Pictures from Kano

No Pamela, I haven't relocated to Kano. We just travel there because it's got the closest airport! Didn't stay for long, but one day is enough for me. Here are some pictures!

Sightseeing!

Nettus with the professional beggars

Kano, Kano, Kano... Activity everywhere!

All the impressions can make you tired...

That's it for this edition folks!

Ishtar

Touring the World in Search of...

Peopleized by: Ishtar - Friday, 06 July 2007

When discovering the Loomnie Blog, I was immediately intrigued as we could very well have traded geographical lives with one another. Born in Nigeria and an expert on Naija affairs, he still makes a better Westerner than myself in many regards, and therefor I just had to interview him...

Copyright Loomnie 2007

Ishtar: When you started your blog in 2006, you were looking for a job in Nigeria. What made you start a public blog? Did you let your friends and family know about it?

loomnie: Ehm... actually, I started blogging in 2005, even if I had only one post in the year. Now, more seriously, I started blogging just when I was about to leave Sweden to go back to Nigeria. I just discovered Blogger then, and I knew next to nothing about blogging. It was a time when I was pretty much confused about what to do with myself. I had finished an MA programme in a really good university, didn't know what steps to take after that, and, after stumbling on blogging, I decided to write a message to an imaginary audience. If you read the first blog - and the next few ones too - they were written in a sort of reflective way, without much thought about the audience. Also, when I got to Nigeria and started looking for a job it was a bit disappointing in a way, and writing about the disappointments was therapeutic in a sense.

So, in a nutshell, I would say that I started blogging without really knowing why I did. But then, when I left Sweden I found that it was a pretty easy way to keep all my old friends updated about things happening to me. All I had to do was to send them an email with my address, and with a request that they bookmark the page. I guess that answers my question about letting my friends know about it. My family? Well, you would find that I haven't mentioned anyone of them in a direct way in any of the posts. We are four children in my family, and one of my younger brothers now knows about it. It wasn't like I was hiding it from anyone, it is just that I never got to give talk to them about it. I would gladly give them the address... you can see that it is not an anonymous blog.

Ishtar: From reading your blog, you seem like a guy with pretty high standards, who doesn't settle for second best, unless forced to do so. So tell me, what are your life aspirations? Have they changed over the years?

loomnie: Pretty high standards? Oh yea, I have pretty high standards, but I probably would not agree with you if I thought that would be a good thing. I think it is not a good thing when one sets standards that would almost be impossible to attain. Most people like that are almost never satisfied with whatever goals they achieve because it could always be better. Ishtar, I hope you understand what I mean.

Life aspirations? I guess when I decided to do a degree in development studies I thought about working with a development agency or an NGO. I wanted to 'do' development, and to 'help people'. But coming back to Nigeria showed me that most of the people in the NGO 'industry' are actually there because they can make more money than they would either in the public or private sectors in Nigeria. After looking closer I saw that 'development' as an intervention might not work because people who work with the organisations are not knowledgable enough to take the perspectives of the people into consideration. Ok, maybe not knowledgable enough is not the right expression, maybe I should say they just don't know enough about the issues they are supposed to be dealing with, and they don't take many contextual issues into consideration in designing development programmes. This is not only in Nigeria but in the 'developing world' in general. I thought that the discipline that might actually be able to provide this bottom-up perspecive would be Anthropology because it is reputed to give 'voice to the voiceless' by listening to 'local voices' that otherwise would not be heard(actually, I was going to do a degree in Anthropology if I didn't get on the Development Studies programme). These thoughts eventually led me to thinking of anthropology as a field of study.

Thinking about it now, I don't know if I would say that my life aspirations have changed because I really don't know if I had any clear life aspirations. Even now, what I am thinking about is doing a damn good work of my PhD, and on time, and other things will follow. I am thinking about doing a post-doc after that. I see myself working in a research institute and teaching in a university for some years to come. But I am flexible enough to accept another course. 'We'll see how it goes' would be a good thing to say at this point.

Ishtar: When you started your blog, you were living in Nigeria. Now you're working in Germany. What is your take on the difference between the Western and the African continent?

loomnie: Living in Germany is definitly different from living in Nigeria. For one, there are so many things you take for granted here that you would be happy to have in Nigeria. I could mention the electricity and security issues as examples. But then other side of this is that you constantly miss your family and friends. I also miss some feeling of warmness that I would get in Nigeria for instance... but I have to be hasty in pointing that that too could get too much in Nigeria. I guess that what I am trying to say is that there is no perfect place. Wherever one chooses to live one should know that one would never have everything.

Ishtar: What do you think the next ten years of your life will look like? Feel free to speculate!

loomnie: What do I think the next ten years would look like? I have no idea. I probably would be able to answer a question about what I would like the next ten years to look like. I know that part of it would be rough as I have to finish my dissertation and decide what to do with my life after that... and I am sure you know that it is not exactly the best of times writing up a dissertation. Also, a wife and kids would be nice in ten years from now.... and you can add the house with a white picket fence to the picture. :D Really, I would like to have a family and a place that I can call home. Anywhere in the world would be home as long as the family is there. And no, I don't even have a girlfriend now.

Ishtar: Finally, what did you know about Niger before you encountered Ishtar News, and what is your take on Eden Foundation?

loomnie: Well, I knew that Niger is at the northern border of Nigeria, and that the country shares a lot in common with Northern Nigeria. But I must confess that I didn't exactly know so much about Niger. I think I told you sometime ago that I have been in more countries in Europe than in Africa, and I plan to make up for that sometime next year, starting with a tour of West Africa. So watch out, I may be in Niger sometime soon!

I think that the foundation you described in the posts on your blog sounds really interesting, and I daresay even great, but I really don't know so much about the foundation to be able to make any conclusive statement. But knowing that the organisation takes a long-term perspctive on issues is comforting because I am tired of the fire-brigade/ big bang approach of most of the NGOs around.... I think I really have to learn more about Eden Foundation.

Copyright Eden Foundation 2006

loomnie's Page

Authors Page: Ishtar

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A telephone call and a riding lesson

I woke up this morning after seven hours of sleep from a telephone call from Nigeria. It was Ali and Yaronbaba. I didn't know at first if something had happened, and in Niger, phone calls are complicated matters. People shout to one another - even when the line is good - and as they are shouting, they cannot hear what the other one is answering; and so they keep calling "what? what?" until they run out of money. As calling is expensive business, I didn't want to waste their time finding out if anything was the matter, but Ali spent three minutes trying to explain who he was (but he didn't have to because the line was so good that I had no problem recognizing his voice) and where he was calling from, in case I had forgotten. I was happy that I was alone in the house, because finally I shouted "NAGANÉ, Ali!" (=I understand) and I could hear him laughing as he told Yaronbaba beside him: "She has understood!" Then Yaronbaba was on the phone, just wanting to say hi and asking how Arwen was and then it was goodbye. Lol, it was a sweet gesture and I really appreciated it.

After that, I had brunch consisting of fillet & horseradish, fried eggs, fruit (guava, grapefruit and the most wonderful orange I have ever tasted!) and coffee - no bread. That was very nice... Then I spent the morning doing housework of different kinds; making yogurt, ironing, cleaning etc. Time went too quickly and at 2 pm I had a rendez-vous with Emmanuel (age 10). I had promised to take him horseback riding because he has been so eager to help YB and me with the horses. YB was really happy when he heard about this deal, and on Friday evening when I checked with Emmanuel if he had asked his parents for permission; YB gave me a contemplating look and said: "You don't forget anything, do you?" I do though, I just try not to! Anyway, Emmanuel was thrilled when I arrived at 2 o'clock. Fifteen minutes later we were out on the street with two horses, him riding Sahara and me walking Arwen. He did a good job, and it shouldn't be long until he'll be able to follow me out in the bush.

Ishtar

Back in Niger!

Finally, I’m back in Niger! It’s 36 degrees, slightly humid (dry heat is better!), my body is swollen and my head aches when I wake up in the mornings… No surprise though, because I know it normally takes about three days for my body to adjust.

The journey went smoothly. When I come to think about it, it must have been the smoothest journey ever. Nothing went wrong, no one was stressed, time went so quickly and we had a lot of fun… Getting through the checkups went smoothly (!); partly because there were so few passengers disembarking in Kano but also because we were traveling with my father. In Africa, connections and friendship is the key to success…

Exhausted from all the stress prior to leaving, I fell asleep seconds after my head hit the pillow. In a blue bedroom; the one I always stay in when we’re spending the night in Kano. The shower was Anette’s first shock but she quickly got over it (she had been thoroughly warned, but you still need to see it for your own eyes before you can imagine it). Surprisingly, you don’t need that much time actually to adjust to the crooked walls and all the other peculiarities of Nigeria… It’s rather fun, coming to a new – imperfect – world!

Breakfast was an interesting combination of uniquely boiled eggs (the yokes were hardboiled while the whites were liquid – I’ve never seen that before!), coffee/tee, toast with jam and a tonic soda, especially meant for those who weren’t taking any malaria medicine (I had run out of my small supply the evening before…). We then set out to do some errands in town, and Anette got to see West Africa’s Cairo: Kano.

The large city was as usually pulsating and shabby – the only difference being that for once, I took a (small) likening to it. I’d NEVER want to live in Kano, it’s the dirtiest and most disorganized town I know, but I’ve sort of got used to it and that makes me like it.

A day however was far sufficient for me and at five o’clock in the afternoon, I was happy to enter greener areas.

The good roads didn’t last long and after one bump that threw us all in the air, Anette commented: “It’s no wonder your cars wear out quickly in a country with these kinds of roads!” And that wasn’t the worse I’ve seen… Anyway, the journey from Kano to Zinder was long (by then, you feel so close to your target, you’ve simply run out of patience) but I was happily reminded how much better I have become after the concussion in January, when I got totally exhausted… In Zinder, Josef and Renate were waiting for us, and they had already cleaned part of the house and made the beds… Nice surprise! I don’t remember how long they stayed; I just remember trying to get a picture of the situation, what needed to be repaired and what would have to be done before you could actually start “living” in the house…

We slept until 9.30 (all three of us actually), had breakfast and then set about to work. Anette and I started with the kitchen, cleaning the cupboards (and everything in them) from dust! We kept doing it for most part of the day, and we still have a long way to go… But we’re getting forward. We did do other things though. First, we had lunch on the veranda in the company of the parrots and then Anette and I showered one of the dogs before taking a dip in the pool, which was just perfect… After two more hours of cleaning in the afternoon, we went for a walk. First we went to see Arwen, who was pleasantly big (not fat, but broad) and seemed to be in excellent form (though slightly irritated because Ali had gone to the racing track without her – she wouldn’t quit staring at the gate, expecting him back) and then over to Renate and Josef, where Tabita showed us her play telephone (and many other toys). After that, Anette and I spent some more time with the dogs and the pool and then… you know, time just flew.

I’ll be interesting to see what tomorrow will bring… For starters, it’s my father’s birthday (the first one he’ll be celebrating without my mother since before their engagement) and Josef, Renate and Tabita are coming over in the morning to wake him up in bed. Old family tradition… Don’t know if he’ll appreciate it (he keeps saying that he doesn’t want any attention), but I figure he could do with a pleasant surprise! And Anette and I bought a big box of Lindt chocolate in Amsterdam (amazing how much money you can spend on chocolate, only to come here and buy “real” things for the price!) which I think he will appreciate…

Ok, got to go to bed now; soon I’ve got less than eight hours before I need to go up again and in this heat (and with the remnants of my concussion still making themselves felt from time to time), I could do with some sleep…

Cheers!

Ishtar