The 419
A playful poetry and photography exhibition, where 14 sonnets and 14 portraits show how money flows through 14 lives on a typical day in Lagos, Nigeria.
| Dates | 9–14 Sep 2025 |
| Times | Tue–Fri, 1–5pm Sat, 10am–6pm Sun, 10am–5pm |
| Space | West Wing |
| Price | Free |
“As a Nigerian expat living in England, I found that I had unconsciously digested the negative stereotypes associated with Nigerian financial dealings. The 419 represents an opportunity to explore and debunk and narrate those associations”
Inua Ellams
Whilst researching his play Barber Shop Chronicles in Lagos, poet Inua Ellams kept seeing the warning “This house is not for sale. Beware of 419” spray-painted on houses. His guide explained this was to deter conmen from breaking into and selling properties when their owners were away.
Curiosity into what set of circumstances could drive such ’entrepreneurial’ risk-taking led Inua to write a series of interlinked ‘Nigerian Sonnets’ in the voices of men and women of various ages and socio-economic backgrounds, from a market labourer to a musician, to an elected official.
These poems are snapshots of the hurdles faced by each individual, and who they ask to help overcome them. Humorous and heartfelt, they collectively subvert the 419 stereotype.
Ultimately, The 419 sheds light on the economics of life in Africa’s most populous city.
Poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Three Sisters, National Theatre/Fuel, Half God of Rainfall, Kiln/Fuel) has worked with photographer and filmmaker Oluwamuyiwa Logo, who recently exhibited at Museum of Modern Art in New York, to create a stunning series of photographic portraits.
“When poetry and photography meet, they tease out the soul of a place. In Nigeria’s case, that soul is layered, lyrical, and always on the brink of theatre”
Logor
Commissioned by Fuel
Supported by Arts Council England