Every one trained their cameras on the objects of their attraction and clicked away merrily. You bet I was pleased. As a travel writer always seeking avenues to promote Nigeria as a worthy place to visit, I was glad to see foreign guests feeling so relaxed and having a ball. Could this be happening in the same Nigeria often blacklisted as a no-go area? So I resolved: if these ones who have tasted a piece of the ‘apple’ wouldn’t convince the rest of the world to see Nigeria in more positive light, I would try to do so.
To date, I still believe wholeheartedly in the diverse (and unique) beauty of Nigeria. I have written broadly about tourist events and attractions in at least 15 states for
local and international readership. I have published two well-received (though not-widely circulated) travel books. And only recently, I floated a travel journal to continue the crusade. I have done all of these in the hope that foreign visitors to Nigeria will have a healthier picture of this country, as opposed to the unflattering image Nigeria appears to have in the minds of the world out there.
Soon after I set out on the first leg, I realised that I also wanted to document everyday Nigeria as I saw it. In my first dispatch to the local press, I said: “the tour will attempt to reveal the real spirit and the real essence of the Nigerian.” I also made it clear that I would attempt to profile every location I visit, interact with the residents, assimilate into the local life, sample the local delicacies (and snacks) of the community, and seek out lifestyles that stand each city, town or village apart from those of its neighbours and from the rest of the country. All these I have accomplished thus far.
Some of my friends and family have wondered how I plan to fund the entire tour. I answered that question in the last paragraph of the press release that announced the project: “I am not under any illusion that this will be an easy ride. But this is a vision I am prepared to see through in the service of my fatherland. I have the will, and because of that there will surely be a way.”
Now that the journey has begun, I can only hope that this effort will push Nigeria some notches up the perception ladder of the world.
Pelu Awofeso
September 2009
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