Bayo’s Travel Diary
Breaking Free from Mediocrity: Why Nigeria Needs a New Way of Thinking
On December 30, 2022, I took a walk with my wife. Along the way, we met an elderly man using a walking aid who should be in his 70s. "Excuse me, please I'm looking for the underground station," he said as he turned to me. Instinctively, I put my hands inside the pocket of my trousers and...
Travelogue: Ibadan – Hills, Bottoms, Masquerades and Research
More than 15 years ago, I met an Italian who had lodged at KS Motel at Total Gardens, Ibadan. He was in Ibadan for the first time and was very fascinated with the city when I informed him that Rome and Ibadan shared a unique similarity: both were built on seven hills. He asked me to take him...
Travelogue: The Belgian Monument For The 10 Commandos in Rwanda
One of the monuments I visited in Rwanda was the Belgian Monument for the 10 Belgian United Nations peacekeepers. In April 1994, 10 commandos of Belgian origin were ambushed during the Rwandan War. It was a day after the Rwandan president’s plane was shot down on April 6, 1994. They surrendered...
Travelogue: Hotel Rwanda, Paul Kagame and A Purpose Driven Nation
Do You Remember Hotel Rwanda? Hotel Rwanda was a film released in 2004 about how Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle ), the manager of Hotel Des Milles Collines, saved 1,268 Tutsis during the 1994 Genocide. The hotel was also shown in the 2005 film Sometime In April. I was at the hotel. The...
Travelogue: The Hutu Ten Commandments in Rwanda & We Need To Fix This Hate
I went on a tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial and one of the striking things I saw was the Hutu Ten Commandments. Immediately, my mind went to my country, Nigeria. Nigeria is becoming more dangerous a place to live by the day. The level of hatred is assuming an alarming dimension and may soon...
Travelogue: The Road to Kigali and Lessons From Rwanda
The roads in Kigali are neat. So neat that you can’t find any dirt anywhere. When I touched down from the aircraft and entered into the small but very smart airport, I knew there was something different about this country. I had heard so much about the transformation of this nation and I wanted to...
Travelogue: Of Abacha, Okpa & Other Things I Saw On A Road Trip From Anambra To Enugu
I believe two things give people great exposure--reading and travelling. I love both. Anytime I get into a new or unfamiliar environment, I like to explore the place. I make friends with people in that environment- especially cab drivers. I met Somto and he was just perfect for me. He knows the...