How artists are transforming a Nigerian slum through dance festivals: Video
In the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, artists are using dance to breathe new life into Orowonshoki, one of the city's most impoverished neighbourhoods.
The initiative dubbed the Slum Party, began with a group of ten passionate artists who saw the potential of dance to inspire and bring hope to the residents of Orowonshoki, a neighbourhood known for its high levels of poverty and crime.
The impact of this initiative has been profound. Residents who once felt marginalised and forgotten are now finding a sense of belonging and purpose. According to Sunday Ozegbe, the founder of the Slum Party, the government fixed a bad road in the community which was highlighted through the dance events.
"We decided to shut down this road for our festival this year just to also tell people that dance specifically got the attention of the government to fix this road, and this is one out of many things that dance as an art form can do, not just dancing on Tiktok and Instagram, it actually has real power to attract attention in terms of government, in terms of international bodies to actually come help us when we have problems," he told AFP.
Additionally, the dance events have become a beacon of hope, drawing attention to the potential within the community. They have also helped to reduce crime rates by engaging young people in positive activities and providing them with an outlet for their energy and creativity.
"We are trying to let people understand that you can use your art to change the story, to change the narrative, e.g. music, dance, any kind of art, drawing, painting, even photography. Letting people understand that it is different, making people see that there is talent in the slum. There is talent and you can use your talent to speak, you can use it to fix things and also understand people’s lifestyle," added a dancer, Danjuma Oluwafemi.
