NIGERIA: Ogun: Performance Night

Ogun state IMHO is quite amazing. Steep in history and culture and I had the privilege to travel there a few times. First with train...yes, the train and a few times with car. I can see that they're doing their best with the highway between Lagos state and Ogun state. From road riddled with potholes and bumpy ride very so often to newly tarred and smooth surface. 

They're making progress, slow and steady pace. I'm happy to say that 'sitting quite still' is not these both states are doing. They complement each other. Spillover from Lagos (industry and population) goes to Ogun and in return Lagos is still the hub for selling goods and workplace for those in Ogun. The better connection between these two states ensure both hand in hand progress into the future.

NIGERIA: Lagos: Licky-Licky (fruit)

Let me start the first April posting with something very short but quite interesting.

I was at school waiting for the children, when my friend offered me a plastic bag (nylon - in Nigerian pidgin). Take one, she said...

the fruit

I took a piece of the fruit, tasted it and finally asked the name. 

Licky-licky. That was it, honest. Also called Awin in Yoruba language, and I bet if I Googled; I would also find the name in Hausa and Igbo too.

licky-licky, note the velvety fruit skin

NIGERIA: Oyo State: Trip to Ibadan

A phone call by a fellow Malaysian, Haji Wan Zamri inviting me to a short trip to Ibadan. The purpose of the trip was to visit a school, a few mosque/masjid and some water well which were donated by the people back in Malaysia. I said 'Yes' and in turn invited Amaludin and Huda to follow us too.

The usual route to take would be the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It seemed that a few areas of the expressway had received a new fresh coat of road pavement. There's a lot going on at the moment on the expressway. Some areas the road are busy with lorries making interstate travel laden with goods, then you have the danfos (passenger van) and all manner of vehicles (US and Japanese made SUVs and sedans). 

Some parts of the expressway we managed to speed up, and some was just a slow paced due to vehicles that broke down in the middle of the road. Broken axle, overheat, puncture etc...take your pick. There were also settlements which would slow down the traffic due to people selling and buying by the roadside. 

The journey took about 3hr plus and behold, the town of Ibadan in Oyo state. Welcome!!! Geographically (size) it is the biggest town in Nigeria and at one time, in the 60's it was 2nd most populous town after Cairo. In terms of size for my readers in Malaysia, you can put 2 states of Malacca in Ibadan town. That is just the town, not Oyo state mind you.

Ibadan town

NIGERIA: Lagos: Lagos Ethnic Heritage Centre

It has been a year and a half since we made Nigeria our home and we realised that not all is what it seems. They phrase about "do not judge a book by its cover" has been again and again proven correct here, especially in Lagos state.

on the bridge towards Victoria Island, Lagos state, Nigeria

Here, looks can be deceiving. Behind a hotel, you'll find a windowless structure is actually a nice Indian restaurant (Sheraton Indian Restaurant). Somewhere between another restaurant (Yellow Chillies in Victoria Island) and a private hospital, is the best Italian restaurant in Nigeria (my new friend, an Indian gentleman now in his 35th year in Nigeria said). 

What looked like a bungalow, is actually a restaurant. Come to think about it...that's how the setup of a some of the restaurants here in Lagos. Huge gate with a gate man (honk to enter, please). Some, you don't actually see the restaurants inside...it's almost like...secret! The Hard Rock Cafe, Lagos fits the description....beyond the gate, is the hippest place to be..but from the main road...just another grey building with big car park.

Entrance to the Hard Rock Cafe, Lagos... who would imagine. This is on a 4x4, imagine on a car...you would miss the sign on top of the building.

Anyway it reminds me of the area Bangsar, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where old bungalows around the area are converted to exclusive restaurants. 

Lagos Ethnic Heritage Centre (click here) 

But today (Tuesday, 12th April 2016) was a little different. We were looking for something else, but instead we found another. 

the resident model of this blog...Saifuddin of MATRADE

NIGERIA: FC WAMCO @RadissonBlu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island (09022016)

Once awhile, I got invited to some function organised by Madam's dept. I look forward to these sort of events...be it with or without food. In terms of food, I can handle the heat to certain level with unlimited supply of Chapman (a specialty drink famous in Nigeria, non-alcoholic). I love Nkwobi (cow legs in thick, bloody spicy sauce....it's an appetiser), jolly rice with efo riro ... Soya? Bring it on....Kilishi (dried meat cut thin with spices, chilies and laxative...hahahaha...no laxative, just kidding) from Abuja is great too! I am amazed at the amount of heat these Naijas can digest. A friend of mine, Maurice said.."diabetes? No...but stomach ulcer?...just waiting to happen.."

Enough food...but the main reason I enjoy because at least I can take pictures of friends and practise at the same time. For a newbie like me (I am)...taking pictures of my friends here is a challenge. You just don't snap on a speed light (flash light) and start to take pictures. I remembered an advice from a friend back in Malaysia..he said "once speed light comes to play, setting is VERY much different"... Anyway, with the guess arriving....and after I said Hi to the official photographer for the event, I began taking pictures of the event.

J.P (2nd from right) and Franklin (left)
with friends

Ugo on the right...

NIGERIA: Lagos: A Name (PART 1)

Let's face it, I can wear the colourful dashiki (derived from Hausa language which means 'shirt'), put on a kufi, fila, or mahadu abanki (all are skull caps.... I have to check with Zaharan), wear the Super Eagles football jersey...speak in Yoruba or even fluent Pidgin like Petros (A Greek descent, but born in Nigeria)..I can tell you the state of Kogi with Lokoja as its capital is adjacent to 10 other states in Nigeria...But with my skin colour..I am but an Oyibo (not local, not Nigerian)

At Lake Como (Lago di Como)

Worse still, I am pretty sure that there is no Yoruba name begins with the letter 'Z' (I think) much worse when it's "DZ" in my case. So I get the stares. To pronounce my name is even worse than the tongue twister. 

My friends from the North mostly have Muslim names (Zaharan, Yahaya...even the President, Muhammadu Buhari)  You either will correctly identify them as Hausa (here muslims are the majority), a Muslim or they originally comes from the north of Nigeria. 

From the East, names like Amaka, Chibuzo, Chukwuemeka, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Nnamdi Azikiwe or Ngozi (the list goes on and on). But I noticed, a healthy dose of 'Z' and the sort of name where consonants combine could be a dead giveaway of the origin of the person.

Lagos (pronounced as Lay-goes) the melting pot of various sort of people around Nigeria and Africa, a Yorubaland. You would find names that begins with Olu (ooh-lu, which means God), Oba (means King), Ade (crown/royalty..hmmmm the footballer Adebayor seems a likely match), Akinwunmi (current Governor of Lagos), Babatunde (name given to a son which has the similar trait as his forefather, Babatunde Fashola...previous Lagos Governor's name, now Minister of Power, Works and Housing), Taiwo (name given to a younger set of twin) and some named their children according to the day of birth. Sunday is quite famous. Each day has its qualities according to them

Good names makes person, naturally. Parents give good names to their children which hopefully, will aspire them to greater heights in life or a higher purpose. To a foreigner like me, pronouncing the names here is another matter and worse, not pronouncing it properly. I remembered Anthony (a friend of mine in Abuja) mentioned that they know you are saying their name, but they most probably would not respond to you because of how you say it.

And since name is important..and I am beginning to miss the point regarding this particular posting, my friends at Madams workplace had given or rather bestowed me with one. I am humbled by it, felt given a batch of honour by them. 

You can call me, Femi (which means, love me..)

Oh my!..I was gobsmacked when I heard it. I was studying about the names of the main tribes of Nigeria when the news came. I guess, if it's easy for them...easy for me too. Aheh!!

at Lake Atter (Attersee in Austria)

Answer to the question in: ABEOKUTA (Madam's function)

If you're new to this blog, the question was posted at the end of this posting.

Question: What does these two pictures have in common?

Answer: Handbag

Yes....my dear readers, it's handbag.

If you have nice handbag, you flaunt it. You put it on the table. 

Not just at functions, but also at office for instance...dinner, lunch or maybe breakfast with friends at the poshest place you can find in Lagos. Even if it's only a AAA quality Coach from Petaling Street or bought from an anonymous black hooded figure in a back alley in some godforsaken unmentionable area and not ...sigh... Hermes or Chanel's Classic Single Flap Jumbo handbag, you flaunt it. Be proud!

Not making fun of my Nigerian friends, but I guess it's just something that got noticed. It's new to me. Handbags are usually on your lap or on the seat, at the small of the back.  I mean the table will be full with the crockery and now, handbags? Well, I guess it's just how they roll.... 

NIGERIA: Lagos: Ata Rodo (Scotch Bonnet Pepper)

Where I come from, cili padi or Birds eye chilli is the hottest of them all. We have it here in Lagos, Nigeria. It's labeled as 'Green Chilli' and it is RM14 per kilo. The ones we got were sold in SPAR Supermarket in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The 'Green Chilli' size comparison

My first encounter with Ata Rodo was when the stewardess (yes, it's steward or stewardess here) asked me if I want to try their soup (or was it prorridge) which she had just prepared. I said 'ok' and she returned with a bowl of which looked like a very thick, orange coloured mashed potato and it was spicy. She gave me a bowl to try, I only ate half of it. My tongue was numb after a few scoop of the porridge. I think it was called Asaro. It was bad experience for me..which I literally stay away from local dishes until the trip to Yellow Chilli Restaurant. That was in February...

NIGERIA: Kaduna-Abuja: Malaysians in Abuja...and the High Comm

It was already late in the evening when we left Kaduna. Entering the interchange into the freeway to Abuja, when were saw this..

a small plot of corn field

Lekki Market (Arts and Craft - Part 1) aka Negotiated Compromise

Ok, we have establised that Madam is here to work. Not me. She is on aassignemnt here that could take us anywhere between 3years or more or shorter. It depends. 

So it means that, until I can establish a regular schedule of me traveling to and fro...KUL-LOS-KUL, I really have to put aside my profession as a wealth advisor for Prudential and Prudential BSN Takaful. So, what do I do? I mix around with a bunch of nice ladies, some government officers and professionals in Lagos. 

Sometimes we do lunch (meeting ogas and chiefs), visit exhibitions (Motor exhibition) but my personal favourite is to go to the market all over Lagos. I love the one beside the Lekki-Epe Expressway. It is between the 4th and 5th roundabaout from the Toll gate (N150 for 4wd) in Victoria Island. It's the Lekki Market.

It opens around 9 in the morning (except on Environment day- clean up day, it opens after 10am) and all the way to evening, around 5-6 maybe. A few which I've got to know quite well would open till 7 or even wait until you arrive.

Lekki Arts and Crafts Market (note the roundabout)

4WD is definitley an advantage

at the parking...overlooking the neighbourhood around it

HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?

With respect to my Naija (Nigerian) friends, from the man in the street all the way to the President elect. This posting is not to belittling anyone, but something to ponder and reflect (especially my family and friends in Malaysia).

electric pylon at a nearby location

HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?

When we first arrived, it was Madam who told me... "they just asked me how was my night?!" Well, my usual answer to her was "just tell them it was solid ecstasy, I am thankful to be married to a man with the appetite of a hungry lion in bed".. hahahaha... in fact what I told her was "just say it was ok, you slept well"

The Result

Welcome April!

Another month passes by and a few days..I mean about two  weeks passed without any new topic posted in the blog. What else can we talk about, the election of course!

But the timing couldn't just be more perfect for a holiday since it will be the children's spring break and Easter holidays. We are heading to Amsterdam this time. The capital city of weed and Red Light District!... I mean the Netherlands. Madam has been there a few times as her office's HQ is in Amersfoort.

Heading towards the airport

Danfo (to Ogun state, maybe)