Make I tell them di koko...Part 1

Make I tell di koko...make I tell them di koko.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKEtUpE9ra0&mode=related&search=

Ehen, I is back from the Nigeria. I don't even know where to start...maybe if I start reeling of my experiences, then I might be able to come up with some sort of coherent write up. Okay, let me gist you; D'banj's tongolo is massive in Nigeria, I mean I heard that song like a billion times a day, unfortunately I can't attach an audio file to this blog even tho' mo wa talented and all that... but if you look up the link, you will find and get addicted to it, very quickly.

Okay, maybe I should start by telling you how I felt like a 'villager/alien' in what should have been my home. Matter of fact, I've promised myself never to neglect my home for so long ever ever again. Ah mean, 10 years? What was I thinking of? I swear, I must have taken a picture of everything in sight on the first two days and that includes this lizard who was trying to mind his business at the Sheraton...

So, the first thing that struck me on arriving Nigeria is landscape view from the plane. Girls, you know how we go on hols and all the houses are all in rows and stuff, well Lagos seemed to have houses everywhere inc. the middle of some roads, I am not lying o. Anyway, so I got to the airport and everything went without a single hitch, no one asking for bribes or nothing. I'm thinking 'this is so cool'. And then I also saw someone I knew from London. She was with her siblings and they were quite entertaining cos they were doing their best to let everyone know that they were from London (nevermind that they had pseudo-nigerian accents, which others may refer as 'wannabe'). I mean they just didn't understand why their luggages wasn't amongst the first ones to come out on the belt? Rage...rage...rage. "I mean it should be here ini? "- err that'll be 'ini' as in innit.

Anyway, so I went out to look for my ride and the heat wasn't bad as many people describe...you know how they say the first thing that hits you is the heat...well, I was fine. There were all these people watching, some seemed to be waiting for guests, the others just seemed to be watching...I didn't quite understand what or why but anyway. Got to the car park and everything was fine, working properly and all...that was until we got out of the airport. I ain't trying to be funny and no offence peeps but Nigerian drivers are mad...I mean...this people cannot possible be all there. The pedestrians? ...ah, even madder...you should have seen the way they just walked unto the roads...nevermind oncoming cars...it was like 'death come get me'. So I was still being 'bush', still staring at any and everything...well, until a passenger in some bus winked and stuck his tongue at me...I decided to be a bit less obvious. Back to the drivers, as soon as there was a little holdup, they are straight unto the pedestrian walkways. Imagine the cab in the pic below mounting that kerb... ehen, now you get the picture.

At one point, the guy driving the car I was in, missed a pedestrian by centimetres, I screamed! and he looked at me like I was the abnormal one!?!

Anyway, so it was home. Had a good night rest after spraying what must have been an overdose of mosquito repellant. You know, I just hope I don't hear in two years time that the darned thing contains carcinogens otherwise I am sooooooo screwed. Flew to Abuja on the Sunday, the flight was nice...the only problem was, I kept on remembering that bad joke about the Nigerian airline, with boniface as the pilot and the bit where he announces that if people preferred, he could fly them straight into their residence (okay, if you ain't heard it, you need to hang out on the inty some more). Not a funny joke to remember when you are flying.

Abuja
Abuja was very nice. Infact the town area is beautiful. Comparable to any other major city imho. It had decent roads, street lights, pedestrian crossings, nice sight seeing areas ah mean, the works. First thing I thought was 'I could live here'. Of course, I put my camera to some hard work as evidence below:
The mosque which stands opposite the church below. It's meant to be a sign of solidarity. I say 'no comment'.





It's actually more beautiful than it looks in this picture.















Aso rock; All that needs to be done here, is clear out the vegetation. Put a cable car in and boom! you have a tourist destination akin to stone mountain. (ok so its a little bit more complicated than that but it has been done in cross rivers).








She's earning her living, keeping the streets clean. Good job.







The national stadium (...sharrap Tola! I know its a bad picture...)









Yes, its that house again! It crops up in nearly every diasporian nigerian pictures. Its ageing now though...







Be back with Part 2 in a little mo'