Rage Room: Lagos Spot Where Nigerians Pay N7500 to Break Things for Stress Relief

• In Lagos, people are paying to smash things in a "rage room" to let out stress from the tough cost of living
• The Shadow Rage Room lets people break old furniture and electronics for a short moment of relief
• While it helps release anger, experts say true healing comes from being with people who care about you

In Lagos, where the relentless buzz of traffic and the weight of rising inflation dominate daily life, there is a Shadow Rage Room; a sanctuary where rage, frustration, and despair find physical form: the first of its kind in Nigeria.

For 7,500 naira, patrons are handed the weighty hammer or bat and left alone in a room stocked with discarded electronics and worn-out furniture. The walls, once pristine, now bear the bruises of cathartic destruction. Each swing offers a fleeting moment of release.

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James Babajide Banjoko, the room’s founder and physician, envisioned this as a necessary respite from the unrelenting pressures of life in Lagos. The concept came to him in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, after the loss of his mother, a loss that pulled him into the depths of his own despair and made working a struggle.

Rising inflation

Nigeria is no stranger to struggle. In a country of over 200 million, inflation has climbed to a staggering 33.4%, the highest in 28 years, while the naira crumbles against the dollar daily.

Daily survival, particularly for the younger generation, has become an almost Herculean feat. In the past few weeks, the youth, swollen with frustration, took to the streets in protest.

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Fewer psychologists in Nigeria

The Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists reports that there are fewer than 400 licensed psychologists in the entire country—meaning one psychologist for roughly half a million people. Therapy, where it is available, remains shadowed by stigma.

For some, solace is found in TikTok communities, in the rhythm of daily prayers at the mosque or church, or at the gym where sweat and movement provide fleeting relief.

But for others, there is the rage room.

Fleeting moment of relief

Yet the release is fleeting, psychologist Victory Wilson told Legit.ng while speaking on the room’s purpose. She cautions against seeing it as a cure.

“Of course, there are psychological benefits attached to it,” she acknowledges. “It helps relieve stress, however, temporarily. Researchers say people with high adrenaline or borderline behavior are likely to use this route to break away from stress. For others, breaking things may not help as much.”

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She pauses, offering a quiet alternative to destruction. “Sleeping works best for some. The urge to destroy things in order to feel better is also associated with people with a history of trauma and re-traumatization.” Her words linger, the unspoken truth weighing heavily in the air.

In a country where trauma feels like a collective inheritance, where history and violence are entwined, the rage room offers a moment of reprieve—but not a solution. Wilson believes the real balm for the soul lies not in destruction but in connection. “The most effective and lasting solution is to surround yourself with people who love and encourage you. Go where you are wanted, cared for, and honored.”

36 years later, American tourists share their story

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that in an unexpected twist of fate, two American tourists, Liza Gadsby and Peter Jenkins, have spent over 36 years in Nigeria.

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They arrived in Nigeria for the first time with a 10-day travel visa.

Source: Legit.ng