MY TRAVELOGUE 2

I want to start this travelogue by expressing my gratitude to all of you who have been following my journey and leaving encouraging comments. I really appreciate your support and interest in my adventures. Thank you so much ❤️🙏.

As I was reading your comments, I felt a surge of inspiration and motivation to pick up my writing tools and document another day of my trip. Today, I explored the city of Gariki with my friend Ridwan, who has been a wonderful companion and brother to me since we met.

Gariki is a beautiful city, full of life and energy. It is the capital of the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria, and it hosts many important government buildings, businesses, and cultural attractions. The city is also very diverse, with people from different ethnic groups, religions, and backgrounds living together in harmony. Gariki has a vibrant nightlife, with many restaurants, bars, clubs, and entertainment venues to choose from.

One of the places we visited was a restaurant named OJUELEGBA. The name means "the place where people cry" in Yoruba, which is a language spoken by some Nigerians. I was a bit nervous when I saw the name, because I wondered if we would have a bad experience there. I prayed to God that we would not regret our choice. As I was praying within me, I was relating the popular trends into the situation, "Poor man pikin no dey visit this kin place, or else he go learn the hard way " 

But before I tell you what happened at OJUELEGBA, let me tell you about someone who is very dear to me. Her name is Iya Olamilekan, and she is my first love. She is not my girlfriend or wife, but my mother. She raised me with love and wisdom, and taught me many valuable lessons in life. One of them was to eat well while I have money, because money can run out anytime, but God's grace never does.

This lesson came in handy when Ridwan and I were at OJUELEGBA. Ridwan wanted me to order whatever I wanted from the menu, but I was hesitant because I knew we had a limited budget. We were in Abuja for a special event that would change the course of NAPS (National Association of Polytechnic Students), and we had to save some money for our primary assignment.

Ridwan and I got into an argument about what to order. He said I should not worry about the price, and that I should enjoy myself. He said he did not want me to feel low or less wherever we went. He was always like that, very generous and kind. Sometimes we would go into debt just to make ourselves feel good. He was a true friend that I would always cherish, even though he often annoyed me with his jokes and pranks.

I said I did not want to spend too much money on food, and that I was fine with something simple and cheap. I said we had to be careful with our expenses, and that we should not live above our means. I was always like that, very cautious and prudent. Sometimes I would miss out on fun just to save some money. I was a loyal friend that he would always respect, even though he often teased me with his sarcasm and wit.

We raised our voices at each other, trying to prove our points. We attracted some attention from the other customers and the staff. We were about to cause a scene at OJUELEGBA.

But then I remembered my mother's words: eat well while you have money, because money can run out anytime, but God's grace never does. I realized that Ridwan was right in his own way. He wanted me to have a good time with him, and he was willing to share his money with me. He was showing me God's grace through his friendship.

I decided to give in to Ridwan's suggestion, and ordered what I wanted from the menu. He smiled at me and said he was glad I changed my mind. He said he loved me like a brother.

We laughed at each other's jokes and went for our food, we were amazed by the size of the chicken that came with our rice. It was huge and juicy and smelled delicious. 

We went out later that night to explore the city and see the different visitors arriving for the event We were excited and curious about what would happen the next day. 

We also went to another restaurant near our lodge to get something for dinner. We had received some money from our class representative, Makanjuola Quadri, who had sent us a little amount to help us with our expenses. We were grateful for his gesture, and used the money to buy some food.

We chose a different restaurant from OJUELEGBA, because we did not want to repeat the same experience. We also wanted to try something new and different. We found a restaurant that served local dishes, and ordered what our money could afford. We ate and drank, and talked about our lives.

Owo ti ku wasobia 

We realized that fake life is expensive and deceptive. We decided to be ourselves, and live within our means. We agreed that God's grace is sufficient for us, and that He would always provide for us.

We returned to our lodge feeling content and peaceful. But We are learning the hard way in Abuja.