Hi there! My name is Zino, I’m a Lawyer, Food Blogger, Local Guide and the Founder of the Abuja Food Tour which is a Food/Lifestyle Blog based in the beautiful capital city of Nigeria.
My journey as a Google Local Guide began two years in a cozy and bright café in Maitama, Abuja called WaffleStop. Over a plate of sweet pancakes and waffles, my friend and I spoke about the food scene in Abuja. He had complained about how hard it was to find delicious and affordable food in Abuja, most places offered poor quality food for rather high prices. Then, I decided to make a difference: to start a food tour around Abuja discovering unique, exquisite and affordable food while documenting our reviews and thoughts on each place we visit. We started first with Instagram and WordPress but somehow we needed to reach more people and then I discovered Google Maps and its Local Guides program. This platform gave me opportunity to help more people and connect people easily through posting reviews, giving ratings, fact checking and answering questions.
Being a Local Guide means so many things to me. It means helping people discover amazing food, connecting people with restaurants or places, experiencing culture through food and discovering the beauty in the capital city of Abuja. Helping people has always been the inspiration behind each post on social media or each review on Google Maps. This was even the inspiration behind why I started blogging about food in the first place. Each time, I get an email or a notification about a review I posted, I’m really thankful for the role I played in contributing as a Local Guide. These mails or notifications have always served as a motivation and reminder that each review no matter how long or short will definitely help someone someday.
To me, it also means helping people discover and experience culture through food. Food is fundamental part of culture and it is an easy way to experience culture especially when you have not travelled there before. For example, Dining at a Japanese Restaurant which offers authentic Japanese food would make you feel like you’re in Japan. It is almost as if you have been transported to Japan through your taste buds. As a person who has never been to Japan before, I got to experience the Japanese Teppenayaki in 4GUYS Restaurant, Abuja and the Shabu Shabu in Miso Japanese and Thai Restaurant in Abuja. Both of which are cooking styles that have existed in Japan for years but here I was, sitting in Abuja experiencing Japanese Culture. As I reviewed each place and the experience I had at both restaurants, I knew that someone reading those reviews would also get to experience Japanese culture in Abuja.
I enjoy being a Local Guide because I have been able to connect people with restaurants, cafes, food trucks and bars in Abuja. When I write a review, I write for any person that would have questions or concerns about that particular place. I focus on writing about the service, the environment, the food and the pricing to let any foodie know what to expect when they dine there. I have also added new places on the map thereby letting more people find new places in Abuja. The Local Guides platform has served as way to contribute useful information to people living in Abuja or visiting Abuja for the first time.
It also means showcasing the beautiful city of Abuja to the world. I have done this through showcasing its diverse food scene and culture. I mean what better way to explore a new city than discovering its diverse food scene. Food in Abuja is quite diverse, you could have an English Breakfast, a Chinese Lunch, a Mexican dinner and an Italian Gelato for dessert. As a food blogger, I’ve been able to write about all kinds of food in Abuja from places which offer fine dining to chic cafes to local bukas i.e. local restaurants which all make up a part of the beautiful capital city of Abuja. The Abuja Food Tour’s mantra is “exploring Abuja one bite at a time” and I’m thankful to have stayed true to it so far.
Finally, I’m thankful to Google for the opportunity to help people and I’m also thankful to Waffle Stop for inspiring my journey as a Food Blogger and Google Local Guide. Here’s a few more photos from my tour of delicious food in Abuja:
