When I moved back to Nigeria...

Pick a partner, Choose a career, Raise a child...when you're still clueless?

2011-08-01T21:36:00.008+01:00

What does a 20-something year old know about picking a life partner?How much foresight does an 18-year-old have to choose a life career?What does a young 25-year-old mother know about raising a newborn?Where does the 21-year-old recent graduate gain knowledge about how to invest all his disposable income?By the time the importance of investment dawns on him, he's married with 2 children and his

When last did you steal second base?

2011-06-09T00:21:00.006+01:00

I think I've shared this quote before: "You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base" - Frederick B. WilcoxAt several points in my life, this has been my reality. In my childhood I was soo timid that someone always had to push me off 1st base. Take for example, Primary 4 - when my class teacher made me Class Prefect much to my horror. Never in a million years would I have raised

Still in Nigeria - Why?

2011-06-01T23:48:00.010+01:00

Lagos cracks me up. Seriously. For 1 hour this evening I was stuck on Ikorodu road at Ojota. At some point, a kpangolo car behind me squashed my bumper, and the driver kept a straight face and pretended like nothing happened. ("Huh? Squash your car? It wasn't me!" Obviously the latest trick in town - pschew!)We eventually inch along and next thing you know, a grown, healthy, fully formed area

Becoming a Mrs.

2010-12-27T01:00:00.004+01:00

Can't believe it has been this long since I blogged. Hello is anyone out there? Not sure if anyone is still listening, but I won't stop writing...How are y'all doing? Lots of great stuff have happened since I moved back to Nigeria. Most recently and significantly I got hitched to my knight in shinning armor! Wohoo!It' s been a period of learning, loving and laughing. How does it feel to be

Marriage Talks 3: Mindset

2010-08-19T19:11:00.000+01:00

My attitude towards marriage has slowly evolved through the years. As a bullied teenager, I often dreamed of my future husband and imagined the conversations we would have and the way he would make me feel. Marriage was still at least 10 years away, but I was sure that it would wipe away the pain and loneliness that haunted me back then.In my late teens to early twenties, those daydreams fell to

Something is Lurking in the Dark

2010-05-02T22:52:00.005+01:00

I was leaving my house at 6:20 a.m and for some reason, I decided to take the back door. Why? I kept asking myself, what if something happens? What will happen? I shot back at my fear. As I get to the bottom of the back stairwell, I see a black shadow moving and realize there is a creature standing by the gate near the last step. I summon up courage and forge ahead vaguely

Eating Well in Nigeria

2010-04-27T23:26:00.003+01:00

Why do I have to wait until I’m approaching 40 or when I’m pregnant with my first child to start paying attention to what I put into my mouth? We are truly what we eat. The first time I personally witnessed this was in 2003.I had just moved to America and was a freshman in college. I was feeling a bit off so I decided to take advantage of the medical insurance and run blood tests to make sure I

Nigerian Wedding Planning

2010-04-23T23:33:00.000+01:00

My people, besides eloping, what do you think is the best way to pull of a small wedding reception in a culture that calls for large, loud and lavish weddings ?

Dirty hands, Dirty girls and Dirty boys!

2010-04-19T20:20:00.002+01:00

When I lived in Israel, for some reason I always caught colds in the summer. Regularly. Does the flu spread faster in hot weather…? I’d be miserable because Israeli summers and freezing air conditioners go hand-in-hand. Every mall, bus, office, classroom greets you with a blast of ice-cold air. For a chick with a sniffling nuisance of a cold – it meant blocked noses, nasal

Marriage Talks 2

2010-03-22T18:05:00.006+01:00

But things are getting more practical and more personal these days mmmhh.... My interest in marriage is at an all time high, and it has extended beyond fairytale considerations. I’m intrigued by certain questions about marriage. Is “love is all we need?” or is it more like “ love is not enough.” What makes 60 marriages years ago longer lasting than marriages of 20 years ago? Or perhaps they weren

Marriage Talks

2010-02-25T13:55:00.002+01:00

I’ve been thinking about marriage these days, and I’ve observed that my attitude towards it has slowly evolved through the years. As a bullied teenager, I often dreamed of my future husband and imagined the conversations we would have and the way he would make me feel. Marriage was still at least 10 years away, but I was sure that it would wipe away the pain and loneliness that haunted me back

Beyond the Paycheck

2010-01-29T07:00:00.001+01:00

Gasp! I’ve just received a pay cut. Yes due to some interesting mathematics my take home pay has decreased by a nice comfty chunk. But it’s all good though, the difference will be paid in bulk sum later. It’s even better because God is my provider. I don’t have to fret. He’s my chief employer. He owns my talents. The way I see it, if he’s going to direct cockroaches and rats to shelter and food

The Rat Disappeared!

2010-01-26T21:29:00.005+01:00

It’s been a few days since I laid eyes on the mini rat! No one else has seen it and it hasn’t left any marks behind, thus my fellow housemates are a bit skeptical that I saw one in the first place! As for me, I’m writing this with both eyes, but at the same time my peripheral vision is very sensitive to any side movements. I remember that it was about this same time in the

No longer entry-level

2010-01-24T18:46:00.008+01:00

This is the view from the top of Mokola Hill, Ibadan as taken from the nostalgic Premier Hotel.This May, it’ll be four years since I graduated from college. Oh my goodness. It means I’ve left the realm of entry-level. Yikes! And here I am still screaming and jumping and running away from a mini rat that walked into my room. I screamed so hard, I dropped my cell phone while talking to my mother.

Your money or your time?

2010-01-06T10:54:00.006+01:00

Happy New Year y'all!2010 is here.Like play like play - my 20s are passing by oh! Oooh, which reminds me, I went into a car rental (I'm vacationing in the States) and enthusiastically announced that I'd like a car. The attendant obviously forgetting all the training that was laboriously bestowed on him gives me a side glance and blurts out: "Are you 21?" What? My sweetheart

Are You Working for Money?

2009-11-05T08:00:00.001+01:00

In my previous post, I started talking about how my money is working for me. To put things in perspective for you and help you understand how far the good Lord has brought me, I’ve been called ijebu by my own family members because I like to keep my own money and spend everyone else’s. But what’s the harm in that as long as I share some of mine with you when you’ve

My inverter and My money

2009-11-03T08:00:00.003+01:00

My inverter is a huge blessing! I am so so so happy that I invested in it. I was initially intimidated by the price of one battery -N60,000 - And I needed to buy two! So like a wise businesswoman I coaxed daddy dearest into footing the bill for one. After all I won’t carry the thing with me when I’m moving into my own house. Heh heh. But my people, this inverter is more

NYSC Orientation Camp - November 2009

2009-11-01T20:46:00.003+01:00

This month, two years ago, I was rounding up my three weeks at NYSC orientation camp. Oh, the good times (I'm not being sarcastic...well maybe a bit;)But if you never went to a Nigerian government boarding house or more broadly have never been to an NYSC orientation camp, please prepare your mind as you go to camp on Tuesday - here is the Aje-butters guide for surviving NYSC

Sweet sweet Love

2009-10-25T17:52:00.007+01:00

Mmmhhhaahhhh! That's the sound of the big sigh that I'm letting out. I've been away too long! Where do I start from? Life is interesting, exciting, scary - The mere fact that I do not know what will happen in the next year. Oh yes, I might think I know. But who am I? I can just see God chuckling at me. Yes, I concede, who am I? I don't know nada about tomorrow!Yet I choose to Love. Because love

Why I am still in Nigeria

2009-08-19T17:10:00.009+01:00

After my experience at passport control, we drove away from the airport and I was elated. Everything seemed alive! Maybe it’s the dusty roadsides, red soil, lizards or just the people, but everything about Nigeria is engaging. It is only in this country that your okada driver will fight you for not giving him exact change! My people, please hear: I was on my way to the bus stop last week and he

2 Years later…in Nigeria

2009-08-17T07:46:00.005+01:00

It’s been two years since I moved back home to Nigeria. ( My move back date was on my birthday).I had secured a bargain on http://www.vayama.com/ on a Lufthansa flight out from Washington Dulles, and the layover at Frankfurt left me tired. It wasn’t a long wait; the airport was just unexciting –very minimalist. It lacked the conventional airport design and airport buzz that allows you alternate

Lagos Spot: Sky Restaurant

2009-08-05T07:37:00.005+01:00

Thanks for all the birthday wishes Peeps!The day turned out fabulous. Flowers, a delicious dinner overlooking the Lagos skyline and some good ‘ol loving from friends, family and ofcourse my sweetheart. What else does a girl want ey? The service at Sky Restaurant was fantastic. I can easily say the best customer service I’ve had at any Nigerian restaurant. I can’t say if they’re that good all the

This is my life and I love it!

2009-07-22T14:46:00.004+01:00

For some reason, I get a bit apprehensive around my birthday. When I was 21 I threw a fit and insisted that I didn’t want to celebrate it. I was visiting my folks for the summer and I just wanted the birthday to pass without a fuss. Thank goodness for my mother who ignored my teenage moods and insisted on cooking and calling every one she knew for a mini replica of my 10th year old bash! It was

Aggression aside!

2009-07-06T08:18:00.006+01:00

This morning I was trying to act like a superwoman on my way to work. I had decided to sleep in and consequently had to take public transport to work. Catching a bus from my usually crowded stop was not a problem, but once seated in the danfo, I kept wondering why we didn’t have a conductor in such a large bus (27 seater instead of the usual 15 seater).My mind conjured up all sorts of

The morale of the story

2009-06-30T07:48:00.003+01:00

People, people, people, my previous post was not about wanting a new phone. (I don't want one)I don catch una! With your greedy minds. After all the plenty talk I’ve been talking on this blog. Yes, I was recently delivered from corper-hood and a long-standing affair with miserliness, but sho! definitely not to the point where I’d spend 100k on a phone. Hey, what are daddies and sweethearts for?

Let me live!

2009-06-23T17:49:00.006+01:00

I use a Nokia E series phone. The E71 in particular, and it’s fast becoming pure water phone in Nigeria. Everywhere I turn, someone is sporting one. But I’m not surprised why. I’ve had mine for about a year now and even though I managed to keep it from falling during the first 6 months (you know, the honeymoon period when you cradle your high-end phone like it’s a child), lately I’ve noticed that

May must not pass me by!

2009-05-31T17:26:00.000+01:00

I can't believe I allowed April to pass without posting, just when I was being a good girl and posting more regularly. Now today's the last day of May and I've had about 10 posts swimming in my head but the real owner of my laptop came for it! Yes.May he or she or whoever it is sold to enjoy it. Boohoo! Now that I've grieved for my baby, I need a new one my people. What's the hottest notebook on

Big Salon. Bigz Girlz!

2009-03-24T07:46:00.001+01:00

I’m not proud of it, but I’m one of those gals who will wear braids, cornrows or weave-on for 3 months if you let her. In the States I used to cite the outrageous price of doing hair as my alibi for carrying ageing hairdos. $55 to relax my hair? Pul-lease. Aren’t relaxer kits supposed to be Do-It-Yourself? I didn’t repent even after I ditched my student earnings of $6.50/hour for a

Caution - Crazy Drivers!

2009-03-12T07:50:00.001+01:00

That’s a picture of one of Abuja’s major highway. In a country where many people buy their driving license, you can see how such freedom can be a hazard!How do you survive the driving? (my boyfriend visited Nigeria recently and he said the driving there is very risky)When I first moved back home, I was intimidated by the driving, even though before I left Nigeria at 19, I was a crazy Lagos driver

Foreign Shoes on Nigerian Roads

2009-03-04T07:28:00.002+01:00

The pictures here are actually in reverse. The one of the right is what my heels looked after I picked it up from the cobbler. What you see on the left is what happened the following day! Needless to say I'm going to look for another shoe man! My hip swinging, shoulders-back strutting, down the streets of Lagos is eating up my heels. I used to wonder why a lot of pretty Lagos ladies wore

Blood, Bills and Buses all in One Day

2009-02-25T07:43:00.006+01:00

The picture above is of Reed's (top floor) and the fast food joint, Chicken Republic/St. Elmo's. I’m sitting on my bed, under my mosquito net and mosquitoes are still biting me but I must finish this post!Peeps, it looks like my buka days are over. Don’t be fooled by those posh restaurants that I blog about. I love my buka joints! But it turns out that my body doesn’t. Recent blood test results

After the work day

2009-02-03T21:37:00.005+01:00

There’s no state-powered electricity, but the generator is on—running on its last few litres.A friend’s driver ventured out to buy N2,000 fuel.That's my weekly budget for self- generated electricity.Thank God for kind help. He also re-fueled and pulled the gen.While I sleep, I hope electricity comes. I won't be surprised if doesn't. I won't notice if it does.Lagos driving irked me yesterday.

Lagos Treats

2009-01-28T10:00:00.001+01:00

What is life without little treats? As much as I'm enjoying the Lagos edge, I also enjoy the following spots of respite. Ofcourse food plays a leading role in all my de-stressing activities ;)Spice BarSpice Bar on Adeola Odeku in Victoria Island. Unlike most foreign restaurants, prices here are fair. Servings are large, sizzling hot and pepperish! Just the right atmosphere for Saturday lunch with

Wilderness Journey in Lagos

2009-01-24T00:28:00.007+01:00

It all began when I dropped a friend off at the Ikeja MMA2 Airport and started heading back towards Lagos Island. I didn't want to pass through a bumpy strip near Maryland, so I decided to link 3rd mainland bridge via the International Airport road--a route I did not know so well. I was driving alone. I had 30 minutes before darkness would hit Lagos. I was driving a borrowed Toyota SUV, which

Don't Wind Down in Lagos Traffic

2008-12-30T13:29:00.007+01:00

I have many tales to tell on how this chick is fast becoming a Lagos city trotter oh! Yes, I've packed my bags and moved to Lagos, leaving my beloved capital city behind. I fretted about the move—erratic electricity, pollution and the traffic—not too exciting. But mmh, my people, I've realized that even though you take the girl outta of the hood, you can't take the hood out of the girl!Last week

Should I move back to Nigeria?

2008-11-16T16:11:00.005+01:00

Question: I'm going back and forth on my moving back decision! I'm trying to decide if I should come back home to Nigeria or if I should go to the States to get my MBA or keep working to process my permanent residency/citizenship?I think one of the first things you have to do is figure out what is important to YOU. That's what I've realized. Lots of folks were asking why I wanted to come home. I

How is the crime rate in Nigeria now?

2008-10-20T18:49:00.002+01:00

Question: What about the crime rate, do you think its increasing or decreasing?I try not think about the crime rate in Nigeria because I don’t want to live in fear. Crime is the bane of city life anywhere, but Nigerian cities take it to a different level. I hear the stories of armed robbery in people’s homes, on the streets, in cars and even in the workplace and at restaurants—the tales all make

Postings for foreign graduates

2008-10-16T09:10:00.002+01:00

Question: I have heard as foreign graduates you get a chance of serving in Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt. I don’t know if that’s true or false, please confirm!When you arrive at NYSC Headquarters in Abuja, you’ll be asked to fill out an NYSC application form for foreign graduates. On that form there’s a slot where you’re asked to fill in your 1st and 2nd choices of the states you would like to

When in Abuja...Rooftop Cafe @ the British Council

2008-10-07T13:51:00.005+01:00

Hey people! What’s up? I was down south for two weeks but I’m back to my Abuja! People say there isn’t much entertainment in the capital city but I beg to differ. What better way to entertain myself than to eat? Yes, I love me some food. And I especially love eating out. Tell me you’re taking me out to eat and you’ve just gotten a friend for life or did I hear someone say an FFF (friend for food

Passing out!

2008-09-11T09:03:00.012+01:00

Okay, I must break this trend. What's up with blog links telling me it's been 4 weeks since I updated? You've all been on my mind, and so has PASSING OUT PARADE!Yes, today is my last day as a corper. Halleluiah, halleluiah, halle---lui---yaaaaahhhhh! Thank You God. Mwah! I will officially retire the boots and khaki, which I love wearing and will terribly miss. I always feel like a celebrity as I

Getting a Job in Nigeria

2008-08-07T12:17:00.012+01:00

Question: How do I get a good-paying job in Nigeria?Reply: The unemployment situation in Nigeria can be scary. A single vacancy announcement can attract thousands of applicants. Just reading some of the comments below job posts on CareersNigeria will give you a taste of the desperate situation that our citizens are facing. However in response to the criticism that they receive, employers say that

Can I get a job in Nigeria without doing the NYSC?

2008-07-31T16:03:00.008+01:00

Question: Can I get a job without doing the NYSC?Reply: Yes you can. While some employers require that applicants have the NYSC certificate, others don’t require this. Not everyone gets called up for service immediately they get done with university. I have friends who got called up to serve 2-3 years after graduating, and by then they were already settled in good jobs. It’s best to find out

Can I survive in Nigeria?

2008-07-25T12:49:00.005+01:00

Okay, I have to post this quick, before my Internet dies again! The next couple of posts are my responses to some questions that a reader asked. These are my own experiences, so please feel free to make your own contributions. Thanks!Question: Can I survive on my own in Nigeria? I have my parents but basically I need to know what I am up against in case anything happens?Reply: Yes, I believe you

There's fire on our mountain oh!

2008-07-11T15:54:00.003+01:00

“Keep quiet, keep quiet!” the exam invigilator kept saying. The noise level in the examination room was rising and it was not an open book exam. We were taking professional exams. Exams that will usher us into the path of leadership and management excellence in Nigeria. Yeah. Right.The test takers paid no heed to the invigilator. Instead they urgently called out more questions and

My 6 quirks

2008-07-07T15:12:00.006+01:00

Nneoma tagged me. I don’t know if these are really quirky, but oh well, here goes:1)I love to question people about their lives. It's like I'm on an interview or playing 21 questions because I keep the questions coming one after the other. It makes some people uncomfortable, while others love it. I like hearing people's stories...it's like reading a good book. I got away with it as a child since

Geeky Love: Is it books that you will eat?!

2008-06-27T14:43:00.005+01:00

When I first graduated from college, at the end of the 8-5 work drill, I often dashed to Barnes & Noble. Once inside the bookstore giant, my sister and I were like women in the heat of a clandestine affair: we'd part ways inside the store, find a book, grab a couch and enter our secret worlds until the 11p.m. closing time.It was my mother who initiated this nerdy nose-in-book habit in all of us.

So you wanna drive in the City II

2008-06-18T11:46:00.003+01:00

My people, so do you remember how intimidated I was on the roads when I first came back? Well no more. I’ve been baptized and transformed into a Nigerian driver. But I’m not proud of it. Before I used to look down on those impatient drivers who formed the extra lane and drove on the dirt lane to avoid traffic. Now I’ve become one of them! Yes, I know, shame on me.But my true christening came last

After NYSC, what next?

2008-06-11T12:22:00.001+01:00

So, I've been thinking about the next move. What next do I do with myself? Two-three months away from completing NYSC and several different options come to mind. Indulge me while I daydream. Shall I......get a job or start a business in Abuja, Lagos or wherever in this beloved country or...move to Berumda and lazy about in the sun,... no maybe teach English in Eastern Europe then ... join a

2008 Batch B you're up!

2008-06-10T15:20:00.005+01:00

The NYSC website is back up. Finally! So you can check out the timetable for the 2008 Batch B corpers. Registration for foreign-trained graduates runs from May 15 - August 10. Orientationcamp starts September 23rd. Word on the street is that the 2007 Batch B corpers (my set)willbe passing out either first or second week in August. Woohoo!So if you're considering putting in for Batch B 2008,

Bloggers...Blog

2008-06-06T17:15:00.004+01:00

Oooooh, I just heard that petrol tankers want to strike! Kai, and my fuel is very low, plus my folks are away for the weekend. So I’m gonna have to brave those queues by myself again. And I had planned to just chill this weekend, not spend it queuing up with disgruntled men.Anyway, before I disappear for the weekend, a quick shout out to all you bloggers, especially the Americanas, and Briticos

Pre-relocation pains

2008-05-28T12:58:00.006+01:00

Sitting on my dresser is a blank handmade card that I bought in the midst of pain-filled months. It reads:“The most important thing is this: that at any time we are willing to give up who we are for who we could become.”- Charles DuboisThe events that led to my relocation from the States were confusing, painful and scary. In the span of a month, my job and relationships turned sour and I

Butt exposure

2008-05-17T09:00:00.001+01:00

When I received my NYSC-supplied trousers, they were 3 sizes too big and dangled 2 inches off the ground. But I couldn’t be bothered with amendments so I held the trousers up with the belt they supplied and pulled up my green stripped socks to hide my skin. (I know, I really need to outgrow this "I don't care how I look "phase) You’d never have known my uniform was big unless you were passing by

Working in America

2008-05-12T16:00:00.000+01:00

Working in corporate America left me just a tad bit disillusioned. Don’t get me wrong O, the pay was great. I was making twice what I needed to be comfortable. In other words, after I paid tithe, rent, car loan, electricity, heat, phone and internet bill, fed the household and put 10% of my salary in my savings account, I still had half of my salary to play with. But its called disposable income

Why I love CD Days

2008-04-28T09:46:00.002+01:00

I love Community Development days. It’s the only day I wear my corper gear, which I love wearing (seriously, I do. My friends tease me about this all the time). It’s also the only day I can explore the city and get into a little trouble. Take last week, on my way back from CD, a bus conductor wanted to chance me. Instead of the N20 change I was supposed to get, he extended N10. Eh? I didn’t touch

What I don’t miss about America

2008-04-21T14:00:00.000+01:00

Ofcourse there's a flip side to every coin. So here goes: · Fuel prices. Y’all can keep your $3 per gallon gas prices.· Winter. Breathing out smoky breath is cool, but icy winds and slippery snow don’t go down well with me. Add the fact that I’m always cold because I can’t stand sweaters! Yuck. I itch just thinking about them. Grad school must be in the Caribbean, California or Texas.· Automatic

Things I miss about America

2008-04-18T10:41:00.007+01:00

Okay, I know my peeps often wonder how I'm surviving my new environment--I am loving it here! But there are some things I've missed about my American life:· Online Shopping! If you wear a size 2 or 20, a 35”inseam, and you’re not ready to drop $100for a pair of pants, online shopping is the way to go! Plus, I love getting packages in the mail. (If you battle with Steve Urkel trousers, Alloy, Gap,

I had totally forgotten about the Nigerian toaster…

2008-04-09T15:20:00.003+01:00

When a woman is supposed to be parading with suitors, I am dodging a toaster. I haven’t had a toaster since I was a teenager running around with one of the estate bad boys. I was new to the ‘hood then and feeling the fine boy’s sweet mouth until my mother threatened to call the police the next time she sighted his jaga jaga head around our house. But my dear men, at this age, a toaster is not

The Aje-butter’s guide to surviving NYSC orientation camp

2008-03-17T18:48:00.002+01:00

In recognition of the 2008 Batch A corpers who will be reporting for orientation camp this March, here’s a snapshot of what to expect those first 3 weeks of your National Youth Service Corps scheme: On registration day, come very early or very late. By early, I mean the night before. Late is a day or two after registration day. If you don’t heed this advice and like me, you waltz into Abuja

How to Sign up for NYSC as a foreign-trained student

2008-03-17T15:00:00.004+01:00

For those of you who are curious, I'll be posting some information on how to become an official khaki-wearing, government owned corper.Update: The official NYSC website is now live and updated. Click here for the page listing requirements.Take these original documents and several photocopies to the NYSC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja:WAEC Certificate – They prefer the

"V Monologues: The Nigerian Story" in Abuja

2008-03-09T11:47:00.001+01:00

I watched the second showing of the V Monologues in Abuja on Friday and all I can say is: Ayaya yaya!Fantastic script, fantastic cast, fantastic acting.It is a stunning production. With just a dozen seasoned actresses and a handful of men on drums, director Wole Oguntokun takes the internationally-renowned Vagina monologues and turns it into an accurate retelling and long overdue tribute to lives

Police Wahala Part I

2008-02-18T18:27:00.001+01:00

The other day, I ran a red light in Wuse II. Normally, I wouldn’t be caught doing such. See, me, I can be a serious efiko, goody goody kinda girl. Running red lights is a big no no in my world. But this particular day, I had been standing in that left lane turning for like 20 minutes! Moving one car at a time each time the light turned green for 2 seconds before turning red again.So as the light

NYSC

2007-11-08T11:28:00.001+01:00

Service to my nation has officially started. The past 3 weeks of orientation camp were not easy at all! Kai, it was stressful! Waking up at 4 am. every morning. Here are some pics, the inside story is coming!This is a cross section of the parade squad on the day of orientation graduation. I was initially a part of the squad but got screened out for unknown reasons! They said we were too many and

Abuja Photos

2007-10-14T15:41:00.000+01:00

The glass building is the Nigerian Communications Commission. As you can see Abuja central area is saner, cleaner and prettier than the typical image we have of Nigerian cities. The other brown building is the Federal Secretariat.

Goat Passengers

2007-10-14T15:05:00.000+01:00

Can you guys see the Okada (bike) driver carrying 3 passengers: a man with not one but TWO goats. Only in Lagos my people. Only in Lagos!

Lagos my beloved Ex

2007-09-03T10:54:00.000+01:00

So I’ve officially fallen out of love with Lagos. It hasn’t changed one bit in 4 years. More people, more cars, more commercialism. After 10 hours on a drama-filled Chisco “luxury” bus coming from Abuja, (another story for another day,) I was not ready to face Lagos. But thank God, we get through Ojota, Ikorodu and finally to Jibowu, my destination, and I notice passengers getting down. I

So you wanna drive in the city?

2007-07-23T22:21:00.001+01:00

On my second day in Abuja, as we were leaving Multilinks (where my mom went to inquire why our internet wasn't working since the day she signed up for it 2 weeks ago), I asked if I could drive. My mum protested. I pouted and begged. She obliged. I was in naija mode, evidenced by my lack of concern about driving with a long expired Nigerian license. See me, feeling like one ogbologbo driver. "

1st week in Abuja: Passport Control- yay!

2007-07-20T22:26:00.000+01:00

The first thing that hits me as the Lufthansa pilot is making the descent towards Nnamdi Azikwe airport in Abuja is how green everything below looks.Hills, grass plains and streams everywhere. "Isn't Abuja in the desert?" I think to myself. Although I primarily lived in Lagos, my dad's job is based in Abuja so my summer hols back in secondary school were spent complaining about how DRY and BORING

FAQs - Why are you going back home?

2007-06-28T02:44:00.001+01:00

Yes O, I'm going back home to Nigeria. Very very soon. And as anticipated I'm greeted with a lot of startled responses. I'm still collecting responses and will publish the very best. In the meantime here's answers to anticipated most frequently asked questions.FAQsAre you serious?I've bought my ticket and collected my transit visaAre you crazy? MaybeWhat will you do ?We'll find out togetherWill