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Omo Ghana Responds to Yahoo Travel Writer-Lee Abbamonte’s Opinion that Nigeria is the Worst Country to Visit in the World

Nigeria
Nigeria

Dear Yahoo Travel Writer-Lee Abbamonte,

How are you doing today? I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying some fresh air and cool breeze with a picturesque scene of a crystal clear waterbody as this seems to tickle your fancy.

I recently read an article that stated your opinion about Nigeria and I must say I was madly disappointed. Not because of your comment but because of the lack of reasoning that backed that opinion. It is surprisingly unbelievable that you found not even one thing to like about the country thus making your opinion even less acceptable. You have pushed me to believe that you allowed the few (and I stress on few) negative experiences you had to cloud your overall judgement of the country. I would be glad if you could feed me with validated points that would in turn convince me to accept your opinion of Nigeria.

You see, I grew up in a world that mostly rejects people of my skin colour and caliber but fortunately Nigeria still accepts me and calls me her own. So she can’t be such a bad place, what do you think?

Due to her union with other West African countries, I can travel to other neighbouring countries without seeking permission and paying exorbitant fees as would be the case if I was to come to yours. So even when I have to pay an illegal stipend to my hungry brothers and sisters at the borders, I do this understanding their hustle. Why? Because your people and some of mine delved in the slave trade which I feel is still ongoing in its own complex way and has left many of such people being mistreated. Don’t be quick to say you wouldn’t do same were you in their situation. Thinking of it, in their minds, you might actually be the corrupt one, grudgingly refusing to succumb to their own systems. Lol.

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Another Ghanaian Woman’s Perspective on Nigeria-Part 3

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CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1 & HERE TO READ PART 2

A few weeks ago, whilst driving to work, I turned my dial to 92.30 fm and since then it has remained there. Each morning after devotion, my exercise session and food preparation I am always left feeling exhausted with little enthusiasm for the day. But thanks to inspiration fm, whose morning show between 6.30 and 7.00 always ensures I am revamped for the job ahead. Don’t hesitate to tune in anytime you are in Lagos or even online from anywhere in the world.

Whilst in Ghana, I was so in love with the yoghurt drink, Hollandia, and it is only weight gain that managed to tear us apart. Now that I am based in the country of its production, it is like jumping from frying pan to fire. I didn’t even know they had the pineapple flavour till I got here. To make matters worse La Casera (the apple sparkling drink) is as common as sachet water here and Fayrouz (tastes like Alvaro), the Chivita and Five Alive brands follow suit. I was so grateful when a close friend of mine asked if I wanted to join her in fasting. I decided to abstain from sugar, drinks included and that is how I have managed to control my cravings.

For those females looking to relocate to Nigeria, kindly do a wardrobe sweep to get rid of those scanty pieces you have. Trust me, despite their glamour and deep fashion sense, Nigerians are very conservative. Do not be fooled by what you see on television. You will see a number of them covering their hair when going to church or using shawls to cover their legs when they sit down. There is little tolerance for visible fleshy body parts especially with regards to married women and any daring female is viewed as not coming from a good home. As much as husbi always says I should just be myself, I have reserved a lot of those pieces for his viewing pleasure only. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

This is just a brief point to let you know that you are not alone in the crappy service you sometimes get from Ghanaian telecom companies.Your brothers and sisters here in Nigeria are facing the same situation if not worse. Thank you.

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MUST READ: Ways Of Surviving Your Teens

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Growing up and being faced with numerous challenges, we tend to feel lonely at times and think no one understands us and what we are going through. Catching up with a few teenagers, they shared some difficult times with me, including how they overcame them:

I was a very pretty and well-endowed teenager and this was not always a plus. Too many guys want to be with you and too many girls hate on you. You tend to feel you are such a ‘diva’ and that the whole world revolves around you. You get approached by so many guys and you are on top of the world. The funny thing is, you are actually more prone to vices and heartbreak. What helped me out of that life was listening to sermons and remembering bible verses from my daily devotions. I learnt to stay at home and not always rely on guys to have fun. M.C

Being from a not so rich home, I had to deal with segregation in school where I sometimes felt looked down upon. Being a bright student allowed me to excel at my studies thus earning me respect amongst my peers and as a result downplaying the class effect. B.S

As a teen, my biggest challenge was finding someone I could get attached to and share my problems or secrets with. I therefore learnt to keep things to myself and fight my own wars. Growing up, I’ve become much stronger, more mature, and an independent thinker and I think it’s all because I started doing things on my own at a tender age. F.K

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Why I Married a Nigerian: A Ghanaian Woman’s Perspective on Nigeria- Part 2

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CLICK HERE FOR PART 1

Hello folks, I am back with more observations of my newly acquired country-Nigeria. Thanks for all the best wishes. Continue to remember me in your prayers and in the meantime let us continue on this wonderful journey of ours.

It’s the last Saturday of the month and I have so much to do today but I am stuck at home. Ask me why. Well, in Lagos, there is an environmental sanitation exercise every last Saturday of the month starting at seven in the morning. Residents are expected to stay in to clean their homes and surroundings. Trust me you do not want to be caught out. So I await patiently till after ten when I can finally step out.

In my previous piece I forgot to mention how respectful Nigerians are. Prostrating or curtsying is a norm when greeting your elders and the use of Sir and Ma are common. I found this so odd at first (thank God my in-laws are very understanding) with my westernized hi, hello and hugs but with time I learnt to appreciate it and found myself following suit at times. It creates a function of respect that exists between the different age groups which is admirable.

Two weeks ago, I went to braid my hair and was very excited hearing people refer to me as Aunty and Ma. It made me feel important and respected (brushing my shoulders lol).One thing that struck me was the encouragement and empathy shown by the ladies as they braided my hair. “Well done Ma”. “Sorry Ma”. I wondered what I had actually done to deserve this praise and affection but it does add to great customer service. I did not hesitate to tip them once they were done.

I have been to a number of Nigerian homes as well as hotels and restaurants (eateries) and one thing that struck me was their preference for yam for breakfast and this is normally served with egg stew, palm oil stew or fried whole egg with some sauce on the side. At this juncture, I must say that my husband has been very understanding as he never complains when I serve him English breakfast. I am however gradually adapting this Nigerian style which ensures that one gets the needed amount of energy to start the day.

The first time I drove within Lagos (the bourgeois part though), I was impressed by how easy it was to reach my destination due to proper street naming and placements of street signs. Nothing like, ‘when you reach the orange seller turn right’ or ‘after that large MTN advertisement board, count three junctions to your left after which you will see a green story building’ lol. Names of the various streets corresponded perfectly with that of Google Maps.

This is just by the way but I woke up this morning yearning for waakye (rice and beans) with all its condiments- talia (sautéed spaghetti), wele (cow hide), gari, leaves and shito (Ghanaian black pepper sauce). Yes, and with some fried plantain on the side. I know some of you feel my pain.

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So I Married a Nigerian + My Experience So Far…

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This piece is based on my own personal experiences so there tends to be some generalization.

Hi everybody, I am a Ghanaian lady who got married this year to a handsome, sweet and God-fearing Nigerian man. A number of people asked me if all the men in Ghana were taken but chale one cannot fight God’s will. I would not trade my husband for anything or anybody. I must say that Nigerian men are very confident and seem to be trained to take on responsibility at an early age (this is not saying Ghanaian men aren’t). They stand tall with confidence and are not fazed by hard and trying times. There seems to be a deep rooted belief that ‘one day one day’ all will be well.

I was quite surprised that my dad, who normally goes on and on with respect to his opinions, did not object to me marrying a Naija man. His first statement was “I hope you are not being pressurized to marry?” My dad and I are not really close but I loved him for that question. There I was thinking I was going to have to recruit my mom to fight this love war for me. I happily replied, “No.” He went on to ask the usual questions a father would ask and then he made another powerful statement, ” I really don’t mind if my children marry non-Ghanaians, the two most important things are the person should be honest and have a good temper”.

Wow, I was shocked that was all that mattered to him. I know my mom had already said that none of her children should marry non-believers but I was confused regards my dad’s words. I always thought he would be a bit tribalistic and worry about social status etc. His words made me realise that he may be more down to earth than he appeared. He had highlighted a fact that some women ignore. Yes, honesty and temperament does come to mind but not before looks, finances, job security and status to name a few.

Oh, so lest I forget, he also gave me examples of many Ghana-Nigerian relationships that have been successful and his one advice to me was to think of myself as a Nigerian when I relocate. It dawned on me that as humans, we react based on our experiences and beliefs as well as evidence of certain circumstances. My dad believed, tribe wasn’t an issue but rather the principles one guided his life with. His observation of successful inter-country marriages had also made him more open to the news I shared with him. All I can say is Thank God.

The pre-wedding period was not void of calamity but by Gods grace the wedding was a success. Did I mention that my maid-of-honour and I had promised to ‘whoop’ my husband and his best man on the dance floor (knowing that my husband was a total klutz at dancing). Eiiii, we received the surprise of a lifetime. My husband and I still argue about the fact that he deceived me into thinking he couldn’t dance to save his life. Naija really dealt with Ghana that day. But I give God the glory because my desire for him went a notch higher if you know what I mean.

Anyway fast forward to me relocating to Nigeria after the wedding. 

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