A mile or so from the crashing breakers of the Atlantic, in one of the most affluent parts of Lagos, hushed visitors admire the paintings and prints on the walls of the Nike Art Gallery, one of the biggest such private institutions in Africa.
Among the gallery’s visitors last week was Ehi, a businesswoman in her 40s who lives nearby and came with her three children. Hours before, officials had announced the results of Nigeria’s presidential election, held four days earlier. These had left Ehi bitterly disappointed. Her favoured candidate – Peter Obi, a 61-year-old businessman who had promised reform and a radical change of direction for Nigeria – had been soundly beaten by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a veteran “political godfather” who was the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
