After exploring a bit of Kigali in this week’s #ZikokoWhatSheSaid, it was only right to see other African countries we need to have on our bucket list. We want you to live vicariously through these five Nigerian women as they share some of the African countries they’ve visited.
1. “My first solo trip was to Tanzania”
I spent 2021 saving for my first solo trip to Tanzania. It was my first time on a plane, so of course, I tried to play it cool, but I couldn’t figure out the belt. Luckily, the cute lady beside me showed me how to buckle it in. A few minutes after takeoff, I slept off until we landed in Tanzania. I had paid to spend the week at a resort before heading to Zanzibar the next week. Tanzania was beautiful. There were trees, vast lands of green and hills. The most exhilarating moment was the hike up Kilimanjaro — I almost peed my pants as we got higher up. To be fair, I was slightly drunk on that hike. The next day, I took a ride on a hot air balloon and it’s the most freeing thing to experience. Looking down at the lush greenery and slowly floating into the clouds made me feel like I was finally living life. And oh, the food. Everyone needs to try Urojo soup.
2. “ There’s nothing as elite as a VIP lounge”
In 2014, I went on a school trip with a friend to Ethiopia. It was a conference, and we were expected to deliver a speech on youth empowerment. I had been on international trips before, but it was the first time my destination would be in an African country. The best part was that I didn’t have to travel with a teacher. Well, at least I thought that was the best part until we connected with a minister and his special advisor on the flight. They ok it upon themselves to be responsible for us since we didn’t have a guardian tagging along. There were other complications with our accommodation for the trips, so they paid for our meals and hotel bookings. We arrived in Ethiopia in the middle of the night and it looked so beautiful flying in. We went into the VIP lounge and waited for the car to get us. I felt so elite. There were top guys in politics and we got to mingle for a bit.
Surprisingly, Ethiopia was quite chilly. I didn’t expect that. Other parts of the trip kind of went by quickly. The food looked great, but I was keen on sticking to familiar things like rice and meat — I’m not adventurous with food. I did try a dish called injera and it wasn’t for me. It felt like moist bread with meat. So yeah, not for me. Another thing, the women in Ethiopia are gorgeous. I’d love to go there again.
3. “Waakye and shito is everything”
I was in Ghana for a week in 2019. First off, there are traffic jams in Accra o. Yes, the type you sleep and wake up in. But I loved Jamestown and its colonial buildings and taking a tour at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The night scene was amazing as well — drinking, eating waakye and shito. Trust me, when Runtown said, “Hope your love go sweet pass shito,” he knew what he was talking about. Shito bangs with everything. I filled a bag with it when I was leaving.
4. “Drunk nights in Morocco were the best”
In 2018, I was on a trip with my girlfriends to Morocco. One of them was getting married and we wanted one last trip as single pringles together. We were all in our thirties and every night was insane. The beaches are incredible — the water is as blue as what you see on TV. And the coconut cocktails were everything. I’d kill to have those drunk nights on the beach again. Let’s not forget the food. Brocadillos and macaroons were my favourite things to eat. I can’t lie, Morocco is expensive to enjoy, but I need to go there again. I need another drunk night on the beach, dancing in a bikini.
5. “ I loved yovo doko”
I was in SS2 and went on an excursion to Benin republic. I lived in Benin state and the school bus drove the class to Lagos. Our bus driver got lost on the way. I remember eventually getting to Marina and then Badagry. We spent three nights at Whispering Palms in Badagry before continuing our journey to Benin. The first thing I noticed from the border was how clean Benin Republic looked. CFA franc looked really cool, and the spending coins felt like I was spending UK money. I went to Dantokpa market in Cotonou and wanted to get some souvenirs. I felt I could have haggled the seller for a cheaper price — the Benin babe in me is still screaming. The rest of the trip was a lot of food. They were hard to pronounce but I remember trying yovo doko and it tasted like puff puff. Then there was amiwo with the mojo sauce and fried chicken.
