Disclaimer:
I was only able to explore Owerri and the neighboring areas (Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Etiti, etc) so I can only speak for those areas. Lagos is obviously the ultimate litmus test for Nigeria and I'll get a chance to explore it later this year. And also, my thoughts in this post were not later organized: I found it best to just leave them in the order they entered my mind so you'll get a sense of what I felt and saw.

I.
Somehow I convinced myself that I was ready for the heat and human-sized mosquitoes with teeth that were clearly laughing and waiting for me to fall asleep! I do have to admit that SC Johnson's OFF and Cutter's Skinsations really work! I was 100% sure that these mosquitoes would turn me into a buffet but the products kept them at bay for most of the night. Even the brave ones that came really close in an attempt to impress the female mosquitoes couldn't get a single successful bite! I do have to confess that I was a bit unnerved when two mosquitoes comfortably landed on Cutter's Skinsations insect repellent as if to suggest - This crap won't work on us buddy, THIS IS AFRICAAA! I thought to myself, 'I am royally screwed!'

II.
The Nigeria I left was definitely much more conservative than this one. The city centers are booming, however, in the rural areas, much of the infrastructure remain the same which is a bit disappointing. It is encouraging, however, that we are following suite with China by bypassing the landline era and catapulting, slowly but surely, into the wireless revolution. I'm still a bit shocked that Abuja and Port Harcourt international airports have just 1 runway each and everything, I mean EVERYTHING, was extremely manual and slow...I''m actually a bit salty and ashamed of that! The fashion is definitely more advanced and westernized than any other sector....there's clearly a Brazilian hair and makeup revolution in Nigeria.

III.
The whole drive to the hotel was hard to explain...good roads, bad roads, horrendous roads; military and police personnel everywhere; lots of checkpoints, chaotic corners and squares, orderly disorder and complete disregard for any sensible traffic suggestion...With this sort of self regulation on the roads, how are there not more accidents? It was obvious after a few minutes that the street signs, and traffic markers, were available, were just suggestions to be ignored at the driver's convenience..Parking spaces are clearly not part of any construction project...the streets and highways are the best spots to part your car. There's no parking anywhere!

IV.
My first taste of Owerri was rice and stew with beans, fried plantain and chicken.I must say, it was worth every second of the 14 years that I was away. And of course I proceeded to devour akamu and beans the next morning for breakfast and finally pounded yam and egusi soup. No food marriage has brought more happiness to my life than egusi coupled with pounded yam. I ate a lot. If it weren't for the scorching heat, I would have added at least 10 pounds of stomach. I do have to admit that I'm still a bit on edge, anxious and defensive given all the scary' stories but so far so good. It's definitely been quite the trip already...hard to explain all the mixed emotions but this is home...For better or for worse, this is home.

VI.
Electricity went off 7 times my first night. Scared the crap out of me each time to be in complete darkness in an unknown territory. Lol...Thank God my dad brought me a rechargeable torch that I forever glued to my sides!

VII.
I compared Nigeria go China...not even close. It's more like India...especially New Delhi...crowded, bustling with interesting air quality and questionable planning overall. China is definitely much more advanced and developed...and much cleaner too. It takes a few hours for your senses to adjust to the sounds, sight invasions and smells. I also thought that China was as hot as Nigeria, maybe slightly cooler. Far from true! China is warm at best compared to Nigeria. I'm not even sure how to explain the heat. It's obvious that the sun is purposefully slow-roasting my people to medium-well temperatures. If I spend another week in Nigeria, I'd be medium well at the least. I arrived in Nigeria already dark black and just 5 days into my trip, I'm midnight black; close your eyes...YES, that black! I'm talking PIKABOO black. This is ridiculous how people live without air-conditioning. I walk for 2 minutes and I feel like I'm showering in the sun...sweat literally drip down all body parts.

Read my entire reaction at [url]churific.com/nigeria14[/url]

Here's my summary video snipets:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTifK_-9ytQ

Thank you and remain blessed! There's definitely hope for Nigeria and Africa. Progress is inevitable.

Chaiiii, next time you visit if I am in naija, we will hang out together. Nndo. I love owerri sha

Hehe, welcome back. I like ur writing style

sorry was there any particular reason you compared nigeria to China? A bit weird/random

Have you been in China these past 14 years?

more pics pls especially of the women in the area who have the indian hair.

Very interesting read...

Can you pls continue ?

churific:
Disclaimer:
I was only able to explore Owerri and the neighboring areas (Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Etiti, etc) so I can only speak for those areas. Lagos is obviously the ultimate litmus test for Nigeria and I'll get a chance to explore it later this year. And also, my thoughts in this post were not later organized: I found it best to just leave them in the order they entered my mind so you'll get a sense of what I felt and saw.

I.
Somehow I convinced myself that I was ready for the heat and human-sized mosquitoes with teeth that were clearly laughing and waiting for me to fall asleep! I do have to admit that SC Johnson's OFF and Cutter's Skinsations really work! I was 100% sure that these mosquitoes would turn me into a buffet but the products kept them at bay for most of the night. Even the brave ones that came really close in an attempt to impress the female mosquitoes couldn't get a single successful bite! I do have to confess that I was a bit unnerved when two mosquitoes comfortably landed on Cutter's Skinsations insect repellent as if to suggest - This crap won't work on us buddy, THIS IS AFRICAAA! I thought to myself, 'I am royally screwed!'

II.
The Nigeria I left was definitely much more conservative than this one. The city centers are booming, however, in the rural areas, much of the infrastructure remain the same which is a bit disappointing. It is encouraging, however, that we are following suite with China by bypassing the landline era and catapulting, slowly but surely, into the wireless revolution. I'm still a bit shocked that Abuja and Port Harcourt international airports have just 1 runway each and everything, I mean EVERYTHING, was extremely manual and slow...I''m actually a bit salty and ashamed of that! The fashion is definitely more advanced and westernized than any other sector....there's clearly a Brazilian hair and makeup revolution in Nigeria.

III.
The whole drive to the hotel was hard to explain...good roads, bad roads, horrendous roads; military and police personnel everywhere; lots of checkpoints, chaotic corners and squares, orderly disorder and complete disregard for any sensible traffic suggestion...With this sort of self regulation on the roads, how are there not more accidents? It was obvious after a few minutes that the street signs, and traffic markers, were available, were just suggestions to be ignored at the driver's convenience..Parking spaces are clearly not part of any construction project...the streets and highways are the best spots to part your car. There's no parking anywhere!

IV.
My first taste of Owerri was rice and stew with beans, fried plantain and chicken.I must say, it was worth every second of the 14 years that I was away. And of course I proceeded to devour akamu and beans the next morning for breakfast and finally pounded yam and egusi soup. No food marriage has brought more happiness to my life than egusi coupled with pounded yam. I ate a lot. If it weren't for the scorching heat, I would have added at least 10 pounds of stomach. I do have to admit that I'm still a bit on edge, anxious and defensive given all the scary' stories but so far so good. It's definitely been quite the trip already...hard to explain all the mixed emotions but this is home...For better or for worse, this is home.

VI.
Electricity went off 7 times my first night. Scared the crap out of me each time to be in complete darkness in an unknown territory. Lol...Thank God my dad brought me a rechargeable torch that I forever glued to my sides!

VII.
I compared Nigeria go China...not even close. It's more like India...especially New Delhi...crowded, bustling with interesting air quality and questionable planning overall. China is definitely much more advanced and developed...and much cleaner too. It takes a few hours for your senses to adjust to the sounds, sight invasions and smells. I also thought that China was as hot as Nigeria, maybe slightly cooler. Far from true! China is warm at best compared to Nigeria. I'm not even sure how to explain the heat. It's obvious that the sun is purposefully slow-roasting my people to medium-well temperatures. If I spend another week in Nigeria, I'd be medium well at the least. I arrived in Nigeria already dark black and just 5 days into my trip, I'm midnight black; close your eyes...YES, that black! I'm talking PIKABOO black. This is ridiculous how people live without air-conditioning. I walk for 2 minutes and I feel like I'm showering in the sun...sweat literally drip down all body parts.

Read my entire reaction at [url]churific.com/nigeria14[/url]

Here's my summary video snipets:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTifK_-9ytQ

Thank you and remain blessed! There's definitely hope for Nigeria and Africa. Progress is inevitable.

just saw the youtube video. loved it