tttfoto's experiences in Nigeria

Moving

2009-08-23T17:06:00.004+01:00

Sorry people but I now have moved back to Europe, so I am unfortunately unable to continue this blog about my time in Nigeria.
If you are still interested about what I get up to photographically that is, you can follow my Lithuanian blog here:
http://tttfotolithuania.blogspot.com

New shop in town

2009-05-06T10:11:00.005+01:00

Exclusive Stores was opened on the 28th April. Plot 1202 Ademola Adetokunbo Cresent Wuse 2 Abuja. Opp Rockview Hotel. The store is spread over 3 floors, clean and tidy and well stocked. It has a coffee shop/cafe and all the ranges and products that you can expect in a small department store. The fresh and frozen counters are yet to be opened. There seems to be ample parking and A/Cs on the premises. The problem with all new businesses in Nigeria are the lack of trained staff, so much patience will be needed at the checkout! The store has a good choice/price (in my opinion) and is on par with other stores and is presently offering several offers (Buy One Get One Free ).

Food is ready

2009-05-03T19:21:00.002+01:00

Meat seller Karu market

2009-04-15T15:30:00.001+01:00

Barrow boys at Karu market near Abuja.

2009-04-14T12:30:00.002+01:00

Relaxing weekend

2009-03-30T16:11:00.003+01:00

We decided to go camping last weekend to get away from the hustle and bustle of Abuja, a good time was had by all but there's definitely no fish to be caught in that lake. We tried all sorts of bait and lures but to no avail were we to catch any fish. Luckily we had some steaks with so we didn't go hungry and enough beer, that I never forget!!!.

Zimbabwe Farmers

2009-03-24T13:06:00.002+01:00

While the Zimbabwean government evicted most of the white farmers without compensation (some 130 were chased off in the past month), the Nigerian government has spent millions of dollars to woo these farmers here. For the Zimbabwean farmers it's a commercial opportunity and personal challenge. For the Nigerian government, it's a chance to tap into years of expertise and kick-start commercial farming operations in a country of 140 million where farming has long been neglected. Despite the farmers' welcome in Nigeria, their time here has not been without problem. The newcomers were promised that their land would be connected to the national power grid with guaranteed 24-hour power and irrigation to the farms. None of that has happened. Everywhere there is a lack of regard to time. And in farming that's a major problem. Crops won't grow if they're not in the ground on time.
Nigerian banks have little experience of lending to commercial farmers. Though agriculture accounts for about one quarter of Nigeria's gross domestic product, that production comes from small-scale and subsistence farmers. Since crude oil exports took over as the bulwark of the economy in the 1960s, food production has steadily declined. Nigeria spends billions annually on food imports.

with the proper tools and Machinery

they are able to transform bush to arable land.

We, my family and a group of friends had the opportunity to visit one of the project farms at Masaka.(Nasarawa state) not too far from Abuja . This gave us chance to meet and discuss the farming projects that these guys have ventured into from their former Zimbabwean past. I must admit I have no idea about farming but when we arrived at the entrance to the farm I could see instantly (after experiencing 3 years in Nigeria) that these farmers knew exactly what they are doing. There was no bush, there was just fields full of Cassava, I mean aces of prepared land. Normally you only see bush with small areas of prepared growth in between trees, in other words a one family plot with a home somewhere in the midst of things.
In discussions with the four farmer we found that it was not as rosy as it looks, after a couple of years experience in Nigeria, there are only ten farmers remained out of twenty two. Some have given up and the other are battling though against problems such as monies promised by the state, not enough water for irrigation, the lack of electricity and the biggest problem of all theft of crops before they can be reaped, there last crops showed about 50-60% of what was originally put in the ground. This is definitely not what the farmers intended for all the hard work put in by them and their staff.
Unfortunately the end of the day came too quick and it was time to say goodbye. Thanks to Keith and friends for a relaxing yet very informative day at the farm, and looking forward to another visit.
We wish the farmers success for the future, and hopefully without to many problems......

The Nok

2009-03-20T08:33:00.008+01:00

Many thanks to the Archaeological Institute of the University Frankfurt for their very informative day out at the excavation sites

Surveying

Excavation of a furnace of the Nok Culture

The Nok Culture of Central Nigeria represents the earliest sculptural art of sub saharan Africa as well as the beginnings of iron metallurgy. Since 2005 a joint research project of the University of Frankfurt, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the University of Jos are dedicated to the Nok Culture.
The sites of the Nok Culture are spread over an area of approximately 1500 sq kms west of the Jos plateau region central Nigeria. Most ancient cultures discovered copper and bronze before iron, but the Nok apparently moved from the stone age to the iron age. Did the Nok teach themselves these skills, or did they discover the secrets of iron from other cultures? That question remains a mystery that archaeologists may someday understand.
A series of accidental finds of fine terracotta figurines by tin miners on the Jos Plateau revealed an ancient culture named for the village of Nok, where some of them were found. Initially Neolithic, the Nok culture made the transition to the Iron Age.
Distinctive features of Nok art include naturalism; stylized treatment of the mouth and eyes; relative proportions of the human head, body, and feet; distortions of the human facial features; and the treatment of animal forms. The spread of Nok-type figures in a wide area south of the Jos Plateau, covering southern Kaduna state southeastward to Katsina Ala, south of the Benue River, suggests a well-established culture that left traces still identifiable in the lives of the Numan and other peoples of the area today. Many of the distinctive features of Nok art can also be traced in later developments of Nigerian art produced in such places as Igbo Ukwu, Ife, Esie, and Benin City.

Just helping out

2009-03-18T08:37:00.002+01:00

A young girl helping her mother to prepare cassava for grinding, which will then be ground into flour. Cassava is a tuberous root of a tropical tree, used as food in tropical countries but requires careful preparation to remove traces of cyanide from its flesh. It is also called Manioc.

Cattle trader

2009-03-10T08:08:00.003+01:00

Friendly local trader at the livestock market near Kaduna.

Burnt out

2009-03-05T11:30:00.002+01:00

Petrol tanker completely burnt out on the entrance to the filling station. It could have been an absolute catastrophe if the filling station had gone up as well. With the lack of safety standards in Nigeria these kind of accidents happen on a daily basis.

DHS

2009-03-03T09:54:00.004+01:00

DHS (Diabetes and Hypertension help society) is a non governmental & non profit organization run by a good friend, she is the most unselfish, bubbly, loving and caring Nigerian woman I have ever met. DHS do free testing in villages on a regular basis and they give positive help and advice to people who think they may be suffering. To find out more about DHS visit their website www.dhs-ng.org
Keep up the good work people.

Weekend in Minna

2009-02-24T11:37:00.008+01:00

What a lovely week end we had, it was so nice to get away from Abuja for a change. Friday we packed the car, then in convoy we headed for Minna(Niger state) roughly 200kms. As you can see in the first pic we could do some shopping on highway, you should always take advantage of traffic jams. We arrived before dark at Maizuba farm guest house with plenty of time for a ralaxing evening and a few beers knowing we had a comfortable bed waiting. Up early on Saturday and before I could put my fishing line in the water, a friend pulls out a Nile Perch weighing 10lbs, which at the end of the day tasted so nice on the BBQ. What a lovely weekend we had.....

The Chief

2009-02-18T16:30:00.002+01:00

This is the Chief of a small village just outside Abuja called Kutti. Very friendly people, which we had the pleasure to meet on an offroad trip to Bwari Pottery.

Nigeria's future

2009-02-17T08:21:00.002+01:00

What are they looking for? what do they want? what do they need? These are questions that go through every ones mind, but what do we do??? not enough......

Nigeria's future

2009-02-16T07:39:00.002+01:00

Some children at the livestock market in Kaduna.

Going fishing

2009-02-13T08:35:00.000+01:00

Fisherman

2009-02-11T07:54:00.001+01:00

Only small ones today.

Fishing on Usama dam

2009-02-10T07:55:00.004+01:00

Usama dam is about 30kms from Abuja , and makes for a nice weekend retreat of a good BBQ & a few beers.

Sun rising over Aso rock

2009-02-07T07:31:00.002+01:00

Aso Rock is a large outcrop that is on the outskirts of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. Aso Rock is a 400 metre monolith and is the city's most noticeable feature. The Nigerian Presidential Complex, Nigerian National Assembly, Nigerian Supreme Court and much of the town extend to the south of the rock. "Aso" means victorious in the language of the (now displaced) Asokoro ('the people of victory').

Offroad

2009-02-06T07:36:00.003+01:00

Yeh!!! thats me in the (wifes) Ford, we often go off road for a bit of adventure, but it's better in the dry season then it's not so wet & muddy. Now we use the Landrover because thats what LR's are for.

Fulani cattle herders

2009-02-05T07:55:00.002+01:00

Three Fulani cattle herders at the livestock market in Lafia (Nasarawa state) and no they are not gay, as I mentioned in a previous posting, color and beauty are a part of the Fulani culture.

The Miller

2009-02-04T07:36:00.003+01:00

One eyed jack the Miller, I had the pleasure of meeting this hard working man in Lafia (Nasarawa state), while photographing some development projects for a well known NGO.

Fill it up

2009-02-03T09:04:00.002+01:00

A very small petrol station in Lafia (Nasarawa state) one tank,one pump,one petrol and the octane is unknown (state secret).

Snake charmer

2009-02-02T08:38:00.001+01:00

The Snake charmer from Lafia

Brick production

2009-01-30T07:33:00.003+01:00

The villagers of Gulu, a small village in the niger state, are preparing a mix for the production of bricks which will be dried and then later used for building houses.

Zuma Rock

2009-01-29T09:26:00.000+01:00

Zuma Rock is a large monolith located in Niger State, Nigeria. It is just north of Nigeria's capital Abuja, along the main road from Abuja to Kaduna, and is sometimes referred to as "Gateway to Abuja." It is most recognized because of the face of a person on the monolith, and is depicted on the 100 naira bill. It has been called Nigeria's answer to Australia's Uluru (Ayers Rock). Although only one-third as wide as Uluru, Zuma Rock is more than twice as high from its base, rising 725 meters above its surroundings.

The National Church of Nigeria

2009-01-28T14:09:00.000+01:00

National Church of Nigeria, Abuja is one of the celebrated churches in the country. Located in the capital of the country, the presence of this church makes it evident of the strong Christian population and impression in the city and likewise in the country.
National Church of Nigeria in Abuja was earlier,as popular as the Nigerian Ecumenical Center. The official name of the church was The National Christian Center. The church attracts general tourists as well in the city and is rated as one of the top tourist attractions in Abuja,
The church building is an excellent work of craftsmanship. Reputed Italian firm, Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nigeria Ltd was the sole builder of this important religious building. The construction of the church started in the year 1989 but the work was slowed down. Till 2004, not much construction happened. The Christian association of Nigeria took initiative and ensured a fast completion of the project. Finally, the church was open to public on October 2nd in the year 2005. The church is open for the public on days other than public holidays. Guided tours are also available.

Mosque in Abuja

2009-01-28T08:14:00.000+01:00

A large state mosque complex built in the federal capital of Abuja and comprising a gold anodised, aluminium shingled, dome covered, main prayer hall, a library, conference hall, and religious school.

WUSE MARKET,ABUJA

2009-01-27T09:51:00.000+01:00

Went to the Wuse market at the weekend and found it as colorful as ever, fresh produce always on sale. The market is busy 7 days a week.

2009-01-26T14:38:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately last week I had to have a new clutch fitted, and fortunately the parts were available in Abuja. The weekend I was back on the road. Thanks guys for the help.

Down the drain

2009-01-23T16:10:00.000+01:00

I had a black & white darkroom at home in Europe (long time ago) and use to feel very guilty when the chemical's use to get washed down the drain. Thank goodness for the digital age.

2009-01-22T07:47:00.000+01:00

The Fulani people call themselves Fulbe (Pullo, in singuler).They were originally nomadic herders, traders and farming people living throughout West Africa. While their origins are disputed, Arab writers recorded their existence over 1000 years ago. However experts believe that they originated from a region that occupied the present day Northern Senegal. Over the centuries, they migrated with their cattle to occupy vast areas in the Sahel and Savannah regions of West Africa. A distinctive difference between the Fulani and other African people is that the Fulani have a huge respect for beauty.The children in this image are a good example of the colourful dress. This image was taken at the Fulani village, Mazubai farm near Minna (Niger state)

Fish and Chips Nigerian style

2009-01-21T09:13:00.000+01:00

These fish ladies work hard 7 days a week from 3pm till late, in the grueling smoke and hot conditions for very little profit.This should be at the top of your to do list if and when you get chance to visit . We've eaten at the Mogadishu camp fish bar on a regular basis for the last 2 years and never had any problems. Highly recommended

A view from the Abuja Hilton

2009-01-20T21:39:00.000+01:00

We live over there

A view from the Abuja Hilton, beautiful weather as always

The amazing sights of Abuja road

2009-01-19T11:55:00.000+01:00

I ho I ho its of to work we go