It was meant to be a Christian utopia. Now this Nigerian community is helpless against rising seas

By TAIWO ADEBAYO and DAN AKPOYI
Associated Press

AYETORO, Nigeria (AP) — The coastal Nigerian community of Ayetoro has been nicknamed “Happy City,” founded decades ago as a Christian utopia. But now its residents can do little against the rising sea. Buildings have sunk into the Atlantic Ocean, an increasingly common image along the West African coast. For years, low-lying nations have warned the world about the existential threat. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, now struggles to respond. The traditional leader of Ayetoro says it’s painful to lose not only land but the community’s religious heritage. “Ayetoro was like a paradise,” one resident says.