Karimah Ashadu: Machine Boys

Karimah Ashadu’s 2024 video Machine Boys explores the informal economy in Lagos, Nigeria, that centers on okadas, commercial motorcycles that serve as unofficial modes of public transportation in the city. Okadas were banned in 2022 for the cited reasons of rising crime rates and traffic violations. However, drivers continue to operate, navigating government, police, and local harassment in order to support themselves and their families. Machine Boys chronicles their precarious and dangerous work.