When I first learned about this village, I thought it was interesting on its face. So I started writing. Then I read about what happened in 2012 — and pivoted this story significantly. — Dan

The Nigerian city of Lagos is home to roughly 20 million people, making it not only the most populous in the nation, but also one of the largest on the continent. It sits on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean with the Lagos Lagoon to its east. (Here’s a map.) The city is a main economic driver of the nation — as much of a third of the national GDP is generated by people in and around Lagos. But, like many other cities, it is also home to poverty, with many living in destitute conditions.

In one neighborhood’s case, they don’t even have roads. Instead, they face threats from their own government.

The village of Makoko sits on — or maybe, in — the Lagos Lagoon. In the late 18th or early 19th century, would-be fisherman drove wooden stilts into the bed of the lagoon and set up houses on top of them. Over the years, more and more of these “floating” houses emerged, and, as seen above, an urban landscape followed, but with one major exception. Instead of cars or buses or trains, people in Makoko paddle their way around the area. As the BBC reported, “Residents move from one to another on canoes, calling out to neighbors and friends. Some outsiders have fancifully described it as the Venice of Africa.”

But comparing Makoko to Venice greatly oversells the quality of life in this Lagos community. Poverty, not prosperity, is the norm. Per the BBC, “the water is full of household rubbish, including needles and human feces. There is a suffocating smell of rotten fish hanging in the air.” Many choose to make a home there anyway. A floating home is better than no home, social ties run deep, and there’s plenty of fish in the lagoon — a meal is only a hook and a line away.

Unfortunately, the living conditions aren’t the biggest threat to those who call Makoko home. Often, their own government is. The village is an eyesore and an embarrassment for local officials, who have repeatedly tried to destroy it — often without taking into account the interest of those who live there. For example in July 2012, the State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development sent a notice to some residents, demanding they vacate their homes so those buildings could be demolished.

That attempt turned violent, and quickly. Per the Guardian, the people were given only four days to leave before “a band of machete-wielding men laid siege to Makoko’s buildings.” And that was only the beginning. Less than a week later, “the demolition workers set fire to targeted structures and deployed armed police who allegedly fired gunshots indiscriminately. One resident was killed, shaming the demolition workers into suspending their efforts. By then, 30,000 people had been rendered homeless.”

But Makoko persists. Wooden poles are replaced when they rot. Floors are patched. Roofs are upgraded when money allows. Makoko’s buildings are constructed incrementally, evolving as families grow and resources permit. Permanence, here, is flexible. The stilts aren’t a gimmick. They’re the foundation of a neighborhood that learned, long ago, that sometimes the only way to stay put is to float.

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Today’s Bonus fact: If you visit Nigeria, and someone calls you a “Dundee” or “Dundee United,” it’s okay to feel insulted — the phrases are slang for “idiot.” But if you’re from Scotland, you may find that very surprising, because Dundee United is a football club (a soccer team) dating back more than a century. The two are linked, although the details of the link are not entirely clear. The most likely explanation is that, in 1972, Dundee United (the football team) came to Nigeria to play some local teams, expecting to win easily. But they didn’t win much at all. They notched a 1-0 win in an early match, tied at least two others, and suffered at least two losses (including a 4-1 defeat). Per the Guardian, “these were amateur teams, and local fans had expected much, much more from a representative of Scotland’s top flight. United looked like fools,” and the name “Dundee United” became an insult across the country.

From the Archives: The Man Who Gets People Out of the Hospital: Fewer than 10% of Nigerians have health insurance. This man helps some of the rest.

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And thanks! — Dan