Opebi, in the heart of mainland Lagos, home to friendly locals, spacious houses and apartments, and fruit and vegetable stands on every street corner has been listed in the 22nd position among the world’s 40 coolest neighborhoods by Time Out, a global media and entertainment conglomerate.
This is the second time that a neighborhood in Lagos will be making the list. Opebi followed in the footsteps of Onikan which made the list last year by being named third among the world’s 50 coolest neighborhoods in 2019.
Opebi is also the only African city to make the list which is described by Time Out as the coolest neighborhoods to spend a vacation, famous attractions or gorgeous natural wonders.
Esquerra de l’Eixample in Barcelona, Spain, topped the list by being named the coolest neighborhood in the world.
Downtown LOs Angeles in the United States came second while Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, took the third position.
Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York, Yarraville, Melbourne, Wedding, Berlin, Shaanxi Bei Lu/Kangding Lu, Shanghai, Dennistoun, Glasgow, Haut-Marais, Paris and Marrickville, Sydney made the top ten coolest neighborhoods in the world.
“Social distancing isn’t easy in Lagos, but in the mainland neighborhood of Opebi, part of Ikeja district away from the hustle and bustle of Lagos Island, time feels a little slower and things a little calmer. The friendly locals, spacious houses, and apartments, and fruit and vegetable stand on every street corner make Opebi immediately feel like home.
“During the lockdown, neighborhoods like Opebi stood still: barely any people ventured out and about, traffic was nonexistent, and even the business-minded hustlers you’ll see on a daily throughout the city were absent. But as the city comes back to life, Opebi is once again a vibe – whether you’re hopping to the higher-end Barrel Lounge for a cocktail and some small or large chops (finger food) such as yam fries, fresh fish and goat meat, or grabbing tantalizing local specialties from Mama Cass, where two of you can order a tableful of traditional food for less than $10. It all adds up to make Opebi a friendly, inexpensive, and surprisingly tranquil side of this buzzing megacity,” the report stated.
Speaking on the selection process, Time Out disclosed that local experts were asked to rank the greatest places right now for fun, food, culture and community.
“Every year, we survey thousands of people around the globe to discover the world’s coolest neighborhoods: the places that represent the spirit of the greatest cities on earth. These are the places to be for food and fun, art and culture, atmosphere, and personality. Every year, there’s plenty of debate and lots of love. But in 2020, our neighborhoods have taken on a whole new importance,” the report stated.
Since 2018, the annual list has been collated from the opinions of locals via the annual Time Out Index survey of over 38,000 global city residents, answering where they most loved spending their time out around their city. To rank the list this year, Time Out’s global network of editors and experts factored in not just great vibes, food, drink, nightlife, and independent culture, but also community spirit, praising the neighborhoods where people showed unconditional love and support for the communities and local businesses who represent the soul of the city.
“With global travel in disarray, this year our annual list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods is less about planning your next trip and more about celebrating the hotspots that are pointing the way forward for city life. In tough times, neighborhoods are more important than ever – and these are places where the soul of the city is on full display, thanks to independent businesses, local culture, and community initiatives. Consider this list a worldwide shout-out to the strength, spirit, and resilience of city-dwellers” said James Manning, International Editor of Time Out.
Last year when Onikan was picked as the third among the world’s 50 coolest neighborhoods in 2019, Time Out stated that the cozy neighborhood was chosen as a result of being home to artists, writers, designers and Nollywood actors.
