Valentine’s Day: Can Benin’s Venice still compete with dating apps?
Benin has long been home to quiet love stories along the lover canal in Ganvié, where young couples once met at night, away from strict families. For decades, paddles tapping in the dark and whispered signals guided lovers through the water. Today, many locals say the ritual is fading. Dating apps and looser social rules make secret meetings less necessary. Some residents still feel attached to the place. A small “Lovers’ Square” now honours its past, where visitors drop cowrie shells into the canal and make vows. Fewer canoes arrive, but a handful of couples still come to promise loyalty. For older generations, the channel holds memories. For younger ones, romance now lives on screens.
