Meet Nigeria's first all-female skate collective

Feb 28, 2023

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Blessing Ewona, a 26-year-old model and athlete, founded Dencity Skate in 2020, a skate collective for women in Nigeria, based on her love for skateboarding. When she was younger, she saw skateboarding in movies, and when she asked adults about the sport, they said it was "just for white boys."

Ewona says that throughout her life, she was always discouraged from participating in any physical sports, not because she lacked skills, but because she was a girl. Even so, Ewona did not allow this to stop her.

''I was involved in all sports. I was particularly good at marathons and long-distance running,'' she says. “I grew up in Cross Rivers state and started skating when I moved to Lagos in 2019. I watched a movie called Skate Kitchen, which was about black girls skating, and I thought, maybe we should have something like that, so I started doing some research.”

Shortly after, Ewona was ready to seek out her community.

''I was looking for communities like Skate Kitchen - female skating groups,'' says Ewona, explaining the vision behind Dencity.

At first, Ewona and some friends made videos for Instagram trying out tricks and generally just having fun. The videos were initially met with some resistance until they began reaching new girls who were also looking for a community.

Today, Dencity Skate has several members across Nigeria, providing a safe space to make friends with similar interests and also to try new things.

''Before I started skating, I would watch a lot of videos from the Dencity members on Blessing's page and wanted to be part of it. I came one day and it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. This is the only passion I have held onto so far. Dencity is my family,'' shares Sochikaima, 29, one of the members. ''The best part is belonging,'' says Kaz, 20. ''I thought I would be ridiculed for falling or left out as a beginner, but it’s not like that at all. Everyone is ready to support and guide. That’s how a community should be and that’s what Dencity has given me.''

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Dencity Skate aims to change the narrative that the sport is not for women, creating spaces where women and members of other marginalized communities can experience sports without judgment.

''Even when I'm skating on the street, people stop me and ask: 'What are you doing? This is for men,'' says Ewona. ''There was a woman who stopped me one Sunday morning to tell me that I should go to school, get married, and have children. She told me that’s what I came to Earth for. And my hair was green at the time, so you can imagine the judgment.”

Ewona faces many struggles in building Dencity, with major issues including equipment needs and ensuring a space where members can skate safely, as the roads are dangerous.

She says that WAFFLESNCREAM, another skate collective in Nigeria, has been there with help when they needed it. Sloan, one of the members of WAFFLES, sent boards and made himself available if they needed anything.

One day, while the team was practicing, a 13-year-old girl approached the group. Ewona grabbed her bag and handed her a brand new skateboard with a WAFFLESNCREAM logo on it. Apparently, the girl had been visiting every Saturday for weeks to watch Dencity from afar. That day, they gave her her own skateboard. She started crying silently, wiping away her tears before Ewona and the others hugged her, welcoming her into the group.