This Town In Liberia Is Sparking A Tourism Renaissance Through Its Surfing Community
"I love surfing because it’s sweet."
Dounard Bondo is a writer based in Liberia. His writing usually covers politics, policies, human rights and entertainment in Africa. Dounard has bylines in BBC, Euronews, Quartz, and others. He also writes short stories.
It’s 5pm on a cool Saturday evening in Robertsport, Liberia, a serene coastal town in the country known for its pristine beaches and crashing waves. Cyrus, 15, a young local surfer in the area has been swimming in the water since without taking any breaks. “I love surfing because it’s sweet,” he shares with the NATIVE when he finally emerges. “I like being in the water and on the waves, it can make me feel good. I just learnt how to surf last year, but I will become the best surfer.”
Known for its good waves, sandy white beaches, serene landscape and wonderful people, Robertsport has become a home for Cyrus and many other local surfers in the area, who have settled in search of new means. Robertsport, which is a three hours’ drive from Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city, has blossomed into the prime surfing destination in the country that attracts both local and international tourists.
While Robertsport now boasts of trained and skilled surfers, its history with the water sport dates back to the early 2000’s when expatriates visiting the country introduced the sport, after the end of the country’s 12-year civil war. Since then, interest for the aquatic sport has grown exponentially and has seen the emergence of more surfers who dominate the sport locally. According to those in Robertsport, the number of confirmed surfers has grown from 60 surfers in 2013 to over 200 surfers in 2022.
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A new surfing ecosystem.
Surfing and surf tourism has seen the birth of a budding business ecosystem. Originally, Robertsport paled in comparison to bigger cities such as Monrovia when it came to tourism and tourist investment in the early 2000’s. However, the times began changing when a new community of surfers found their home along the beach front. Now the coastal town is racking in travellers from around the world largely due to the growth of surfing in the area.
For Momo Kiazolu, an employee of Nana’s Lodge, a popular beachfront guesthouse in Robertsport, surfing is the key factor in bringing customers to their business. “Surfing has great impact on Nana’s lodge. Our customers are usually surfers and tourists who come to Nana’s lodge because of the surfing. Even if they just come to watch on the beach and not spend the night, they still patronise us by buying from the bar,” he shares with the NATIVE.
As a result of this, local business makers in Robertsport are witnessing an uptick in their business sales. This is reiterated by Ma Martha, a local trader whose fresh catch routinely attracts customers from far and wide. “Plenty people come to watch the children surfing in the water. When they are leaving, they buy goods from us because it is cheaper here than in Monrovia. The surfing helps us get more customers,” she says.
A community-centred programme.
What was once a local attraction has now evolved into a community-shared effort. Leading the charge are local surf organisations such as the Robertsport Surf Club, which is witnessing significant impact in the Robertsport community by promoting education and skills development among surfers.
Through the Robertsport Surf Club, a community has been formed which deeply cares for the safety and maintenance of the local beaches, as surfers are known to organise cleaning outreaches and programmes that preserve the community. Additionally, the surf club organises surfing competitions with cash prizes and eye-catching offers, as well as provides scholarships for five young surfers at the primary school level of education.
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In addition, Robertsport Surf Club is also concerned with the mental wellbeing of its players. The surf club runs “surf therapy program” that brings together young surfers in a safe space, teaching them values of love, community and leadership through activities which include surfing and meditation. Speaking on the surf therapy program, Prince Kanneh who is himself a senior surfer and tutor says “I like the program because we teach the kids to do away with pride or causing troubles, so they learn from us. Apart from the kids, the program has also helped me to be a better person because I have to live what I am teaching them.”
Ma Martha, who provides food to guests in the market and whose son is also a surfer agrees with this statement. She shares “My child is a surfer, by the time he comes back from school, he will eat, do his assignment and go straight to the beach. He would not come back till 6 in the evening. And by that time, he is too tired to get into any problem or to be on the streets causing trouble.”
Now, Robertsport Surf Club is expanding its reach by providing shelter for local surfers. In collaboration with Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) – a humanitarian organisation that works with the surfers, the club has built a surf house, located right by the fisherman’s break on the beach, and now has plans to expand their programmes.
These local strides are not going unnoticed by the Liberian government. Recently, surfing has also brought the attention of the government who plan to invest as a way to boost tourism in the country. In July this year, the government announced plans to implement part of its Tourism Development Project in Robertsport. When implemented, the project seeks to develop tourist reception facilities at the Robertsport beach-front and develop a tourism marketing strategy, focusing on Robertsport as a surf tourism destination.
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Current challenges.
Despite its present impact on the town, surfing in Robertsport is not without its challenges. While it’s no secret that there are no certainties in surfing, a sport dependent on the whims of the ocean, there is also a dearth of funding for local surfers and organisations, For self-employed workers like Prince Kanneh who tutors young surfers, the challenges are endless. “It’s not easy to be surfer, it takes your time and energy. And there is no pay, even though most of us we are self-employed”, he shares with the NATIVE. “You go to surf sometimes and there is no food and water, but we keep going because we love the sport. I am a fisherman, when there is no wave, I go in my canoe to fish. But one day, I would make it and money would come.” he adds.
Access to surfing gear is also a mounting challenge. Local surfers in the area detail challenges with their access to good and reliable surf boards, as surfers largely depend on donations to get boards. Liberia’s low average disposable income also means that people simply aren’t spending their extra money on surfing gear as 2021 world bank data states that Liberia’s Gross national income per capita stands at 620 USD.
According to Kent Bubbs, the director of Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF), the durability of these surf boards means they have to be replaced frequently. He shares “We partnered with an organisation called Provide The Slide. While they have been amazing with providing surf boards, like all things, surfboards can break, so boards have remained a challenge.”
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To address this, the Robertsport surf club is rolling out programmes which will help create income for surfers. Currently, the surf club has built a restaurant which will employ local surfers in the area and those from low-income backgrounds. The club also plans to roll out tourism packages which will involve all-inclusive deals on camping, surf lessons and board repair. Even these ongoing efforts are not enough, the surf club has also bought a canoe which can be leased for fishing or for tourists who want to go sightseeing.
However, Bubbs states that some of the challenges would be overcome by more government action. “Surf tourism is not as supported by the government. The country still doesn’t have visa on arrival. These are challenges on the tourism level. Visa on arrival is probably the biggest challenge because it is difficult to get here.”
Despite these obstacles, for many surfers like Cyrus, surfing has also become an avenue to chase their dreams beyond the shores of Robertsport. “I am focusing on winning the upcoming competition so I can get the money. I also want them to recognise me as a top surfer. After that, I want to be president or a senator when I get big. I will make it, and I will come back and help all the surfers and all the people in Robertsport,” he says.
For now, though, life in Robertsport centres on this beautiful game which has brought a new lease of life to the coastal town.
You can donate to the Robertsport Surf Club here.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
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Togo YEYE & VLISCO’s new collaboration is a celebration of Lomé’s thriving creative scene
Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by
Togo YEYE, a creative duo formed by Lomé-based creative director Malaika Nabillatou and London-based photographer Delali Ayivi, is a conceptual publication that was created to empower and champion Togo’s young fashion creatives. Since its inception in 2021, Togo YEYE has released several personal projects and has also partnered with a number of brands to further its hugely imaginative aesthetic mandate. For their latest collaboration, Togo YEYE teamed up with textile printing company VLISCO to present Blossoming Beauty. Tagged as a love letter to Togo’s creative community, the campaign captures Lomé’s scenic beauty alongside VLISCO’s vibrant prints with the aim of connecting the feminine grace of nature with identity and artistry.
What does Togo YEYE mean?
Malaika Nabilatou: My name is Malaika Nabilatou, I’m the creative director of Togo YEYE. I’m Togolese and I was born and grew up in Lomé. I see myself as a West African creative director and I’m working to be the best in a few years. Togo YEYE means new Togo in Ewe, one of the most popular languages spoken in the South of Togo.
What inspired you to create Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: We started this project, my friend Delali and I, 5 years ago. We just wanted to show that Togolese youth are also creative. Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by us. It wasn’t just a project for Delali and I. It’s become something for the creative scene of Lomé. Lomé is like our studio.
What role does Togolese culture play in your creative process?
Maryline Bolognima: For me, Togolese culture comes first. For example, in the South, there are the people of Anero. If you come, you can go to Anero. In the North, there are the Evals, so if you come to Togo, you’ll learn a lot.
What’s the most exciting part of working as a team on projects like this?
Malaika Nabilatou: I need to tell the truth, we dreamt about this campaign before [it happened]. When VLISCO contacted us, we were like wow. I can’t really explain how thankful we are to VLISCO for trusting us. Because it’s a risk that they took by trusting us, making that campaign here with our team and honestly we are going to keep it in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Claudia Sodogbe: For me, it is the first big contract of my life that I had with Togo YEYE. I still remember, on the last day of the shoot, I was feeling nostalgic about separating from the teams and the others. It went well in any case, and I’m very grateful to have been on this project.
What has been your proudest moment as part of Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: I think the proudest moment I had with this campaign was when I saw the result first on the website. When I saw the story, I was like “wow, we finally made it.”
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Inside The Parties Breathing New Life Into Lagos’ Nightlife Scene
No matter who you, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or...
The crowd marches along on the dancefloor, vibrating to a pulse that is both familiar and electrifying. It takes a second to identify Grammy nominee, Rema’s “Ozeba,” pouring out of the speakers and whipping the crowd into a frenzy as it takes on new life as a turbulent EDM track. The crowd growls and screams in approval of the DJ’s remix, yet another banger in a night filled with back-to-back hits. Hands in the air, sweat dripping from glistening bodies, smoke floating around the dancefloor and young people gyrating with reckless abandon, Element House provides the people with the release they deserve and they reward it with an undying loyalty to its rhythm and raves as they keep coming back.
Party culture has taken on new dimensions in Nigeria over the last two decades as a reaction to economic, social and cultural progressions. This evolution of the way we party is significant considering that Nigeria is a society that lays heavy emphasis on certain accepted standards of moral behavior, rooted in culture and tradition. But that has never once stopped a good time from happening. Millennials and older gen-z will remember the street parties and carnivals of old, usually held at the end of summer holidays or in December, where music by TuFace, Mo’Hits, Akon, Shakira, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent were the staple, among others. There were certain songs automatically expected from any DJ worth his salt otherwise it was not too far-fetched to see a DJ, with his equipment on his head, fleeing for his safety while being chased by an irate mob of partygoers.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. These carnivals and street parties might have been phased out but the idea remains the same while the power and influence of communities powering party culture in Lagos and Nigeria at large has only gotten stronger, especially with the advent of social media. The Block Party series–started in Lagos, Nigeria as the Mainland Block Party–has become the go-to event to celebrate youth culture and foster connections that cut across multiple African cities and walks of life. Today, with curated events in Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos, Accra and others, a community of partygoers is assured maximum enjoyment whenever the Block Party organisers announce an event in their city of the month. The people will always return to where their tastes are catered to, bringing along friends, family and newbies eager to bask in the atmosphere of loud music and togetherness.
In 2012, Warner Bros. Pictures released Project X–a film that follows three friends and high-school students who attempt to gain popularity by throwing a party which ends up escalating out of their control and reaching epic proportions. This idea propagated by Hollywood would go on to influence several house parties thrown in Lagos during the mid to late 2010s. The idea that with the right DJ/music playing at the right venue and with just the right crowd, then immortality was possible–a party so grand that it would be spoken about in glowing terms for years to come until it became lore. Today, house parties are more intimate and controlled, the degrees of separation between attendees reduced by a mutual friend or WhatsApp group they all have in common. From game nights to karaoke sessions to kinky sex parties, whether it’s at Balloons & Cups, a Vogue Boys pool party, or a get-together by the ‘Lagos on a Budget’ IG Community, the role house parties play in the ever evolving party culture is not insignificant, creating a pipeline that feeds into the much larger raves which weekends in Lagos are becoming synonymous with.
Whether it’s Element House today, Mainland House tomorrow, Group Therapy next weekend, WIRED or a host of other house and EDM inspired movements, partygoers are spoiled for choice when it comes to where to indulge their fundamental music tastes in a secure and controlled environment. Nothing is off the menu and a good time is the only badge of honor worth collecting. The increasing popularity of the rave movement in recent years is testament to the fact that it works for both organizers and attendees. The Covid-19 lockdowns changed the way Nigerians party; after months of being isolated from their communities and having to socialize in more intimate and private spaces, it’s no surprise that raves, with their underground nature, became the outlet of choice for several young people as soon as the world opened back up. According to Tonia, a medical doctor and frequent raver living in Lagos, her first few times at parties following the end of the lockdowns were not fun. “I was partying with caution, wearing face masks constantly and carrying hand sanitizer around. It became a much better experience subsequently when everything relaxed and soon enough, I was back enjoying the time of my life at Lagos parties.”
Unburdened from the heavy spending, bottle-popping culture that characterizes Lagos nightlife and cloaked in the embrace of judgment-free anonymity and numbers, raves have become a safe haven for a community of partygoers determined to turn up in the midst of the sheer craziness of living in this day and age. For Michael-Peace, a brand & creative assistant and frequent raver, the appeal goes beyond a need to unwind and the feelings of peace he experiences at raves. “Whether I’m listening to the DJ or just watching the crowd move to the music, it’s a very mindful experience for me,” he says.“I’m grateful to just be there and appreciative of how we can all be one community or family for that period of time.”
The appeal of the rave scene is its inclusivity and it’s a common theme for the new wave of parties exploding in Lagos and environs. No matter who you are or what you stand for, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or discrimination resulting from socio-economic and political differences, misogyny and other less elegant occurrences which are part of mainstream Nigerian nightlife. This is important to Tonia who, on multiple occasions, has been prevented by bouncers from entering clubs without a male companion. “I’ll always prefer raves, they are much freer and nobody is performing here. There’s no need to show off the number of bottles you bought like there is in a club. Everyone just wants to turn the fuck up and have the time of their lives.”
For five or six hours, the disco lights, turbulent music and fellow ravers provide solace from the outside world. “Dancing the night away” is not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate from the gods of the rave. It is almost impossible to emerge after such an experience and not want to do it again. The music beckons all and sundry to come out, purge yourself of all inhibitions on the dancefloor, then return home and spread the gospel of the electronic music scene to all who might listen. In Michael-Peace’s own words: “There are people I’ve put onto raves and who loved the experience and constantly thank me for introducing them to it. Once you get hooked on it, you’ll never want to let go.”
Party culture in Nigeria continues to evolve as the new wave of parties mark their time and place in history. But the street parties and carnivals of yesteryears are not to be forgotten. The power of community continues to connect the old wave with the new wave, ensuring that actual people remain the focal point of these events, and party goers can enjoy nightlife experiences uniquely tailored to their ever changing wants and needs.
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