Lions in Lagos – or Just a Snoring Tourist?
Some stories stick with you – especially the ones sparked by imagination and a late-night cigarette. Today, I’d like to share a quirky memory from my early days in Lagos, Nigeria.
I was staying at a lovely hotel, double-fenced, with all the bells and whistles when it comes to security. Basically, Fort Knox with palm trees. But here’s the catch: I smoke. So one evening, I stepped outside to my usual spot near the fence to enjoy a cigarette.
Back then, Nigeria was still a big mystery to me. Like many travelers, I carried mental images shaped by documentaries, media, and good old imagination – which, as we all know, often paints only a tiny slice of reality… or none at all.
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Then it happened.
A deep, guttural sound echoed through the night. Rhythmic. Loud. Definitely lion-esque. I froze. Could there really be a lion in Lagos? Among the car horns, motorbikes, and street vendors?
The sound came again. And again. My heart rate doubled. My brain already drafted the headline:
“European Tourist Survives Lion Encounter in Lagos Hotel.”
I was this close to alerting hotel security.
And then… I looked up.
An open window. A guest inside. Snoring like a beast straight out of the Serengeti.
Turns out, not every lion comes from the wild. Some just need a sleep apnea machine.
