RIDING A WAVE OF HOPE

Nigerian youngsters find respite from their problems in the polluted waters around Lagos

Surfing aficionados Michael Gabriel and his friends are undeterred by the coming and going of oil tankers, too focused on catching the next wave as they paddle through the polluted waters around Lagos.

Tarkwa Bay, in Nigeria's economic hub, has become a hot spot for young people seeking an escape from their daily grind.

Taking part in one of the first national surfing competitions in Nigeria, young men and women showed off their moves in front of friends watching from the shore.