Greetings!
I haven't traveled a lot to boast of big experiences. I haven't left the shores of my country, and even within my own country, I haven't been to all the big cities.
Among the places I've traveled to, my favorite so far is a state in Eastern Nigeria called Imo State. It's not that it has all the beauties of a big city—though it does have its charms, especially in the capital, Owerri. I just really enjoyed the kind of life I lived there, the experiences I had, and the people I met.
It was during my national service as a graduate that I was posted there to live for a year. My place of residence wasn't in a city; it was a village with only one bank in the whole area, so you can imagine the kind of setting.
What makes it my favorite?
- It was peaceful.
Throughout my stay, I never had any reason to leave my house to sleep in someone else's due to fear of robbery, kidnapping, fighting, or anything else. There was one occasion when we were advised to be cautious during a general election, as we were the ones conducting it. Despite that, I moved around at night freely without being approached by armed robbers or cultists. Many nights, I even slept with my door open, and nothing happened. Life was just peaceful there.
- There was an abundance of fruits.
The village setting is in a way that almost every compound has one fruit tree or another. Although my landlord didn't allow me to pluck coconuts in my compound, my friends and I would pluck coconuts from neighboring compounds as if the trees belonged to us. There were mangos, avocados, cherries, and so many other fruits, which were very cheap in the market also if you wanted to buy them.
Most afternoon, coconut and garri were out lunch.
- I met high-profile people:
During my stay, I was privileged to hold a position that gave me many opportunities to tour the state. I met the King and Queen of the village where I stayed. I was invited into their royal house and saw the things I usually only saw in Igbo Nollywood movies. I remember that on one occasion, we were given bush meat to eat which I had to check carefully before eating in orde not to go and eat....🫣🫣🫣
I also met the governor of the state back then, Rochas Okorocha.
These are some of the reasons I consider that trip my favorite trip so far.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to Dreemport challenge
Photos used are mine