Meet West Africa’s first professional skateboarder Henry
Skateboarding is becoming more and more popular, and visible, on the African continent. One of the most popular, if not thé most popular, skate community is the one that’s based in Lagos - WAF, formerly known as WAFFLESNCREAM.
Ten years ago Jomi Bello set up WAF. They run a shop in Lekki and are currently building a skatepark in Freedom Park on Lagos Island. WAF. is investing in the community by organizing skate related events and they work with different skaters; WAF. promotes them and gives them tools and supplies to become better skaters. One of their skaters is Henry, a talented and hard-working young man from Surulere that WAF. signed as their first ánd only professional skater.
How Henry became a skateboarder
“I went to a thrift store some years ago, and I randomly bought a skateboard, '' Henry tells us. “A couple of years later I met WAF.'' We joined him and Jomi during a practice and are now driving to his mothers house because Henry has to pick up items for his first international tournament in Paris. “We’re leaving tomorrow, '' Jomi says. It’s the first time Henry leaves the African continent. As we’re leaving Lagos Island and heading towards Surelere, Henry continues his story about how he became a skater. “I saw videos on Facebook of skaters like Shimato, who were doing tricks”.
Every week Henry meets up with other skaters at the National Stadium, at the back of the stadium where WAF. created a temporary skate spot. “We watch skate videos on Instagram and YouTube and practice them there…” At the location there is a ramp, a rail and some blocks they use to practice. “The first trick I learned was one by Angelo Caro, after seeing him doing his tricks I knew I had to learn it too”.
Though they’re based in the same city, Henry got to know WAF. through Instagram. There he saw that they were looking for a sales representative in their shop on [by then] Victoria Island. Henry was at that time looking for a job, he was interested in the vacancy and applied. “I actually didn’t really care for the job, I just wanted to hang with the skaters and skate with them”. He took his skateboard with him to the interview. “It was weird… Getting there I saw it was just a store. I thought I was also going to skate, but it was an actual store, nobody was skating”. A few days after the interview Henry got a call from Jomi saying they hired him.
Henry outgrew the shop and dedicates his time now to skating - as he’s signed as WAF’s first pro skater - West Africa’s first! “It’s really big to be fair” he tells whilst we’re entering Surelere “All skaters aim for this and we try to become one step by step. We challenge ourselves by learning new tricks over and over again. We participate in competitions, get awards and then you might become a pro”. Henry was surprised he was signed by WAF. “I now have so many tricks to learn!”
Jomi explained “As a pro skater, Henry now has to justify his title. He now has to show us and the whole skate community he deserves to be a pro. I signed him because he’s talented, but also because I see his potential and I believe in him - now he has to put the work in.” Becoming a pro-skater goes beyond skating, I’m starting to understand “He has to do community work as well, since skating is a community sport”. Jomi explains that Henry is a big source of inspiration for his community, for his family in Surelere and for other skaters. He works hard, stays humble and is willing to try and try again. “Impacting the community is part of going pro”. That Henry turned pro isn’t a decision Jomi took alone “I’ve consulted the community when I had the idea to sign him, I spoke to OG’s in LA, explained my motivation to known skaters. They agreed and that’s how he became pro".
Jomi pulls up to Henry’s house. We all go inside where we meet his mother. She’s excited that her son is going to Paris the next day. Before we leave she blesses him with a prayer in Yoruba, their cultural language. Henry disappears for a few minutes to pack his bags. In France it isn’t as hot as in Lagos so he has to make sure he brings enough warm clothes. He leaves his mother, jumps in the car with Jomi. His mother waves him goodbye together with kids from the neigbourhood, they run after our car. We’re driving back to the Island where Henry spends his last hours before take off with the other skaters in the WAF. residency.
