Trading places: Lagos becomes first African city to have its own version of Monopoly

• Mayfair makes way for Banana Island, Makoko replaces Old Kent Road
• Other squares include Nigerian Stock Exchange and notorious Kirikiri jail
• Lagos State Government hopes it will educate public about road safety
• One Chance card says: 'You've been caught driving against traffic. Report for psychiatric evaluation'

By Simon Tomlinson
PUBLISHED: 18:19 GMT, 14 December 2012

The makers of Monopoly have advanced to Lagos in Nigeria to launch the first African city edition of the famous board game.
Instead of Mayfair or Boardwalk, players will have the chance to buy Banana Island, a prestigious development where properties in the real world fetch millions.
The cheapest square - the Old Kent Road of London or the Mediterranean Avenue of the U.S. version - is a fishing slum on stilts known as Makoko.

All go in Nigeria: Promoter Fiona Donald holds a Lagos edition of Monopoly at the launch of the first African city version of the game

Hoping for a big number: Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fasholarolls (centre), rolls a dice during the presentation of the Lagos-themed Monopoly board game

The Nigerian Stock Exchange, which replaces London's 'Super Tax: Pay £100', and Murtala Muhammed International Airport also feature, while traditional favourites such as the Chance and Community Chest cards keep pride of place on the iconic board.
The 'go to jail' card has been adapted to say 'go directly to Kirikiri jail', the city's maximum-security prison.

 

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The Lagos State Government was heavily involved in bringing the game to Nigeria not just to promote the country, but also as a means of educating the public about road safety, it was reported by CNN.
Many pedestrians are killed in the heavily congested city every year while trying to run across roads.

Rich and poor: Banana Island replaces Boardwalk from the U.S. version, while Makoko is the Lagos equivalent to London's Old Kent Road

Goodbye Mayfair: The most expensive square on the board was chosen as Banana Island, an artificially created island where only the richest live

Illustrious: On Banana Island (pictured) properties can fetch as much as $8million (£4.9million)

Poor man's property: The cheapest square on the board is Makoko, a fishing slum on stilts

American's Mediterranean Avenue: Makoko established itself as a fishing village in the 18th century and now has a population nearing 100,000

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONOPOLY

• In 1903, political activist Lizzie Magie invented The Landlord's Game to teach people how monopolies end up giving vast wealth to the lucky few
• In 1933, James Darrow adapted the game to make an early form of Monopoly, based on the streets of Atlantic City
• In 1941, the British Secret Service commissioned special editions for WWII prisoners held by the Nazis which were filled with hidden maps, compasses and real money to help detainees escape
• In 1978, an all-chocolate edition of Monopoly was manufactured
• In 1985, the world's most expensive Monopoly set - worth around $2million - was produced. It is made of 23-carat gold, with rubies and sapphires atop the chimneys of the houses and hotels
• Monopoly is now the most played commercial board game in the world, enjoyed by more than a billion people since its invention

One Chance card, for example says: 'For using the overhead pedestrian bridge over Ikorodu Road, move forward three spaces'.
According to the BBC another reads: 'You've been caught driving against traffic. Report for psychiatric evaluation.'
Speaking ahead of the launch in Lagos City Hall, Nimi Akinkugbe, the head of Bestman Games which is producing the authorised Lagos edition, told the Nigerian Guardian that the choice for the Mayfair spot was a 'hot topic'.
The eventual winner, Banana Island, has property which would rival that of the prestigious London district, with some selling for $8million (£4.9million).
That square and many others have been sponsored by businesses. But no-one wanted the cheapest.
By contrast, Makoko is a slum neighbourhood built on stilts that was established as a fishing village in the 18th Century.
Hasbro Inc, which owns the rights to Monopoly, said Bestman Games Ltd would distribute the Lagos version of the game under an exclusive licence.
But some feel a stumbling block to the game's success could lie in the price.
In the U.S. and the UK, the game typically costs around $18 and £10 respectively.
In Nigeria, however, it will set you back about $40 (£24), a hefty sum for the common man there.

Trading places: Other squares include the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which replaces London's 'Super tax: Pay £100' and Bourdillon Road instead of Park Lane

Prime real estate: Bus Rapid Transit Terminal, Tiamiyu Savage St and Lagos Yacht Club are among some of the other destinations that feature

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2248198/Lagos-African-city-version-Monopoly.html#ixzz2F3sWpaPH
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