As Nike descended from the staircase unto the ground floor of her spell-binding art gallery, she beamed with smiles and began to dance and sing, "A tí nretí rè o, káàbò sé dáadáa lo dé…"

She was garbed in a beautiful deep blue Àdìre Ìró and Bùbá (shirt and robe of batik textile) and walked with her barefoot. Her low-cut hair, necklace of big orange beads and facial makeup depicted the artistic look of the ancient Yoruba damsel.

Nike Davies Okundaye, the founder of the popular ‘Nike Art’, has carved a niche for herself through her colourful Àdìre textiles and paintings. She grew up in the village of Ogidi in Western Nigeria, an enclave well known for traditional weaving and dying practices. This sparked in her the passion for textile arts and pushed her to spearhead a cultural revival to rescue the fading culture of tie and dye textile making in Nigeria. For the past 20yrs, she worked hard to build art centres where young Nigerians learn traditional arts and crafts. She has also given workshops on traditional Nigerian textiles to audiences in the US and Europe.

Nike art gallery sits within a towering white-clad multi-story building at No. 2, Elegushi Road, 3rd Round About, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikate Bus Stop, Lekki Phase-1, Lekki, Lagos.

Conspicuously written on its roof and noticeable from at least 1.5 miles away is "NIKE ART GALLERY", ostentatiously informing every passer-by along the Lekki-Epe expressway of the presence of the gallery. The location and height of the building also makes it a desired destination for tourists in Lagos as the white beach sands of the Lekki peninsula on which it rests stretch east-west through tens of kilometres, sandwiched between the Lagos lagoon on its northern flank and the Atlantic Ocean to its south. Standing on the topmost floor of the gallery gives one a breath-taking sight of both water bodies flanking the peninsula.

As our tour bus pulled up in front of the gallery, the fence and walls of the building welcomed us with magnificent artistic reliefs and sculptures of various media. Two beautifully sculptured and painted Dánfó buses, hung on the fence amidst a set of free-standing sculptured wood pillars spoke a million words, preparing us for the glorious world of art and culture sheltered within the gallery.

At one corner in the compound, a set of batik textiles spread on a line danced to the rhythm of the passing sea breeze, played by the strings of the raging Atlantic ocean. Our heart beats raced as we approached the heavy doors of the main building; it stood bold and inviting. A man at the door flung open the heavy doors and a myriad of colours blanketed our faces as the building swallowed us into its beautiful belly.

Like ceramic tiles on a bathroom wall, oil and watercolour paintings overwhelmed the multi-story gallery from its ceilings to its floors.
Most of the works revealed sights and scenes within the city of Lagos, as well as the cultural values of the Yoruba people of western Nigeria. Most of the works on display were done by Nike herself and Tola Wewe, while works by other notable Nigerian artists were also exhibited.

Nike took us from one part of the gallery to another telling the sweet story behind each of the art works. One of the visitors from London expressed her amazement at the detailed representations of African human faces and figures in the paintings. She noted that it is uncommon to find African human figures or faces beautifully represented in paintings exhibited in Europe. The visitors eagerly asked questions from Nike, who also answered them with great excitement.

By the time we were through exploring the ground floor of the gallery, great time had passed and we had to quickly move up to the upper floors. The first floor of the gallery featured mind-blowing furniture works, which include some beautifully sculptured wooden beds and upholstery chairs.

As we explored the gallery, we pulled out our smart phones and tablets, connected to the free Wi-fi internet network at the gallery and tweeted away photos of the gallery, showing-off to the world the wonders of the Nike Art Gallery- the Lagos most of them don’t see when they come visiting.  The twitter ash tag used was #smwlagostour.

To contact Nike Art Gallery, visit www.nikeart.com.

– As our tour bus pulled up in front of the gallery, the fence and walls of the building welcomed us with magnificent artistic reliefs and sculptures of various media…

- Two beautifully sculptured and painted Dánfó buses, hung on the fence amidst a set of free-standing sculptured wood pillars…

– At one corner in the compound, a set of batik textiles spread on a line danced to the rhythm of the passing sea breeze…

– Our heart beats raced as we approached the heavy doors of the main building; it stood bold and inviting. A man at the door flung open the heavy doors…

– Like ceramic tiles on a bathroom wall, oil and watercolour paintings overwhelmed the multi-story gallery from its ceilings to its floors…

– Nike took us from one part of the gallery to another telling the sweet story behind each of the art works…

– Nike points to the tallest work in the gallery, painted by Tola Wewe.

– A beautiful painting by Nike and Tola Wewe… she says “Elephant represents strength and power…”

– “…and comb represents joy”.

 
- By the time we were through exploring the ground floor of the gallery, great time had passed and we had to quickly move up to the upper floors….

  – The first floor of the gallery featured mind-blowing furniture works, which include some beautifully sculptured wooden beds and upholstery chairs…

– And everyone wants to snap photos with Nike

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The Gidi Sun burned still
And Gidi’s roads sunk in traffic 
But the team stayed unworried.

They had one goal in sight
and this, their hearts, it kept alive:
To explore the wonders of Lagos City,
…to show you the Lagos you don’t see!

Yesterday, 19th February, 2012 witnessed a special mobile hangout hosted by Society HEA (Social Media Week Lagos), powered by Nokia Nigeria, and supported by LagBus (@LAGBUSOfficial), Bogobiri and Gidi Traffic (@Gidi_Traffic), with coverage by Errol Barnett of CNN (inside Africa) and Naijatreks as the Tour Guide Ambassador on board.

The tour which featured travel bloggers, journalists and photographers from different countries of the world, took off from Terra Kulture in Victoria Island of Lagos at 10am, snaked through the streets and towering bridges of the city and ended back at the start-off point at about 7pm. Throughout the trip, participants twitted photos and updates on the tourist spots visited. These could be found through #SMWLagosTour and #NokiaSMWLagos.

The stop points were carefully chosen and the routes carefully designed to optimize anticipated traffic conditions at the different parts of the city being explored, thanks to @Gidi_traffic, as well as to give the participants a real experience of the fascinating city. They stop points were:

- The amazing Nike Art Gallery, Lekki

- The  evocative A White Space, Ikoyi

- The stimulating African Artists’ Foundation, Ikoyi

- The museumized Bogobiri Restaurant, Ikoyi (for Lunch)

- The intimidating but awesome Fela Shrine, Alausa, Ikeja

- The breathtaking Kalakuta Museum, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja

Subsequent posts on Naijatreks shall showcase the wonders of each of the spots visited. Also, Naijatreks shall organize more of such tours in order to promote the culture of adventure travel among the locals, as well as to draw more attention to Nigeria’s tourism potentials.

Follow us as we take you on this memorable journey!

– At Nike Art Centre, Lekki.

– Through out the trip, participants networked, chatted and discussed on our to use the tool of social media to make change in the society…

– Errol Barnet of CNN Inside Africa on Board the tour Bus.

– Alighting from our bus and trekking into the narrow streets the bus could not enter…

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Filed under: Events, Travel, Travelogue | 3 Comments »

Are you a travel blogger, writer, photographer or a regular travel enthusiast? Come mingle with us, exchange twitter handles and business cards to network with travellers from around the globe.

Social Media Week Lagos is happening for the first time in Africa and is only a few days away. It is going to start on Monday, February 18th and end on Friday, 22nd.

The international society of Black Travel Bloggers (BTB) has organized an event for Thursday February 21st, holding at and sponsored by The Blowfish Hotel, Lagos.

During the event, travel bloggers, writers, photographers, and other travel enthusiasts will come together to mingle with visiting members of the BTB, join in discussion with a panel of speakers on how in the new normal of Web 2.0 we can tell our own story to create a different narrative of Nigeria, and Africa in general, than the one in mainstream media; and how creating this new narrative on social media can encourage travel to the region.

It‘s definitely gonna be an awesome experience!

Day: Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013.
Time: 7pm-9pm
Venue: The Blowfish Hotel, 17, Oju Olobun Street, Off Idejo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Kindly register to attend this event at VisitNaija: A Tweetup for Travel Story-tellers

This event is Sponsored by The Blowfish Hotel.
Cash bar and food on sale.

Filed under: Events, Festival, Travel | No Comments »

Still stood the skies above Yenagoa,
Not in fear of heights,
But in awe of a pristine wonder.

Here I stand at ease,
Above me soars a bow-shaped moon,
Beneath me sprawls a bean-shaped mere.

To my left and right spread an animated glass whose distant shores form a bow, and its mystifying beauty forms a potent arrow- an arrow made of glimmering reflections of a jealous sky, of ambient breeze that whisper rhythms of lullaby, and a distant skyline that is bedecked with spectating multitude of a thousand palm trees. Here I am, at the foot of Yenagoa Ox-bow Lake.

 
A floating jetty bounces gently atop the ox-bow lake. On it sits two love birds, tweeting and giggling. The man turns towards the shore and gestures to the lady at a suya stand. She walks down, takes an order and walks away.

In a few minutes, she picks a number of meat-loaded sticks off a dancing flame kept alive by a pile of red-hot charcoals. She slices the roasted meats into a plastic plate and dices some onions and cabbage into it, after which she skilfully sprinkles ground pepper on the meat balls and sets some sticks of tooth-pick on the meat balls at the centre of the plate.

She walks down to the water with the lip-smacking plate of hot suya and bottles of chilled soft drinks. The waiting ‘love-birds’ beamed with smiles as they were served, and without delay, the ‘lady-bird’ began to pick at the steaming hot meat balls. Her smiles further widened as the tantalizing taste dashed through her famished belly. For her, it is like heaven-on-earth hidden in a corner of her Niger Delta, enfolded in a blanket of romantic ambience and spiced with the awe-inspiring aura of a beautiful lake.

Yenagoa Ox-bow Lake is tucked at a corner of Yenagoa town, the capital of Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria. Overtime, most parts of the bean-shaped lake had been kept pristine, except for an area being dredged and sand-filled. A neatly tarred road leads to a wide circular platform at the edge of the lake, rimmed with numerous barbecue, suya and drink vendor stands as well as well-arranged sitting chairs and tables- all set to give visitors a memorable experience at the lakeside; an experience that will keep them coming back for more.

#Ox-Bow Lake: a lake resulting from former river bend. i.e. a small curved lake developed on a river floodplain by a river abandoning its original meandering course and cutting a new channel. –Encarta Dictionary

  – Satellite imagery of Yenagoa showing the Ox-bow Lake in red circle
(4° 54’33”N, 6° 16’42”E).

– Welcome to Yenagoa Ox-bow Lake.

- The road from the gate leads to a circular area, at the edge of the lake, rimmed with numerous barbecue, suya and drink vendor stands as well as well-arranged sitting chairs and tables…

– The circular sitting area and floating jetty (in red).

– Yenagoa Ox-bow Lake.

– A floating jetty bounces gently atop the ox-bow lake. On it sits two love birds, tweeting and giggling….

- In a few minutes, the suya vendor picks some meat-loaded sticks off a dancing flame kept alive by a pile of red-hot charcoals…

– She walks down to the water with the lip-smacking plate of hot suya and bottles of chilled soft drinks…

- Without delay, the ‘lady-bird’ began to pick at the steaming hot meat balls. Her smiles further widened as the tantalizing taste dashed through her famished belly…

- A dugout canoe moored by the lake side. 

- Fishermen on the lake.

- “Hey are you trying to snap me?”

– Some of the locals sailing from one end of the lake to another in a dugout canoe.

- Water hyacinth floating on the lake.

- Isn’t this beautiful?

-  A panoramic view of the lake.

Filed under: Travel, Travelogue | 4 Comments »

“He-He-He…I pray the spirit of wàká and wanderlust won’t lead me into wàhálà one day o!…”

Nigerian Museums ban the use of cameras within their premises, but I broke the rules at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos. It wasn’t my fault though, I could not just resist the spell-binding aura that enfolded the ancient figures within the building.

Corridors clad in clean white paint house numerous figures of stone, terracotta and bronze, all neatly arranged along the walls. The spot-lighting and cool air-conditioning embraces the curious visitor and welcomes him into the world of our ancestors, a world that has several lessons to teach our generation- for those who care to listen and learn though.

A Benin bronze head starred at me from a corner of one of the rooms at the museum, I drew closer to have a better look, and behold it was one of the popular cultural symbols of Nigeria; one I had seen in many magazines and web pages. I bent closer to read the small note written beneath it. I read fast, trying to consume all the facts and figures about the discovery and age of the artefact. A set of terracotta  figures standing near-by caught my attention and I quickly moved to take a better look at them. They were ancient sculptures excavated from the sacred shrines of Ile-Ife. I read the brief notes on them and slowly observed the details on the figures- the careful and dexterously crafted eyes, lips, ears and hair-styles, the unique details on the head gears, bracelets and necklaces- all struck me with undefeatable awe.

As I departed from the rooms, an eerie feeling parted with me. It was as if I had just dined with my ancestors. The figures appeared to exude self-confidence, self-discipline, determination and unwavering faith in the supernatural. These were probably the ideals and values that sustained the society during the days of our ancestors. How sad that these values had diminished over the centuries. The low tourist traffic at the museum gives credence to the fact that our generation does not value history. This is a loop hole that needs to be filled.

I marvelled at the various pictures of cultural and natural potentials across the country, exhibited on the walls of a central courtyard within the main museum building, after which I proceeded to a detached building at the back of the museum. The detached building is the garage which houses Murtala Mohammed’s car- the one in which he was assassinated on February 13, 1976.

Murtala Ramat Mohammed was the fourth President of Nigeria, who was assassinated in a military coup while his car was enroute to his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos. Today His portrait adorns the 20 Naira note and he stands as one of the only three national heroes of the Nigerian Republic (Wikkipedia).

Bullet holes riddled the windscreen, side windows, doors and red-leather furnishings of the Mercedez Benz 230.6 car. I met a young couple and their two kids there, listening to the enthralling political stories of ancient Nigeria being narrated by on of the female custodians at the museum. The kids bent forward to observe the deep bullet hole in the metal doors of the car. Broken glass still littered the chairs and floors of the car. Everything had been kept intact since the assassination. It was an amazing experience at the garage.

I left the museum with a great appreciation of history, of culture and of my dear nation Nigeria. I learnt a few lessons, and these shall abide with me for years to come.

– Figure of Idena (12th – 15th century): Made of Biotite gneiss and iron nails, Idena, the gatekeeper was said to watch over the roads leading to the Ore Grove, sacred to Ore, the god of hunting. Ore is associated with Ogun, the god of iron. Idena’s hair is covered with wrought0iron nails fitted into holes drilled in the stone. Most of the nails, now broken, once had spiral heads. Idena was discovered at Ore Grove in Ile-Ife.

 Ceremonial Vessel with Royal Figure (14th – early 15th century): An intricate vessel made of copper alloy, depicting a royal figure, possibly a queen, curled around a pot supported by a spool-shaped stool, similar to a stone figure also found at Ore Grove. The astonishingly complex figure wears a multilayered crown that still bears traces of black paint; a profusion of beaded necklaces, bracelets, toe rings and ankle chains. It was discovered in 1957 by workmen levelling ground for construction at Ita Yemoo in Ile-Ife.

– Pottery works and broken arms with bead patterns from Ore Grove in Ile-Ife.

 
- A soapstone figure from Essie in Osun State.

– An ancient bronze mask and crown on display at the museum.

- An Igbo-Ukwu figure on display at the museum.

 
- An Ife Head on display at the museum.

- More Ife Heads on display.

– Murtala Mohammed’s bullet-riddled car. Notice the bullet holes indicated by the red circles in the photos below.

The entrance to the National Museum at Onikan round-about, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Filed under: Conservation, Culture, History, Travel, Travelogue | No Comments »

Like the heap of Olumo rock, my belly swells beneath my shirt,
filled and appeased by the favourite meal of the oil city,
Threatening to rip three buttons off my chest.

Like the cascades of Olumirin Falls,
streams of sweat trickle down my animated face.
Like the sedating vigor of emu ògùrò,
an aura of restful slumber inundate my nourished frame.

And like the sweet taste of ripe mango,
this combo of bòlì and roasted fish holds my tongue in a prison of passionate romance.
Oh bòlì… oh my sweet bòlì, here I am your Juliet, and there you are, my Romeo!

Everyday, throughout my stay, the oil city of Port Harcourt beamed with an charming and aromatic smoke, not from pots of boiling periwinkle soup or trays of fried yam and dodo, but from trays of wire-mesh carrying precious clusters of roasted fish and bòlì (roasted plantain) smeared with tantalizing hot peppery sauce.

So, even if nothing has amazed me about the Niger Delta; if its beautiful creeks, culture, wildlife and thrilling night life has refused to make my mind rock and roll, this single meal has changed  everything for me, and will always be a reason for me to keep dreaming of another trip to this city.

Have you been to Port-Harcourt City and didn’t taste this food? trust me, it would have been better if you had stayed back at home.

  – Lovely something!!! the chef breaks the bòlì into small balls and smears it with hot peppery sauce… chai! Abeg I want some ooo!!

- Then she lifts a big roasted fish and places it on the bòlì balls and smears more sauce on it. She then packs it in a paper or aluminium foil and gives it to her customer. Trust me, you wont stop gobbling the bòlì balls until you’ve consumed the last one. And if you loaded the meal down with a bottle of chilled coke, means you’ve sentenced yourself to a jail of 4 hrs (straight) of irresistible siesta!

Related Posts:

Enchanted by Port Harcourt’s Wildlife Park

CARNIRIV 2012 Boat Regatta: “Never seen a cultural display like this before!!!”

Filed under: Culture, Food, Travel, Travelogue | 4 Comments »

A flood bath of jubilant sunrays inundates a creek of murky waters in the oil city of Port-Harcourt, southern Nigeria, as a thousand souls spectate at its bank. A war canoe pierces through the waters as its twenty paddlers bellow battle chants and songs with dramatic fervour.

Like spears, their black-painted oars slice in and out of the tidal waters, as clusters of palm fronds fringing the rims of the boat sway, sway and sweep to the rhythm of the passing wind.

The whole creek turns into a fashion-runway of loaded canoes in an instant, all bedecked with elaborate dressings and fittings of colourful materials, each boat belonging to a tribe partaking in the Carniriv 2012 Boat Regatta.

About a thousand culture enthusiasts hit the sands of Port-Harcourt Tourist Beach on Wednesday, 12^th December 2012 for the annual international aquatic fiesta, popularly called “The Carniriv Boat Regatta”. The week-long Port-Harcourt carnival which started off on Monday, 9^th December 2012 had featured a number of opening parties, unveiling of the carnival monument, dance of fireflies as well as cultural art exhibitions which finally brought its visitors and attendees to the long-awaited annual regatta. The aquatic contest, engaging various Local Government Areas (LGAs) within Rivers State, is usually hosted at the city’s only tourist beach- The Port-Harcourt Tourist Beach, located along Moor House road, in the Borokiri area of Port-Harcourt city, Rivers State.

The air at the beach was dense and eagerness wore the people like Agbádá. They had been waiting, eagerly waiting for the battle of the canoes to begin. The tide was low, the boats could not row and for a moment the spirit of the waiting crowd became low. Then a rumble of drumbeats sprung and soared up from somewhere within the waiting crowd. It was the drummer boy of the Bonny people. Everyone looked in his direction as he rammed the magical goatskin of his willing drum with his zealous sticks. As soon as this began, another group of drummers standing nearby picked up their drums and began beating, and yet another group near the creek banks instantaneously joined in the vivacious fete.

The whole ambiance erupted into a cyclone of thrills. The people reeled, with excitement they reeled; and it was as though the creek waters also had ears and had been sprung to life by the reverberating drumbeats; for in a short moment, the tides began to rise while the crowd rejoiced and danced. The boat decorators who had slowly and painfully laboured, adorning the boats, boats moored at the creek side; they got stung as well, goaded by the melodious spell from pulsating goatskins. To their feet they sprung and began to speed up their work. The event moderator mounted the floating platform already set up on the creek, made a double tap and coughed into the microphone, alerting the audience of the commencement of the long-awaited regatta. Almost immediately, the various cultural troops participating in the event began to march down to the creek edge to board their canoes.

The moderator kicked off the show spilling out a series of side-splitting jokes that sent the crowd toppling with laughter. The whole atmosphere had become transformed into a barrel of amusement and delight within an instant. At the background, the DJ further graced the show by playing Duncan Mighty’s “I be Port-Harcourt boy yee… ohumgolobo…boy yee.. Port-Harcourt person…” (I am a Port-Harcourt boy…) It is the favourite Pidgin-English song of the Niger Delta people, and the crowd swayed merrily to its melodious rhythms.

The assembly of anxious tourists were already set for the boat race.

At the rare end of the creek, colourfully-decorated boats of various sizes assembled in rows and columns. Each belongs to the participating cultural troops. Most of them came with single canoes, being their ceremonial boats, known locally as ‘Alali-aru’, while a few others had two canoes- a ceremonial boat and a war boat called ‘Omuaru’. The design and adornment of the Omuaru and its paddlers’ attires are different from those of the Alali-aru. Omuaru paddlers are often garbed in black/dark attires (believed to signify violence) and their boats are fitted with palm fronds (believed to signify victory). These boats are not as elaborately decorated as the ceremonial boats.

The troops were called in one after another and the paddlers made amazing displays with their unique rowing styles and skills. The spectating crowd took turns to cheer whenever their favourite troops sailed into view to make their presentation. Among the participants, the Bonny and Okrika LGAs made the most spectacular display and drew the loudest ovation. The long Bonny Alali-aru sailed in with its paddlers in attires of white t-shirt and blue-checked robes with matching coloured-canoes. Its paddlers struck the waters with exceptionally choreographed strokes of their oars. The spectators roared with ecstatic cheers and claps, while the children jumped up, shouting “Bonny! Bonny! Bonny!” Everyone stood in awe of the matchless paddling style and dexterity of the Bonny people as their canoe sailed with amazing speed along the creek.

Okrika LGA came with both their ceremonial and war canoes. Its Omuaru (war-canoe) paddlers were dressed in black t-shirts, black-checked robes and white-black stripped head warmers, while its Alali-aru (ceremonial canoe-paddlers) wore white polo shirts, sky blue-checked robes and grey-blue head warmers. Their Omuaru (war boat) paddlers gave an awe-striking performance with a startling release of an explosion from a gun barrel attached to the bow of the canoe. It sent a sudden shock through the crowd of spectators as everyone reflexively bent their heads and rushed backwards in fright.

The shock however melted into great admiration of the creativity shown by the Okrika cultural troop, which immediately brought cheers and massive applause from the crowd. Other participating Local Governments Areas were Ikwere, Ogu/Bolo, Asalga, Akukutoru, Obio-Akpo, Akulga, Delga, Okrika (two LGAs), Opobo-Nkporo, Ahoada-West, Degema, Andoni and Khana; among whom Delga, Opobo-Nkporo and Okrika LGAs performed with both their Omuaru and Alali-aru canoes.

The Regatta ended with an extremely amusing and interesting aquatic drama presentation by the Akpara Fish Masquerade group. Everyone went home with wide smiles drawn across their faces, satiated from the various presentations at the boat contest and hoping that next year’s Carniriv will be just as amazing or even more.

– Entrance to Port-Harcourt Tourist Beach, located along Moor House road, in the Borokiri area of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

- The crowd waited for the tide to rise so that the event could start off.

– Boat decorators worked slowly on the boats while waiting for the tide to rise.

– Visitors walked or sat around lazily while waiting for the event to commence.

…while kids played at a big swing.

- Suddenly, a rumble of traditional drumbeats soared from somewhere within the waiting crowd…

…as soon as this began, another group of drummers standing nearby picked up their drums and started beating…

…while another group near the creek banks also joined in the vivacious fete.

– The creek waters rejoiced at the resounding drumbeats and the tide began to rise… the cultural groups began to walk down to the creek side and climbed their canoes.

…and the Regatta starts!!!

– Asalga LGA sails into view with their ceremonial boat (Alali-aru).

- Asalga

…then comes in Andoni LGA with their Alali-Aru (ceremonial boat).

– Andoni

…then sails in Akulga LGA with their Alali-Aru (ceremonial boat) and two masquerades dancing on a deck above.

– Akulga

  …Followed by Khana LGA with their Alali-Aru (ceremonial boat).

- Khana.

   …then sails in Bonny LGA with their Alali-Aru (ceremonial boat).

….“forward go!!!”

- Here comes Delga LGA with their ceremonial boat (Alali-Aru), followed by their war boat (Omuaru).

- The war boat (Omuaru) of  Delga LGA.

– Delga.

– Here comes Obio-Akpor LGA with their ceremonial boat.

– Obio-Akpor’s Alali-Aru.

- Then sails in Okrika’s first LGA with its ceremonial boat, followed by its war boat.

– The LGA’s war boat (notice the paddlers wearing red crowns which signify victory in battle).

– The LGA also brought in a floating masquerade.

  
- Then comes in Okrika’s second LGA with its ceremonial boat and its war boat also.

- The war boat of the Okrika’s second LGA… (one of the paddlers at the bow is preparing gun powder in a canon barrel).

…and suddenly “gboaaahh!!!!”  an explosion in the air, and the spectating crowd is thrilled.

- The canon barrel at the bow of the canoe.

- The LGA also came with its floating masquerade.

- Then comes in Ikwerre LGA with its ceremonial boat.

- Guest cultural troop from Akwa-Ibom State.

- Beautiful cultural dancers on the Akwa-Ibom troop.

-Common sights at the Regatta included those of popular Nollywood actors.

Related Posts:

- Port-Harcourt Carnival sets the City Ablaze!!! Boat Regatta is tomorrow!!!

- Boat Regatta on the Creeks- PortHarcourt Tourist Beach

- Colours of the Delta

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Filed under: Culture, Festival, Travel | No Comments »

 
The challenges faced by mountain people have been and are, well, mountainous. The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day is exactly these challenges.

Today is International Mountain Day 2012, and we are “Celebrating Mountain Life”.

Mountains cover approximately one-quarter of the world’s surface and are home to one in ten of its people. These people are among the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged. They frequently face political, social and economic marginalization and lack access to such basic services as health and education. Moreover, current global challenges such as climate change, economic developments and population growth exacerbate the hardships they face.

Over the generations, mountain people have learned how to live with the threat of natural hazards and have developed well-adapted and risk-resilient land-use systems. However, there is growing evidence that many mountain regions have become increasingly disaster-prone over the past few decades.

Mountains are characterized by massive global diversity – from tropical rain forests to permanent ice and snow, from climates with more than 12m of annual precipitation to high?altitude deserts, and from sea level to almost 9000 m in altitude. They are the water towers of the world – providing freshwater to at least half of the world’s people. However, mountains are also high-risk environments; avalanches, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and glacial lake outburst floods threaten life in mountain regions and surrounding areas. Mountains play an important role in influencing global and regional climates and weather conditions.

The International Year of Mountains ten years ago led to the adoption of resolution 57/245, in which the General Assembly designated 11 December as International Mountain Day. Since then, mountains have gained an increasingly high (pun intended) profile on agendas at all levels.

Written by, UNRIC Nordic Desk

“Idanre town tucked between peaks of gigantic granite mountains
(south-west Nigeria)”

“Idanre Hills (south-west Nigeria)”

“Obudu Mountain (eastern Nigeria)”
Picture credit: www.africasustainabilityreview.com

   “Kerang Volcanoes, Jos Plateau (north central Nigeria)”

“Kerang Volcanoes, Jos Plateau (north central Nigeria)”
Picture credit: www.flikr.com

“Abake village at the top of Effon Ridge, Olumirin waterfalls (south-west Nigeria)”

Related Posts:

Idanre Hills- The City of Caves and Inselbergs 

Mare Festival Day-2: The Rise of Idanre’s Champion Mountain Climber

”I stood on the Mambilla and I thought of Obudu” 

Travelling the Devil’s Elbows of Obudu Mountain

The Volcanoes of Jos Plateau- Get Your Pants Dirty

Shere Hills- A Charming 1,829m Pile of Rocks

The Seven Plunges of Arinta- Let’s go chasing waterfalls! 

New Waterfalls discovered in Effon-Alaaye, Ekiti State

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Here comes CARNIRIV 2012, and it’s hitting the oil city of Port-Harcourt with a BIG BANG!!

This year’s carnival kicked off on Sunday, December 9, 2012 with kid’s carnival and praise jam, with many more exciting events are lined up for the rest of the week.

Please check out the schedule below and endeavour to catch up with any one you’re interested in. It’s all going to be totally amazing!!

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Boat Regatta on the Creeks- Port Harcourt Tourist Beach

Colours of the Delta

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Lost in Lagos Live is here again!! – the most awaited, sophisticated lifestyle event with two days of shopping and live entertainment.

Entrance is free!

In line with cash less policy most vendors will be coming with a POS, so you shopaholics won’t be restricted! High end vendors will be exhibiting their goods and services and it is a perfect time to do all your Christmas shopping.

Venue: Federal Palace Hotel

Date: 8th and 9th of December

Time: 12 noon – 7 pm (on both days)

Entrance: FREE!

Guest appearance: Santa

Visit LOST IN LAGOS to get more information.

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