Pelumi Nubi has finally completed her ambitious drive from London to Lagos on Sunday, April 7, 2024, traversing 17 countries in over 68 days before reaching her final destination. At the University of Lagos, the 29-year-old arrived to massive fanfare from supporters who’d followed her story since she set out in January.
While Nubi is currently getting her flowers, she joins a list of other brave Nigerians who have embarked on long-distance adventures.
Akpevwe Ogboru
An officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, Akpevwe Ogboru, made history in 2023 as the first woman to embark on a journey through 12 African countries on a motorcycle. Akpevwe commenced from Lagos on November 10, 2023, and arrived at the Seme-Krake border post, a crossing point between Benin Republic and Nigeria, on December 3, 2023. She covered an impressive distance of over 8,000 km, making stops in Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso and Togo.
Babatunde Tomori
In 2022, UK-based Nigerian, Babatunde Tomori, drove a Volkswagen passenger bus, the brand most often used for danfo, from London to Lagos. He set out in June 2022 and arrived in Nigeria on August 5, 2022. The adventurer admitted that the journey took two months and some weeks because he got distracted during some of the stops.
Abubakar Duduwale
In 2015, Abubakar Duduwale caught the attention of many Nigerians after embarking on a long-distance trek in honour of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari. Duduwale trekked 788 km from Yola to Abuja for Buhari’s swearing-in ceremony. “The reason why I am trekking from Yola to Abuja is to express my joy and solidarity with President-elect Muhammadu Buhari.“ Despite going over 18 days by foot, he, unfortunately, didn’t get to meet the president.
Akinrodoye Dare
In a bid to raise awareness for mental health issues, Nigerian swimming coach, Akinrodoye Dare, swam the 11.8 km (Mainland Oworonshoki to Island Adeniji Adele) length of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday, March 30, 2024. He completed the ambitious swim in two hours and 33 minutes, making him the first Lagosian to record the impressive feat.
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Fehintoluwa Okegbenle
In January 2022, Fehintoluwa Okegbenle, a female Nigerian biker, traversed 22 states in the country on her power bike. She completed the ride in seven days and made stops in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti Kogi, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Taraba, among other states. During an interview, Fehintola said the ride was inspired by her love for adventure and a need to give life to tourism in Nigeria.
Hafsah Olayemi
Nine months after she started biking, Nigerian immigration officer, Babatunde Hafsah Olayemi, became the first female biker to visit all 19 northern Nigerian states in one stretch. Out of curiosity about the North and her love for adventure, Hafsah kicked off from Abeokuta on June 4, 2023, and spent the next two weeks on the ambitious ride, covering about 5920 km.
Kunle Adeyanju
UK-based Kunle Adeyanju made history in 2022 after he motorcycled from London to Lagos to raise awareness for polio. Adeyanju commenced his journey on April 19, 2022, and spent the next 40 days traversing 16 countries before he arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on May 29, 2022. He covered about 12,000 km, visiting France, Spain, Morocco, Casablanca, Mauritania, Cote d’Ivoire and Accra, among other countries.
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