Dele Momodu
20 October 2007
column
Lagos — "The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land, it is at least to set foot on ones own country as a foreign land".
- Gilbert K. Chesterton
The title of this column is not original to me. I borrowed it from an interesting book I picked up at a newsagent at Dulles Airport in Washington DC, a few months ago. I was attracted to the voluminous book, written by Patricia Schultz, whose earlier book, by the same title, had been adjudged number one bestseller by the New York Times.
Life itself is a journey. But how many of us in Africa are adventurous enough to explore the thousands of exotic locations around us. This book I am reading documents 1000 places you must see in the United States of America, and Canada, before you die. Just imagine. Some of the places mentioned include-Connecticut's seafood institutions, where the author writes: "It's not difficult to find no-frills restaurants serving lobster and scallops along the Connecticut shoreline and wherever you go, you can count on freshness. But some venues assume legendary reputations."
My mouth is already salivating, from this vivid and imaginative description of good food and good life, away from the hurly burly of life some of us are forced to live and cope with in Africa. There is the Connecticut's Gold Coast (remember that our own dear Ghana was once known and called the Gold Coast), which the author describes as "the coastal section of Fairfield County, with its neatly preened towns inhabited by Fortune 500 CEOs and boldface names (Regis Philbin and Diana Ross have homes here, and the first President Bush was raised here), has long been called the Gold Coast. It's a land of massive mansions, exclusive yachts and country clubs, and elegant boutiques that overlooks calm Long Island Sound."
I wish someone could tell me why we cannot turn Shagari's village in Sokoto into such an exotic resort, or Obasanjo's Ibogun village, or Owu, or Ota into paradise on earth, with eight lanes of superlative highways flowing in and out of the breath-taking haven of the rich and famous.
Next, I select the Mark Twain House and Museum, in Hartford, Connecticut, where "literary fans come from around the world to visit the home of beloved author, Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, a pen name he derived from the term used by Mississippi River pilots to indicate a water depth of two fathoms."
What stops literary fans in Africa, and beyond, from trooping to the homes of our icons, the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka in Abeokuta, Chinua Achebe in some Umofia forest in Anambra State devoid of the Okija demons, or have long queues of auctioneers waiting to buy the antiquated tables and chairs used by Daniel Oroleye Fagunwa (the famous author of Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale translated by Wole Soyinka as "A forest of a thousand Daemons" who disappeared mysteriously around the River Niger and was never found till today), or fans rushing to catch a train to the birth place of Cyprian Ekwensi, the ubiquitous author of "People of the City" and "Jagua Nana" in Minna, Niger State. Who would not want to sleep in the environment that inspired Elechi Amadi, the scintillating author of "The Concubine?"
How many of us today even remember our literary wizards, John Pepper Clarke Bekederemo, poet and playwright who penned such masterpieces as "The Raft," "Ozidi," "Abiku," "Song of a Goat," "America their America" or Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo, another great poet who died in 1967 fighting for the independence of Biafra and the outstanding author of "Heavensgate," "Distances" and his magnum opus, "Labyrinths" or John Munonye, the prodigiously entertaining author of "The Only Son," "Oil Man of Obange," "A Dancer of Fortune," etc.
Next, the author moves on to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, described as "the nation's third oldest university and the embodiment of pre-eminent ivy prestige". Why can't we turn our oldest campus, University of Ibadan into a major tourist destination and try to relive the rebellious temperament of the founders of the Pyrates Confraternity (known more today as National Association of Seadogs) and recreate the best campus carnival or the Havana night? Or activate some regatta on the artificial lake of the Obafemi Awolowo University or climb its mountains to fraternize with the educated squirrels and bats? Oh, what a waste!
The Sugarloaf, in Carrabasset Valley, Maine is an elite location, and according to the author, "though Sugarloaf is often called the best ski resort in the Northeast, it's not for everybody which may be one of the reasons its aficionados are so dedicated to it " Talk of a snub appeal. Our own good old Jos may not be as bitterly cold, but we can still create some sport out of the cold rocks and valleys.
Now, this is interesting, May breakfast in Rhode Island. The author dramatizes it: "In England they dance around a pole and they light bonfires, but only in Rhode Island is the pagan holiday of May Day celebrated with a good hearty breakfast "
Nothing stops us from celebrating our May Day in Osu, Osun State, where they have mastered the perfect art and science of frying the best bean cake called akara Osu. Or move to Ikire the birthplace of Patricia Etteh, the embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, and have a great carnival of dodo Ikire (fried over-ripe plantain with pepper seeds). Trust me, the entire angst in the lower chamber of the National Assembly or whatever would melt instantly with the overdose of glucose dripping from this delicacy.
For me, every soul must experience the magic and 'thunderous beauty of Niagara Falls" which God, in His awesome power, allows to flow at supersonic speed across the borders of Canada and the United States "revealing a sangfold that few can muster when viewing the vast and thundering falls in the Niagara River, by volume the largest water falls in North America. Niagara Falls draws water from four of the five great lakes and flings it down twenty stories at the rate of 42 million gallons a minute".
I experienced the stupendous beauty and extraordinary aura of Niagara Falls on a recent trip to Toronto, Canada. The drive from Toronto to Niagara was most pleasurable as my host, Professor Issa Odidi - the most famous Nigerian in Canada - insisted it was going to be an experience of a lifetime. It is incredible what imagination can achieve. Around the falls are some of the best hotels in the world, including one of the tallest casinos I have ever seen. My mind went to our own Erin Ijesa Waterfall near Ilesa, Osun State and I wondered why it is impossible to turn our misery into luxury.
The point of this article is to throw up a challenge to all of us in Africa. We must begin to love ourselves and our environment. We must work at the individual level by ensuring that our immediate surroundings are kept sparkling clean. It doesn't cost money to achieve this. Also, we must love our neighbours and eschew violence which now drives our youth to take laws into their hands. God loves us and created all this beauty for us to enjoy and behold. It is a matter of time. He will send us sensible and sensitive leaders who can move us to the next level.
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