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NGO seeks probe of killings of inmates at Ikot Ekpene prison
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Sunday, 31 December 2017
NGO seeks probe of killings of inmates at Ikot Ekpene prison
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Tech: Bitcoin is climbing on the last day of 2017
The cryptocurrency was worth $13,324, up more than 4% as of 12.30 p.m. GMT on New Year's Eve 2017.
- A bitcoin was worth $13,324 at 12.30 p.m. (GMT) on New Year's Eve.
- It was up 4% on the previous 24 hours.
- A single Bitcoin has increased in value 13-fold since January 1.
Bitcoin started the final day of 2017 with an increase in value, and looked set to end the year on a high note.
The cryptocurrency was up more than 4% as of 12.30 p.m. on New Year's Eve 2017, according to data from Markets Insider.
Its value was $13,324 per coin, having gained more than $540 in value over a 24-hour period.
Bitcoin had a rocky ride over the Christmas period, swinging from below $13,000 to above $16,000 in the final week of the year.
Bitcoin was still down on its all-time high of $19,843 per coin, which it hit around December 17, 2017, before a sharp fall in which it briefly dipped below $11,000.
The cryptocurrency was still down 12% on its value one week before, but was trending upwards into the new year.
If the price holds steady for the rest of New Year's Eve, Bitcoin will finish 2017 be up around 1,300% from its value at the start of the year, when it was hovering around $1,000.
Tech: Bitcoin is climbing on the last day of 2017
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Police: Making phone calls at filling stations can now land you in jail
A police PRO said officers have the authority to arrest anyone found making phone calls or smoking at filling stations.
Making phone calls at filling stations is now a criminal offence and attracts jail term, the Nigerian Police have said.
The police public relations officer, Jimoh Moshood, reportedly disclosed this, noting that offenders could be prosecuted and jailed for attempted arson.
According to him, police officers have the authority to arrest anyone found making phone calls or smoking at filling stations.
"Making phone calls or smoking at filling stations is a criminal offence and the police, of course, could arrest anyone violating the safety rules put in place to safeguard life and property at the filling stations", Moshood was quoted as saying.
ALSO READ: Still wondering why there isn't much regard for the Nigerian Police Force? See this!
Similarly, a 28-year-old serving soldier with the 81 Batallion of the Nigerian Army, Mokola, Ibadan, Akpan Edet, and four other men have been arrested by the police for allegedly hijacking a fuel-laden truck at a spot along Akobo-Iwo road, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Police: Making phone calls at filling stations can now land you in jail
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Gabriel Jesus substituted in floods of tears over serious injury
The league leaders must now wait to find out the severity of a suspected knee injury suffered by their star, whose World Cup could also be in jeopardy
Gabriel Jesus substituted in floods of tears over serious injury
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Man Utd Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Everton
Everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League clash at Goodison Park on Monday
Man Utd Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Everton
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Moses Hails Chelsea Team Performance In Win Over Stoke
By Johnny Edward: Chelsea’s Nigerian wing-back Victor Moses is excited with the Blues’ fantastic team performance which saw them thrash Stoke City 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on their final league game of 2017 on Saturday, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.
Moses made his 14th English Premier League start of the season for Chelsea in the encounter and was paraded for 57 minutes before he was replaced by Davide Zappacosta.
Goals from Antonio Rudiger, Danny Drinkwater, Pedro, Willian and Zappacosta sealed a sixth successive home league win for Chelsea and moved the reigning champions to second place in the EPL table.
The win was the highest recorded by Antonio Conte’s side so far this season in the English Premier League.
“What a team performance. Get in there,” the 27-year-old who was listed by France Football in their African X1 for 2017 tweeted on Sunday .
Next up for Chelsea is a London derby against Arsenal on Wednesday at the Emirates Stadium.
Moses Hails Chelsea Team Performance In Win Over Stoke
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Liberia: Full text of President-elect, George Weah’s acceptance speech
President-elect of Liberia, Goerge Weah has made his first public speech after being elected President of the country. Weah promised to end corruption in the country, adding that in the next few days, he would assemble those that would serve the people. The former football legend warned that those chosen to serve will and must […]
Liberia: Full text of President-elect, George Weah’s acceptance speech
Liberia: Full text of President-elect, George Weah’s acceptance speech
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15 killed in Jigawa auto crash
Fifteen persons on Saturday died in an accident involving a sand truck which collided with a car at Garin Ciroma, in Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State. According to an eye witness, the Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle with a passenger capacity of seven and registration number AA 664 DRA was overloaded with 15 persons. […]
15 killed in Jigawa auto crash
15 killed in Jigawa auto crash
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UN issues red alert, warns countries ahead of 2018
The United Nations has called for global unity and safer world ahead of 2018. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres in a new year message, expressed regret over increased conflicts among nations, climate changes, anxieties of nuclear weapon amongst others in 2017. According to him, the world went in reverse to his appeal for peace. The UN Chief […]
UN issues red alert, warns countries ahead of 2018
UN issues red alert, warns countries ahead of 2018
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Murray would be happy at '30 in the world level' before return in Brisbane
Andy Murray says he doesn’t mind if he is ranked at “30 in the world level” as he prepares to return from six months out.
Murray would be happy at '30 in the world level' before return in Brisbane
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ROUND-UP: Iheanacho Ends 2017 With No EPL Goal, Aluko Extends Drought; Obi Starts Again
By Johnny Edward: Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho ended the year 2017 without scoring an English Premier League goal, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.
The 21-year-old Nigerian was left out of Leicester City’s match day squad that lost 2-1 at Liverpool on Saturday.
Mohammed Salah scored a second half brace to cancel out Jamie Vardy’s third minute opener.
Iheanacho featured in 16 EPL games in 2017 (seven for Manchester City and nine appearances for Leicester City) and has failed to find the back of the net.
Iheanacho’s last league goal in the English Premier League was on 26 December, 2016 against Hull City at the KCOM Stadium when he replaced Nolito to score his fourth goal of the season.
Iheanacho was however prolific for the Super Eagles in 2017, scoring four goals in seven games for the national team.
Saturday also saw Wilfred Ndidi make his 21th start of the EPL season for Leicester City. So far in 2017, Ndidi has made 38 appearances in the English Premier League for the Foxes while Ahmed Musa was named on the substitutes bench for the first time this season on Saturday. Musa is yet to feature for Leicester City this season in the EPL.
Victor Moses on his part played for 57 minutes for Chelsea in their 5-0 rout of Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. It was his 14th start of the league campaign for the reigning champions.
At Vicarage Road, Isaac Success was left out of Watford’s squad that lost 2-1 to Swansea City with their new manager Carlos Carvalhal in charge.
In the English Championship, Ola Aina played the whole pf Hull City’s 2-2 home draw with Fulham. It was his 24th start for the Tigers this campaign.
Sone Aluko featured for Reading who drew 1-1 with Barnsley away. The Nigerian international came on for John Swift in the 60th minute of the draw.
The game also saw Aluko extend his goal drought to 10 games for Reading this season.
Aluko, who has scored twice in 20 English Championship games this season for Reading, last scored in their 4-2 win over Derby County on the 4th of November, 2017.
In Italy, Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi made his 11th Serie A start of the season for Torino in Saturday’s goalless draw with Genoa. Umar Sadiq was an unused substitute for the game.
Orji Okwonkwo was also benched for Bologna’s 2-1 loss at home to Udinese. Okonkwo has scored three goals in nine Serie A games.
In Scotland, Efe Ambrose was in action for Hibernian who played out a 1-1 at home to Kilmarnock. It was his 23rd appearance for Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership this season. He has one goal to his name so far.
ROUND-UP: Iheanacho Ends 2017 With No EPL Goal, Aluko Extends Drought; Obi Starts Again
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New York City signs Man City target Jesus Medina
The MLS side has signed the Paraguay international on a four-year deal, with the 20-year-old having been linked with the Premier League leaders
New York City signs Man City target Jesus Medina
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The man is not a kid: Wizkid is Y!/YNaija Person of the Year 2017
2017 was a splendid year for Nigerian musicians working at top-flight level.
Following decades of grinding work and minor successes sowed and reaped by the pioneers of contemporary pop music, it seemed that the rewards of that huge gamble embarked on by the likes of Nelson Brown and Kennis Music was finally beginning to trickle down. Not just to those at the top of the food chain, who had on account of their first-mover status, positioned themselves appropriately to be rewarded, but to anyone willing to put in the hard work as well as those fortunate enough to benefit from arriving just in the nick of time.
The wide, varying spectrum of Nigerian Pop music, lumped problematically as Afrobeats by the West caught the world’s interest like never before in 2017. President Trump may want to build a wall to divide and separate, but the sounds on American radio were set in direct protest, as barriers to cross-pollination effectively crumbled. Despacito was the biggest song in America. Beyoncé gleefully hopped on J Balvin’s Mi Gente. Mr Eazi was an Apple Music ‘Up Next’ artiste, and Tiwa Savage‘s sickly sweet Sugarcane EP was a fixture on the playlist of Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin.
All of this, aside from many other Nigerian artistes scoring distribution and all kinds of management deals with the major music publishing houses. At the forefront of all of this exodus of Nigerian intellectual property is 27-year-old music icon, Ayodeji Balogun, known to the world by one name only, Wizkid.
Not that there is anything remotely juvenile about the man.
The Wizkid story, endlessly inspiring as it has played out publicly, is one of remarkable goodwill, and also one of grace. Of being at the right place, at the right time, and being an unwitting vessel for a movement whose time has come.
But the man is also a compulsive hard worker, has been since he was a teenager hanging around in studios owned by Mo Dogg and OJB Jezreel, learning the ropes from stars such as Banky W and 2Baba.
How does one top the career defining landmark of scoring a Billboard Hot 100 chart topper? By going on the next year to deliver more impact.
Professionally, Wizkid was on a massive roll for most of 2017. Sounds from the Other Side, his first EP with new label, Sony Music/RCA was released to mixed responses at home, on account of his flirtation with newer Caribbean sounds that strayed beyond the confines of Afrobeats. Internationally, the reviews were more welcoming as the sounds were considered exotic.
In September Wizkid cemented his iconic status on the world stage when he performed a sold-out concert at London’s storied Royal Albert Hall as part of the venue’s prestigious Albert sessions. For headlining the very first Afrobeats sessions, Wizkid joined an exclusive group with members including Adele, Sade and Lady Smith Black Mambazo.
At this year’s Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards, Wizkid was the giant killer, slaying heavyweights like JAY-Z, Drake and Kendrick Lamar on his way to picking up the ‘International Best Artist’ award. He had earlier won three trophies at the Billboard Music Awards.
Wizkid was named Artiste of the Year at the All Africa Music Awards and at The Future Awards Africa event in Lagos, billed as the Nobel Prize for Young Africans, Wizkid beat a strong field of entrepreneurs and scientists when he clinched the biggest prize, the ‘Young Person of the Year’
An instant star, blessed with talent to burn and an unwavering knack for sucking the attention to himself whenever he grabbed a hold of the mic, Wizkid’s early promise was spotted by rap king, M.I. who as an upcoming artiste put him on a single on his debut album, and singer/label owner Banky W who promptly signed him up to his Empire Mates Entertainment (EME).
The entire country immediately saw what these guys saw and Wizkid was a hit right from his very first single. His incredible run with EME is easily the label’s golden age and Wizkid contributed more than his fair share to the EME canon, submitting two solo albums as well as doing the bulk of the vocal work on the label’s compilation record, Empire State of Mind. Along the way, contracts were renegotiated, conflicts arose, were defrayed and swords were sheathed. He left the label in 2014 and started his own Star Boy Entertainment, kick-starting perhaps the most successful second act in recent Nigerian music history.
Ojuelegba, the autobiographical stand out single from a forgettable sophomore record, took Wizkid’s career to the stratosphere when it made its way to the London grime scene and caught the attention of rapper Skepta who breathed new life into it when he passed the song along to Canadian superstar Drake.
Wizkid and Drake would make music again.
Their 2016 collaboration One Dance became a global hit, landing at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the charts in 15 countries. Wizkid is the first and only Nigerian artist to achieve this feat. Their follow up single, Come Closer which had Drake switching roles as guest vocalist, was one of the most successful singles of Wizkid’s glittering career.
For rising to the responsibility of leading the next wave of Nigerian entertainers saddled with the responsibility of taking Nigerian sounds to the rest of the world. For charting a course and clearing a path that future performers can look up to. For building bridges at home and abroad when he could easily burn them, for directly influencing his peers and encouraging them to be better. For shining so brightly as an icon while placing the country on a much needed positive footing. For doing more and inspiring countless to reach for greater heights, personally and professionally, Wizkid is the 2017 Y!/YNaija Person of the Year.
Read » The man is not a kid: Wizkid is Y!/YNaija Person of the Year 2017 on YNaija
The man is not a kid: Wizkid is Y!/YNaija Person of the Year 2017
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Nike advertises Barcelona shirts with Coutinho's name
Barcelona kit manufacturers Nike advertised the club’s shirts with Liverpool midfielder’s Philippe Coutinho’s name on the back.
Nike advertises Barcelona shirts with Coutinho's name
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LIVE: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City
Follow all the action from the festive Premier League fixture LIVE with Goal!
LIVE: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City
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Seyi Shay, Shaydee, Dj Conseqeunce, Ifeanyi Nwune, Ehiz, Keturah King, Miss DSF, party at the ultra premium Day Dream Pool Club
After weeks of anticipation, the wait had finally come to an end, as the city of Lagos witnessed the launch of Day Dream Pool Club, a luxurious pool with a serene beach view sitting atop the Ember Creek of Landmark Towers, Victoria Island.
Day Dream Pool Club is in a world of its own as it presents a remarkable blend of epoch-making excitement and a never before seen rooftop pool with a spectacular view seen only in cities like Miami and Marbella.
The night had the trappings of all things luxury as guests in attendance were left in amazement to the uniqueness and coziness of the evening with many not actually knowing what to expect from the stables of Bankhead Lifestyle Company.
The energy of the party was unprecedented with music coming from the intimidating trio of the Vibes Machine Dj Consequence, Dj Strange and DJ Shawty, Dj Lambo amongst more all taking centre stage to deliver nerve racking tunes, with hype men Ben Forster on the mic keeping the party fully fired up.
The Day Dream Pool Club holds every Saturday with the next edition to be hosted alongside Therapy Entertainment and LBHQ.
See photos below:
Read » Seyi Shay, Shaydee, Dj Conseqeunce, Ifeanyi Nwune, Ehiz, Keturah King, Miss DSF, party at the ultra premium Day Dream Pool Club on YNaija
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Mark d’Ball: Food Vendors, Others Make Brisk Business In Otukpo
Food vendors in Otukpo, Benue, are smiling to the bank after a steady boom in their businesses following the return of Mark d’Ball basketball competition in the town.
The competition could not hold in December 2016 following an eviction notice served on the organisers to vacate the premises used for the event.
The competition eventually returned in 2017 following the donation of a new basketball arena by former Senate President David Mark who is the sole sponsor of Mark d’Ball.
Some of the food vendors who spoke to NAN expressed appreciation to the organisers saying that their businesses thrived in 2017 compared to 2016 when the event couldn’t hold.
A vendor, Mrs Gloria Samuel, said she sold a quarter bag of rice every day. This, she said excluded what she makes from selling other foodstuffs.
“Some days I go home with N50,000 and at times N45,000. I always rely on this competition (Mark d’Ball) to prepare for the New Year.
“Last year (2016) December was tough because the competition didn’t hold; planning for the New Year was difficult for my family but I thank God things are normal again,” she said.
She commended the organisers of the competition and pleaded for it to be sustained.
Another vendor who specialised in preparing indomie noodles with egg, but only gave his name as Simeon, said that he enjoyed celebrating his Christmas in Otukpo because of the brisk business during Mark d’Ball.
“I am from Plateau State. In the last five years, I have been going home on Jan. 1 because I wait till the end of Mark d’Ball.
“I couldn’t travel last year (2016) Christmas because Mark d’Ball didn’t hold and I didn’t have enough money to spend when I travel.
“In fact, I have already called my people that I am coming on New Year day because I know I can take care of expenses at home this time around,” Simeon said.
Simeon who sold a plate of two indomie noodles packs and two eggs for N350 said he sold up to four cartons every day.
Mr Malik Adejoh, the manager of Leach Hotel situated in the Government Reserved Area of Otukpo, did not hide his joy for the competition, as his hotel rooms were fully booked.
“Mark d’Ball is one tournament we rely on every year to make up for the lost periods during the year.
“I have managed this hotel for about 15 years and I can tell you what we have benefitted from this competition. People come from different parts of the country to lodge here.
“I have some basketball teams and Nigerian artists that are lodging in this hotel and we also hosted the “Miss Idoma” beauty pageant in this arena.
“As I am talking to you now, we don’t have any room that is free; they have all been booked until Mark d’Ball comes to a close on Dec. 31 night, and this happens every year apart from 2016.
“I know what we lost when it didn’t hold in 2016 but I thank God we are here again,” Adejoh said.
NAN reports that Mark d’Ball is a sports and entertainment event that brings Nigeria’s most exciting basketball teams, comedians and musicians to perform live in Otukpo.
Famous musicians Majek Fashek, Tuface Idibia, Terry G, P-Square, Ambassador Wahala, Aboki for Christ, Fred Bright and Chuks the General are some of the entertainers that performed at Mark d‘Ball events.
Others are Ice Prince, Tekno, Okey Bakassi, Ibu, Pastor Nicodemus and Klint da drunk.
The post Mark d’Ball: Food Vendors, Others Make Brisk Business In Otukpo appeared first on Independent Nigeria.
Mark d’Ball: Food Vendors, Others Make Brisk Business In Otukpo
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Police confirm kidnap of Taraba lawmaker
Nigeria Police Force. Photo: Naijang
The Taraba Police Command on Sunday confirmed the abduction of a state legislator, Mr. Hosea Ibi by three unidentified gunmen.
Ibi represents Takum 1 in the State House of Assembly.
The command’s spokesman, Mr. David Misal said in Jalingo, the capital, that Ibi was kidnapped in Takum, his hometown Saturday night.
“ I can confirm to you that the lawmaker was kidnapped last night in Takum.That is all I can tell you for now,” Misal said.
The spokesman said the command has mobilised its men to Takum to rescue the lawmaker.
Mr. Rimansikpe Tsokwa, a witness of the abduction, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ibi was abducted around 10 p.m on Saturday.
“ Three gunmen alighted from two motorcycles at about 10 p.m and stormed Hosea’s mother’s residence.
“ Immediately they entered, they seized all handsets belonging to the people in the compound.
“They then dragged the member to their motorcycles and whisked him away without saying anything.” he said.
NAN reports that Takum is also the hometown of the state governor, Darius Ishaku, who is celebrating the New Year in the town.
Police confirm kidnap of Taraba lawmaker
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Mark Warburton: Nottingham Forest sack manager after nine months in charge
Nottingham Forest sack manager Mark Warburton and assistant David Weir after nine months at the City Ground.
Mark Warburton: Nottingham Forest sack manager after nine months in charge
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Liverpool star Mo Salah has Lionel Messi vibe – Ian Wright
Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright says Liverpool forward Mo Salah’s style of play reminds him of Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Liverpool star Mo Salah has Lionel Messi vibe – Ian Wright
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Scarcity: Black Market Petrol Booms In Kano
Black market petrol is booming in Kano as the scarcity of the product persists.
Many filling stations in the commercial city have shut down with the exception of the NNPC Mega station at Hotoro area and the few stations owned by a popular marketer, AA Rano.
A few other stations still offering the product to the public are ignoring NNPC sanctions by jacking prices from N145 per litre to between N210 and N220 per litre. But their supply is not always reliable.
As a result of the development, tens of unemployed youths have taken to the risky business of selling fuel on major streets in the metropolis.
While they sell four litres for between N1,100 and N1, 200.
AA Rano filling stations and the NNPC Mega filling station sell at the approved government price of N145 per litre, but motorists have to endure long queues to fill their tanks.
Mohammed Bashir, a resident of Kano, who could not brave the queues, said he had parked his car at home, as he could no longer afford to buy fuel at the black market price.
“I need at least two gallons on daily basis, so if I have to buy two gallons daily, that means I need N2,200 because I cannot withstand the stress of following the queue at the filling stations that are selling,”he said.
Another resident, Malam Aminu Inuwa expressed concern over the lingering fuel crisis in the country and called on the Federal Government to take stringent measures to end petrol scarcity in the country.
Inuwa, who, described the scarcity as artificial, called on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction any marketer caught either diverting or selling the product above the government approved price of N145 per litre.
The post Scarcity: Black Market Petrol Booms In Kano appeared first on Independent Nigeria.
Scarcity: Black Market Petrol Booms In Kano
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Dalung speaks on appointment of NFF board members by Buhari
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has described appointment of members into the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board by government as an oversight. Dalung, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, urged football stakeholders to remain calm over some appointments into the NFF board by the Federal Government, adding that corrections were being […]
Dalung speaks on appointment of NFF board members by Buhari
Dalung speaks on appointment of NFF board members by Buhari
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2018: Dogara tells Nigerians what to do
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called on Nigerians to exercise patience with the current government in the midst of the many challenges confronting the country. He, however applauded them for their resilience and determination despite the harsh economy. Dogara, who expressed optimism that better days were ahead, urged Nigerians to […]
2018: Dogara tells Nigerians what to do
2018: Dogara tells Nigerians what to do
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Salah, Neymar, Paulinho and the top 15 transfers of the season so far
A collection of the most productive summer deals completed by sides in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1
Salah, Neymar, Paulinho and the top 15 transfers of the season so far
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VIDEO: Neymar's best goals, tricks and moments of 2017
The PSG attacker had a superb start to his time in the French capital and Goal has put together a compilation of his greatest moments
VIDEO: Neymar's best goals, tricks and moments of 2017
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Bike Accident: Ndoma-Egba Prays For PMB’s Son, Yusuf
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Governing Board Chairman, Distinguished Senator Ndoma-Egba, SAN, has prayed for the speedy recovery of Yusuf, the son of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was involved in a power-bike accident. In a statement released by the Chairman’s Special Assistant on Communications, Mrs Clara Braide, he expressed relief at the news that […]
The post Bike Accident: Ndoma-Egba Prays For PMB’s Son, Yusuf appeared first on Leadership Nigeria Newspapers.
Bike Accident: Ndoma-Egba Prays For PMB’s Son, Yusuf
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Klopp delighted with 'perfect' Liverpool after Leicester victory
The Reds drew gushing plaudits from their manager after Mohamed Salah’s brace overhauled Jamie Vardy’s early opener at Anfield
Klopp delighted with 'perfect' Liverpool after Leicester victory
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Taraba lawmaker, Hosea Ibi kidnapped
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Taraba lawmaker, Hosea Ibi kidnapped
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Pulse 36: Meet Fu'ad Lawal, the man who visited the 36 states in 80 days
Fu'ad Lawal embarked on a journey to visit the 36 states in Nigeria. Here is his story.
On July 1, 2017, Fu'ad Lawal, a writer for Pulse embarked on a journey to travel the 36 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory known as Pulse 36.
Accompanied by a cameraman by the name of Chris, they spent 80 days on the road, soaking up the many cultures and scenes in Nigeria.
It was indeed a great trip and an eye opening one for Fu'ad. He speaks about his passion project in this interview below;
Pulse: What led you to go on this insane project?
Fu'ad: I’m 100% an outdoor animal. I was actually planning to go to Yankari Game Reserves but at some point, I was like ‘damn I am going to do the entire country’. At first, I was like ‘how on earth am I going to go on my own?’ Someone was like ‘yo tell your boss’. So I told Osagie Alonge, I cannot forget the date, December 31st, 2016 at the office and he was like ‘yo we actually do this thing’. And that is how it happened.
Pulse: What made you get out of Lagos to see the whole of Nigeria?
Fu'ad: First of all I am a larinka (a wanderer). My brother calls me dogleg. I love travelling very, very much. Because we were born in one place doesn’t mean we have to die here. It’s just that hunger to see outside, to see more, every time. I won’t pretend that since I came back I haven’t been thinking about more land to cover.
Pulse: You have that fever.
Fu'ad: Fam, I can’t stop thinking about West Africa.
Pulse: Was there at any point that you felt this project was too grand for you?
Fu'ad: First of all, there was back and forth and trying to make it go live. I think I was borderline obsessed. I have never been obsessed with something like this before. I have a very poor attention span but I have not been obsessed with something before in such a long time. From my end, I knew I was going to do it. It was already beyond reason.
Pulse: Majority of Nigeria is uncharted territory. Didn’t you have the fear of the unknown?
Fu'ad: I was not scared. I travelled with Chris. I think Chris was telling everybody when we got back that I was trying to get him killed because I was not scared. It was insane. When I think back at it, I was like ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’ You only die once.
Pulse: Did you even sleep at all on the night before the great journey?
Fu'ad: The night we were supposed to leave I was at the office then I went to my friend’s house the next night. I did not sleep. In fact, I woke up in the midnight and unpacked my bag and repacked it. I think I slept for like 2 hours that night. We were already at Oshodi by 5 pm.
Pulse: What was in your mind at this point?
Fu'ad: I was pumped. My heart was beating in my ears. It was so insane that when the cab finally moved I slept off. The first video we made, Chris actually recorded me sleeping.
Pulse: What did you take along with you on this journey?
Fu'ad: I took five shirts. I took a laptop that I dumped in Warri because it was too heavy. Of course a phone, chargers. I took mosquito repellents that I didn’t really get to use. Two pairs of jeans, boxers like two pairs, only the most important stuff. I had a smaller bag where I just kept my wallet, phone and chargers. I have this rule for travelling, if it cannot fit into your bag it is not important.
Fu'ad: Did any of your friends or family members try to discourage you?
Pulse: I have an incredible brother. When I told him I was going to travel he just asked for my ATM pin. So I gave him my ATM pin and he is my beneficiary. So he was quite covered (laughs). My dad did not know till I hit the road. Most of my family members did not know. My cousins were like ‘are you mad?’ You know how Yoruba people are.
Fu'ad: How did you guys navigate the whole of Nigeria? Where did you start from and how did you map your movement?
Pulse: We left Lagos off to Ogun state. The plan was to go anti-clockwise. Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, then we pivoted to the South-South, Edo, Delta, Anambra. South-South and South-East are quite intertwined so we entered both regions together. Then from Benue, we moved up to the North-East, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno. From Borno, we started heading straight to the boundary states of the North, then straight to the North-West which is Kebbi. Then we came down Niger, North-Central, Abuja, Nasarawa, Plateau then down to the South-West then back to Lagos.
Fu'ad: Tell me about day one, your first day on the road?
Pulse: Day one was actually…there was a rejection at first. The Bilqis (monument), we went there and the man was like we should get out.
Fu'ad: Why? Isn’t it a national monument?
Pulse: He was like journalists come every time and tell these stories but nothing changes so what’s the point?
Fu'ad: What’s wrong with the place?
Pulse: The place is heavily dilapidated. It’s one of those places that government just lists and never really do anything. And we met a lot of places like that. We had to get approvals. They told us that before we could get a tour of the palace of the Awujale of Ijebu we had to write a letter that would be approved in two weeks.
Fu'ad: Based on your journey do you think we are taking tourism seriously in this country?
Pulse: Nigeria has enough to decide to focus one thing and still be alright. If Nigeria decides to invest in tourism alone we will be alright. Calabar as a town thrives on the carnival and entire tourism culture there. They don’t seem to be doing very badly. First of all, the idea of rebranding Nigeria is the biggest scam. I don’t know what they rebranded. If you decide to do a rebranding campaign to promote pan-nationalism, that pan Nigerian identity, how will you keep saying great people, a great nation and keep making posters without actually telling these stories?
One interesting fact about every place we went to was that the more a people documented their history, the more they revered their kings. And people who revere their kings, revere their traditions. If you decide to just tell stories and try to intertwine them together we will feel a sense of belonging. There is no incentive to be a Nigerian. Like what does Nigeria give you for being a Nigerian? Nothing. The tourism has to be palatable for Nigerians first. We have to be comfortable being Nigerians before inviting foreigners.
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"There is a strong culture of storytelling in Yoruba land"
Pulse: How was the South-West for you?
Fu'ad: My challenge with the South-West was because I am Yoruba it was difficult approaching the region from an outsider’s perspective. At least I went to the palace of the Ooni of Ife. I entered Ile Ase, where Ogun entered the ground. I went there and I still saw like the almost mummified head of a dog. You know it has been there for a while. We weren’t allowed to take photos. I mean I could have disobeyed but I had to respect tradition. I feel I would have preferred the wrath of the god than the wrath of the people.
Yorubaland. One of the reasons why tourism is very vibrant there is because there are many places to visit. Almost more than any other region in Nigeria. Besides the proximity to Lagos is that there is a strong culture of storytelling in Yoruba land. I know my great, great, great grandfather’s occupation because of my oriki. I know he was a fire priest (apena). In South-West, pretty dope. Apparently, there is an Aso-Oke festival in Iseyin and I didn’t know.
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"The South-South is actually so diverse"
Pulse: After the Southwest was the South-South. How was that like?
Fu'ad: The best part of the South-South was food. I ate something in Calabar, Ekpang Nkukwo. If I had eaten it in a woman’s house, that would have been the end of the whole trip. Culturally, the food amazing. Then the South-South is actually so diverse. It is very easy for people in Lagos especially Yoruba people to say after Edo is basically one tribe.
Meanwhile, an interesting thing in South-South is that is very tough being a young adult male. When we got to Benin, a police truck with about 8 officers in it blocked us. They asked what weapons we were carrying inside our bags. Every checkpoint in the South-South, when they just see two young males, they search you.
Pulse: Why is it like that in Edo state?
Fu'ad: Cultism is like a religion in Edo state. There is so much that makes being young and male in Edo very volatile. Besides the cultism aspect, there is the fact that significant part of human trafficking from Naija to Europe is from Edo state. And those cartels are run by cultists too. So even just being a young guy with a good car, you are either a Yahoo boy or cultist. It is like you have to be something. You just can’t be successful.
Pulse: How was Calabar? Did it live up to the hype?
Fu'ad: Yes. Calabar is like a giant estate, very quiet and very small. Everybody knows everybody. It’s a sexually liberal place also. Calabar is what happens when you invest heavily in tourism. Calabar does not have much when you go there when it’s not carnival season. Tinapa is completely empty but the average person wants to go to Calabar because it has invested so much in giving itself an image.
Tinapa is the perfect site for your post Apocalyptic Nigerian movie. It is completely empty except the Tinapa hotel where we met a few staff. The malls are closed. It is actually tragic.
Pulse: One of the highlights of this trip was when you went to the War Museum in Asaba. Explain how you felt visiting there?
Fu'ad: Asaba people were massacred by Nigerian forces on October 7, 1967. And the only memorial in Asaba that was not built by the government but from the pockets of the surviving families. The Nigerian government chose to forget but they chose to remember.
On the plaques, you will see the names of all the people massacred. You can see a particular surname like four times in a row and you start to paint a picture that this is an entire family that was actually wiped out. We met one of the senior Chiefs in Asaba, the Onohi. He literally pointed at the place where his father and cousin are buried. It was at a junction.
It makes you question many things. The interesting thing about Asaba people are not bitter. They have forgiven but they will never forget. And the Nigerian government has even failed to acknowledge it.
We met Augustine Ndili, he was a survivor. In fact, his own survival story was quite incredible. Chris was crying because he is from Agbor which is one hour away from Asaba. He never knew this story.
Asaba is one side of the river. The other side is Onitsha. When we finished meeting with Augustine Ndili, we went straight to Onitsha so we met IPOB members. It was like meeting the old and the new side of Biafra. I remember when we ran into some IPOB members, I referred to Nnamdi Kanu as Kanu and one of them said ‘you can’t refer to him as just Kanu. He is our Supreme Leader Nnamdi Kanu’. I can never forget. This was the first time I heard anyone call him Supreme Leader.
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"Nnamdi Kanu saw an opportunity and he used it to the fullest"
Pulse: How was it like when you got to Onitsha because that’s when the IPOB movement was heavy?
Fu'ad: He just left Onitsha at the time. Like he does state tours. I consider him to be the most influential leader in the East since Ojukwu unarguably. In Yoruba land, you can always find that Tinubu or Awolowo, in the North you can find the Suardana, even Buhari but in the East, it has never really been like that since Ojukwu and Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Nnamdi Kanu saw an opportunity and he used it to the fullest. He was born after the Biafran war. He didn’t witness the war. He grew up on the grievances and emotions of the war. It was his reality and the number one key to the virality of any idea is relatability. Everybody that grew up in the East or has an Igbo family has heard a war story. Every market in the entire South-East has a small IPOB outpost. It is a strong movement. I have never seen Igbo people willing to say they are willing to die for something before but many of them are willing to die.
Pulse: How was it like going to Nnamdi Kanu’s house and meeting him?
Fu'ad: Nnamdi Kanu is a very smart man. When we got to his house, we met his younger brother. They knew we were press. The thing with IPOB is that they want the attention. His house is five minutes away from the government house.
100m from his house you meet a security guy looking very smart. He looks like a cadet. Once you tell them you are press you get an easy passage. Interestingly there were no weapons in sight. The closest thing to a weapon was a metal detector. Everybody was dressed looking very sharp. The courtesy was impeccable. The thing about IPOB is that they are not violent. MASSOB was very violent and intimidating.
Nnamdi Kanu incited hate. Yes IPOB is a hate group but it is not a terrorist group. I saw terror in the North-East. I know what terror looks like. I know what hate looks like. Nnamdi Kanu represents something. People can say what they like, but half the time when we are talking about these things we are not addressing the issue. It is very easy and lazy for people on Twitter to say ‘is it only them that have suffered?’
Just before we got there it was in the new that South-South would not follow him. When we got there, we sat for like an hour. In his compound, there were at least a hundred people. There was a women’s group that came from Asaba or Anambra. The leaders in Asaba don’t officially affiliate with IPOB. Their stance is one Nigeria. There were groups from Anambra who just came to pledge allegiance that elections would not hold on November 18th, Anambra state elections.
When we got inside Nnamdi Kanu said: “my Pulse people you are welcome.” We were in his living room. After talking for a bit he asked us to excuse him. There was an endless stream of guests throughout that day.
We tried to see him afterwards but it was not possible. We had an itinerary to stick to. They wanted us to stay. They offered to host us. Maybe we would have stayed over but we didn’t. One of the most interesting things was that at 6 pm, everybody was at attention. Everyone stood up in the compound and they are lowering the flag of Biafra There are only two flags in his premises, the flag of Biafra and the flag of Israel. Everyone marched and saluted. I was like ‘woah’.
The part that struck the most was that at the entrance of his house there were two security guys there, young chaps. When we were leaving one of them offered to see us off. We were off to Uyo that night. It was already in the evening.
I asked him his name and he said ‘archangel’. I interpreted this to mean because he was standing guard at Nnamdi Kanu’s door. I asked him “what name did your father give you?” He told me, Prince. I asked him if he was worried that this Biafra dream would go wrong and violence would erupt and he laughed and said ‘everyone you saw there, is willing to die.’ We even saw Nnamdi Kanu’s father. We saw women crying when they saw Nnamdi Kanu. Some people brought a ram to him for a blessing.
Before we went to his house, we visited the War Museum in Umuahia and some of the people we met there were survivors of the war. They told us stories. A man named Steven told us how during the war he ate lizards to the extent that lizards became scarce in Biafra. Bombs would drop on houses and everyone would run to separate places. After like four days everyone would reunite. All the old people we met that experienced the war, except the one in Nnamdi’s house, were like ‘we don’t want war again’. They kept emphasizing on restructuring. Even in Asaba, it was the same thing.
Pulse: What else did you pick from the South East and South South?
Fu'ad: I have lived in the East before but I have never seen Igbo people as politically charged as I did now. Normally the most politically charged region is the North.
The North’s political awakening is from a global perspective because of Muslim sentiments. They are aligned with the Free Palestine movement. It is pretty common for you to drive by in the North and see political graffitis. The Biafra sentiments in the East are very, very strong and I think a lot of the success of IPOB is because of the religious undertone. When you give a cause a religious undertone, there is a new form of zeal. Even when you identify the problems people don’t care. Throughout this journey, there is no place where we did not see an Igbo person. Incredible people.
Pulse: After the South-East, which region was next?
Fu'ad: We exited the South-East from Enugu. We went to Chinua Achebe’s house, amazing place.
Pulse: Yeah, talk about that.
Fu'ad: I entered the study where Chinua Achebe used to write. It is now a bedroom. The house is inside the University of Nsukka, inside the staff quarters. The family that is staying there are not writers but it is a genius family. The parents are major academic people. The two daughters are lecturers. One of the sons is studying astrophysics. Chimamanda Adichie actually grew up in this house. I read that one of her stories in ‘A Thing Around Your Neck’ was inspired by the staircase in the house. I feel the house should be a national monument.
Benue state was the next stop but a short one. The first thing about Benue state that blew my mind was that we bought a bucket of oranges for just N150. That state is a food basket.
Nigeria is a very cheap country to live in if you move away from the cities. Lagos is a trap. That’s what people don’t understand. This city is a trap. If you had a pay cut and had to live outside Lagos, you will be fine. I saw a 3-bedroom apartment in Ilorin for N200,000.
Makurdi is a pretty chilled town. We left just before the floods came. It was bitter-sweet because I wish we were there during the flood. If we were there when it happened we would have given it good coverage and people would have paid attention to time.
Pulse: How was the Middle Belt like?
Fu'ad: We just stayed in Benue and headed for Taraba. You know the North is very big. The next local government can be hours away. Our welcome to the North was Makurdi to Jalingo- ten hours. We entered Jalingo around 10:30 pm. It was insane. The good thing is that there was food immediately we dropped. I first told the mashai to give me food. The language challenge started here. It was not that serious but that was when we encountered it.
Pulse: You mean you didn’t have this problem in the whole of the South?
Fu'ad: In the South-South and South-East pidgin is the lingua franca. In the South-West literacy levels are high but in the North people speak Hausa like they don’t even need English. The first language in the North is Hausa.
From Jalingo someone we met in Port-Harcourt, Inyang Effiong, he rode on a bike from Nigeria to Austria, 31 days. Eight African countries and four European countries. He is an insane guy. His wife is a rally driver. He even had to make a quick stop in Dakar to see her. He was even telling us about Gembu in Taraba state and how we must go there. I didn’t know about Gembu until then.
Gembu is the highest point in Nigeria. It is higher than Jos. We woke up in the morning there and it was like 13 degrees. We went to the hotel there and there was no AC and we thanked them for not having ACs. They gave us water to have our baths. We refused. A full bucket of hot water was already gold in mere minutes. Gembu is like a virgin Obudu. Atiku, Obasanjo and IBB have homes there. Atiku’s house and Obasanjo’s house are actually beside each other.
Gembu has the largest tea plantation in Africa. In fact, most of the tea is from there. It is a pretty interesting place Gembu has the potential to grow coffee and all the Mediterranean fruits that we spend major bucks on. And there is so much land there.
Then after Taraba state was Adamawa. That was where the language barrier hit us full force. You can go out and not find anyone that speaks English. I am not exaggerating. If you run into someone who speaks English, you feel like a Nigerian who stumbled on another Nigerian in Times Square in New York.
When we got to Mubi that night, it was so bad. The language barrier was so bad that I didn’t know how to tell people that I was hungry. The language barrier was actually a major disadvantage for us. If you can’t speak Hausa in the North it is a minus, a complete minus.
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"The most hospitable people in the North are the Northerners"
Pulse: What were the things that surprised you about the North?
Fu'ad: There’s a perception for example in Zamfara that if you are a Christian, you are finished or dead. The North is not all roses but when you look at it from a more objective point of view, it is pretty much another manifestation of another Nigerian problem of tribalism. The most hospitable people in the North are the Northerners.
In Maiduguri for example, the people there laugh too much. These are people who have seen violence and they are living life like…they see if a bomb goes off everybody scatters. An hour later everyone is back to their normal business. They are resilient. There is more diversity in the North than we talk about.
"Damboa road is the most dangerous highway in Nigeria"
Pulse: Breakdown your experience in the North-East
Fu'ad: When we got to Yola everything was pretty chilled, just another hot, sunny, town with a lot of women hawking fura. The real welcome to the war zone is on your way to Mubi.
Mubi is one of the most heavily hit towns in Adamawa state. At the checkpoints, all the soldiers are armed to the teeth. Everybody is on high alert. You cannot raise your phone at a checkpoint, they will open fire.
We entered Mubi at night so we really didn’t see much. The next morning it was like Hurricane Boko Haram came through town. There was a bank that was riddled with bullet holes.
The next day, we were heading to Maiduguri, so we went to a restaurant to eat. At the restaurant, we saw a guy who we asked on how to get to Maiduguri. He told us that there are two roads to Maiduguri. His Hausa accent was so strong so I could barely hear what he was saying. He told us to take a cab going through Gombe. We thanked him and left.
When we got to the park, the driver said that the only cab was going through Gamba road. The driver could not speak English. Another man in the park told us that we need to make up our minds on time so that the driver can leave on time and quickly catch up with the escort. I really didn’t understand the escort part.
We left around 11 in the morning and you see that corridor it was a museum of terror. The road from Mubi to Damboa has Gwoza, Askira, Chibok. These are some of the most hit towns by Boko Haram.
At the checkpoints, everybody comes down. You all walk past the checkpoint and you space out. The driver moves the car. The point is that anyone can have a rifle in the car.
During our journey, we were running out of time. You could tell the urgency in the driver’s voice and we could not speak Hausa and he could not speak English. When we got to Damboa it was like 3:30 pm. When we got to the last checkpoint, we told a soldier we were going to Maiduguri. He shook his head and told us to rush to see if we could meet up with the escort. We got there at 3:45 pm. The escort normally leaves at 4 pm so we were 15 minutes early.
Damboa road is the most dangerous highway in Nigeria along with Biu Damaturu which we passed later. For the last two years, military escorts have been leading vehicles across into the city.
We were at least 30 vehicles there. Everybody in single file, A mobile police scout car, a military truck with soldiers everywhere. For the soldiers, it is now like a routine. We wanted to approach the soldiers but it was very sensitive timing and it was like you don’t want to take any chances.
I have travelled a lot. I have been robbed before on a highway at night but I have never been on a journey more intense than Damboa road. You know when a hen is going with her chicks a hawk is flying, every chick tries to get under the hen. That’s how it was on this journey. Everybody wanted to be close as possible to the convoy. There were these two guys, who were in a Toyota and their car broke down. You know the way F1 rally is, two of got out of the car quickly and 15 minutes later they overtook us.
I saw a car in front that had broken down. By the time we got to the spot, he had repaired the car and moved. Nobody stops for you. There is no brotherhood on that highway because it is literally the front line of the Boko Haram.
There are some places on this road where you will see spent bullet shell, burnt Hilux vehicles and bomb craters on the road.
There was a soldier we saw on our journey who had ‘Kill Them All. Check Back’ written on his helmet. We couldn’t just take his picture. When the driver got to the safe zone, the first thing he did was to park, come out of the vehicle and ease himself. All of us came out and joined him.
Afterwards, we asked the driver were Sambisa was. He pointed in the direction. The first place we went to in Maiduguri was the Monday market. I called my friend who has a morbid humour. His name is Musa, a medical student at the University of Maiduguri.
I told him we were at Monday Market and he just laughed. “You guys better leave there on time. That is the most bombed and attacked place in Maiduguri” he said.
We headed to the hospital and we met students, older students that gave us gists of when Boko Haram was literally running Maiduguri. They had checkpoints. They had offices. They were running things. You hear stories of how guys were afraid to come outside.
Musa told me that no matter how hardcore you are as a doctor when you start hearing the sirens you know that a bomb just went off. Five ambulances can roll into the hospital, stacked with bodies.
We were told a story of when they admitted a Boko Haram fighter. The soldiers are on 24 hours keeping guard and if he knows that he gets well it's over for him. The fighter was rejecting medicine and treatment. This guy deteriorated till he died. We still went to other places in Maiduguri. We couldn't enter IDP camps thanks to a report by The Cable. No press or foreigners allowed.
When you think about Maiduguri you think everyone is in hiding. When we got to the market, it was like Idumota crowd. We met an antique seller in the market. He sells old Naira notes. He took us to a place in the market where in 2012, 10 gunmen came and opened fire on anything that was moving. And people are still selling stuff at that same spot.
Another incredible thing is the Nigerians who uproot their lives to serve there. I have a friend called Aisha. She’s a doctor and works with IRC and she lives opposite Giwa Barracks, which used to be the holding place of the most notorious Boko Haram suspects. There was a day Boko Haram attacked the barracks, all guns blazing. Aisha did not leave Maiduguri even while this happened. There are many courageous people like here there. We are not telling these stories enough.
After Maiduguri, we headed to Biu. Boko Haram almost overran the cantonment in Biu but did not succeed. That was a wrong turn for us. I have no regrets. Before we got to Biu, we already had a contact with someone on Instagram. She gave us her mum’s number and her brother’s number. And her uncle works with the civilian ATF. It’s an incredible work those guys are doing. The Nigerian army would not succeed without those guys because they know the locals.
We entered Biu on a Thursday night. The Friday morning we were at the headquarters of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) office telling them about how they are doing an amazing job and how we want to tell these stories. They told us to go to the local government and take permission. We went there and the officials told us to wait. While we were waiting, a CJTF official came out of nowhere and said we didn’t follow due process.
We told him this is why we are here. The next thing he said was “let’s go to the barracks.” And I was happy because I thought we were going to see actual soldiers. We got to the barracks and next thing you know they were interrogating us on whether we were Boko Haram spies or spying for neighbouring countries. It felt like a compliment to think I was an international spy. We were there for five hours. They checked every photo we had on the hard disk. Around 5:30-6pm, they told us we were free to go.
Pulse: You guys weren’t scared?
Fu'ad:To be honest, we had nothing to be scared about especially because what we were doing was already on the Internet. It was documented. We were heading to Gombe. Apparently, they had sent our pictures ahead to the checkpoint.
I was already dozing in the front when we got to the checkpoint. We were stopped. The soldiers single-handedly picked out three of us. It was obvious something was wrong. They put us on the floor. They were looking at their phones and our faces so clearly they knew who we were.
Meanwhile, there was a fourth person with us, the brother (Monsiru) of the woman who reached out to us on Instagram. They interrogated us while he went home. They asked where was the fourth person. I wanted to reply in Yoruba because I wanted to let the soldiers knew I came from far away. As I just said ‘ati cantonment lati wa’ a soldier just said shut up with a slap on my face. The Commanding Officer apologized and cautioned his soldier. I went to check the cab we took and the passengers inside were shaking. They thought we were Boko Haram suspects.
The soldiers told us that they were taking us back with a military escort back to Biu. We got halfway and they handed us over to another convoy. It was a VIP treatment. We actually slept in the officer’s mess called Vulcan suite. There was no dinner because it was past 11 pm but we had drinks. Next morning there was breakfast in bed. The CO wanted to see us. Apparently, they brought back Monsiru from his house and the CO told us we were off to Damaturu. He said we were not under arrest but his boss wanted to clarify a few things.
When we were going we saw one of the most beautiful sights. As we drove we saw people coming out from their houses and they were hailing the soldiers. It was pure love. I had goose pimples. Fathers were putting their children on their necks. The people in the North-East are farmers mostly so in Biu thousands of people come out, converge then the military escorts them to their farmlands and stays with them till night then they bring them back because of Boko Haram.
We got to Biu Damaturu highway and the next escort that we took split us. I was in one vehicle and Chris was in the other one. In Chris’ vehicle, one soldier asked him if he can speak Igbo. Chris nodded. He now told him in Igbo that this corridor that we were about to pass, forget this escort and just pray.
When we were approaching a pothole, they always slowed down till you get into the front of the pothole before you now drive inside. Why? Boko Haram rig potholes with explosives.
At a particular spot, cows started crossing the road. The convoy stopped and the soldiers came down. Apparently, you can’t overrun cows so Boko Haram pushes cows on the road and open fire. The journey was like a trip where we got to see the devastation Boko Haram had caused. We got to a place were soldiers set up a temporary camp and they were talking about a soldier who always gets transferred to the hottest spots because he is a morale booster. He is fierce.
When we finally got to Damaturu we were put in an interrogation room. They interrogated us one by one. It’s the same questions that we were asked. We were there until evening when they told us that they were taking us somewhere to sign our release papers.
We got to the entrance of a place, it was unmarked. I saw people at the entrance holding different guns. We got to the reception and they told us to fill some papers. The next thing they told us was to take off our caps, our belts, shoes, socks and watches.
It was a detention but they didn't put us in a cell. It was more like a room, no bed or anything. We just slept on a couch. The next morning we told them we are not hungry for food but for answers. We didn’t eat till one of their superiors came. He explained things to us, and later one we ate. We wrote statements on how we got there from Lagos. This was a Sunday.
The thing about detention is that you have enough time to think about everything. Whenever there was a silent period in the room, I knew guys were over thinking so I would cheer them up. We played so many children's game to get our mind away from things.
The next day it was someone from the Nigerian Union of Journalists that came which led to our release. The next morning which was a Tuesday we were off and left the North-East. The next stop was Yankari at Bauchi where we went to decompress. It was insane.
"There is no cohesive Nigerian dream"
Pulse: You’ve been to 36 states and seen so many people. Can you define the Nigerian spirit based on this experience?
Fu'ad: Nigerians put tribe over country first. There is really any no sense of nationalism among Nigerians. It’s hard to blame them because Nigeria has not given them much. There is no cohesive Nigerian dream. In the real sense, Nigeria is just a geographical expression. The biggest lie is strength in diversity. Nigerians divide by every possible line.
Pulse: No Nigerian swindled during your journey which was surprising.
Fu'ad: When we were in Ondo state, a guy just reached out to me on Twitter and said I am paying for your hotel. It was a N5,000 room but it meant a lot especially when I found out he was a corps member. He had nothing to gain. Nigerian everywhere were excited when we told them about our journey.
Sometimes we were so naive but people didn’t take advantage of us. Maybe it was because we were guys. Maybe it would be completely different for a woman. Even a woman, Susan, joined us on the road and nothing happened.
I remember when Susan joined us and she was very panicky about when we were heading to Zamfara. When we got to Kano we had to go and buy her a dress and when she entered Gusau there was no need for her to wear the dress. She went around with her low cut, her jeans and nobody stopped her. Nigerians just want to get by to be honest.
Pulse: Was there any moment you missed Lagos?
Fu'ad: Never. The closer we got to Lagos, the sadder I became. When we first entered Lagos our first stop was Ketu. We took the BRT. I was numb. I didn’t miss Lagos at all. I would totally live outside Lagos.
Pulse: Now that you have wanderlust fully in your blood, what’s your next project?
Fu'ad: West Africa.
Pulse: Why?
Fu'ad: One thing this trip around Nigeria did was that it made me realize that we are more alike than unalike. We are all intertwined. One thing that fascinated me even before this trip was how Senegal is one of the most influential countries in West Africa. The gave us food, music, culture and religion. I feel there is this cohesive African vibe and it will be interesting to see it in a stretch. Travelling in Nigeria helped to connect dots.
Pulse: How easy was it keeping a journal?
Fu'ad: It was hard. At some point, we track lost of days. Apart from Monday and Friday, the remaining days of the week were blurry. We kept track up until we got in detention. That was the first time we took a real pause of not doing anything and we never recovered physically and mentally. It dulled us. We did 80 days, even though the target was 72 days.
Pulse: Are you going to write a book about your experience?
Fu'ad: I want to see if I can write a mini-journal. It’s totally worth it to document it.
Pulse 36: Meet Fu'ad Lawal, the man who visited the 36 states in 80 days
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