How it all started?
When the meet up notification by @HelloSamsonR came up on our whatsapp forum, I clicked on it and saw, read through it and started plans on how to make it a reality. I placed a call to the most active local guide in Awka City, @OkekeNkiruka, and she was positive about her going to Lagos. At this point, I was sure we were two people representing Awka City in the Nigeria Meet Up.
Later on, when my boss who is into youth congratulated me on my escapades and activities in Google many gatherings of people especially at our Monthly Monday prayer Meeting, it must have gingered some people to start to think about Lagos. On the 18th March, I was invited to give a brief summary of Local Guides Programme and other Google activities young people could participate. I gave a brief talk and decided to organize another meet up that weekend, 24th March 2019 which was later shifted to 23rd March 2019, so that I could talk more about the programme.
After it, I started receiving more interest of people who wanted to go to Lagos. They were about 10 in numbers. While some were challenged by transport fare and accommodation, others said that it clashed with an already fixed program and office duties. Later, Mercy Hills later joined and then, Chioma Ndife and at the late hour Chioma Nnagbo joined. So we were all five in numbers to come to Lagos for the Nigeria Local Guides Meet Up. Later Mercy Hill dropped out from the trip but later she met us in Lagos
The Travelling Experience…
We took off on Friday, 5th April 2019 using Sienna with the three of us (@Uceey, @Chomy, & @OkekeNkiruka). We arrived Lagos by 1pm at Jibowu… We checked the three Exclusive hotel branches in Yaba which was not to our taste. @Sagir assisted us and we were able to check into Green Manor Hotel at Surulere and off course, he showed his sweet hospitality to us. We remain grateful.
We checked into the hotel and @Sagir took us out for Lunch at Leisure Mall, Surulere. After that, we got a call from Chioma Ndife that she has arrived Lagos. We welcomed her and after she rested for a while, we decided to take a walk to Teslim Balogun Stadium and then National Stadium, Surulere. At National Stadium, we took ‘Suya’ and drink to relax under the cool live band music. I was all fun. Thereafter, we took a trekked back to the hotel. The day ended with a cool outing as we waited for the last person.
Mercy Hill, who was using the night bus to come to Lagos. We were all alert to make sure she arrived safely. At last, she called around 6am that she has arrived. We sent her the address and she was so smart enough to locate the place to so much ease. So, we took breakfast and then started preparing for the Nigeria Meet Up. When we were ready, @Sagir, humbly picked us from our lodge and we headed to Nest Innovation Technology, Yaba, which was the venue of the place.
When we arrived the venue, we met with so many Nigeria Local Guides, we took a walk round the place, took some beautiful shots before the program began. The program began with a brief introduction of every local guides present led by the moderator, Sayo.
Later on, we had presenters like Samson, who gave us a brief introduction about the programme, and then Bassey told us how to make good reviews. Chioma exposed us how to build a niche around ourselves. Bolaji exposed us to drone, drone making, drone rules and regulations. Aniedi, who represented the Program Manger of Google Crowdsource, Praveen Das, spoke on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the importance of using Crowdsource for Machine Learning. Using the post of @TraciC , Sagir, spoke on some rules and engagements in the Local Guides Programme. Sayo also spoke on non profit charity and encouraged local guides to become part of it. @Uceey, spoke on how she started the local guides program and how she discovered the Awka Local Guides programme and other Google escapades and realities.
In all, I was so fulfilled that I met so many people. It was all great. We took group photograph and enjoyed all the day. After the event, we went back to our hotel rooms and rested a while. Later in the evening, some local guides went to taste Amala and Ewedu while some of us were still at the hotel feeling the company of Samson and Isaac.
The next day which was on Sunday, we went for worship at St. Anthony’s Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos State. At St. Anthony’s, we admired the architectural structure of the church, the underground parking lot, the underground book shop, the inner beauty of the church and the most importantly, the sound system. It was just so perfect for me. The most amazing thing I enjoyed was the preaching at the church by a young fair priest who preached with sense of comic relief. His preaching was so engaging and I couldn’t afford to sleep.
When Mass dismissed for the 9:45am to begin, we decided to trek back to the hotel since it wasn’t too far a distance. Opposite the gate of the church, we saw ‘Puff Puff’ sellers and we decided to have a taste of it. We also saw an Ice Cream seller and we also bought Ice Cream. While we took the ice cream and the puff puff, we laughed and chatted and ate the puff puff like people who haven’t eaten for some years.
When we arrived our hotel, we met with an Igbo man from Awka City. We spoke and exchanged in our local dialects. He was so proud seeing young girls coming down from Awka to Lagos just for Google programme. He said so many good things and then wished us well. He invited us to his restaurants which was some steps away from the hotel. His restaurant is Kate’s Restaurant & Kitchens He offered us free breakfasts and when we told him that we were running out of time because we needed to visit the beach too; he invited us again for dinner. After that he told us the issue he had on Google map and asked if we could rectify it for us. His restaurant was wrongly placed on the map. So we did our best and luckily everything went well and got published. I must confess, the meal is just so tasty and unique
We told him we had an appointment with a friend, @Sagir, who is to take us to the Elegushi Beach. So, he also invited us to his restaurant to have dinner with him. When it was time for us to move to the beach, Sagir alongside with Bolaji, arrive our hotel and we headed to the beach. It was exciting. It was a moment of reminiscing my childhood. I haven’t been to Elegushi beach for many years now and I enjoyed every seconds spent there. The horse riding and the sand filling.
When we left the beach, we headed to Google office to pick up some package from the Google Crowdsource Team and then we headed back to the restaurant to take our dinner. The Awka local guides have a story to tell here about their dinner experience.
After our dinner, we headed back to the hotel to prepare for our trip tomorrow.
The next day, our driver came to pick us at the hotel as we headed back to the park and then to Awka city. The journey back to Awka wasn’t too exciting maybe because we had seen it all. But on arriving Onitsha, the journey became exciting and we had fun till we alighted in Awka. @Martin245 , came to pick us where we alighted
That’s the end of my experience at the Nigeria Local Guides Meet Up in Lagos. Am sure @Mercy51 , @OkekeNkiruka , Chioma Ndife and Chioma Nnagbo, have all their experience to share too
thumbs up to every local guide SE of Naija(what we call Nigeria in local parlance) very lovely write up