This Christmas...

I have been looking forward to this Christmas season like my life depended on it! Two work days and the weekend entirely to me! Absolute bliss! My plans for the holiday are pretty simple! Sleep, eat, watch TV, more sleep, more food, more TV, more drinks and some more sleep! The past two weeks leading up to the Christmas break has been the most hectic I have experienced. The traffic in Lagos especially to and from the Island to the mainland has been gangster, added to the fact that I get to go back to work right after the Christmas weekend *inserts sad face* you can only imagine my joy to have four days to myself!

Photo credit: www.flickr.com 

Not to be a bore though, I do like to have some fun, especially doing what I enjoy and possibly exploring new terrains in the fun department. It was also a great coincidence that much of the shows and events I had planned to attend this Christmas season were all happening before the 25^th! As though the stars had prior knowledge of my plans to sleep through the Christmas holiday… (Thanks Big G! *hugs*).

First up on my list of shows to attend was “Rhythm Unplugged”, the Pepsi sponsored musical concert showcasing Nigerian artists with some dose of comedy. Since the inception of the show about ten years ago, I have only been once and was looking forward to this season. If only show organizers would ditch the “African time” mentality I most likely may have enjoyed the show a lot more…It’s really rude to keep people waiting for 3 extra hours before show time... I still don’t understand the rationale behind keeping people well behind schedule. Anyway, the highlight of the show for me was meeting TV host and On Air Personality, Ik Osakioduwa whom I still have a personal vendetta with for being such a fabulous TV host! Lol! He’s such a bubbly personality!

Bisola & Kechy famzing with IK!!! lol

I totally enjoyed Psquare's performance!!

Bisola, Nkem & Kechy @ the show

I had also planned to see one of the 11 shows lined up for “Saro the Musical 2” a Nigerian theatre based musical play featuring some of the finest talents from drama, music, dance and the arts. So off we went for the premier show on the 23^rd of December and I must confess that this is one of the best shows I have attended till date. Gosh! Nigeria has got some serious talent! Who would have thought that theatre plays in Nigeria could be that captivating! Every bit of the show was a pleasure to watch. We were grinning from ear-to-ear all through the show…

Before the show...

Opening performance at the show

More clips...

Bisola & I grinning from ear-to-ear! lol

I just might be motivated by the weekend to try one more adventure before I get thrown right back to work mode! lol! 

What are your plans for this Christmas? If you are an adventurous mind like me (well I tend to think I am! lol) that loves and appreciates the arts, Saro the Musical 2 is the show to see this Christmas! Fully endorsed by me!! Lol! There will be seven more shows leading up to the end of the season from now till the 28^th of December so run off and get your tickets and thank me later! *big grin*

Till next time, eat moderately, have a very merry Christmas and enjoy the good tidings that come with the season! 

Toodles!!

Kechy! 

#TakeTheTrainChallenge

It was one of those things that started out as a casual conversation between a group of friends. I had just read a documented account of someone else’s train ride experience from Lagos to Ibadan which my friend Reginald Bassey had shared on his profile on Facebook and to be honest, it felt surreal. I live around the Ifako – Ijaiye local government area of Lagos and on some occasion during my drive back home I have had to wait for the local trains to make its cross through the railway before re-joining the express on the Agege Motor road. The sight of these local trains has been nothing but frightening. If you had assumed that the sardines in Titus (packaged tuna) had it bad been stacked together in a tin, then you my friend would be joking! These trains as I sometimes see them come fully packed to the teeth. People stacked together in close proximity in and on any part of the train possible. On top of the train, inside the train, hanging off handles on both sides of the train and more people stacked on the table tops and windows of each cabin… I have on many occasions thought to myself how one could get off this train once getting to your destination. That sight has been nothing but discouraging…

As surreal as the documented account of the inter-state train ride I read felt, there was this part of me that was curious enough to want to try out the experience. On the one hand I was curious enough to want to go on the trip just so that I have a broader perspective and story to tell as against the “single story” I had formed from seeing the old rickety over stacked trains occasionally. That to me became the only picture of what was left of the Nigerian railway system…

We set out to plan a group trip, to each motivate ourselves to follow through on our plan to take the train from Lagos to Ibadan, a plan some of our observers termed as a “suicide mission”. There were so many fears to contend with… security of lives and property on the train, functionality of the trains itself, fear of a breakdown in a remote village while enroute Ibadan, and the state of hygiene and ventilation on the train. Well, it was a risk and one we were all willing to take!

Our plans started encountering some glitches when we realized we could not get a train on a weekend to Ibadan reducing the initial number in our group from about 20 interested participants to only 7. The team was made up of Reginald Bassey who spearheaded the information gathering and planning of the trip, Nkechi Enechukwu who coordinated the #TakeTheTrainChallenge initiative, Ayo Naledi, Brume Olori, Ezechukwu Assuzu, Peter Bahago and Omolara Kotun our enthusiastic team members who made the trip an experience.

We were only able to get the train travel schedule first-hand from visiting the train terminal in Iddo. One would have assumed that with the advent of the internet age where information is readily available and accessible, we could have found a train schedule online to make for better planning… We re-scheduled for a weekday trip as was available to us and this is how out train challenge started…

The journey to Ibadan could be achieved through two options on the selected day we planned to embark on our “#TakeTheTrainChallenge”. One option was to take the 9:00am train from Lagos which transports passengers heading to both Ibadan and Ilorin. This trip would last us about 3 hours barring all local inter-state stops within Ogun state before approaching Ibadan. Our option two on the other hand would be to take the “Express train” heading to Kano by 12:00 noon which would also make stops at Ibadan and Ilorin before proceeding up north. The trip would also last 3 hours, however, we would have access to a “First Class” cabin which offered more comfort for a longer trip…

The thought of a “First Class” cabin at the rate of Eight Hundred Naira (N800.00) the USD equivalent of $4.4 was albeit unimaginable. I was curious to see what the state of the first class cabin would look and feel like considering how discounted the rates felt…

We had planned to take the 9:00am train to Ibadan so we could make the trip back to Lagos by road on the same day, considering that there were no return trip options available. We had been informed by the Station Manager who was really helpful with providing information that return trips were not possible at the moment as only single rail tracks existed at the time. A future plan would incorporate a dual track to make return trips possible. It was motivating to hear that a plan was in place sometime in the future to provide full service options to travellers.

Arriving at the Iddo terminal by 7:00 am, I was surprised to find quite a number of passengers waiting with their luggages and some with family members.

Waiting area

The building looked relatively old like something out of an ancient Nollywood flick of the 70’s. A quick scan through of the terminal, I noticed a plaque showing the commissioning of the Lagos terminus, by Sir Hugo Marshall, Acting Governor General of the Federation of Nigeria and Honorable Mallam Tafawa Balewa, Minister of Transport (at the time) on the 25th of May 1955. From my observation, it looked like nothing had changed since the commissioning of the building in 1955, save for the new chairs in the waiting area.

Official commissioning of the Lagos Terminus in 1955

Ticketing office (notice the 1956 sign just by the office)

Ticketing area

Waiting area

Since we had planned to board the 9:00am train to Ibadan the team arrived between 7:00am to 8:00am on time for purchase of tickets and departure.

L-R: Brume, Omolara, Peter, Reginald & Ezechukwu (Ayo & i where behind the camera! lol)

At exactly 8:30am we still weren't sure when tickets for our 9:00am trip to Ibadan will be sold as no form of announcement or notice was anywhere handy. After several minutes of interrogating the Stations Manager we were informed that we would not be getting on the 9:00am train as it had developed some engine faults which could not be fixed before the scheduled departure time (hmmn, first “red flag” of the day). The Station Manager had informed us that the Ibadan & Ilorin trip would now be compressed into the Kano trip scheduled for 12:00noon. The good news about this was that we would be able to ride in the “First Class” Cabin which our 9:00am train would not have provided. The down side to it was that we had 3 more hours to wait before embarking on our trip.

At 11:45am there was still no word or public announcement made for the sale of tickets or on the arrival of the train. After further questioning we were informed that tickets would only be sold when the train is cleared for take-off. And then out of the blues at 12:25pm a bell chimed (similar to those used in high schools to indicate the time for the general assembly or the start or end of a class) apparently indicating the start of the sale of tickets for the trip. Within seconds there was a mad rush to the ticketing area. Thanks to the “Lagos hustle” still burning in our veins Reginald & Peter were able to get in line to purchase our tickets! Lol!

Reginald & Peter on the hustle for tickets! lol

 After minutes of pushing and shoving, our tickets to Ibadan on the “First Class” coach emerged.

The tickets were sold for Eight Hundred Naira (N800.00) however, we were issued old tickets that had been used for centuries and were still carrying the old rates of Five Hundred and Ten Naira (N510.00). Even if these were mass produced in gazillions, they should have been immediately replaced once the rates changed.

We made the walk down for boarding and a sudden kind of nostalgia hit me... I remembered my first train ride experience in the UK and remembered feeling awed by the structure, detail and  precision in place. A stranger could easily find his or her way around the train station and platforms without needing to ask as much questions... I returned to my present scenery though not perfect but showing some sign of work in progress. A little more attention and proper management could go a long way... I was hopeful! I still am hopeful! Too many passengers rely on this means of transportation for reasons best favourable to them. A lot more still needs to be done... 

Train platforms

The only  Platform sign I saw...

Lagos Terminus

The first class cabins were relatively new, painted in white & blue different from the standard cabins which come painted in yellow and green.

First class coach

Getting on the train was a hassle! One would literary have to jump or climb on in “Jackkie Chan” “Kong fu ninja" style as no functional elevated platforms exists to aid passengers boarding the trains.

Glorified platforms

Getting on the train the "Kong fu ninja" style! lol

Brume attempting the "Jackie Chan" style! lol

We eventually got on the train without falling off or breaking our teeth and were totally impressed by the interior of the first class cabin to say the least!

Air-conditioned first class coach!

We even took Selfies! lol (L-R Ayo, Brume, Kechy & Peter)

We could even charge our devices! Yeepee! (Photo credit: pretty Ayo!)

It was about 1:30pm by the time we had all settled in still expecting that take-off would commence in a few more minutes before we found out that there were some technical problems with the engine that was supposed to power the train. After chatting with some of the train technicians we discovered that we would have to wait a while longer than scheduled for another engine to arrive that would power the train. By this time diminishing returns had begun to set in…

Our journey time had been drastically extended at this point. We had anticipated that we would arrive at Ibadan by 3:00pm to make a road trip back to Lagos on the same day. By 3:20pm we were still on the same stop we were at the Iddo terminal in Lagos. Speaking with some of the regular travelers, especially those going the long distance to the North, some mentioned that they have had days of smooth departures and some days such as these were engine malfunctions or breakdowns prevented an on-schedule departure. They however mentioned that travelling by train was more cost effective for them compared to going by air or road and they also had the opportunity of carrying more luggages. I had asked myself if there was anyway the delay could have been better managed and my answer was a huge Yes! Informing the passengers of the engine trouble could have better relaxed them a bit more.

By 3:37pm we felt the engine rev signaling that take-off was imminent. From our new estimation, the train would arrive Ibadan in about 4 hours 30 minutes (approximately 8:00pm) because it now had to make local stops due to the cancelled 9:00am train. We had planned to return to Lagos same day and there was no way we would make a return trip by night considering the state of the roads. We asked where the first local stop would be and we rescheduled our stop for Agege! As disappointing as this was, it was a pointer to show loop holes within the system. Given proper management and ownership of the system, such errors can be greatly reduced or managed.

A coverage of the local stops within Lagos showed that a lot of work still needs to be done to improve the state of the service delivered to customers. None of the local stops had proper stations were passengers could get off or on. On-boarding and disembarking happens directly on the rail tracks...

Local stop at Ebute-Metta

Local stop at Mushin

We got off the train right on the train tracks at the Agege terminal. Road users were seen causually walking along the tracks with indifference… Healthier safety measures need to be adapted for the safety of both passengers and road users.

Our stop at Agege

People strutting along right on the rails in Agege. No Health & Safety measures in place...

A lot of work still needs to be done if we intend to provide Nigerians credible alternative means of transportation. Change is possible with the right mentality, goals, objectives and adequate resources. “Yes we Can” if we only tried a bit more and managed the process with due diligence. We intend to experience the Kano trip sometime in the coming year. Hopefully under better circumstances! We believe in a transformed Nigeria and we will continue to play our part to draw attention to sectors that need more input and overhaul!

Huge thanks goes out to my wonderful team who made this trip as bearable as possible! lol! Thanks guys! Looking forward to the Kano trip!

L-R: Omolara, Kechy, Reginald, Mr. Abdulazeez (Our very helpful Station Manager), Brume, Peter, Ayo & Ezechukwu

Till next time, get motivated and join the #TakeTheTrainChallenge. Be sure to document and share your experiences using the hash-tag!

Toodles!

Kechy!

Sweet or Sour?

I had met Bade Aboderin during my Master’s program. She had also moved back to Lagos-Nigeria and was working barely two blocks from my office. We bumped into each other at the Mall and after discovering we worked not so far off from each other, we decided we’d have lunch when our schedules allowed for it.

We started off with regular continental restaurants which served our regular traditional meals; all kinds of rice, poundo, semovita and eba with a variety of soups (you get the drift! Lol). She had mentioned her sudden interest and love for all things Asian and was in an exploratory mood. First up was her new found love for Korean food, culture and language. Now, to be clear I love food, but my foodie tendencies are kind of restricted to familiar terrains. After many failed attempts at finding time to explore the Korean Cuisine, we decided on a flexible alternative we could reach within both our lunch breaks. So Japanese it was!

It was going to be both our first exploratory experience of the Japanese menu. As usual, I wasn't exactly worried as I figured the menu wouldn't be entirely far off from Chinese Cuisine that I was used to. Our restaurant of choice was “Izanagi”, located on Idejo in Victoria Island, Lagos. The ambiance was soothing and welcoming. I could sit there for days just taking in the scenery. Chairs in tile and grey colours, wall paper in two shades of purple and the wall painted in a cool peach. 

Bade sat right behind a cute polar teddy bear I had hoped I could take home as a new addition to my family of teddy bears (yes, I’m cuddly like that…lol).

Bade Aboderin

My cutieee! 

We received the book of life, izanagi’s well over 5-page menu, with a wide range of recipes for starter, main course and desert.

After staring at this book of life for over 10 minutes, we both decided on somewhat familiar starter options. I ordered the Crispy Coconut Prawns which had gigantic prawns coated with coconut, deep fried and served with sweet chilli sauce. No wonder it cost me 3,600 NGN, the USD equivalent of $20  *rolls eyes* I could have gotten 2 meals from my regular continental restaurant ohhh! Well, food adventure comes with its costs…lol!

Crispy Coconut Prawn with Coconut coating 

Bade had the Kawayaki Chicken Squares which had Chicken strips marinated in Teriyaki Sauce, deep fried and topped with sesame seeds. And this is where Bade’s food experience went downhill and under (sorry love! Lol). We hadn't realized that the Teriyaki Sauce was a sweet sauce almost similar to the taste of the barbecue sauce or the “sweet”, in the “sweet & sour” sauce (Pun intended! Lol). She wasn't huge on all things sweet so this was a bit *underwhelming* (sad face)…

Kawayaki Chicken Squares - Ps; She was all smiles before tasting the recipe oh! lol

By the time our starter had arrived and after Bade’s disappointment on her choice of starter menu, she realized her main course menu was to be served in the same sweet Teriyaki Sauce! Ahh! Wahala! We couldn't be spending all this money only to be served sugary meals oh! I could totally feel Bade’s panic (lol). Whatever happened to a pinch of Cameroun pepper or ata-rodo, she asked? Abeg oh! I did have a good laugh! She was lucky to make a quick change to her main course menu. Apparently the cooks hadn’t started making it at the time (thank God that was possible). Her new order was the Teppanyiaki Chicken made up of Grilled Chicken, Teppanyaki sauce with a topping of Lemon & garlic served with a side of vegetable and fried rice.

Teppanyiaki Chicken served with fried rice

Bernard, our ever pleasant service attendant had advised Bade to try this alternative as it was not as sweet as the Teriyaki sauce she was resistant to.

Let’s just say Bade’s taste buds had already been upset from her first try-out so much so that this less sweet alternative tasted too sour for comfort (Chai! Money miss road food! Lol).

Bade's what the heck am I eating face! loool

I on the other hand stuck with my Teriyaki Chicken menu. It had seasoned grilled chicken strips in teriyaki sauce served with some side of vegetable and fried rice.

Teriyaki Chicken

Overall, I did enjoy the meal but I would have preferred something a bit more spicy (blame it on my Nigerian roots, abeg I love my spices biko!).

Happy foodie! lol

We have decided to try out a different menu from Izanagi some other time, hopefully we’ll ask all the required questions on the sauce options before plunging in. I get to choose our next food adventure and I’m already thinking Thai Cuisine! *doing the happy dance*. I’ll keep you all posted!

So it was bye to Izanagi, a combined “Sweet & Sour” experience for Bade & I!

What sort of food adventure have you had and what were your experiences? Feel free to share in the comment section!

Till next time; Eat, Pray, Love!

Kechy!

Finding the "New School" in "Old School"

First year birthday parties were epic at the time, although I hear it is way cooler in this 21^st century for those who are in the “ajebutter” category (lol). Anyway, it was a thing of joy to be invited for a first year party in the 90’s. It meant you could play dress up, get an entire bottle of Coca-Cola to yourself (and not share one with your four siblings as was the tradition then) and probably win a treat in dancing competitions, dancing to Shina Peter’s, Pasuma or Wasiu Ayinde’s tunes or doing the running man dance to a Michael Jackson track. There was also the popular dance around the chair game, where about 10 kids would dance around 8 chairs until the DJ halts the music. The last man standing without a chair automatically gets disqualified and then the circle continues till only one winner is left sitting on the chair. Mehn, those where the days…

These  parties were usually segmented. We would have the kid’s corner with all the play things and goofiness, the Mum’s corner where idle banter and household gossip occurred and the Dad’s corner, where the men ruffled their collars and massaged their egos, sharing their accomplishments and possessions to the hearing of their wives… As colourful as the kids’ corner looked at the time, I couldn't help but notice how grandiose our mums looked. Gosh, I could drool for days staring at their outfits and hairstyles. Jerry curls, beautiful traditional fabric (for those in traditional attires) and neatly finished skirts or pants with elegant blouses, some with sky high shoulders or puffs. Our Mum’s looked great at such parties…

The traditional attires had me totally intrigued especially the “Iro & Buba”. They were so popular at the time especially combined with a two piece “aso-oke”, one serving as a head gear and the other loosely placed across the shoulder falling down to your feet or tied across the waist in an about-to-get-ready-for-a-fight mode (lol). 

Culled from emotanafricana.com

Culled from Google Images 

These attires served for different occasions; parties, weddings, awards, memorials, you name it! The blouses or buba were usually cut in a one directional patterns, draping the upper body not too firmly but fitted enough not to fall off ones shoulder. I remember loving these attires as a child.

As I grew a bit older a sudden dislike for the once loved “Iro & Buba” evolved. This was more from the feeling of looking way older in them or being termed as “Old School”. I rarely had any traditional print attire at this phase in my life…

Then suddenly the world seemed to change. First was the knee length or micro versions of the Iro's with three quarter length sleeves that returned with a vengeance. The new look was called “Oleku” loosely translated in English to mean "Super hot" or "Chic". This new look became a sophisticated and chic re-enactment of the "Old School" Iro & Buba our mothers in the 80’s wore for special occasions and as showcased in traditional Yoruba Nollywood flicks of that era. 

"Oleku" - Culled from www.mainframemovies.tv 

Uju Igweokwu - In a pretty pink themed version of the "Oleku"

Eki Ikeh & Sarah Agaldo - Combining the Oleku with the Traditional look 

I remember still feeling a certain kind of reservation for the "Oleku" attire. Different strokes for different folks I guess! With the "New School" came more creativity which made the“Oleku” adaptation a lot more cool/hip! 

Tundun Sanusi - (Pretty Yummy Mummy) Her looks are effortlessly chic! You go girl!

Today, new adaptations have evolved beyond the “Oleku” trend. Ladies appear in much more adventurous and glamorous versions of the “Iro & Buba” coming in a variety of fabrics such as Lace,  Shiffon, Ankara, Wax or the more modern version of Raw Silk in more daring prints and colours…

Today’s piece is dedicated to the “New School” of “Iro & Buba” which for now has got me spell bound! Thanks to the beautiful ladies who have sent in their versions, I present to you, the “It” version of the New School of Iro & Buba.

Ps; I have also tried out my own version of the cape buba on a fitted iro *winks* Feel free to adapt some of our modern trendy looks for the “Iro & Buba” newbies like me!!

Tundun Sanusi - Love the fusion with the yellow accessories! A pop of bright colour and voila!

Wunmi Olatunji - In a fitted long sleeved buba! Her accessories and gele gives the look a pretty finish!

Tolu Bameke - Pretty Tolu gives us the knotted print Iro with a modern short-sleeved buba 

Mercie Ahabue - In a pretty red print knot version of the Iro & Buba. The drape-like sleeves add magic to the look

Toyin Balogun - Delectable Sisi Toyin In a double layered cape Iro & buba! I love the flowery pink patterned material

Ibukun Olubode - Our "Pretty Yummy Mummy" in a fitted long sleeved Buba & Iro

Kechy's first ever attempt at a modern version of the Iro & Buba - Pinky! I'm loving it!

Eki Ikeh - Another "Pretty Yummy Mummy" - Orange just gives you life! *wink*

Tundun Sanusi & Wunmi Olatunji - In a raw silk material adaptation of the knotted Iro & Buba! The prints are amazing!

Yode & Bade Aboderin - Pretty Sisters in a lace & Velvet mix of the Iro & Buba

Abimbola Adefuye-Adaramola - Another "Pretty Yummy Mummy" fusing her look with a pop of red aso-oke

Yode & Bade Aboderin - Notice how the neck pieces add elegance to their look! *wink*

Bimbo Alade - Pretty Bimbo pulls off this chic look with a bell sleeved buba! Amazables!

Tundun Sanusi - In a 3 quarter fitted sleeved version of the buba! I love the fusion with black!

Ibukun Olabode - Pop's her monochrome knotted Iro & buba with a touch of Orange!

Bimbo Alade - In a high neck double cape Buba & knotted Iro! Lovely!

Tundun Sanusi - Finishes our display in an amazing vintage raw silk Iro & Buba! Pretty!

Huge thanks once again to all the ladies who made this feature colourful and enticing! *Bear hugs* Till next time, have a lovely week and keep exploring new Iro & Buba trends!

Toodles...

Kechy!