Monday, December 24, 2007

Port Harcourt, Calabar & Matters Arising

So I was in Port Harcourt for the ECK African Seminar. It was a blast. There were so many people even Port Harcourt knew something was happening. There was a heavy police presence in the city and around the Temple for the period, I guess because of the number of foreigners at the Seminar.

The roads between Lagos and Benin were nothing to write home about as usual and we spent about sixteen hours on the road. As I couldn't see myself putting down fifty thousand Naira per head for a flight to and from PH by Virgin or Arik Air, I had to use ABC Transport. N50K for a flight within Nigeria is sheer exploitation! Luckily the PH Airport would be opened by last week.

When the current Minister of Transport Dr. Allison-Maduekwe inspected the roads some time ago, the woman was shocked at the state of the road. One cant blame her, she always had Shell helicopters and chartered flights and never really needed to travel by road all along. But she did the civilized thing. She apologized.

Fani-Kayode would probably have cussed us out for complaining about bad roads. Mr. Fix-It of Uromi, who as Minister, collected money for the roads used it to fix other things but the roads. He is yet to apologize. Or be prosecuted. I hope the EFCC will get to that case someday.

From PH, we moved to Calabar. Now thats a city that really knows how to enjoy the holidays. You probably heard of the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' but in Calabar - and indeed the whole Cross River State- there are THIRTY days of Christmas starting from the first of December all through to the end of the year. This city lives up to its name - Come And Live And Be At Rest.

Calabar combines the ancient and the modern. If you want to celebrate Christmas in its rustic form (as we used to know it), come to Calabar for nostalgia. Even if you are very modernistic, still come.

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay beyond two days as I had to hurry back to Lagos for a meeting on Thursday. The meeting portend some good changes in the new year though that remains to be seen.

ARISTO UPDATE: I took Solomonsydelle's suggestion with thanks, and advised my friend Aristo, to take his wife to South Africa for the hols and buy her the biggest rock he could find there. While we were at it, I slipped him the address of my cousin who is a Diamond Broker with De Beers of South Africa. Of course he made the sale. And I get my cut.

What?! Why are you rolling your eyes? Its called Consultancy.

Besides, am I not just being my brothers' keeper?

Happy holidays, y'all!

17 comments:

UnNaked Soul said...

Calabar Rocks! no doubt

Happy Holidays bro!

desperate lady said...

hmmm never been to calabar before but will visit whenever i go to Nigeria.
What do you do for a living? lol don't mind me, you sound rich thats all.
Update on aristo-That one doesn't touch me, it doesnt change the fact that he might have aids or some kinda disease. Its ok if the wife forgives but she should deprive him of *coughs*for 6months so next time he'll learn. And hope he got himself checked.

Anonymous said...

Nimmo na wa for you o. I dey see ya footprints everywhere, yet common text wey i send you, you no fit reply. Okay o e go better. Hope you had a lovely xmas anyway. Take care.

Joy Isi Bewaji said...

happy holidays nimmo!

cally-waffybabe said...

Mehn nimmo please don't remind me that i'm not in Calabar this xmas, the only time i've missed travelling there for xmas. Xmas over here is bloody BORING and COLD!!!

You know i didn't know that people could text via the web. I know i've seen soemthing about that on yahoo messenger, but prolly didn't catch on.

Neways i wish yourself and your family a happy and prospersous new year.

Hugs
xxx

cally-waffybabe said...

Kai na wa for all these typos sef. I meant to type something* in the 2nd paragraph and prosperous* in the 3rd.

P.S.
I can see that you have now changed your mind about allowing anon comments lol. What can i say? Blogville won't be the same without them lol. Happy new year to my darling anons!!!

Ms. Catwalq said...

u needed to have seen my approach to this blog. i sent awon boys to make sure you were home, then we arrived bearing "gifts". God saved you that you had updated....

Men, the road to PH. U know Omo Mummy was attacked by armed robbers? We thank the Mahanta o....na wah.
Stop rubbing PH and Calabar in my face.

Your Aristo friend: Msstssstsssthw!!! He still has it coming. Believe me. A woman never forgets....

Please greet Mrs Nimmo and lil Nimmo

N.I.M.M.O said...

@UnNaked: Happy holidays right back at you.
@desperateL: You should be in Calabar for Xmas 08. Start planning now. Its always a blast.
@Isi: Happy holidays back at you Sis; how's your hubby?
@CWB: Anons, cant live with them, cant live without them abi? Calabar is Destination 2008. Start planning early to avoid the rush.

See as I dey talk like say dem dey pay me sef. But its good to know there's something good about Naija.

@Catwalq: Nne, heard several stories o. Mostly due to the state of the roads. Some people actually left Lagos on friday arrived in Port Harcourt on Sunday morning! Well, all's well that ends well. How you dey?

Sherri said...

good to hear Calabar is rocking o
consultancy is alive and well!

nice blog (thanx for bronging me here)
thanx for stopping by

i left a comment on aristo

happy new year to u and ur family

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Hahaha. Nimmo, you are indeed your brother's keeper.

I however hope that Aristo will not assume that he now has a bandaid he can reapply when necessary. If he takes that approach, he will either get broke very quickly or you will spend more time 'keeping' your brother.

Take care, bro! Happy new year!

badderchic said...

thanks for droppin by sweets, holidays good?

guerreiranigeriana said...

you never lie o!!!...calabar is sweet!!!...happy new year!!...

...toyintomato said...

did you say consultancy!..lol

guerreiranigeriana said...

i might add, your insight and addition about yahoozee was appreciated and warmly embraced...gave me a new appreciation for the song...it can be difficult to understand a song when you don't understand the words...and the videos can be misleading...i now sing it even louder:)...thanks...

Ms. Catwalq said...

HABA!!!! january don almost comot finish now, wetin?

Queen of My Castle said...

UPDATE!!!!! It's been almost a month already!

Afrobabe said...

So are they happy now or does she remind him every once in a while...like I would have done?

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