Segun Ade-Martins
Three accomplished writers huddled together that Saturday evening, at Grill Culture Restaurant, L and Z Park, Lokogoma, an outlying suburb of Abuja, to discuss writing and travel. The date? February 18. The authors were Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, Dike Chukwumerije, and Pelu Awofeso, who also served as the moderator.
The discussion, which was also streamed live online, came on the heels of Awofeso and Chukwumerije’s exposé about their pan-Nigerian travels.
Awofeso is an internationally renowned travel and culture writer, as well as an expert tour guide across Nigeria, having visited 32 of the 36 states, while Chukwumerije is a spoken word and performance poet who has created theatrical productions with poetry at their core. As for Adewale-Gabriel, she is a poet and journalist whose poetry and short fiction have been published in English and German.
The discussion centered on the fractured state in which Nigerian culture finds itself on the eve of a pivotal election. Awofeso and Chukwumerije investigated their respective beginnings.
Awofeso’s passion for tourism began during his mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme in Plateau. He was struck by the beauty of the landscape and the friendliness of the people. As the first president of the Tourism CDS group, he established tourism routes in Nigeria through his tours, articles, and blogs.
Meanwhile, Chukwumerije began his journey by publishing a book of poetry, which received a mixed response at first. However, performing that same poetry drew people to him and his work. He described the recent process of establishing poetry as “clearing the bush.” As a result, the “Made in Nigeria” theatrical poetry show was born.
When Adewale-Gabriel asked why they are so passionate about their travels around Nigeria, Chukwumerije based his response on his discovery of Nigeria while touring with his “Made in Nigeria” poetry shows. To him, Nigeria is a country with unrivalled natural resources and, most importantly, humanity and human talent. The only thing lacking is good leadership, and he would, on that account, not reject Nigeria but will do everything in his power to create the Nigeria he desires.
Awofeso’s response to the same question toed the same lines. He enjoys travelling within Nigeria and affirmed that his best time so far had been spent on the road. His travels led to the publication of several articles and books on travel and culture in Nigeria, earning him the CNN/Multichoice African Journalists Award in 2010. He also designs and plans tours for curious foreigners, locals, and the Nigerian diaspora.
Awofeso also addressed difficult issues such as security and decaying heritage sites. In his opinion, “Nigeria is not the worst country in the world” in terms of kidnapping, terrorism, corruption, and other crimes. There wouldn’t be a negative bias about safety in the media if Nigeria had good leadership. He also described successful trips with foreign visitors that were free of life-threatening incidents.
Chukwumerije’s patriotism was evident in both his words and actions. According to him, “great rivers give birth to great nations.” His mission, he explained, is to teach people how to become better citizens by revealing Nigeria’s entire history. He hopes to persuade Nigerians through the “Made in Nigeria” show and courses that this geographical location supports great things and that it is up to Nigerians to harness the gifts of the land or someone else will.
Awofeso’s patriotism stems from his enthusiasm for adventure. It was a no-brainer to start a tour guide business when Nigerians began to request travel itineraries to see the side of Nigeria he reflected in his social media posts. He was and still is determined to show a Nigeria that is rarely seen in the media. He aspires to instil an adventurous spirit in as many Nigerians as possible.
Nigeria is a jumbled mess. Nigeria is frequently portrayed negatively in private homes and the media. Nigeria is sometimes used as a euphemism for bad luck or as a perpetrator of unjust suffering. Is it due to poor leadership or poor followership? How can the people of this country alter the predicted path of doom and gloom?
It is evident that Nigeria has everything needed to protect, advance, and enhance its image. There are people in charge of initiatives to enhance the culture. The importance of this discussion in an election year demonstrates that more Nigerians are yearning for a government that would harness the country’s tremendous resources for the benefit of the populace. Nigeria’s “real” self cannot be kept a secret from its people or the rest of the globe.
• Ade-Martins writes from Abuja .
