 4th and 5th Roundabout, Lagos, Nigeria

But don’t let it’s location fool you. The road to this market looks terrible, the area is the slum part of Lekki which no one talks about. Smh at the Lagos State government. However this market is an art heaven, if you are into craft, appreciating arts and culture then you definitely need to visit this market amidst it’s bad road condition.

The market is very much organized and clean, a quality you don’t find in most Nigerian markets. Also there are several stores but their numbering system is great and you can almost never get missing while searching for a particular store.

You can get to the market either via public transportation or a personal car. Just ensure you use a car that’s sturdy because of the bad road. If you are going by public transportation, your best bet will be to stop at Jakande roundabout, Lekki and take a bike(motorcycle) to the market which costs N100 only.

Lekki Art and Craft Market Finds.

My aim of going to this market was to see what goods that had in stock and also purchase a leather bag. However, a friend, Zobam requested I help her buy rafia mats and bags. We ended up buying three cute leather bags, two rafia shopping bags, rafia mats and racks. Here are some of the things we purchased.

This market has an array of goods ranging from Ankara outfits, bags, shoes to rafia bags, boxes, lamp stands, to adire wears, beaded jewelries, leather bags, art mask, bronze cast work etc.

 8 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT THE LEKKI ART AND CRAFT MARKET.

The Lekki A & C is an Art Paradise:

I was surprised that we had such a place in Nigeria considering the lackadaisical attitude of our government in regards to preserving our arts and culture. This market is an art haven, all sorts of art works can be found here, along with artisans and crafts men.

The Ambience:

The market has such a cool ambience. It is really less noisy when compared to most Nigerian markets. It is also well structure and organised.

Clean and clutter free:

This has got to be one of the things that surprised me about this market. So you all know how Nigerian markets are synonymous to be cluttered and not-so-neat, it was gratifying to see that the Lekki arts and crafts market is different from the norm. Every seller had there own trash bin beside their stalls and everyone kept their corner neat.

Great customer service:

The sellers are very friendly at this market. They don’t hesitate to let you take photos of their goods. They are really friendly and courteous. All the stalls I went to, the sellers were nice. All but one, immediately I priced, the seller asked me to leave and he even said don’t forget your bottle water o. I don’t blame him though, I practically split the price he called into two. Lol.

You will find great Home Decor Ideas:

oh my! This was such a pain. I kept wishing I had my own place in Lagos because I found some great pieces. Check out this woven lamp stand. They also had woven boxes and laundry baskets. I had a lot of ideas in my head. I would have spray painted the lamp stand gold because I feel it will look way better.

Items can be custom made:

Yes they can, especially the paintings. And talking about the paintings, I fell in love with this portrait painting I saw in one store. I refused to take a photo because I would end up starring at it all day and hoping for the day my account balance will be so large that I can splurge on a 50k self portrait painting without going on  starvation mode. However, I took their complimentary card. Just because I know I will definitely go back there soon to have a custom made portrait of myself.

Goods are affordable:

This is largely dependant on you. Like I mentioned above, a lot of tourists patronize this market. Hence, the sellers are quick to start off with an exorbitant amount. However, if you take off your “ajebo” cape and haggle it down with them. You will get some amazing pieces for low prices. The trick lies in your bargaining power.

An extra tip – Buying more than one product, helps in price reduction.

Buy Nigerian:

This is the last but in no way the least reason why you should visit the lekki art and craft market. Most products sold at the market are made in Nigeria and they are top notch and have great qualities. There’s little or no difference between a woven bag bought at the Lekki art and craft market and one bought from London. The major difference would be in the finishing and the brand of rafia used. But if you tell them what brand of rafia you want, they can custom make it for you.

With the recent campaign for patronizing made in Nigerian products, visiting the Lekki art and craft market and purchasing a product or two is a great way to contribute to grow our nation’s economy.

Tips you should know when visiting the Lekki art and craft market.

1. Be patient: there are a lot of stores in the market. Take your time to look through,  sample prices and product quality.

2. Take note of the store number of any seller you wish to purchase a product from so you can easily find them

3. Be prepared to bargain: I mentioned this already. You have to be prepared to bargain real hard at this market.

4. Go with a friend or two just because it will be more fun.

5. Be prepared for the sun: Go along with a face cap, sunshade or buy a rafia hat immediately you get to the market. Trust me the sun is usually terrible especially during midday. Don’t forget to go along with a bottle of water. Unlike most markets, I didn’t take note  of hawkers. So to be on the safe side, carry along your own bottle of water.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit

I loved how the sellers were nice and easy going. How they easily explained the background behind their products once asked. I got into a very good rapport with one of the sellers and he even gave my friend and I Hausa names. Nneoma was named Sadiya and I was named Kyauta which is the Hausa name for Gift, after rejecting Halima because I felt it was too popular.

Here are the contacts of two of the nicest sellers I met at the market.

Aliu sells all form of rafia products include table mats, bags, boxes, lamp stands, straw bags etc. Here is his phone number – 0808 862 0997. His name is Aliu

Sanni Sells leather bags and beaded accessories, he is really friend and is a great photographer too. We bought three leather bags from him and they were actually affordable. Here’s his phone number – 08064082153. His name is Sanni.

I forgot to take their contacts but the ladies next to him sell Ankara bags and back packs and they are really beautiful.

I will definitely be visiting the Lekki art and craft market some other time and hopefully by that time, I will be rich enough to afford that portrait painting.

Have you ever visited an art shop or market, how was the experience?. If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more posts on where to find art and craft works know Nigeria, let me know in the comment section.