My Trip to Nigeria and using technology to stay in touch
After a long 7 year absence I made a trip to Nigeria. My wife was a bit terrified because all the news she heard about Nigeria, was centered around Boko Haram and their campaign of death. She also heard how people in the east get kidnapped and she was worried about coming up with ransom money. I left New Jersey on a Tuesday, made a few stops and got to Lagos on Saturday December 1.
The plane landed at Muritala International Airport. Nigeria with all her resources should on the very minimum, make the airport more comfortable and presentable. The rooms were poorly lit and the air conditioner did not condition the air. I started to sweat while waiting for my luggage. It should not take over an hour to get your bags. The lone carousel that was used was manually loaded by some poor folks in over 85 degree weather. I know we have cheap labor but common, give me a break. Machines are more efficient and quicker.
Lagos has changed. The Governor in his quest to beautify Lagos did not put much thought into the flow of traffic. I saw my first Shoprite store in Ikeja. Nigerians no longer need to travel outside Nigeria to spend money. Shoprite gives them all they need within a short driving distance. I saw a few security camera's in Lagos. Maybe it makes people feel safer. One thing that impressed me were the traffic lights and how people obeyed them. The few times that power failed the intersections turned chaotic.
Lagos is a place you can get anything you want. My first night was spent in Magodo GRA. First thing I had to do was communicate with my family in the US. I carry a sprint phone (HTC EVO 4G) that does not work in Nigeria. So my first priority was to find a hotspot. My brother gave me a portable wifi modem with data service provided by Etisalat. On my Sprint phone I have Skype, Google Talk, Tango, Whatsapp, Facebook and Google voice.
Google talk, Skype and Tango lets me do video and voice calls to my family and friends that have similar service. My wife and I could chat with one another and allay the fears she had. She could see in real time what I was doing and where I was.
Google voice allowed me to check my voice mail and send text messages to my family and friends back in the US. The downside is that I do have two separate numbers on my phone.
Whatsapp let me text people anywhere in the world that have smart phones. I was texting my friends and family in the US and Nigeria showing my normal US number.
Skype lets you make calls to Land lines over the internet. I used it to send text messages to people in Nigeria who did not have smart phones.
All I did, does show up on my phone bill. I did not roam and I did not incur any charges.
Lekki and VI have toll roads that match anything that you will find here. The Ocean view is magnificent. Lagos is spending huge sums to meet the Millennium goals that the Governor has set.
On Monday night I had Suya. I promised friends I will eat some for them. Wrapping it in newspaper left me with some concerns. I am sure that as long as Nigerians continue to eat Suya the Newspaper companies will continue to flourish.
Flora from my village Umuikaa. The place was tranquility personified. We lack appreciation for places like this until we are away for periods of time. Waking up to this every morning sure felt like heaven.
I flew to the East and I arrived at the airport in Owerri. The good news is that it is being renovated and there are at least 4 flights daily by at least two airlines. The bad is that it takes as long as it took you to fly to Owerri to get your luggage. Nigeria needs to realize that time is a very limited resource.
The journey from the airport to my compound lasted less than 30 minutes. The roads were not too bad. I noticed solar street lights along the way. The batteries had been stolen from them. Great idea poor execution.
People in the village envy the way we live. I envy the simplicity and richness they have surrounding them. I wake to silence and tranquillity. Fresh fruits and vegetables. It is paradise. Americans pay money to go to places like this.
No dehydration, runny tummy or illness while I ate all this. (I suffer from perpetual reflux).
The data and phone service in the East was horrible. I could do voice calls and very poor quality video calls. People in Nigeria could not call you on your Nigerian number. They blamed it on the upcoming holiday. I think that the service providers don't believe that people in the east deserve as good quality a service as they provide to those in Lagos.
Something that troubled me was, the rapid pace of development that had come to the village. The markets have consumed areas that you went to for solace. The market in Umuacha sold everything. From Vegetables to Caskets. I lament the loss of innocence and beauty that came with unplanned and very rapid development. My uncles told me that people were chopping down trees, and selling them for firewood. Erosion has become a major problems in communities in the east and we will soon experience it.
One big ommission is the lack of recycling or proper refuse disposal. You see plastic containers in the gutters, on the streets and in the farms. There has to be an urgent manner in which this can be addressed. Mosquitoes breed in them. Malaria eradication should start here.
All in all it was a great 7 days. Let me know if you have questions about the technologies I used while in Nigeria.
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| Driving Keke Maruwa. |
Lagos has changed. The Governor in his quest to beautify Lagos did not put much thought into the flow of traffic. I saw my first Shoprite store in Ikeja. Nigerians no longer need to travel outside Nigeria to spend money. Shoprite gives them all they need within a short driving distance. I saw a few security camera's in Lagos. Maybe it makes people feel safer. One thing that impressed me were the traffic lights and how people obeyed them. The few times that power failed the intersections turned chaotic.
Lagos is a place you can get anything you want. My first night was spent in Magodo GRA. First thing I had to do was communicate with my family in the US. I carry a sprint phone (HTC EVO 4G) that does not work in Nigeria. So my first priority was to find a hotspot. My brother gave me a portable wifi modem with data service provided by Etisalat. On my Sprint phone I have Skype, Google Talk, Tango, Whatsapp, Facebook and Google voice.
Google talk, Skype and Tango lets me do video and voice calls to my family and friends that have similar service. My wife and I could chat with one another and allay the fears she had. She could see in real time what I was doing and where I was.
Google voice allowed me to check my voice mail and send text messages to my family and friends back in the US. The downside is that I do have two separate numbers on my phone.
Whatsapp let me text people anywhere in the world that have smart phones. I was texting my friends and family in the US and Nigeria showing my normal US number.
Skype lets you make calls to Land lines over the internet. I used it to send text messages to people in Nigeria who did not have smart phones.
All I did, does show up on my phone bill. I did not roam and I did not incur any charges.
Lekki and VI have toll roads that match anything that you will find here. The Ocean view is magnificent. Lagos is spending huge sums to meet the Millennium goals that the Governor has set.
 |
| Suya |
 |
| Suya Sticks |
The journey from the airport to my compound lasted less than 30 minutes. The roads were not too bad. I noticed solar street lights along the way. The batteries had been stolen from them. Great idea poor execution.
People in the village envy the way we live. I envy the simplicity and richness they have surrounding them. I wake to silence and tranquillity. Fresh fruits and vegetables. It is paradise. Americans pay money to go to places like this.
 |
| Good Source of Vitamin C |
No dehydration, runny tummy or illness while I ate all this. (I suffer from perpetual reflux).
 |
| Coconut. Had one every morning noon and night |
The data and phone service in the East was horrible. I could do voice calls and very poor quality video calls. People in Nigeria could not call you on your Nigerian number. They blamed it on the upcoming holiday. I think that the service providers don't believe that people in the east deserve as good quality a service as they provide to those in Lagos.
Something that troubled me was, the rapid pace of development that had come to the village. The markets have consumed areas that you went to for solace. The market in Umuacha sold everything. From Vegetables to Caskets. I lament the loss of innocence and beauty that came with unplanned and very rapid development. My uncles told me that people were chopping down trees, and selling them for firewood. Erosion has become a major problems in communities in the east and we will soon experience it.
One big ommission is the lack of recycling or proper refuse disposal. You see plastic containers in the gutters, on the streets and in the farms. There has to be an urgent manner in which this can be addressed. Mosquitoes breed in them. Malaria eradication should start here.
All in all it was a great 7 days. Let me know if you have questions about the technologies I used while in Nigeria.
 |
| Vegetable for Sale |
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| Market in Umuacha |
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