how and where can one get yellow fever and ECOWAS passport in Lagos.
and what is the yellow fever used for?

for the complete adventure of my trip (in pictures) to Ogun state, check www.nomadicnegro.com where I visited:

the historic centenary hall in Ake

the popular Olumo rock in Abeokuta and

the sacred Bilikisu Sungbo grave in Ijebu ode

while you do that, lemme rush to Badagry to bring to you the untold stories you've never heard about.

follow on IG for an instant followback on @nomadic_negro

Abeokuta wakes up late

Here was what happened. I had planned to leave Abeokuta as early as 4am so I can connect to Lagos as early as possible, relax a bit before going to school to meet with my classmates for a class picnic scheduled to be staged in G12 bar Oniru. Yeah! I love flexing. But I got the shock of my life when I got prepared by 4:30am, woke Dare up and told him I was ready. He smiled and told me we won’t get any cab by that time. His reason? Ogun state was still asleep. I initially thought he was discouraging me because he needed more sleep or probably because he doesn’t want me to leave that early for security reasons. So I insisted that we set out.

To my dismay, we got to Onikolobo and everything was grave quiet. Even the crickets in Ogun state weren’t as vibrant as the ones known to me. Their voice was drowsy. It was obvious they too weren’t fully awake.

I was a bit disappointed because we both had to walk for like another 30 minutes after standing at Onikolobo for several minutes to get a bus destined for Lagos.

Lafun is the traditional food

For the Ijebus, it is ifokore (water-yam porridge) and garri ijebju; but in Abeokuta, lafun is the in-thing.

Lafun is a fibrous powdery form of cassava similar to fufu in Nigeria. The method of production of lafun is different from that of fufu. In the traditional preparation, fresh cassava roots are cut into chunks and steeped for 3-4 days or until the roots become soft.

The fermented roots are peeled, broken up into small pieces, and sun dried on mats, flat rocks, cement floors, or the roofs of houses.

The dried pieces are milled into flour. Alternatively, chips are made directly from fresh roots, cut into chunks, and sun dried. Drying takes 2-4 days, depending on the weather.

Unlike fufu, the fibers in the retted root for lafun are dried along with the mash and later sieved out. Thus, lafun is coarser than fufu in texture. The flour is made into dough with boiling water before consumption.

When properly stored, it has a shelf-life of six months or more.

Like LASTMA like TRACE

Though I felt there wasn’t any need for them since we really do not have as much crazy drivers in ABK like we do in Lagos.

The Ogun state traffic compliance and enforcement agency- Trace as they are popularly called. They use a butter coloured shirt on a green pant.

Smart is the way they operate but one deficiency attached to trace (according to one of the cab drivers I spoke with) is that some of their officials collect bribe just like their friends (LASTMA) in Lagos. *winks

Straight to the point. I spent 3 nights in Ogun state, dwelt majorly in Abeokuta. And here are the 5 things I observed about this city.

You needn’t agree with this compilation but I have to let it out irrespective. If people till date still have reservations for the holy books, what exception does my list now require?

Quickly let’s run through them:

It’s the most developed part of Ogun

This is in terms of infrastructures like hospitals, schools (Ogun state has the highest number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria), roads and financial institutions.

The reason behind this isn’t farfetched; Abeokuta is the capital of the gateway state. While I toured the metropolis, I observed about a dozen skyscrapers like the ones in Lagos Island while close to another dozen were under construction. And with the rate Abeokuta is going, I really do not think they’d back down anytime soon because of all sports, wrestling seems to be the one they detest the most.



They are determined

Before traveling to Ogun state, I had a preconceived notion that only very few state capitals excluding of course Abeokuta can rub shoulders with Lagos in terms of determination to develop and progress. This notion however changed on my way to the historic centenary hall, when I had to give a special attention to the inscription on major infrastructures (especially roads and bridges) within the state. I noticed this words which blew my mind:

“Mission to rebuild Ogun state 2014.”

It’s a mission statement I think the state is working assiduously at achieving because I found it on almost all infrastructures in Abeokuta.

With the way things are going, ABK will in no time join greats like Ikeja, Calabar, port-harcourt and the rest.

Electronzeez:



Now following on twitter and Nairaland with this same sobriquet . I don't really like Instagram but when I do log on ,I will find you .

done same on nairaland but couldn't find a notification on twitter. maybe u should mention me

Electronzeez:



Okay good work !

Are you on any other social platform ?? How best can I read your update firsthand .

IG: @nomadic_negro

twitter: @phillips_tunde

follow and mention while I do the same in no time.

thanks

Electronzeez:



The link does not explain why muafrika2 mentioned Ethiopia .kindly explain in plain terms .

I am a budding travel blogger who is interested in searching for monuments and telling the stories behind their existence.

on hearing that the grave of blikisu sungbo is in ijebu ode, I decided to travel to Ogun state to find out about her.

I don't know why muafrika mentioned Ethiopia though.

Electronzeez:



I don't understand you . That grave is in Nigeria ,op mentioned kuto ,that sound Ogun state .

yeah, I don't want to bore you. the beginning of the entire trip is here:

www.nomadicnegro.com/bilikisu-sungbo-grave-2/

EazyMoh:

Lol! Which God? You mean they worship God more than Palestinians?
Anyway the reason is simply because Ethiopia has no known vital response that the colonial masters could exploit.

hmm... deep

Ahmadgani:
interesting! a wake up call for me.
I need to do a little research now.

nice one, more tomatoes to your stew

lol... a little research is imminent Ahmadgani

AbdulAdam56:
Wow nice story @op, Am expecting explorer on this, Thank you.

AbdulAdam56... kilode! explorer is in a different planet entirely. but thanks for the encouragement anyways

sholatech:
You are contributing immensely to human knowledge with your trip, pictures & bringing it to Nairaland. Never knew we even had relics relating to the Queen of Sheba in Nigeria

thanks a lot sholatech. the pleasure is mine.

let me even try calling lalasticlala for the first time maybe he'd answer.

VickyRotex:
Hmmmmm!!! Interesting!

i'm glad you liked it VickyRotex

Dare’s call reminded me technology was still in existence because I was already so entrenched in the revelation of Bilikisu Sungbo. He wanted to know my whereabouts (what a caring soul).

I immediately became less afraid of my fears, death and all. At least if Bilikisu couldn’t kill me despite all my misdeeds, who else will aside God. Lol. We eventually left the spot and headed for the gate.

As we got to the gate, Baba muttered a few words which I guessed were to thank Bilikisu, locked the gates and we both hopped on the already ready Bajaj mlotorcycle as we headed back to the village to drop Baba.

The time was far spent, so I pressed on ‘Solution’ (yeah, that’s my biker’s name) to move faster and he obeyed. We sped past Pogil College of health and we in no time got to Ijebu Ode where I quickly gave solution 2,000 naira after withdrawing more thousands from a nearby GT bank for standing by me. ‘Solution’ deserved more because he even doubled as my photographer.

I quickly joined the next bus destined for Kuto and like we teleported, we touched down by 5:46pm.

NB: Kuto is a popular motor park which is also a market in Abeokuta.

I connected with another cab which took me straight to Alake’s palace since I still have an unfinished business there.



check www.nomadicnegro.com for more interesting adventures of this traveler.

“Nobody in the whole of Nigeria (dead or alive) knew when Bilikisu got to this place.” Baba emphasized.

Expantiating on how powerful Bilikisu sungbo was, baba said she personally dug her grave using just a needle, after which she lay down inside all by herself and refilled the hole with the sand she dug out.

Till date, no plant has grown on that surface. Baba also pointed to a similarly barren surface some meters away and told us that was the spot where she had her last bath before burying herself.

For every Muslim festival, Muslims from far and wide usually come here to pray and worship Bilikisu Sungbo. While come for requests, others come for thanksgiving. I got amazed when baba said her grave vibrates till date whenever it’s time for every of the Muslim prayer time.



Taboo

When I inquired if there was any taboo relating to the grave of Bilikisu sungbo, baba quickly interrupted by telling me that women and dogs are not allowed to enter there. When I asked why, baba said he didn’t know but that a long time ago, a white man on hearing about the legendary Bilikisu sungbo, set out to come behold the site. So he came with his wife and dog. On getting to the village, he was warned not to take his wife and dog along but he refused. They did all they could to persuade him but all their attempts got confronted with heavy gridlocks. He was eventually allowed to bear the brunt. And as expected, he didn’t go home with his wife and dog because they were struck dead before leaving the village.

The story behind the legend of Queen Sheba

“Oju oori Biliki ree o (this is the grave of Bilikisu sungbo)”, baba said in a nonchalant manner with his moody countenance swinging from bad to worse. So I asked that he told me about her, but he instead flared up saying he couldn’t, that since we only said we wanted to see her grave, he couldn’t do more than we had requested. So my partner fumbled inside his pocket to tip him 500 naira. And just like the sun setting, baba’s face calmed.

Then he started by telling us how wealthy and influential Biliki was.. Bilikisu Sungbo according to baba was Sulaimon’s wife (it took me few minutes before knowing Sulaimon in the Quran was King Solomon in the bible).

She was one of those people who went to visit the great king Solomon to shower him with gifts (especially precious stones which Biliki had stupendous possession of) in that period.

At that time, King Solomon had no heir, hence, became troubled. (“Maybe that was why he had so many wives”, I thought inside of me). Due to this predicament, he promised his brother that he was going to be made heir after his demise.

Everything soon changed when Sulaimon married Biliki, she bore him a son which made King Solomon’s brother grew jealous. So, he made life unbearable for her through constant frustration.

When Queen Sheba (i.e. Biliki) got fed up, she told Solomon she was going to leave for her home as soon as her son came of age and immediately her son got matured, Bilikisu packed all her belongings and maids, and then set off for her home.

At that point it dawned on me that we’ve gotten to the historic grave of Bilikisu sungbo, I grew pale as my stomach grumbled incoherently. Though I couldn’t hear what it said, but I knew it was reminding me that I hadn’t eaten.

We stood still as baba moved closer to the grave which was surrounded by faded white concrete pillars and an iron gate. The pillars surrounding the grave had rows of iron connecting them together. It was indeed different from all the graves I had seen in my entire life.

After trekking through the damp narrow path of the thick forest for about 3 minutes, we eventually got to the place. This place was covered with a large rectangular metal roofing sheet. The White sand beneath it was designed by doodle bugs in their hundreds and my fears intensified. “What if Baba wanted to use us for a ritual?” I thought as I heaved a sigh of relief on knowing that he can never overpower the 2 of us. On the second thought, I remembered Baba could also hit us with charm. Then I arrived at a 50-50 possibility.

Baba alighted gently from the bike since he insisted he was going to sit behind me. He still hasn’t uttered any word since we left home. I became more apprehensive, but I couldn’t reveal this to since I’m not ready to experience what his wrath looked like. If anything should happen to me in this thick forest, I doubt if anyone would know my whereabouts. So I kept my cool and as chamber’s issue crept in again, my heart pounded as though my rib cage was tormenting it.

Baba recited some words which I couldn’t tell whether they were prayers or incantations. All I was concerned about was that the gates have to be opened.

“E bo bata yin (take off your sandals)”, Baba spoke eventually! We obeyed like we’ve been hypnotize. As we followed him, passing by an uncompleted bungalow, I gave a reasonable distance just in case anything was going to happen.

He asked if we had gotten permission from bale and we replied that we had gone to te baale’s place but found out he was sick.

After much persuasion, Baba stood up, went inside and came out with a bunch of keys. Then he moved out without telling us to follow him but we raced after him without invitation, caught him halfway and we all got to our parked bike. At this point, it was obvious my biker was enjoying every bit of it. I forgot to mention that when I asked why he decided to drive me down here, he replied by saying he has never been here before. So he sees it as an opportunity.



* *

We soon got to the secluded location. Gentle and green wouldn’t be enough to describe the serene environment. Subtracting the uncontrollable whistling of the birds on the trees from the equation will equal it to a perfectly quiet site.

Baba who was supposed to take us to Bilikisu sungbo wasn’t home according to someone I suspect was his wife. She advised we waited since he hadn’t gone far. “Like I had another choice”, I thought within me. Before long, we beheld the frail looking man whom I suspect would be close to his eighties, adorned in a white lace material which has actually lost all attributes of a white cloth. The closer he moved, the more I feared he was going to collapse because the nylon bag containing 4 oranges hanging confidently on his right hand looked to be overpowering him. But to my dismay, Baba made it home all by himself. Hurray! We must have exclaimed as we both greeted him by prostrating very flat.

Whether or not he saw us, we couldn’t tell because Baba just passed by without responding to our greeting. My heart skipped. “Was he deaf?” I wondered. “Even if he was, he should have at least seen that some people were greeting naw”, the wondering continued.

Myself and my biker followed him in. greeted again and alas! He answered this time. And what followed was an absolute silence. I broke it by telling him we had come to see the grave of Bilikisu sungbo. Baba’s countenance changed, as though I had just reminded him about the death of a loved one. He became instantly moody. Whether he was acting it out or he was truly emotional, I couldn’t decipher. All I cared about was that he should get up from his sitting position and take us to see queen Sheba.

www.nomadicnegro.com does it the long way every time and surprisingly the followers have been returning to devour more.

its a blog that tells the story of a novice traveller as he journeys though places

focused on content marketing and that single decision pushed 2 of my 7posts to Google's first page.



if u doubt, type "centenary hall ake" and "idi aba museum" on Google




how I did it?


see it here urself:

www.nomadicnegro.com

domain.com is mine.
chose them due to their affordability and smart customer service.
they've been instrumental in the success of my travel blog
www.nomadicnegro.com

I'm not an authority on this field but my advise for whoever wants to get listed on Google's first page is to:

1. be very very very patient
2. take a free course on inbound marketing @ hubspot - it teaches u all there is to know about seo, content, email and of course social media marketing.

i'm sure u'd be fulfilled at the end of the 12th class.

a testimony is my blog www.nomadicnegro.com

take a good look at it today and come back next month to spot the difference. *winks

iamclime:
Interesting! And to think that I lived close to Abeokuta for more than 4 years and didn't know of this museum! Only visited Olumo Rock twice.

@iamclime the aim of my wanderings is to dig out these amazing places so that you can have more options to pick from.

hope I've read up my experience at olumo? I bet u'd love every bit of it

www.nomadicnegro.com/2016/10/04/olumo-rock-what-you-were-never-told/


would be heading to Badagry in a few days.

Though I was tired, the joy of spending the night in Abeokuta gave me no other option than the respect the croaky sound from my near-dead techno phone gave me as I woke at 4:30am as usual. I had planned on seeing the Ake’s Palace, the famous Idi Aba Museum, and the most horrific of them all – The Bilikisu Sungbo Grave.



I put calls through to those who had helped me the previous day as I promised, especially my tour guide at Olumo Rock, and the receptionist who gave me a few travelling tips for my stay at Abeokuta. I needed no one to tell me to head straight to Panseke after the normal morning rituals of cleaning myself and the room up.



Dare was still fast asleep and I didn’t need to disturb him as I now knew a little about movement around Abeokuta.

Onikolobo to Panseke costs 40 naira, and from there, I joined another cab heading towards the Alake’s palace. You really need to flag these cabs down or else they wouldn’t stop. You’d wonder where they are speeding to without passengers. Lol.

On getting to the palace, I met an elderly man who would definitely be in his late 60s. After prostrating and re-narrating my reason for coming, he told me to come back by around 4pm as there was a meeting of the most important personalities in the kingdom going on.

“So there is still a traditional congress?” I wondered while I subconsciously prayed that the most relevant of African culture would stand the test of time.

I wasted no time as I flagged down a cab which took me straight to the Methodist Girl’s High School where the Idi Aba Museum is located.



IDI ABA MUSEUM

As I approached the massive black gates of the school, I couldn’t help but wonder why a museum would be located in an “only girls” school. My pace reduced with each step towards the gate as I was torn between knocking and just going in directly. In no time, I found myself inside with no remembrance of which choice I finally made. The neatly maintained environment caught my fancy due to the soothing melody emanating from the whispering of the trees in the compound.

Whether it was morning devotion or a special environmental sanitation session, I don’t know, but what I observed was the gaze of the secondary school girls on me like I dropped from Neptune.



I proceeded to the reception of the museum after being directed by one of the teachers while the students looked on. There, I was welcomed by the staff who were visibly less busy, perhaps due to low patronage.



“Could it be because of the fees they charge?” I thought within myself before being jolted back to life by a dark complexioned woman (let me call her Mrs. Bleep), who eventually became my guide at the museum. She asked if I had change and my jaw dropped as I was told the fee was 150 naira (mehn!).



I was told to read the instructions of the museum while I made payment. They include:

Do not eat inside the museum,
Don’t bring in a camera (this surprised me), and
Do not touch or lean against any artifact.

I was so eager to see what a museum looked like because the closest I had gotten about them was through reading about it in one of my “reading books” in primary school where Edet was taken to one by an uncle of his – I can’t recall the uncle’s name.







DESCRIPTION OF THE IDI ABA MUSEUM

Right by the entrance are the portraits of Nigeria’s current president and that of the present governor of Ogun State. Both were guided by two Nigerian flags. The theme/motto of the museum ‘Traditional Norms and Values in Social Reformation’ was well spelt beneath.

We entered the museum which had different sections mostly comprising of transparent boxes and boards with red backgrounds. Mrs. Bleep asked if I was ready and I gladly replied that I was as I brought out my notepad and pen.



Then we started.

The sections were:

The Governance shelves, Masks and Masquerades, Ancestral Figures, Drums, Dances, Charms and Medicines.



The governance box tells the different traditional governance mechanisms in the traditional Nigerian setting. The masks and masquerades’ box outline myriads of them available both in the present and in the past. Same applies to the ancestral figures, dances, drums, charms and medicine.



THE OGBONI CULT GROUP

This cult group is a secret society in the Yoruba land popularly affiliated with the Egba and Ijebu people. It is constituted mainly of the powerful elites in the land whose basic responsibility is to install or dethrone a king. Another of their function is to pass judgment on offenders within the land. The instruments used by the Ogboni cult group include:


Ipawo Ogboni
Ipawo Ogboni (photo credit: pinterest.com)





Ipawo Ogboni: A sharp metallic object which every cult member holds in place of a staff.

Onile: This is another sharp metallic object given to the head of the cult. It is slightly different from the Ipawo (which is meant for the members). Onile shows the supremacy of the cult head.

Edun Ogboni: This symbolizes the ones in the cult.

The Ogboni Bracelet: A metallic bracelet worn around the upper arm by every member of the cult.

I was then shown a picture of two Ogboni members replicating the characteristics of a typical Ogboni. Their bulging eyes and sealed mouths, according to Mrs. Bleep, inscribed that the Ogboni can see beyond the ordinary and that there is a very high level of secrecy within the cult. They don’t reveal secrets, no matter how severe the situation is. Their oneness trait was depicted by a thick chain which connected their hands. I heaved an audible sigh of relief cos all i just heard complemented all I knew about this cult beforehand.








Then I was shown other things

Note that the Masks and Masquerades were specifically used for entertainment and for the maintenance of law and order.

The Ofo Masquerade: This is a masquerade that is found in Igbo land. And according to Mrs. Bleep, this masquerade is believed to be a honest and trustworthy one, hence it is believed to have the right to pass judgment.

Ulaga Masquerade: This is a mask usually worn to dethrone a king – popularly called Obi in Onitsha (in the eastern part of Nigeria).

Ukhure: Found amongst the people of Benin, it is a staff of office used by the traditional rulers.

Bows, Arrows and Spears: This is usually given to kings in the Hausa land to indicate their supremacy and honour.

Oju Egwu: It is a fierce looking masquerade owned by the people of Igala (Kogi State). It is used to instill law and order in the land. It also has the power to torment offenders by mostly appearing to them in their dreams.

Ekpe Society (Calabar): The Ekpe masquerade come out twice yearly – early in the year and in the middle of the year. It is a good acrobatic dancer with a stick in its hand and a bell strung to its back so as to attract people to come out to watch it.

Afikpo: This is found in the Igbo land. Its purpose is for entertainment, and to maintain law and order.

Ori Egungun: This is found within the Yorubas and is used for dressing masquerade’s head.

Gelede: This masquerade is one of the most popular in the Yoruba land. It comes out only during the outbreak of an epidemic – especially small pox and measles. Gelede helps appease the gods.



Different families have their special gelede masquerade which is depicted by the different headdress of any Gelede masquerade. For instance, if a family is comprised majorly of hunters, the headdress of such a family’s Gelede will have different images of hunters on it. The one in the museum had drummers on it, that means that the family who owned that Gelede were drummers.



Ekpo Mask: Found among the Ibibio people, it is used to pass law and also maintain orderliness. There are two kinds – the scary and the friendly.




The friendly Ekpo comes out to strictly entertain, hence, children and adults alike go to dance and play with it during festivals. On the flip side, the scary Ekpo masquerade can only be watched by initiated members of the Ekpo cult.

Zangbeto: This popular masquerade predominantly is from Badagry among the people of Egun. It is a riverside masquerade whose duty is to entertain and maintain law and order.


Note: Maintenance of law and order generally implies that people anticipate the coming out of these masquerades.

They (the masquerades) while performing, abuse offenders by using a special tone to call them out and also narrate their offence to the hearing of those present in a bid to disgrace the offenders. This act will go a long way in discouraging others from doing the same thing. They go as far as singing these songs at the doorsteps of the offenders. They also pass judgment. Yeah! They are that powerful.

Ofoe: Found in Benin and tagged the messenger of death, this masquerade comes out only when a death sentence is passed on an offender. This masquerade is also always present when the person is going to be executed.

Osamasinmi (ram head): It is a fertility god that is worshipped to enhance the growth of crops and harvests.

Mumuye: This belongs to the Hausas, Adamawa state to be precise. Mumuye is a protective ancestral figure placed on top of houses to prevent the house from thieves, buglers and robbers. It is also capable of identifying thieves.

Inipe: This goddess is a naked craft with nicely carved breasts and pointed nipples with a very sexy body. It is a fertility goddess.

Ekpu: Ekpu is a warrior from Akwa-Ibom who protects his people. They worship him before any war because doing this assures them of victory.

Epa: Epa is from Ekiti and only comes out during the initiation of boys into adulthood. Due to its weight and power, the boys have to be fortified before being allowed to partake in the ritual.

Barren women also come out to dance around it so as to get the fruit of the womb.

Egun Adaka: From Igala. Egun Adaka is a symbol of authority. It is a masquerade worshipped twice yearly during planting and harvesting periods alone.

Fact: Headdresses for masquerades are quite different from the masks they wear. Though, both are used to adorn the masquerades.

Mgbedike: Found mostly in North Central Igbo Communities, this masquerade is believed to be very powerful as it carries along with it a strong medicine. Hence, people don’t go near it except the initiated ones.

Bante: Popular among Tivs, this is worn around the waist to protect the wearer. It can also be used to harm an offender.

Ayelala: It looks like a bottle, and its content is liquid.

Mrs. Bleep paused to narrate to me a short explanation about this bottle-like charm. It is believed that if you steal from an Ayilala worshipper, you will swell and die. After your demise, if it is confirmed that you were really killed by Ayilala, all your belongings will be taken to Ayilala’s shrine to show gratitude.

Right beside Ayilala is Esu. My heart skipped a bit because I wondered why Satan will be residing in Idi Aba museum after God sent him away from heaven.




Esu: Esu, as I saw, looked more like an octopus. According to Mrs. Bleep, Esu is an intermediary between Orunmila and the people on earth. It has its own worshippers, especially those seeking children. Most sacrifices you see at juctions are prepared for him because it is believed that is where he resides.

Bull Koerer (Ijebu): It’s a double ended sharp looking tool Used during the Oro festival. There is a hole at the extreme end through which a rope will be tied to it and it will be swung during the Oro proceeding. This will propel it to make a particularly different sound which is the trademark of the Oro.

War Garment: Worn by the famous Ogedengbe Ogbogungboro – a very powerful warlord in the Yoruba kingdom. During wars, this garment gives him the power to disappear and reappear especially when the battle is getting tougher. It also shields him from gunshots and arrows.

Broom (Yoruba): A protective broom placed at the entrance of the house to repeal robbers. In case a robber comes to steal, he drops all he must have stolen the moment he sees the broom, picks it up and continues to sweep till the owner of the house wakes up or returns back (in case he went somewhere). (… I wonder what will happen if the owner of the house had traveled. Lol).

Ose Sopana: Sopana is a god of chicken pox, small pox and fertility.

“There is actually a story behind his existence”, added Mrs Bleep. “Sopanna was known to be an unrepentant drunkard who leaps and also has a bent leg. His love for palm wine was so strong that he got drunk to stupor almost every day. In one of those days, after getting drunk, he started dancing and singing in a very funny way.



Beholding a drunken leper made people around to start mocking and making jest of him. Sopana got so angry that he cursed them and shortly after, they got infected by small pox and chicken pox. He was reported to the king and the king in turn wasted no time before banishing him from the village. After a while, it was discovered that the infected children were still sick. Therefore the king sent for him again. When Sopona got to the palace, he told the king and the villagers that for the children to be healed, they needed to drink the same palm wine that made them mock him and also rub it on their bodies before they could be healed”.

Till date, palm wine is the major medicine used in curing chicken pox and small pox. And it works.

Dakakari (hausa): Found mostly at the burial graves of elites, chiefs and warriors. It is to show people their status before their demise.

Ikenga box: Found mostly amongst the Igbos, Benin and the people of Igala. While the Yorubas believed the head is the head of the body, Igbos believed in the superiority of the right hand, that is, whatever one uses his/her right hand to do will prosper. Hence, Ikenga is called the power of the right hand. They are of different types.

The personal Ikenga: the owner appeases it on daily basis before leaving home but promises it a gift depending on his request.

Community Ikenga: The community appeases this type of Ikenga. Benin people call theirs Ikengobo while to the igalas, its Okega.

DANCE BOX

Imole oloba (Yoruba): This dance is performed by virgins in honour of Imole Oba festival in Ekiti. The girls will dance with pots on their heads. The ceremony usually lasts for 7 days. Before the festival, the town crier will announce to the village with strong emphasis that all virgins should be at their best because the festival is the surest place for them to get a suitor. If any girl fakes virginity, her pot will fall while dancing and she’d surely die before the next festival.





Nkim Nkat dance: Ikom, Cross Rivers state. This dance is synonymous to that of the Imole Oloba. It’s for the maidens to get suitors. After watching the girls, any interested man will go straight to the house of his most preferred maiden to meet the parents. He’d be instructed to bring the required items to them after they reach an agreement. This move will automatically make him the husband to this maiden. After this process, the bride will be kept in a special room known as the fattening room where she gets fed till she becomes robust so as to make her look good before the traditional wedding.

DRUMS

“Before we came in contact with the western musical tools and equipments”, Mrs Bleep continued, “here are some of the musical instruments we used”.

Zither: Looks like the present day violin. It is used by the Hausas.

Talking drum: Used by the Yorubas.

Metal gong: This is used by both the Yorubas and Igbos.

Slit drum: It is made of wood and beaten by 2 thick sticks. It is used by the Igbos.

Goje: This is used by the Hausas.

Flute: This is used by the Igbos.



That was how we ended it. As we strolled out, I inquired from her how a typical day looked. And she replied “it’s mostly boring”. We only get busy when students come here on excursion. At other times we go to schools to tell them about the museum. On asking whether solo individuals like me come around, she replied “no” almost immediately. I felt bed a little bit. “But hey, there’s little I could do to encourage others”, I thought within myself.

We got to the reception, I picked my bag, collected my 50 naira balance and handed it over to a small girl seated beside her before dashing towards the gates which checking the time simultaneously.

“I need to get to Bilikisu’s grave today”, I mumbled as I flagged down an oncoming cab.


www.nomadicnegro.com is where you can get more on my travel experiences.
IG: @NOMADIC_NEGRO

Are you new to running a technology startup in Nigeria, we have put together a list of some of the realities surrounding the survival of any business entity in this part of the world especially for your niche.
A ‘startup’ according to Dave McClure is “a company that is confused about three things: What its product is, who its customers are and how to make money”.
Though, these three things seem basic, any startup company that doesn’t understand them properly with them will automatically be racing towards the exit of whatever industry such company finds itself. Oh! I forgot to add that in a country as complicated as Nigeria, it is expedient you note that there are some realities a startup company should also bear in mind. Though, majority of them are somewhat discouraging, any startup founder that can effectively deal with them will stand the test of time.

Below are the 7 things that are real if you run a technology startup in Nigeria.

Many Nigerians Lack Trust For Homemade Products
You read it right. It’s sad though, but that’s the truth. Present to an average Nigerian a product made in any other country aside Nigeria and watch how he/she will jump at it minding neither the quality nor effectiveness of such product. In Nigeria, your status in the society is sometimes tied to how many foreign properties and/items you own!
The narrative however seems to be changing these days as more high quality home grown solutions are emerging. There has also been a quickly growing #MadeInNigeria campaign.

Government Policies Can Stifle Tech Startups
To start with, read this article about how the Nigerian government might kill innovation. I’m sure you must have stumbled upon different newspaper headlines applauding Nigerians, young and old over either inventing a new technology or improving drastically upon the existing ones. But how many of these people, if I may ask, get the required support from the government? The bottom line is that, the government of Nigeria does little or not enough in terms of incentives (such as scholarships, grants, loans etc) to encourage tech startups in the country.
Again, things seem to be gradually changing with the Nigerian government gradually paying attention to the tech ecosystem. Aso Villa Demo Day that has been highly applauded despite its flaws is also a great step the government has taken to support those running a technology startup in Nigeria.



Unsure protection from foreign competitors
One of the most potent ways known to protect domestic businesses is shielding them from foreign competitors, since it is evident that the cost of production in this part of the world is on the high side. But hey, you have to wake up to the reality that the Nigerian government (though it has tried its best) in the past few years has not done enough in the regard of protectionism.
This is however not to make a case for stopping foreign investors from setting shop here in Nigeria. There has to however be a balance that ensures that local entrepreneurs can benefit. A good example is the local content policy in the Oil & Gas industry.

Imitators Abound. Be Different!
I don’t think much explanation is needed here. Some “entrepreneurs” just copy the ideas, inventions and/or innovations of others, improve upon them, and then try to make it better than that of the original owner. Sometimes they succeed rendering the original idea(s) useless. Therefore, think about patenting your idea. Otherwise, just ensure you are different.
This reality is not unique to Nigeria, however, given the weakness of our IP protection regulatory framework it is usually easier to perpetrate the act of imitating people’s ideas.

There Is An Infrastructural Deficit
Aside places like Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Abuja etc., many parts of Nigeria have overtime been plagued with the problems of not only inadequate but also dilapidated infrastructural facilities. There is also the unhealthy maintenance culture embedded in the bloodstream of some Nigerians, thereby, posing a threat to the survival of companies (especially startups) who need these infrastructure working.
One can only hope that current government makes good on its commitment to invest heavily in infrastructural development. This will go a long way in providing an enabling environment for those managing a technology startup in Nigeria.


Nigeria Has The Market
With over 170 million citizens and still counting, it is evident that there is a ready market for a large number of consumer goods and services (including tech) here. There is even a saying that whatever is being produced at all definitely has a market in Nigeria. A living proof to this is that Nigeria presently houses the largest technology market (computer village Ikeja) in West Africa. This is a positive reality for those running a technology startup in Nigeria.

Finance
Lastly, getting funds for startups is not easy here due to the bureaucratic nature of obtaining loans in the financial institutions here in Nigeria, especially in this country’s present situation. There are however a good number of funds from Venture Capitalists and Government funded agencies that a technology startup in Nigeria can get access to.
Though the aforementioned are the realities of a tech startup, don’t be intimidated by any of these realities. Instead keep them at the back of your mind as you work to build your startup. You can overcome some of the inhibiting realities by using the suggestions we have provided. Whatever might be the case, as a technology startup in Nigeria, stay self-funded as long as possible, be patient, and never ever get discouraged.

You can check here for 7 things every startup needs to know before pitching

www.techvoize.com

to be a successful blogger, never for once think about money. think firstly and all time about

the value u wish to add,

how you'd stand out (I.e what makes you unique) and lastly

the fact that the successful bloggers once had their hard times too.


I am a newbie, but I'm dead sure of my success. if you doubt, check me out on www.nomadicnegro.com

photoshoot:


Nice one, what program? Post?

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