Sunday, our driver, asked us to set aside Sunday September 4 as a special day and invited us to his home to celebrate his daughter Jully Ujie’s Dedication. A dedication is a great way to have family and friends around and party. There is a tradition of the women all bringing soft soap and presenting the soap to the new mother. Sunday was prepared for the day with drinks, fried chicken and jolef rice and the party went on all afternoon. We hired a friends’ driver for the day as our driver was hosting the party. Normally a weekday drive to Sunday’s house on Lagos Mainland will take 45 – 90 minutes across the Third Mainland Bridge, however, today being Sunday with very light traffic, we made the drive in 30 minutes. I was honored to hold my namesake and we shared in the celebration! And yes, there was lots of picture taking, followed by eating, drinking and dancing.
Julie and Jully – Jully is 3 months old
Sunday, Julie & Jully
Mrs Ujie, Julie & Friends
Sunday & John (age 11)
Sunday, Mrs Ujie & their daughter, Patience (age 9)
Richard & Douglas (our borrowed driver for the day)
Sunday afternoon June 5th we received a text from our driver, Sunday. Sunday was the proud father of a new baby girl! He proudly showed us pictures when returning to work later that week, but was eagerly awaiting the Naming Ceremony set for Sunday June 12th before choosing a name for his baby girl. The naming ceremony is a very big deal here with all the relatives and friends attending and even includes a baptism at the church. So to our surprise, Sunday and his wife have named their daughter: Esidena Jully Ujie. Esidena is her native name and Jully is her Christian name. Sunday explained, “You have been so good to my family and when you are gone, I would like to remember you always.” I have never been so honored.
We were invited to the opening of “African Icons” and exhibition of collograph prints and watercolors by Kathleen Stafford. I know Kathleen as the wife of the local American Diplomat located here in Lagos. She ia the Honorary President of the American Women’s Club Lagos. Her real talent lies in seeing the colors of the people in Africa. Collograph is a printing technique in which the artist adds materials to a rigid background such as wood or cardboard. The resulting design is built up like a collage, creating a relief. The design is then inked and printed on paper. In the most basic form, it embosses the artwork, but one can create a variety of textures. Collographing is cheaper than printing, all you need is cardboard and you do not need any acid, just glue, acrylic and paint. Kathleen has spent 18 years immersed in African culture and her water colors are an expression the African people. Kathleen studied in Alabama and in Italy and recently taught at a workshop organized by the Creative Art Department at the University of Lagos. In appreciation of Kathleen, the students from the workshop, gifted Kathleen with her portrait and dances of thanks at the opening if the exhibit. Kathleen has had previous exhibitions in Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Gambia and the USA. Her works are displayed in embassies and museums around the world. In 2012 she is planning an exhibition in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
The end of May presented us with a long holiday weekend which we decided to fill with a trip to Victoria Falls in Zambia. Like most trips in Sub-Sahara Africa, they start with a Johannesburg transfer where we spent our time waiting for our flight in the beautiful Shongololo Lounge – (a shongololo is a uniquely African creepy crawly) drinking champagne, eating a meal, and enjoying internet café, showers, etc.
On South African Airways Flight was a large airbus to Livingstone Airport in Zambia and even before landing we can see the mist rise over 1000 feet above Victoria Falls into the air. Victoria Falls is known by the locals as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which means “the Smoke that Thunders”.
Lour plane lands and we negotiate a slow line through immigration before getting our luggage and heading to the Royal Livingston Hotel, part of Sun International Hotels & resorts on the banks of the Zambezi River, just upstream of the Falls. After a pleasant iced fruit tea, hot towel and check in at their lounge we are guided to our room by Matthew, our steward, a beautiful 2nd floor flat with a balcony facing the river. After a brief wash up we headed to explore the area before our next scheduled adventure. Outside our door we immediately encountered 7 grazing zebra, and a family of vervet monkeys, before finally making our way to the hotels dock/waterfront bar. The raging torrent of water heading south at the hotel dockside bar was impressive as was the 6 foot long crocodile sunning himself not 2 meters from the bar platform. Luckily, the hotel keeps an inconspicuous electric fence and pointed rock border at the waters perimeter to discourage crocodile and hippo visitation.
The falls from the river side dock deck & bar
At 3:00pm, we met our transport to the African Queen, a 2 story steam ship docked a few kilometers upstream from the hotel, for a sunset “boat safari” up the Zambezi River. We sat at the bar/rail on the second deck near a honeymooning couple from Rome and enjoyed free Gin & Tonics (G&T’s), pleasant conversation and observed an assortment of birds, crocodiles, water buffalos and zebras while nibbling on an excellent assortment of snacks and hors d’oeuvres. Our waiter, John, and bartender guide, Dorothy, took spectacular care of us ensuring our glasses were always renewed. Along the way upriver, we passed the upper tip of “Long” island and came upon the Zimbabwe banks of the river. As the sun began to set, we turned around and began our rapid downstream return to the Royal Livingstone in time to settle on the dock for another G&T as the last light left, the stars began to twinkle, and the temperature fell to nip our senses. We returned to our room to add a layer of clothes and decided to resume our earlier exploration adventure. From there, we wandered the trails to the Zambezi Sun, a sister hotel, explored the location of the shops, restaurants, and bars, before returning to our room for a well deserved good night’s sleep.
The next morning, Saturday, we awoke at 5:30am to prepare for our busy days adventure activities. After a quick continental breakfast in the 24 hour lounge, we met our transport to our elephant safari. Eleven of us were introduced to 8 elephants, from the 2 bull males, Bob and Danny, both approximately 40 years old, to the youngest, Sekuta at only 3 years old. We took s quick coffee and mounted, 3 per elephant, one guide and two riders, to begin our one hour safari through the bush and to the Zambezi River.
The elephants each had their own personality and Julie and I rode Danny, the 8 ton dominant male. Matinda, a younger female had a mind of her own and often wandered off from the group and the only way she could be corralled back was if Bob would go round her up. Traveling along behind us was the 2 youngest elephant’s Cheraku and Sekuta who explored the bush as we went. Along the way we saw impala and zebra and a huge 3 foot long monitor lizard. We stopped in the Zambezi River for the elephants to drink water, and then returned back to camp for snacks, tea and an environmental lesson on the dwindling elephant herds in Africa due to continued poaching.
We returned to the hotel at 10:15am, in time for a serious breakfast and then changed into our walking gear and headed to Victoria Falls. As we left the controlled area of the Sun Hotels we entered the Zambezi Victoria Falls Heritage Site and ventured along the banks of the Eastern Cataract that stretches between the shore and Livingstone Island. The water was apparently at its highest for the year, and one cannot imagine the roar and spray of 900,000,000 gallons/second of water as it crashes 400 hundred feet below. On the Zambia side, a peninsula of land called the Knife’s Edge juts out on the Bakota Gorge and acts as a backstop to the falls flow, forcing the water west under the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The falls area is its own complete micro-environment with its own weather system, as the drenching dense air alternately changes from monsoon rain storms to sunny views. The mist was so intense this day that the Falls themselves were hardly visible. At one point, to reach the tip of the peninsula, one must cross a 100 foot footbridge(the Narrows Bridge), drenched in continuous torrents of rain. We changed into sandals and raincoats and slogged our way across with water 2-3inches deep at our feet, running off as fast as it fell. At the tip, one could view the Western Cataract that stretches from Livingstone Island to the Zimbabwe shore. Below us was the churning mile if whirlpool waters know as the “Boiling Pot” and great views to the border crossing Victoria Falls Bridge and the famous Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Hotel. We made our way back to the park’s dry ground and continued our hike to the Zambia border, where we received a free pass to enter the bridge. We walked to the center of the bridge where Bungee jumpers tested their courage. After passing officially into Zimbabwe, we headed back to the “Jump Site”, an overlook bar where jumpers register to jump and there, we each drank Mosi Beer while watching the antics of novice daredevils. We then returned to the hotel for a restful set of G&T’s on the river deck watching the sun set over the Zambezi River and Zimbabwe, until darkness fell and the temperature began to drop. We returned to our rooms to shower and to dress warm-elegant for dinner outside in the winter crisp air. Dinner was a combination of “Duo Croc” for Julie and “Lamb Kabobs” for Rocky with a healthy serving of Roasted Duck interspersed with Aubergine Soup and Strawberry Sorbet. A bottle of Obikuti wine sealed the meal, and we then returned to the Internet Café, where Rocky watched the first half of Man U vs. Barcelona in the Champions League Finals, while Julie sorted through email. The night finished quietly as we were both sated and tired from our long days adventures.
Drenched by the falls mist!
Double rainbows!
Sunday started with a quick continental breakfast snack and a self-guided nature hike around the resort grounds where we spotted 4 hippos in the lee of a local island, a family of 3 giraffes near the park entrance and a dozen Impala quietly grazing in the meadow. The walk ended back at the Hotel restaurant where we ordered omelets, brown toast and coffee to kick off our day. The hotel loaned us another set of raincoats and we once again set off for climbing out to view the Victoria Falls. Today, the water level had dropped nearly a foot and the difference at the shore and at the Falls was very noticeable as the amount of spray was quite a bit less and the Falls were often more visible. We first headed to a descent down into a ravine trail into the shores of the famous “Boiling Pot”, an area where, during lower water flow, serves as the entry point for Class 6 white water rafting adventures. Today, however, the whirlpools and eddy’s are so intense that no one could possibly imagine entering this bubbling cauldron. The climb ~ 600 foot climb back up the trail was more taxing, but after the adrenaline boost of that we donned raincoats , changed into sandals and again tackled the “Narrows Bridge Monsoon” to see if a better view of the Falls would be possible today. Although improved over yesterday, it was clear that most of the clear pictures that are posted of these Falls are during times of much lower water flow. We headed back towards the hotel where we changed and prepared to take in a new view of the Falls from a different perspective – by Helicopter!
Our transport to Bakota Air picked us up promptly at our hotel entrance and we traveled 10 minutes to a small private airstrip that serves as home for not only their helicopters, but the ultra light and glider services, as well. After signing in and removing hats and loose items, we headed for the chopper where Julie took the front middle seat next to the pilot, and Rocky sat at the right window. Two other couples jumped in, putting 7 total into the aircraft, as Julie was excited to experience her 1st helicopter ride ever. After closing the doors, the pilot revved up the rotors; we lifted about 10 feet off the ground, backed off the pad, turned 90 degrees and started accelerating south along the “runway”. After a few hundred meters we climbed to ~1200 feet and headed to the Falls. From the air the Falls were magnificent and we could, for the first time, see the full length of them as they spanned from Zambia to Zimbabwe! The pilot made a number of circles and slow passes so that the Falls and surrounding abandoned canyons downstream could be clearly seen. After 15 minutes we headed North up the Zambezi, flying low over the game reserve, with our pilot pointing out water buffalo and other wildlife. He was a bit of a cowboy, performing near stalls, climbing powerful banks and dives, until we slowly turned and made our way back to the airfield. After waiting for an ultra light to be moved indoors, we landed and exited, having fully enjoyed our flight. The office showed us videos of ourselves in the helicopter as we didn’t realize that a camera in the cockpit captured our adventures completely.
We returned to the hotel and decided to relax at the bridge and watch the bungee jumpers once again. We walked from the hotel directly there, and crossed the railroad tracks to the “Jump Site” bar just before a freight train rumbled over the bridge and stopped at the border. At the overlook bar, we had Mosi beers and watched a steady stream of jumpers before ordering a burger and fries to snack on. However, the foolish couple down the bar unwisely chooses to give their banana peel to a local baboon, embolden him to pursue more handouts. While drinking our beers, snacking on our sandwich and watching the jumpers this large baboon took the opportunity to raid our plate to snatch a handful of French fries, surprising Julie and causing her to fall backwards off her stool to the floor! She was alright, but the shocked proprietor profusely apologized and brought a fresh plate of food while setting an employee to stand guard against another surprise foray. While finishing our beer, we watched as the next opportune predator, a 3 foot monitor lizard scaled the ravine in front of us searching for his share of the crumbs. We finally finished, stuffed from what was originally intended as a small snack, and left to return to the hotel before the park gate closed at 6pm. Unfortunately, the train was still stopped and after much consideration, we undertook the risky maneuver of crossing by climbing over the connectors between the cars. Along the return walk, baboons could be seen attacking the train load, prying at the lids, tearing open tarps and being generally destructive. We continued along the nature walk where we again saw giraffe, impala, etc. We made it back before sunset where we settled on the hotel dock and again watched the sunset while sipping G&T’s.
We then cleaned up at the room before heading to the restaurant for a light dinner on the patio of fried cheese, Nile Perch and Monkfish with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. While we had dinner, we watched as dignitary after dignitary arrived until a military guard contingent showed up escorting the Zambian President, Rupiah Banda. When dinner was over, we headed to the lounge for after dinner drinks and appreciated the talented piano player. Then it was time to return to our room to begin to pack and prepare for our last night’s stay in Zambia.
The next morning, Monday we awoke early and set out for one final Nature walk, and no sooner had we left our room’s door edge 6:30am, then we greeted by a herd of Impala grazing on the lawn, and there at the water’s edge, a beautiful morning’s view of a solitary elephant , grazing not 30 meters away from us. After watching for a while, we went to the lounge for early coffees and set out to see what other animals were about.
The trip back was as expected, but our thoughts and hearts were back in Zambia, at the royal Livingston Hotel on the banks of the Zambezi River at one of the planets’ greatest natural wonders – Victoria Falls!
The only passion that arouses a Nigerian nearly approaching that of football (soccer) is Politics. Engaging the locals in a political discussion of which party to support, who is the least corrupt, which candidates are frontman and which are real and who might win could consume all day – but be ready for some yelling and ranting! Nigeria in April of 2011 was in the midst of National and local elections. The original plan was to hold Federal Legislative elections (Senators and House of Representatives) on April 2nd, Presidential Elections on April 9th and State Elections (Governor) on April 19th. Installation of all offices is set for May 29th. The Government has spent 3 months sending agents into every field and village with laptops registering all eligible voters. Where you register, however, is where you must vote, as these same lists will only be present on election days when identities will be validated and votes cast. This is the first National election in Nigeria in 5 years, and if African History is any guidelines, we know to expect the unexpected.
Friday April 1st – no, it was no joke, tomorrow would be a restricted movement day with NO vehicles allowed on the road between 8am-6pm, and only registered voters allowed as pedestrians to gather at the polling places. We met with friends this Friday night preparing for tomorrow’s lock-in, and observed early political gatherings that were already underway. Around the corner from us is the residence of a Senatorial Candidate, the Honorable Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, where 200-300 campaign workers were already waiting at her gate. Some will drive the campaign, some will gather voters, and some will offer to sell their vote for a nominal sum. It is politics in Africa!
We holed up at our residence, organized a Saturday barbeque, and used the lock-in on Saturday to catch up on those Spring items that need to get done around “the House”. We heard reports of machete wielding election officials, riots and chaos, but overall, the electorate was gathering. However, midday through Saturday, the news related that although voters had gathered, the ballots had not been delivered and distributed in time, and the election would be postponed until Monday April 4th!
Well, this announcement sent a flurry of activity and schedule rearrangements throughout the country. Schools were canceled, airline reservations were changed and political parties were in an uproar!
Now you must understand that Nigeria politics is represented by well in excess of 15+ political parties, ranging from the large “People’s Democratic Party” (PDP), to small local parties. The different change in the date brought an uproar from the smaller parties whose resources are limited and who would find it difficult to remobilize that quickly. Sunday was characterized by a series of protest from theses smaller parties, and in deference to them, the Election Committee (INEC – Independent National Electoral Commission) moved all of the elections again – scheduling them for April 9th, April 16th and Tuesday, April 26. As you might guess, this resulted in another round of “Walhalla” – Nigerian Chaos!
Fast forward to Friday April 8th. It is 2:00pm and the Government has announced that all vehicular traffic will be banned in preparation for tomorrows postponed elections beginning at 10pm tonight! Now most Nigerians in Lagos commute hours to and from work on a patchwork of public transport that is neither dependable nor safe. This decree sent locals scurrying for early transport home and brought the road system to a standstill before 5pm. Many of us limped our way home as soon as we could to release our drivers and staff to find their way back to locales near their polling places.
Saturday dawned eerily quiet, no honking horns no vehicular traffic sounds at all, most unusual for Lagos. NO news bulletins and no urgent SMS announcements all day, quite a contrast from the week before. Sunday’s papers noted “The elections into the National assembly were finally held in Nigeria amidst tight security after two postponements. The elections took place in 94 senatorial districts and 310 House of Representative constituencies. The elections were reported as generally peaceful with isolated cases of violence. Preliminary results so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party may lose its overwhelming domination in the National Assembly but will still retain majority of seats. The presidential election will take place on Saturday April 16th.”
Normal traffic
The empty streets of Ikoyi! This is what a restricted movement day looks like!
A concert in the gardens of the U.S. Consulate General, Ikoyi.
The American International School lagos Symphonic Band – Plays the Legends – Lennon & McCartney, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Quincy Jones, Santana and more.
Bring you own elegant picnic to tables set in the candlelit garden and relax as the music drifts in the evening air.
Eric, Jill, Julie, Sue & Pete (Attire: Red Sea Rig….i.e. Tuxes but no jackets)
Internationally renowned a cappella group Voces8
Voces8 is an international octet performing group since 2005 from the United Kingdom.
The Heineken Girls (Heineken sponsored free beer for the evening).
Moet champange sculpture – the choice drink of the evening!
The alarm went off early this morning as I had just arrived from the USA last night. Rocky had picked up my runners packet for the 3rd Annual Race for the Cure, a 6 kilometer walk / run to benefit The Susan J Komen Foundation. So it was off to the American International School Lagos (AISL) with over 900 other participants for a 7am race start. The atmosphere was lively with lots of people milling around greeting friends dressed either their team T‐shirt or the official t-shirt. We were given a warm up by Marisa – quite a sight with everyone bending, stretching and marching in unison! A big cheer went up at the start, runners at the front, walkers bringing up the rear. A fast pace was set out the gate and down the road onto the Lekki Expressway. The organisation of the event was fantastic with plenty of security and even some music and water along the way to keep those feet moving. As it was a loop the walkers got to see all the runners heading to the finish – cheering them on. On arrival back at the school, we were given yet another souvenier T‐shirt as well as juice and donuts. Next was the entertainment; a Michael Jackson impersonator from Liberia! In the 90 degree heat he sang and danced while people cheered! The presentation of prizes followed. Over Naira 18 million(~$120,000) was raised insupport of breast cancer research and treatment. Shell was well represented with a large team, and contributed a significant amount of money due to efforts here in Lagos and Port Harcourt .
Shell Women Network Lagos Team: Women in light blue and the men in navy blue.
Sunday mornings are a perfect time to wander the streets of downtown historic Lagos and not be run over by ocadas and traffic, or accosted by street vendors. This Sunday morning we arose early to partake of a guided walking tour of the area of Lagos Island located in the vicinity of Rocky’s work location, where there are located the remaining areas of the Brazilian Quarter, Broad Street and the Lagos Marina, and which includes many of the remaining examples of the Independence Buildings of the 1960’s. Our tour was conducted by LEGACY, the historical & environmental interest group of Quarter, Railway Compound and Ebute-Metta, who is attempting to preserve the culture and heritage of the Lagos area.
Our guide today is the well-known and respected Professor Godwin, who is accompanied by two of his students who share the guiding duties. Professor Godwin is an expatriate that came to Lagos 1954, a country of new opportunities for a young architect. Historically it is said that the first settlers to Lagos Island were from the kingdom of Benin in the 17th century. During the next 2 centuries, the island was a stronghold of slave traders of Brazilian and Portuguese origin. Lagos was then ceded to the British crown in 1861. By 1902, London had invested a huge sum, £500,000, for a steam tramway, a central water supply and electric lights in the growing city. Therefore, it made sense that today we would start our tour by walking along Broad Street looking at various old buildings of Colonial and Brazilian styles that are from that era.
Our first stop was the Freedom Park site of the Old Broad Street Prison which operated from 1885 to the 1960’s and held some of Nigeria’s leading citizens who were opposed to colonial rule. It was considered to be one of the finest prisons of its time, in that it served food and had a hospital. Because of this, the prison had to be careful to screen returning work-day permit prisoners who returned each night, as local homeless would try to join them for a good night’s treat. Professor Godwin recalls actually coming to this prison when his first child was born as the prisoners made the finest basket bassinets in the region, and he purchased one there for his first child. In recent times, the prison site had been left derelict, until it was commissioned for restoration by Lagos State Governor Fashola, as part of Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary in 2010. Now, it has been restored by a Nigerian architect, Theo Lawson. A portion of the original prison walls were built in 1885 with imported bricks and which cost the colonial administration £16,000 at that time. Now, those walls have been preserved and incorporated into the present facade. The 52 cell blocks of the prison, (each cell measuring four feet by eight feet), have also been preserved, but not as they once were when they ‘hid’ inmates from daylight. Today, they are flooded with light, left wide open with no doors and with walls are only about two feet high. The row of cells that were once known as Cell ‘A’ are preserved as stalls reminiscent of a market place. Cell ‘B’ sections is preserved as just mounds on the ground with skeletal cells above. Finally, Cell ‘C’ area now hosts a metal ramp symbolizing a prisoner’s and a nation’s “walk to freedom”. There are two amphitheatres within the premises; one built in the area that held the original gallows for execution of prisoners, and the other built closer to the newer reflection pond that today ripples with catfish. A gigantic obelisk rises from the center of the pond. There is also a food court where the prison kitchen used to be located. The records office where prisoners were processed before being allotted cells is now a modern building, which houses a museum with the earliest maps of Lagos and pictures of the prison in its more ‘inglorious’ days.
Professor Godwin at the prison wall.Cell blocks today now open to light
Cells marked with grass foundation - cell block B
Metal rammp commerating cell block C
From here we wandered west down Broad Street, stopping at the Government Printing press built in 1895. The structure is built in a severe colonial style with massive steel beams to hold the large ¼ ton per-square-foot printing presses of the times. It has multiple arches and large windows with decorative pre-cast concrete balusters on the veranda.
Printing Press Building Front
Printing Press Building Broad Street
Next along Broad Street is St. Georges Hall. (Yes, there were free masons in Lagos.) This hall was built in 1906 by Sir Walter Edgerton, the Governor of the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. It is now rented by the local magistrate for court.
St Georges Hall
Sitting on the corner of Broad and Odunlami Street is the Bookshop House and Office Building which was built in 1973. This building was designed by the architects Godwin, Hopwell, & Kuye (Yes, our tour leader Professor Godwin and his wife Jill Hopwell). It is one of the few early buildings in Nigeria to have a façade correctly designed to exclude direct sunlight between the hours of 9am & 5pm for energy efficiency. The special sun screens (sun breakers) and windows alleviate the effects of the climate with a 75% savings on air conditioning requirement for the office floors. The building is dark at the bottom and light at the top.
Book Shop Building & Office
In addition, a statue of Herbert MacCauley sits directly on the front corner. (Herbert was a politician, engineer, journalist, and musician and considered by many Nigerians as the founder of Nigerian nationalism).
Herbert Mac Cauley Statue
One of the most sadly neglected buildings we saw by Balogun Square was the Ilojo Bar at #6 Alli Street and #2 Bamgbose Street, a treasure of Lagos Brazilian style. It is actually listed a Nigerian Monument. It was constructed in about 1880 and is remarkable in its design for its pointed gothic arches on the first floor and the small ceramic statue of a lady on the parapet. Unfortunately, progress to preserve and restore the building has not yet been successful. In this bustling market and densely populated area, we were the attraction to locals, and although we were told to avoid taking any pictures, the locals were busy taking pictures of us!
Ilojo Bar
Along the way, we learned of Chief Daniel Conrad Taiwo who was well known in Lagos in the 19th century for his combination of commercial success and political astuteness. He died at the age of 120 in 1905. His tomb, The Cenotaph, was designed and built by the famous Brazilian Mason Senhor Joas Baptista Dacosta and is characteristic of Muslim monuments. The cenotaph has pinnacles with floral motifs and a terraced canopy.
Taiwo Olowo Cenotaph
Across the street is Bethel Cathedral, a church representing the African Anglicans who built it in 1928.
Bethal Catherdral
Next we hiked through a market area and past a street football match over to Balagon Street. Here is the Lagos Central Mosque which is a replacement building for the original mosque of 1908. This newer building opened in 1988. Opposite of the mosque is the Sogunro Monument. It used to be located in an open area, but it has now been completely built over by adjacent buildings. Fortunately, the handsome, life-size statue in marble is top lit within an enclave, and it still appears particularly dramatic to the observer upon first entering an otherwise squalid space. The inscription still reads “In Loving memory of Chief Sogunro of Mahin (Paternal) & Egba Itoku (Maternal) extraction. “Oselu Ilu Eko”, a personal friend of and Chief Advisor to the late Ex-King Dosunmu and his immediate successor Prince Oyekan of Iga Idunganran. Died 3rd January 1903. Aged 102 years R.I. P. “
Central MosqueSogunro Monument
Our tour covered many other interesting architectural gems, and left much more to explore, but churches were letting out, and navigating the busy terrain was becoming more challenging. We therefore left the continuation of our exploration for another day.
Back in 1995 several international women’s groups came together to discuss the possibility of hosting an international night. The objective of the evening would be, not only to focus on the food, national costumes, dances and music of each respective nation, but more importantly to raise money to support the local charities of these international women’s clubs. Small World was born. Thus, 24 women’s groups had an event that attracted 300 expatriate people and raised 300,000 Naira ($2,000). Flash forward to 2010. Small World 2010, last February, celebrated their 15th year and “sparkling future”. Now Small World 2011! Last night Rocky & I attended our first Small World. There were 27 women’s groups representing over 60 countries. The event was attended by 3,200 people and raised over 32,000,000 Naira ($213,500) which will be distributed to the Small World Charities. This year the “go green” theme looked to reduce the carbon footprint of the event and to build “Green” awareness across the community. For the first time recycling bins and solar power lighting were throughout the grounds. The plates on which the world’s cuisine was served were made of banana bark and were completely biodegradable as well as manufactured from natural materials that would normally be left for waste. The beautiful National flower decorations in the entry were all made of recycled paper, as well as all the fashion models costumes. It was a beautiful breezy evening, with more food to taste than one could ever imagine. The Chinese had wonderful sushi, Scandinavia had exceptional chicken pate, Ibero-America had icy-cold homemade margaritas, Germany had sauerkraut and sausages, and the list goes on! We gave it our best shot, but there were just some places where we could not partake as we could not eat any more. We did certainly not go home hungry. Two and half hours into the event, a stage show consisting of each country’s interpretive dances began. While some entertainers followed the “go green” theme closely, others simply danced their country’s native dances. It was quite a musical and enjoyable evening and we will definitely go again.
Julie & Roc & Italy
Modeling a dress made of plastic & plastic bottles
