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Prior to this trip, I had passed through Ibadan several times while travelling and had visited years ago when I was still in secondary school so I was excited to go on another trip to Ibadan. Read about what I got up to below:

The trip was to attend the post graduate graduation ceremony of the University of Ibadan but as a wanderluster and an Ajala, I used the extra day of the trip to visit a couple of places.

Places I visited In Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria :

(1) University of Ibadan(U.I): I visited University of Ibadan for the post graduate school graduation ceremony. The ceremony lasted a few of hours; order of program included: procession, speeches, presentation of awards, announcements etc. After the ceremony, it was picture taking, jisting and celebration time.

(2) Agodi Parks and Gardens: I went there on a Saturday and there were a lot of people doing various activities which included: birthday celebrations, picnic, nature walks, swimming, eating, horse riding, children were playing at the recreational park, taking pictures and videos, paintballing etc.

(3) IITA Forest Reserve: I went to IITA with the intention of doing the forest tour to enjoy nature, see squirrel, bird watching etc. However, on getting there, was told you had to be lodged there to have access to the forest tour so I could not do the forest tour since we were already lodged somewhere else. I had previously thought a visitor could pay for the forest tour without having to book hotel accomodation. I look forward to doing the tour when I get an opportunity to lodge there.

(4) Bodija market: I and my mum went to buy food stuffs at the market on the same Saturday after we had gone to both Agodi Gardens and IITA forest reserve. At this time, we were tired but needed to do the shopping since we were to return to Lagos the next day, we walked through the length and breadth of the market and the two major items I noticed were cheaper are: yams and meat; therefore, we bought in bulk.

(5) Amala Polaris: I had heard a lot of nice things and review about this place and I was not disappointed because their food is so so good. The ewedu is really thick and nice, the amala and stew to is so on point, the assorted meat and goat meat is lit.

We visited more than once, so I also tried out their white rice, beans, plantain, stew and meat and it was good as well.

(6) Ultima: Ultima is like The Place of Ibadan ( The Place is a restaurant in Lagos with various branches across Lagos state) . they sell variety of meals which are delicious and sumptuous ranging from different types of rice, porridge, different kinds of swallow etc.

p.s: If you have hiked before what tips do you have for someone that wants to start hiking on trips but has some fears?

It will be nice to hike Ado-Awaye ( Ado-Awaye is one of only two suspended lakes in the world) on my next visit to Oyo state and also check out other tourist attractions I have not yet visited in the state.

Have you been to Ibadan before? If yes which places did you visit? If no will you love to visit Ibadan?

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Ultimate Arena is located at Ziggies Compound, 84 Basheer Shittu Street, Magodo 2, Lagos. Before visiting you will need to book ahead on their website click here to view their website and click on book now on their website. You can also view details about their services on their website, gallery, frequently asked questions, contact information etc. on their website.

Various activities at Ultimate Arena include: Paint-balling, Bubble Soccer, Caterpillar run, Paint Shooting Range, Tug of war, Volleyball, Gladiator Joust, Escape room, Board Games, swimming.

Activities I and my friends participated in when we went there are:

• Paint-balling: Paint-balling involves working together in a team and competing against another team whereby players are eliminated by shooting at them with pellets (paint balls) shot from a compressed air power low-energy air weapon called marker. When you pay for paint-balling you will be given the overall, headgear etc for the duration of your paint-balling activity. You can also wear a scarf/ cap before putting  on the headgear so as to ensure the paint does not stain your hair.
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• Shooting range: This involves shooting the pellets (paint-balls) on a targeted board and aiming for the paint-balls to hit some specific points on the board. This activity can be played both individually and in a group.
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• Swimming: For me, swimming was the most relaxing activity, soaking myself in the pool really helped to calm my nerves as well as the shower taken before the swim. If you do not know how to swim yet (like me as at the time of writing this article) still consider going into the pool, I trust you will enjoy it. You can also take a few swimming lessons and learn some things before you leave.Remember to go with your swimming costume/ swimming trunk.
  
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• Escape room: Some of my friends had wanted to do escape room but they were not around even though I had followed up a number of times prior to our visit, check their website for more information about escape room and please call to confirm the morning before you leave, if they are available.

As at the time of writing this article, the various menu! menu! items at ultimate arena are: asun, jollof rice, chicken and plantain, fried rice chicken and plantain, they also have turkey and beef, chicken and chips with ketchup, noodles with chicken, noodles with fried eggs. They also sell drinks. We chose different meals based on our preferences.

If you are bringing in external food and drinks into Ultimate Arena, you will need to pay a corkage fee.

It was an amazing day and a hangout is a great way to relax after the week’s hard work. We got to network, connect, jist, unwind, relax, explore and more. We had a really nice time and look forward to more and more hangouts in the future.

click here  and click on ultimate arena highlights for more pictures and videos.

Have you been to ultimate arena before? If yes what was your experience like? If no will you love to visit ultimate arena and what activities will you love to try out there? I will love to hear from you in the comments section.

Earlier in the week ( precisely Sunday 27^th of September 2020) we celebrated world Tourism day.

I and a couple of friends visited Lekki Conservation Center on Saturday September 26th 2020 but guess what? It rained…It started raining while some of us were on our way and some of us were already there. When we got there, we thought that we will be allowed after the rain stopped. However, we were told that it was not safe to go through the board walk while it was still wet, and it’s the board walk that leads to the canopy walk (which is the longest canopy walk in Africa!) and some of the floor games.

The following day, it did not rain and it was still weekend, it did not also rain on 1^st of October which is a public holiday in Nigeria because it is Independence day. We would however make our next visit to Lekki Conservation Center during dry season/ harmattan season since there is no way we can determine if it will rain or not if we go on another day during raining season.

Here are the the things we got up to and you can try out while you are there:

Networking: I had invited friends to be a part of the hangout and they in turn invited some of their friends; so we got to meet new people, interact and gist about some aspects of life; I love jist so it was an exciting time for me and I’m pretty sure others enjoyed it as well. We introduced ourselves,talked a bit about some of the things we do in career, business and creative aspects and more…

Enjoying Nature: Enjoyed the beautiful scenes at Lekki Conservation Center and also got to see some of the animals: monkeys and a peacock. When you are there, hide your edibles from the monkeys when you see them approaching because they can come and grab them, also protect your phone and other valuables as well.

Picnic with good food: We had finger foods, a main meal,drinks and water during the hangout as well as drinks and water. The food was sumptuous and delicious, very well enjoyed while we wined and dined.

Taking pictures and videos: They were beautiful spots to take nice pictures which we did. Click click here  and click on LCC to view more pictures and videos.

Memories are very important. They remind us of people, stories, cultures, places, feelings, experiences etc

Learning new things: Learnt new things about Wetland, Mona Monkeys, Fish species etc. For instance, over one billion people make a living from wetlands.

We saw the start of the board walk but we were not able to walk through because it was wet. On our next visit we would love to:

Walk through the board walk

Walk through the Canopy walk

Play the floor games

I look forward to also sharing the experience afterwards.

Have you heard about Lekki Conservation Center? Have you been to Lekki Conservation? If you have been to Lekki Conservation Center what was your experience like? If you have not been to Lekki Conservation Center do you look forward to going there?

Update:

Enjoyed the suya and coconut 🥥 water  sold there.

They were also selling popcorn and shawarma.

They say the  the 3rd time is a charm. Do you agree?

Hoping to do the canopy walk from start to finish on the 3rd visit 

This is a guest post by Jumoke Munu Also Known As: Jumoke Smiley of the Smileys Place Travels. Please read her amazing guide below:

Idere Hills is certainly one of my favorite places to visit and hike in Oyo state. I visited here first as a day trip with Nikeh, Sola Sly & Wemmie. My second and third visit were also a day trip(they were private tours for some of The Smiley’s Place Travels customers) while my fourth trip there was on overnight stay and this was a group trip with The Smiley’s Place Travels. Interested in visiting, either as a day trip or for an overnight stay?

Here’s everything you need to know in order to plan your trip successfully.

About destination and how to get there:

Idere Hills is located in Idere town, in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State. Idere town is a 5 minute drive from the Twins Capital of the World, Igboora. This place is a wonderfully dynamic destination for hiking and sightseeing and it’s also one of the newly discovered wonders of Nigeria.

It’s best to use google maps while driving there and if you’ll be using commercial transport, you will have to get to Igboora first (there are direct buses to Igboora from Ibadan, Lagos, and Abeokuta) after which a hundred naira cab will take you to Idere town.

Activities on Idere hills and in Idere town:

Visiting Idere Hills will afford plenty of opportunities for hiking, bush walking, caving, rock climbing, bonfire on the hills, etc.

Idere hills is what I’ll describe as diverse rocks of different shapes, sizes and forms. These divers rocks formation has caves, natural pools, layered rocks, ancient defense walls, and the summit, where one gets the birds eye view of the town and neighboring towns. Idere hills has quite a good number of sites/attractions with loads of historical significance and they are:

1. Aroye – meaning ‘we can see and understand’. It is a three layered rock formation. It is a post/office for the secret police/spy. Areas in front of ‘Yara’ can easily be seen and findings communicated to the guards and palace for coordination.
2. Yara – Yara means room in Yoruba language. It is the real main gate to the town on the hills proper. The walls on either side is rocky and approximately about 40ft in length, 18ft in height, and about 6ft apart. It served the trio purpose of security gate with inlet and outlet, room or office for the guards, and the top to the right (Iho Eja) for the snipers.
3. Eeyore – is the natural water pool on Idere hills. It is a big indentation with water storage capacity of approximately over 12,000L which is sufficient to support the community then even during the dry season. Its water is majorly for household and agricultural purposes.
4. Olorogun meji – two small lakes  believed to have been formed by two female rivals, wives to a particular husband and are both mystical.
5. Odi Ilu – defense wall,  specially formulated and constructed, it has holes for sighting and shooting. It has withstood wind, sun, rain for over 200 years. It is one of the major relics on Idere hills.
6. Kosomonu – an area on Idere hills, about the tallest place. From here the whole township can be viewed. Kosomonu means, ‘ he does not lose the child’ – if somebody is lost, instead of running aimlessly around, they go to Kosomonu section of the hills, locate the child and send to fetch the child. It has a tunnel that also serves as a hideout – narrower and longer than ‘Yara’.
7. Iso Eleko Idere – the spot at which the famed Eleko Idere of Irosun meji in IFA panegyrics sold her pap on Idere hills. Idere is undoubtedly an ancient town in Yoruba land, Southwest, Nigeria.
8. Isoku-Iruku – a place where you have to put the corpse down before you carry it again. While and after coming down from the hills, a section of Idere hill is designated for burial of members of the royal family. While taking the corpse up there, they get to this place where they have to put the corpse down, climb a step and carry the corpse again otherwise the corpse can’t be carried comfortably. It becomes a place of rite or ritual during princes and princesses burial.
9. Ape tree – one of the oldest trees within the township. It was met when the town was founded and is at the then new community entrance now Saaro’s compound. It is estimated to be over 300 years.
10. Idopa – Idopa in Yoruba language means ‘where walking stick and staff are submitted’ by chiefs, baales and lesser oba’s that came visiting as Onidere is a strong royalty.
11. Aafin ( palace) – there are two places that served as palaces. The structures are caves. They serve as both abode and office for the king ( oba).
12. Iho Eja/Omi Eja – this is a hole on the rock to the right side of Yara that looks like a fish indentation into the rock. Its water is meant for commercial laundry and other forms especially during the dry season.
13. Oja – market, it was an open space where people bring their wares – farm produce, food products etc. Eleko Idere was once one of the traders in this market.
14. Atapa water springs – this is actually a spring at Atapa hill on the Idere hills. It never dries, though not much but always there. It served as drinkable water for the whole community. It is also said to be medicinal and curative for many ailments.
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Other things to do in Idere/Igboora for an overnight stay includes food tasting; tasting their famous Amala and Ilasa soup (this is said to be the reason behind their excessive birth of twins) and a city tour of Igboora which also includes visiting the King, Olu of Igboora.

What you should know:

1. Go with hike buddies, remember the old rule that says there’s safety in numbers. You can as well visit as a solo traveler, since you’ll always need to book a tour guide before you can have access to the hills.
2. Go with sun protection and rain gears if possible, there are no places to hide yet if it starts raining, unless if you’re inside the cave.
3. Wear the right shoes and clothes. Wear sneakers, trekkers or boots with good grip, also wear long/free joggers and long sleeves, it’s good for sun safety and protects your body against cuts and bites(I experienced cuts and bites while bushwalking on my first visit, it left me itching my body terribly for more than 3 days)
4. Going with water is important. You need to stay properly hydrated, you also need to go with something to munch on, soft drinks and glucose.
5. Before entering the cave, allow your guide lead.
6. Don’t try dipping your foot in any of the suspended lake, some are endless.
7. Be prepared to take amazing snaps, there are loads of beautiful sceneries you shouldn’t waste.

Interested in experiencing Idere Hills and more? The Smiley’s Place Travels curates and creates private and group trips to Idere hills.

About The Jumoke Smiley:

Jumoke Munu is a travel content creator who shares useful tips for easy and safe travel. She’s currently the MD and Lead Advisor at The Smiley’s Place Travels. Click  click here to view our Instagram page and find out more about us. Send us a direct message for any Inquiries.

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I have been to Ikeja City Mall a number of times as well as other malls.

The Ikeja City Mall is a mall located at Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos State.

(1) Food Court: One good thing about malls, is that you get to have a range/variety of different restaurant to choose from. In Ikeja City Mall, there are a range of options. Although some of my favourite have closed down (Mug and bean, Mexican Grill and Mozaya Classic). Asides increase in rent or not getting enough patronage, what other reason(s) do you think is responsible for restaurants/shops in malls closing down? Please share with me in the comment section. There are still other ones I love which are still in Ikeja City Mall which include: Sumptuous meals, Debonairs pizza, Dodo pizza, pizza hut, Ase e dey hot, Fruity life etc.

Some of the ones which I have also visited their branches in other areas asides Ikeja City Mall include: Awoof Berekete, KFC,Chicken Republic, Spurs etc.

(2) Watch A movie: Watch a movie in Silverbird cinemas after a work week, after a work day or just when you want to relax, you can also grab a popcorn/hot dog/shawarma, drink etc.

(3) Shop: from household items, to provisions, food stuffs, electronics, games, gadgets, clothes,shoes,bags,accessories,books, stationery, shop in shoprite and many more.

(4) Visit network providers offices: Need the assistance of your network provider or want to purchase anything from them? A number of them have offices in Ikeja City Mall.

(5) Game Arcade: There is a game arcade for children in Ikeja City Mall called: Play zone.

(6) Do Karaoke.

(7) Visit the pharmacy if you need items from there

(8) Relieve stress and muscular issues by having a therapeutic massage on the massage chair.

(9) Experience Virtual Reality.

Other malls in Lagos I have been to include:Maryland Mall, Apapa Mall, Palms Shopping Mall, Circle Mall, Novare Mall, Lenox Mall, Lesiure Mall, Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Mega plaza etc.

Movie at the Cinema

shopping at Novare Mall

popcorn at the cinema

Movie at the Cinema

p.s: for some reason, I was unable to upload some of the other pictures I wanted to include, even after cropping and editing. Please check my Instagram stories, highlights and posts for more pictures: @faithoguntayo is my Instagram handle.

Which of these malls have you been to? What are your favourite things to do there? Which other malls in Lagos have you been to that are not on the list?

Hello, I have some good news. I partnered with one of the leading online travel agencies to make flight tickets more affordable for us all. You can book and pay securely for tickets at a cheaper rate. You can compare prices from different airlines in the same place. On deal days, discounts can be up to 25%, 30% off or more.

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Work trips, School trips, Vacation trips, event trips, business trips, any trip; travel for less. Yay!!! Yipee!!! It is a win win for us all. Thanks in advance for coming on board.

Identifying a problem and providing some solutions: I did a lot of research on how to make flight tickets more affordable and accessible. The aviation industry truly has a lot of bills to pick up: paying staff, maintenance, repairs and many many more…Also, I thought of the principle of turnover! If more people are able to afford flight tickets, more people will travel by air, if more people that can afford it get discounts, they will want to buy more, definitely when more people are buying more income comes for those in the travel industry… It is a win win win.

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Log on to my website: https://www.faithooo.com.ng

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Hello, hope you are doing well? It has not been an easy season because so many negative things are going on in the world coupled with different challenges we might be dealing with in our personal lives. We trust God to help us pull through this season. I pray for everyone that might have lost a loved one, may God comfort  you!I pray for us all that God will convert all our challenges and trials to testimonies.

Yay!! Yipee!! I reached out to some travel influencers (travel bloggers, travel vloggers, tour operators, travel agents) etc. to ask for their permission to feature them in this post. Grateful to everyone that gave their consent to be featured in the post. My reasons for doing this are:

(1) I have been inspired, educated, enlightened, entertained etc by consuming their contents and I would want more people to also benefit from the above and more.

(2) A lot of negative things are going on in the world today,while we must in our own way actively do things better, we must also protect our mental health and look forward to greater days ahead. Consuming these contents will fuel your wanderlust for better days ahead and make you more excited about travelling and exploring tomorrow.

Below are the travel Influencers and some information about them:

Nnennaya Fakoya Smith: popularly known as Ajala Nene, she is a tourism promoter and a tourism business coach. She is the founder of Nene-Uwa Hub Ltd. a tourism company that helps tourism entrepreneurs build a sustainable tourism business through online programs and digital marketing such as: webinars, nene-uwa tourism academy, virtual tourism sessions etc. Offline, she has hosted social media week sessions, women in tourism business luncheon, nene uwa boost academy etc.She is also a travel blogger at nene-uwa.com.ng. She has visited and explored 15 countries.

Priscilla Kolawole: She is a travel blogger at AjalaOnABudget.com. When she first  started travelling, a lot of people asked how she could afford it which made her to start blogging on how affordable travel can be. She blogs about her favorite travel budget finds with the hope of helping other people travel smarter. She has visited and explored 19 countries.

TravelStart: An online travel company founded on two basic principles; simplicity and best price.The company was founded in 1999 and operates in several countries around the world with offices in Nigeria, Egypt, UAE and South Africa. The Nigerian office which is in Lagos, opened in 2012 and focuses on making travel simple by providing an easier way to book online. Travelstart has seen double-digit growth and profitability since inception and is backed by Amadeus Capital Partners and HarbourVest. For more information visit: www.travelstart.com.ng.

Diusor Odiakosa: is a tourism enthusiast, a travel blogger at diusorodiakosa.com, she is currently on a journey to visit 25 states in Nigeria before turning 25 in her bid to promote tourism in Nigeria while exploring other countries in the world.She is also the creative director of the Ajala store, a one stop shop for all your travel essentials and more! She is also tour manager at TVP (the world is full of fascinating villages, people and cultures) adventures.

Favour Bernard: is a tourism enthusiast and a professional tour manager at Irinajo. Her love for tourism sparkled during her visit to the northern part of Nigeria. The trip unveiled a different part of Nigeria she had never seen before this causing her to wonder what else she is yet to discover. She has visited several tourist sites in Nigeria and currently working on launching her adventure tourism-company-Onecloudatatime Adventures. Through her brand, she hopes to inspire more people to travel and explore tourism in Nigeria and Africa.She also hopes to get the government attention towards improving the state of tourism in Nigeria.

Naija Nomads: Naija Nomads is a full service travel company located in Lagos Nigeria. They offer a wide range of tourism and travel related services but not limited to travel and tourism. They offer short stay apartments (Airbnb), content creation, scheduled group trip, customized experiences (for individuals, families or corporates), Lagos experiences. travel@naijanomads.com.

Sam Adeleke: He is the chief explorer at TravelwithSamGlobal a 3-year old company based in Lagos, Nigeria, which is a boutique travel company dedicated to providing travel solutions to discerning travelers across the world. They provide flights,visas,hotels,tours and travel advisory services. He is the country lead of travel massive(the worlds largest community of travel professionals and insiders). The aim is to unveil Nigeria, starting from Lagos, one hangout at a time, this is done by organizing knowledge sharing events at little known tourist destinations and hangout spots within the city. Sam Adeleke loves travel because: it opens his eyes to the world beyond is immediate environment, amplifies his appetite  for curiosity to discover and explore the world, priceless education on the road, interacting with people from different cultures, languages, nationalities,religions and races have brought joy to him, travel has taught him contentment, love, empathy and ambition,travel makes him live for now and work towards a more adventurous tomorrow, travel has inspired him to live for now and look towards an adventurous tomorrow. To seize every opportunity and make lemonades out of life’s colourful lemons. Travel made him discover newer things about himself: resilience, persistence,courage,desire,adaptation and collaboration. Travel is Life. He has visited 13 countries but still looks forward to a lifetime of adventures around the world.

Wayfare Travels: A travel company in Lagos, Nigeria. They organise corporate travel, tours, visa processing, flight, hotel, group tour, custom travel etc.  On their Instagram page: @wayfareng they share a lot of travel related contents. You can also visit: linktr.ee/wayfareng for more information.

Jumoke Smiley: She is the founder and lead advisor at The Smileys Place Travels, a travel and tour company (flights, tours,vacays, cruises and more). She creates easy and safe travels for the African millennial’s. I have enjoyed her Instagram posts which includes: virtual waka tour with Jumoke, strengthen your green passport series which features visa free and visa on arrival countries and more.

Funke Ogunkoya: known as Sassy Funke, what inspired her love for travel is that she wanted to show Africans a different side of the world, far from what we were used to (London,Dubai,USA), give Africans a different perspective/lens through which they could view the world. Her YouTube channel is: www.youtube.com/sassyfunke.  She birthed TravelToNaija out of frustration- unable to find a reliable resource for those with an interest to travel to Nigeria. Especially with the circumstance where Covid left many Nigerians stranded abroad; where can they find useful information, communicate with one another and be calm. TraveltoNaija is now a community of over 650 followers in just over 3 weeks.

Sammyvagabond: He is a digital creator, inspiring to see the world since 2017, also a health and diet coach. Please visit: linktr.ee/sammyvagabond for more information.

Fisayo Olayinka- Bello: an award winning travel blogger (thefisayo.com) focused on promoting African Tourism. She is a tourism development advocate, content creator(youtuber, podcast host), big dreamer,she teaches travel blogging courses and an innovator who thrives at the intersection of tourism, technology and advocacy. Her vision is to change the African narrative. ”Africa is rich in a lot of resources, culture and beautiful travel destinations that is yet to be explored”,” Africa is a safe place to visit and not a jungle”. She writes on beautiful destinations in Africa and also includes development plans for the improvement of Eco- tourism and other forms of tourism that will lead to a positive impact on each country’s GDP in Africa.

Funmi Oyatogun: She is the lead experience designer at TVP adventures. SMOT (Show me one thing) is TVPs digital platform that shares stories about fascinating people and places around the world. The YouTube channel explores topics on travel, geography and culture and makes sure that if you are curious about the world, you get answers to help you explore it.

Ogundele Oluwatoyin: is an experience curator at NaijaNomads, an online travel brand in Nigeria. She is interested in exploring the world and sharing her travel experiences while she enjoys taking Nigerian travelers on group experiences outside the country, she also enjoys receiving and showing visitors in and around Lagos state.

Eromosele Emmanuel: He is a Lagos based blogger at ericotips.wordpress.com who is enthusiastic about tourist destinations, travel tips and travel experiences across Nigerian and beyond.

Diamonds and Pearls Travels: A travel company located in Lagos, Nigeria. They organise holidays, cruises, honeymoons, destination events, groups, MICE,visas, flight hotels etc. For more information please visit: linktr.ee/dandptravels.

Pelumi Nubi: known as black.kintsugi on Instagram is a world traveler. She has been to 61 countries, she loves science, she is currently doing her PhD, she loves educating people to be the best version of themselves by exploring new places,sharing meaningful travel stories and show that travel is safe, easy and do-able. To know more please go to: linktr.ee/black.kintsugi.

Oto Tom: She is a full time corporate lawyer with a renowned Litigation and Commercial Law Firm in Lagos Nigeria. She is a travel blogger at: wakaholic.com. She is a travel enthusiast with an insatiable impulse to travel the world, discover hidden tales, share what she finds and encourage people to travel more. She has traveled through 5 continents in the world and her ultimate goal is to explore all 7.She is purpose driven, creative,loyal and consistent. She also describes herself as Multipotentialite. She hopes her blog inspires us to travel more.

TravelwithTolu: Tolu is a London based travel content creator whose main goal is to inspire people to experience new cultures and places. She does this in a number of ways whether it is through her blog posts www.travelwithtolu.com or through visual storytelling on Instagram. In addition to this, Tolu also provides helpful travel tips and advice and offers a holiday planning service for those who need help with booking a trip and are not sure where to start.

Lara Okungbure: known as chroniclesofwakawaka on Instagram is an aspiring world traveler trying to document her journey and experiences as she combs through the universe. The more she sees the more she wants to see! For her, travel is education. She is also keen on exploring her home country and seeking out places and experiences where people can relax and unwind without breaking the bank when they choose to. She shares useful tips and travel inspiration on her page.

Nancy Nsofor: Also known as Thewakagirl, @wakawakanation is her brand name and its all about creating the best travel experience. She is a professional tour operator/ tour Guide and she is contributing to one of the SDGs.

Phillips Tunde:  He is the brain behind Nomadic Negro a brand popularly known to produce some of the most immersive travel stories in Africa.

Oluwabunmi Bankole- Akinyemi: She founded Travel Begins at Home (TBAH) an indigenous start up in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry. The number one mission is  education and rejuvenation for the whole populace,.”we look forward to  people seeing travel as the shortest distance from their house”Thus every opportunity to step out of our homes can be used to see and learn something new.The goal is to see other areas of tourism grown and fully developed in Africa until the much deserved attention is gained globally.

Chidera Jacqueline Echedom: She is a travel blogger at: explorewithdera.com, an Economist who found tourism as her first love and is focused on budget adventures, journeys, cruises and experiences. She believes people can see the world while on a budget.

Lola Daniyan: She is the chief curator/ owner of unravelling Nigeria( www.unravellingnigeria.com) a travel website telling Nigerian stories, unraveling Nigeria’s gems, online travel resource, travel curator, private trips etc.

Nigerians Travel Too: A Nigerian travel company that deals in multi dimensional travel,tourism and trade company, leisure travel( group, custom trips and visa support), special interest travel, business consultancy etc. Please visit: nigerianstraveltoo.com for more information.

Kalejiaye Olawale: known as waka_journals on IG He is a travel content creator and co founder @beyond_afrik a travel and tour company based in Accra,Ghana.What inspired his love for traveling, initially was escape from work stress and other family affairs. But over time he discovered that it was deeper than that, the passion grew for travel so he could explore, network, create memories that make him feel alive, learn from diverse groups and cultures and most importantly ignite his creative juice.This inspired his brand because he wanted people to have same first hand experience as he did. The brand is there to take care of travelers need and curate tours, budget friendly itinerary item, book cheap flight deals, book affordable and luxurious accomodation etc.

Alarinka of Africa: (thattokelady.disha.page). Her passion for local tourism in Nigeria led her to tour all  36 states in Nigeria as a solo traveler challenging the negative narrative. She wants to change our mindset about tourism in Nigeria and also inspire us to see Nigeria. She is a vlogger at TOKETRAVELS on YouTube.

Makanjuola Ibrahim: founder of IBM tours. The company aims at taking group of people( friends, families, schools etc) on tour to places within an outside Nigeria to enlighten and educate them about such destinations and its environments in the process of giving them unlimited fun. Also, encouraging them to be promoters of their culture and tradition. The company usually goes on a pre-tour to make findings and produce quality itinerary for all clients. They also market destinations in other to showcase and encourage potential clients to come explore, position it to generate revenue in the long run with minimum amount of risk. They are also the initiator of Nigerian Tourism Lovers and the aim is to basically promote Nigeria to Nigerians online and offline. Blog: www.ibmtourlimited.blogspot.com.

Wakanowdotcom: Africa’s largest travel agency giving flight to your dreams. Looking at their Instagram feed(post pictures and captions) makes me feel like going to the destination at soon as possible.Captivating, intriguing and enlightening.

Dee Olateru: A travel blogger at: www.wellwornheels.com, she created her blog to be what she wish existed when she first started travelling as a Nigerian woman travelling on a Nigerian passport while maintaining a full time job. On her first backpacking trip to Greece and Turkey, she hardly ever saw anyone that looked like her and in some instances, she found people staring at her. She did not start a blog till 7 years later ( as a result of Impostor syndrome), but on that trip a seed was sown. To show that the world awaits us as Nigerian travelers, black travelers and to show how it can be accomplished. She started the blog for women, professionals, for travelers from countries with visa requirements and for the African diaspora. Her blog is not about being a perfect traveler, if you are looking for someone with a full time career and finds ways to travel, that is Dee! Her blog is a travel blog for the ambitious career woman of African descent (but everyone else can read). If you are considering solo travel because no else can come, Dee can be your inspiration for tips and encouragement (She has visited over 25 countries solo and over 50 countries in total). She also shares travel tips, destination ideas  and real travel stories.She had always been curious about the world before she started travelling, so are curiosity about the world was the original source of inspiration.

There you have it! Please note that this list is not exhaustive as there as still a couple of other travel Influencer’s that i love their contents! Also, you can search for them on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc using the various brand names displayed above. I trust you will be glad you did.

As always, i will love to hear from you: which of these Influencer’s did you know about prior to know? Which travel Influencer’s do you love their contents that are not in the list above?

Lets start this conversation with the meaning of some of these words above:

Voluntourism: A form of tourism in which travelers participate in voluntary work i.e for a charity.

Volunteering: An unpaid activity whereby we give our resources, time, energy, service, effort etc. to help a not for profit organisation or an individual.

A number of times,while I think of ticking off more items on my bucket-list, some of the other places I want to visit, explore, experience etc. I also sometimes think of voluntourism.

Prior to now, all my volunteer experience have been in Lagos/Ogun which include: volunteering for a Makoko outreach, being a member of the Lagos state book drive initiative (mainland chapter) this initiative won an award at the SME 100 Africa 25 under 25 Awards as a result of our outstanding activities, I have served as the team lead of Naza Agape Foundation(Lagos branch).

During my service year(N.Y.S.C), I volunteered with other corp members who were also a part of SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals) and we carried out various projects, I served as the Secretary General of Project Good Education.

Currently, I am a volunteer with the Value Adding Woman. To know more about these initiatives please check my LinkedIn page: Faith Oguntayo.

After doing some of these, I have asked myself: how can I be of impact in more cities and in more countries beyond the places above? In recent times, especially with more racism issues; I have asked myself: can voluntourism in any way or in someways help to foster genuine love, peace, togetherness, joy etc amongst us irrespective of our skin colour

I have asked myself: If when I travel to other countries, beyond doing the exciting activities on my bucket-list, patronizing the locals in the country, boosting the economy of the country, interacting with the citizens,learning about their culture, learning about their history etc. Can I also volunteer in their various less privileged initiatives, can I also give my time,skills and resources to those who cannot afford it in these countries like I do in my home county?

Some school of thought say voluntourism has had some negative effects: such as sending college students to volunteer in activities which are not their area of expertise, companies sending their staff on some weeks of voluntourism is a means of them saving money of engaging the citizens of the host countries(On this point i ask myself: won’t the company incur costs on sending these staff: flight tickets, accommodation,feeding,logistics and other expenses) and not necessarily to help, some countries asking volunteers to pay some money before they are allowed to volunteer in their country etc. What is your opinion on these?

Will love to get your feedback in the comments section. Please share some areas in which you have volunteered(the places and what you/the team did), what do you think about voluntourism(is it a good or bad idea?) If you think it is a good idea let us know why, if you think it is a bad idea let us also know why.

Thank you for reading and thank you in advance for engaging. Looking forward to your feedback.

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This is a guest post and the article is written by: Oguntayo Favour Morenike, She has won a couple of awards which includes: 2nd prize fiction winner for a story she wrote which was organised by Towunmi Coker Literary Initiative.Enjoy the post!

“A people without a knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”-Marcus Garvey.

I remember vividly how captivated I was the first time I heard about Queen Moremi Ajasoro of Ile-Ife. It was in the book “Moremi, the Courageous Queen” by Segun Thomas Ajayi that I first read about this indomitable Yoruba queen of the 12th century. ( Also referred to as Queen of liberty).

Moremi was from Lukugba compound in Ile-Ife, her mother was a princess from Offa. Moremi was married to the king of Ile-Ife, Oranmiyan. she lived during the period of constant raids on the people of Ile-Ife by what they believed were spirits sent by the gods to punish them.

After missing the initial showing of Queen Moremi Ajasoro the musical in May, 2019, I was elated when I discovered it was coming back to  stage in December and I was definitely not going to let this opportunity pass by again.

I decided to go for the 3pm showing of the musical on 3oth December 2019. I got to the venue just about two minutes before the show started (Lagos traffic).I made my way up to the 3rd floor of the Lagos Continental Hotel ( formerly Intercontinental Hotel) in Victoria Island where the musical was happening.

The show lasted for about 90 minutes. In those 90 minutes the story of Queen Moremi was told beautifully, detailing how her braveness led to the freedom of the people of Ile-Ife.

During the show we were taken back in time to a period in history where Ife the ancestral home of the Yoruba people faced a great disaster due to constant invasions from masked unknown people who they believed were spirits. At the end of each invasion the invaders would take farm products, also women and children as slaves.

A concerned Moremi who was worried about her people after several attempts to appease the gods and free her people from the terrors from the spirits they believed were sent to them as punishment. She visits Esimirin, the river goddess who taught Moremi what to do.

In line with the instructions, Moremi allowed herself to be captured during the next attack. Her beauty and charm made her very attractive so Moremi was given to the king of the strange people as wife.

As the wife of their king, Moremi was able to get their weak point- fire. Moremi informed the people of Ile-Ife so they prepared for the next attack. When the next attack came they were all prepared with torches of fire, thus defeating the unknown people who were discovered to be the Ugbo people.

Moremi and the people of Ife took gifts of appreciation to the river goddess, Esimirin, but she rejected all these and requested for the life of Oluorogbo, Moremi’s only son. Moremi made the sacrifice for the sake of her people.

As Moremi bent over her son singing songs of lamentation, the people of Ife promised to be her sons and daughters forever.

Definitely worth it. From the sound, to the acting, the dancing to the language, the dressing to the music. Perfection! I probably shed a tear or two. Money well spent. It was definitely a worthwhile experience and I am looking forward to many more stage plays like this one.

The bravery of Queen Moremi Ajasoro ended the human trafficking of her people. A feminist queen!

Earlier in the week, precisely Monday 25th May, we celebrated Africa Day! Africa is a blessed continent and I am proud to be an African. To celebrate Africa ,please do share in the comments section: amazing experiences you have had in an African country it could be your home country or any other African countries(s) as it relates to tourism(which could be food tourism;tours;travel;locals of a community;airlines;airbnbs;hotels etc.)

This post will be focusing on some  places to visit in Lagos and how to explore them.

(1) Upbeat Center: Located at 11 Admiralty Road, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos is West Africa’s first trampoline park and recreation center. There are different activities to do for fitness, fun, leisure etc

I went to Upbeat with my sister. On arrival you will be asked to sign a waiver if you are up to 18. For children below 18, a parent or guardian will complete the process for them. Afterwards, we joined the queue to purchase our tickets. The tickets gives access to the trampoline section for an hour and comes with socks.After payment, we were asked to secure our valuables in a locker.Afterwards, we were asked to watch a safety video.

When we were done watching the safety video, we were allowed into the trampoline section. I did the trampoline jumping, playing on the foam pit, attempted to play trampoline basketball etc.

Other facilities available at upbeat centre include: restaurant, virtual reality, outdoor basketball court, retail space for lease for events, football pitch, go kart etc. Going to Upbeat center is a good way to have fun, exercise, burn some calories etc

(2) Rufus and Bee: Located at twin waters, Okunde Blue waters scheme off Remi Olowude Street,Eti-Osa,Lekki is a game arcade with over 100 interesting games. Some of the games come with rewards which could either be winning a prize or reloading the buzz card with more coins. Tickets are of different prices depending on the number of coins you want, you will also purchase a buzz card, which can be re used on your other visits to Rufus and Bee.

It also has a bowling alley, a sports bar/restaurant where you can watch football and eat. I went to Rufus and Bee with my sister and a friend.

(3) Omu Resort: Located at Bogije town; almost opposite Lakowe Lakes Golf course, Ibeju Lekki has a variety of things to do and different ticket prices depending on the activities you want to pay for (tickets include: Gold, Platinum, Prime and Super Prime)

Activities in Omu resort includes: Rides at the amusement park(which includes: ferry wheel, gully deep, chain ride, umbrella ride), zoo, sea world, antique museum wax museum, mini golf, water park, swimming pool, mechanical bull riding, kiddies play area,outdoor fun, roller skating,Kayaking,Quad bike, boat cruise, archery etc. I went to Omu resort with some of my friends

(4) Badagry: Known for the slave trade to foreigners. I went to Badagry with my mum and sister. A tour guide took us to the 1st story building in Nigeria, the museum, Badagry slave route etc

(5) Johnson Jakande Tinubu Park:(JJT): Located at Alausa,Ikeja,Lagos. It is a free park and has free wifi too. i went there with a few friends. You can have a picnic, there is a play area for children, food court available,large chess board different places to take pictures such as: statue, Tinubu’s face etc

Other places include:visiting the different malls to shop,eat,virtual reality, cinema(this i do a number times and its affordable especially when you go on promo days;usually more expensive during festive seasons)

Different beaches in Lagos include: Oniru Private beach, La campagne Tropicana, Chaka beach resort, Jara beach resort, barracuda beach resort, Atican beach, king diamond beach, Landmark beach and more . I have been to some of these beaches.Looking forward to visiting the beaches i have not visited as well as Lekki Conservation center; Lufasi Nature Park etc

Which of these places have you visited? What was your experience like? Please do share in the comment section.

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