Pictures on other websites and online news site

I am happy to say that in Nigeria, finally I had arrived in the blog scene. Not that the blog has lots of readers, even at the moment no followers..ahahahah... still, it's quite an accomplishment when the pictures were featured in some of the online news in Nigeria.

Naturally our High Commissioner, Datuk Lim Juay Jin is usually the most sought after Malaysian in Nigeria. He represents Malaysia for the past few years, did countless interviews and talks and like the diplomats I've met (there's one in the family too, mom's side) he's very much liked too!

Anyway, back to subject... these two pictures above were the ones I managed to find from the search engine but from another site altogether. The pictures were doctored a bit (crop, magnified, change of saturation etc) but frankly, I am pretty much OK about it. 

Next time, just name give credit where its due (in my case). OK!

Muhammad Hazim

MUHAMMAD HAZIM BIN SAHID

24-MAY-1987 - 17-AUGUST-2017

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: Market Visit

I jumped to the invitation to visit a market along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. I've never been to one, well except in Lekki which is small in comparison to the one we're going. 

There are lots of markets in Lagos. Some sell okrika (second hand clothes), but for other things they call it tokunbo (from overseas) which is used item in nature (car, laptop, house items etc). Some market specialised in vegetables, like the one on the way to Ikorodu and many more. Each unique and some were colourful, buildings painted by companies like the ones in the picture.

colourful buildings..painted by the sponsors

fridge and freezer shop

NIGERIA: Lagos: Lagos Lagoon

If you're in Lagos for the first time... you would notice a huge body of water while crossing from Lagos Mainland to Lagos Island, vice versa. It's so huge that it must be one of the largest lake in West Africa, right? Wrong...

That is, my friend the Lagos Lagoon. Yes, a lagoon. More specifically, an inland lagoon. It's very much inland that I thought it was a lake with murky water. Even the Portuguese who came ashore in the 1400s got it all wrong. They named the place Lagos, built some trading post along the shore of the "new" found place and the name stuck! The original name, Èkó still in use too, by the Yoruba. After all, we are in Yoruba land. 

 Map of Lagos state and the huge inland lagoon, Lagos Lagoon

Nigeria: Lagos: Entahkan Kasih Entahkan Tidak[Lanchang Kuning].flv

My late mother loves to sing. Mostly Malay oldies song and some of these songs were downright sad, to me. So sad that I used to cry when she sang the song. Oh my, she would be very happy just to accomplish that... I was a boy at that time, a pre-schooler. 

Fast forward to 1994 it wasn't a good year for me, I was 17. My world came down crumbling. I remembered my mother sang this particular song (Entahkan Kasih, Entahkan Tidak - a heartbroken song) one night whilst holding my youngest brother in her arms. It was night and the electric went out in our area. My youngest brother, Hazim is special. Born with CP and cortical blindness, all attention on him and so mom would hug him to sleep. Listening to her singing and holding my brother to sleep, brought me to tears. But I would never let my siblings see me. I was the man of the house.....

Last weekend, I was having my breakfast and Sunday is always Malay Oldies song day for me in our cosy apartment. I just selected these compilation songs on YouTube when this song came on air. The flood gates opened. I was in tears. A piece of memory which I thought I've forgotten suddenly it felt it had happened yesterday. 

I quickly ran for the laptop and put the next song on....too late! This one, apart from the other song which is Seri Mersing still make me teary eyed. Memory of my mom flooded. Forever will be his boy...

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

Random Photos from NANTA (National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies) Annual General Meeting

Date: 21st March 2017
Location: Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja

Event: NANTA AGM

MARTADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation), attended there event on behalf of the Malaysia High Comm in Abuja. 

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: Small World 2017

Once Upon A Time...

That was the theme for 2017's Small World in Lagos, Nigeria. The grounds of Federal Palace in VI (Victoria Island) once again used for the spectacular event.

This time around, I had a new partner, Khairy of MATRADE. My Madam was away in Netherlands on a business trip. In fact she arrived on the night of the event.

someone is happy

Shathish family

After the usual vow "what happens here, stays here" and sealed with a pinky...we proceed to the entrance gate (hahaha..this part didn't happen). We were on our way to the entrance when we bumped into a group of Malaysians in Lagos.