Last year was quite an adventurous one because for the better part of it, I was always on the road with my daughter. Then we lived in Port Harcourt.
The nature of my Job then though was tasking and time-consuming, the freedom lit since there were no restrictions on mobility. It was due to the freedom that I will work Sundays to Thursdays then travel that same Thursday to my daughter's paternal village at Issele Uku which was about 7 hours from where we lived.
As stressful as that journey, we repeat it every week, we'd go on Thursday and then come back on Sunday because on Monday, Eastern routes were blocked courtesy of the sit at home they had going on and alternative routes through the Southern part of the Nigeria, were pricier plus the roads are bad so leaving Sunday was a must for us.
(The sit at home was an order by the secessionist group IPOB to pressurize the Nigerian government to release their detained leader Nnamdi Kanu)
Back to my story….
During the last presidential and gubernatorial election for 2023, our trips intensified. It became a back to back thing as I was actively involved in the election preparation process.
I organized some local campaigns as well as rallies. Ba k then, I would usually go with jobs from my work at Port Harcourt and still won't get it done because my hands were full.
In no distant time, I was behind schedule. I was exhausted and overstretched but shockingly, I was able to handle the situation well, and I didn't get sacked for incompetence.
Let's get to the sweet and fun part
Regardless of how stressed I was preparing for the election, I didn't fail to enjoy nature. As there was enough to eat and drink.
One thing I love about visiting Issele Uku is how preserved, to some extent, their natural habitats are, at least the air smells fresh, and the wind is chilly, especially at night. We also get access to fresh farm produce and, trust me, it tastes really different and better from what we have in the city.
Pineapple, Pawpaw and Watermelon
Corn and native pear
Slightly riped plantain with catfish pepper soup
Furthermore, our candidate won the gubernatorial election and I made some smokey firewood jollof to celebrate, which paired well with a well marinated chicken fried afterward.
Not only that, but we also got invited to the inaugural party.
After the election was over, we went to see the Ostriches at a friend's private residence, and I was quite fascinated by them as that was my first time to ever see an Ostrich.
They ran in the most Angelic of ways and sounded like a trumpet.
Pause!
I almost forgot....
Dear Nigerians, do you know we can grow watermelon in Southern Nigeria? The picture below are watermelons grown by accident.
Before now, I use to think Watermelon can only grow in the North. It was on one of our trips to Issele Uku, when we visited the Orphanage we saw the Watermelon.
Imagine my shock, inquisitive me kept asking the matron how they managed to come about growing Watermelon at the Orphanage and she said it wasn't an intentional cultivation as whenever they eat Watermelon, they throw the seed in the children's play box.
Alas! They started noticing the seeds germinate.
That's it folks for show and tell.... Thank you for reading me 🙂
Ps
All images are mine
