Ebola Free..

Nigeria successfully managed to contain the Ebola virus that struck in July 2014 when Liberian-American national Patrick Sawyer arrived from Liberia.

To begin with, tracing all those who initially had contact with him was both a tricky and time-consuming procedure. In a city that has scanty telecommunication networks, no official ID database, and an unreliable power supply, you can imagine what these government officials went through. 

(NB Nigeria launched its national ID electronic database system in august 2014)

Tracing took place in two cities; Lagos and Port Harcourt. At the latter the individual who allegedly traveled from Lagos and avoided investigation managed to transfer the virus to the doctor who treated him - who is part of the 8 cases that are now deceased. That report alone made me sceptical, so I questioned the authenticity of the 21 cases... Could there have been more that were not reported?

The awareness campaigns were pretty good. Some a little dramatic but hey they did the job! When I was in Nigeria over the summer everyone was talking about 'Ebola O.'' Funny enough I flew in two days after Sawyer did. Shortly after I arrived I noticed a number of adverts began to surface on television, displaying the signs and symptoms of the hemorrhagic fever between practically every programme. Posters were written in different languages too. The Sanitation of Lagosians improved and suddenly all the hand sanitizers and Dettol hand wash units were sold out in Shop rite AND Spar. 

I recall sitting in my hotel in Lekki eating breakfast whilst watching the news, sometimes I did feel a little anxious... A sudden influx of calls beginning with +44 numbers were family and friends warning me to be cautious. That did not stop me enjoying my holiday altogether, I just reduced the number of outings I made every week. For certain places in Lagos, it was business, as usual, take Elegushi beach, for example, it was always the happening place on a Sunday regardless, so moving through crowds rubbing sweat drenched bodies was unavoidable.

 

If the Ebola had got further beyond the 21 confirmed cases, it could certainly have been a painstaking blow to Nigeria and the rest of west Africa.

The panic and fear of the virus caused a ‘20 percent to 40 percent decline in commercial demand' International business times (2014). Flight cancellations increased, business was slow for second-hand traders, and the World Bank reported that the country’s growth expectation decreased by 0.5%.

Earlier last month Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's finance minister stated ‘There’s been some fall-off in hotel occupancy, in Lagos in particular, some meetings have been postponed, but you still have other business people who are arriving.’ Bloomberg news (2014).

Not bad news at all is you ask me, let’s hope it stays that way. 

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To follow my Lagos adventure follow @folatheexplora on Instagram

God Bless Nigeria

After break time on Wednesday, a group of year nine pupils came into class jeering.
Another reminder that it was Nigerian Independence day. It has been fifty-four years since Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom. Some see this milestone as the beginning of Nigeria's downfall. Others like myself take a slightly different angle.
Today the largest megacity in Africa is in Nigeria. That same city is also the fastest growing economy in west Africa.
When I think about the amount of money I spend traveling to Lagos each year, I ought to have saved enough for a mortgage deposit.
In terms of life experience, each trip has allowed me to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of people and places. With memories that are next to none, I cannot compare my experiences in Lagos with holidays in the western world. I just don't think you can put a price tag on things that enable you to develop as an individual. That is not to say I did not enjoy my travels in Europe, they were just a different kind of travel experience.

I would not be the person I am today if I had never visited Nigeria. Just one sibling other than myself has been. They seem to have that 'London-based tunnel vision' syndrome. They grew up here, it's the only system they know; hence, Nigeria does not appeal to them in any way shape or form. To an extent, I don't blame them but ultimately you cannot knock something until you have tried it. My own London-based tunnel vision vanished once I began studying for my degree at university.

Africa is a continent that the world looks down on. The second class continent.
I once asked a pupil 'what do you think Nigeria might be like' he replied, 'everyone lives in mud huts.' I asked why he thought this, his response 'because it's in Africa.'

It's no wonder people are shocked when I tell them I go to Lagos on holiday. Due to the notion perpetuated by the mass media, they cannot possibly picture it as a tourist destination. This notion has been embedded in the western world for the last three decades and still exists today. If you want to take it back even further before then I suggest reading a number of books by Walter Rodney.
Africa as a continent has quite a bit of work to do before it can finally catch up to the developed world. Despite being a troubled country, Nigeria is growing from strength to strength.
I view the nation as a baby, still crawling, far too absorbed in its comfort zone to try and stand. When he finally decides to lift himself off the ground and attempt to take his first steps, they will be crooked, and short-lived (hence what is happening at present.)  He needs infinite patience, encouragement, and miraculous leadership!

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To follow my Lagos adventure follow @folatheexplora on Instagram.