Travelogue: Idanre hills through my lens

So I paid a visit to Idanre hills during the easter holiday

One piece of advice, if you ever plan on climbing the steps of Idanre hils make sure you are fit for it.

When I heard the steps were 660, I said to myself that it would be an easy ride considering the facts that I once climbed 7000 steps of a hill in India.

That was a stupid thought because the huge difference between the Lara who climbed those 7000 steps and the one who embarked on the steps of Idanre was a physically fit and skinny lady. I have not worked out in like forever, so picture this lady who after a few steps is sweating profusely, resting every now and then. 

There are 6 six resting spots on the hill, I stopped to rest for more than 10 times, for where there was no resting spot, I sat on the steps.

But I did, I climbed all 660 steps thinking that was all there is to the climb.

Oh boy, the climb has just begun.

By the time I got off the hills, my bones were weak…

But the truth is the climb was worth it.

The town of Idanre itself is breath taking.

I was dreaming of what it would feel like to waking up every morning to such wonders daily but sadly the people of the town are oblivious to this wonder.

I was disappointed to see the old town in ruins, our maintenance culture is terrible.

Ignorant me was actually expecting Idanre to be a village but that place is a town on its own. The electricity in Idnare is way better than that of the capital city, Akure.

My assigned tour guide was a boy of 16years in JSS 2, this is his job and he was so patient with me.  He made sure to take me to every spot there is to visit on the hill. He even carried my backpack for me and enthusiastically shared the history of the town with me.

According to history, the people of Idanre lived on top of the hill for 800 years before the quest for development made them move down the hill in 1928. Oke Idanre was actually a full blown town with its own court house, police station, primary school, river etc. 

At the first resting place, feet getting ready for the long climb

The tourist chalet is in serious need of repairs, because I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind sleeping in that place.

I tried so hard to even see the writings said to be on this hill, but I just could not get what the guide was talking about

Exhausted is an understatement

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The old palace

Skulls of cows sacrificed year, the number of skulls found here at the death of a king signifies his numbers of years on the throne

Sculptures found at the old palace

Aerial view of Idanre town from the steps of Idanre hills

My tour guide plucked a mango for me from the hills

I got so many pictures that I cannot upload all here.
I hope to go back to Idanre in May for the Orosun festival which I hear is really exciting.

Have you ever been to Idanre hills, please share your experience or would you like to go?

♥Lara
From Ilorin, the city that I call home for now

Goodbye 28...countdown to 30

This is the morning of my 29th birthday. This is the quote which speaks to me at this moment: "Do not regret growing older, many are denied the privilege.

I am grateful for life and the good things that have happened in my life and those yet to happen.

I guess happy birthday to me is in the right order.

The best birthday gift would be a return ticket to Zanzibar or Nairobi...oh how I wish

♥Lara

Recent Read, Movie and Music

Recent Read
So much has been said about the last book of Nigeria’s literary genius, the late Chinua Achebe... I was drawn to this book the many reviews and insults flying everywhere for the man who dared taint the Yoruba race's perfect son Awolowo's history.

Having read so many fictions on the Biafrian war and feeling this sadness and thinking history was well captured, I was grateful to finally read a true experience of what actually happened during those days.

Now I understand why the older generations of Nigerians are not ready to go to war anytime soon, why our people would rather dialogue than enter that vicious world where lives are lost and destroyed for selfish reasons.

I decided to take flufffycutething's advice on my last review of Chimamanda's Americanah and read the whole pages of the book.

Do I still think the book is over-rated, yes. But I think is over-rated for the wrong reasons. As in there was so much noise about the whole natural hair drama that people forgot that this book is a love story and a race story. Ifemelu practically went through every relationship on earth and came back to her true love (Obinze) even though at the end of the day she wreck his marriage. No one seems to be talking about that.

I read somewhere that Chimamanda said this is her "fuck you novel". The book is so unconventional and openly talks about our hypocritical society.That a man could walk away from the woman he vowed to love in sickness and in health for his true "puppy love'. I did not hear or read any one talking about this side of the story. I mean Ifemelu was Obinze's mistress before he decided he had enough of his wife who had lived dutifully with him, loved him wholeheartedly,  given birth to a beautiful daughter for his first love who he unfortunately did wait for the first instance.

The book also discusses the extent to which illegal immigrants will go to obtain legal documents and citizenship in abroad-The fake marriages,  the under-ground business of fake identities (using a legal citizen's name and social security number), The fear of arrests and the worst deportation and how some people are willing to go through this circle again despite been caught and deported.

She talked about race...race is a touchy issue and yes the west always fail to see that racism still exists in the world and because one of them decide to embrace us does not make racism go away.

I like the fact that Chimamanda did not hold back in telling her story...she wrote it just as it is and I wonder why people chose to focus on her talk about natural hair which was not really a big issue in itself.
Movie:Last vegas

Sandra and I have the tradition of watching at least one movie every month at the cinema before I travelled to India in 2010. We either go the cinema together or invite 1 or 2 friends along. We have not had this opportunity in a long while because of her accident. I was glad to finally get the chance to watch a movie with my beloved friend.

If you want to have a good laugh, Last Vegas is the movie to watch but it is a movie I wished I had watched at home not worth my while in the cinema.

The movie kind of remind me of Hangover,  I love De Niro, Douglas and Freeman and all 3 men in a movie makes a good watch but this is definitely not a legendary movie.

Music:  Chrisette Michelle

I discovered this artiste by accident; actually i found her album amongst the movies file I copied off a colleague's hard drive. Been a while i listened to good music. I love Chrisette's voice and i can’t really say my best of her songs so far.

♥Lara
From Ilorin, the town that I call home for now

Are we the turning point generation?

I had to borrow the title of Chude Jideonwo's soon to be released book for this post. I hear the book asks a lot of thought provoking questions about this present day Nigerian youth.

Judging from the statements in the pictures ahead, my answer is that we are not the turning point generation.
The screenshots are some of the comments on the post about the banker who stole the money left in the bank account of the Emir of Kano.

We are not the ones to save Nigeria from the mess created by our parents.

I mean a generation which is craving for change, which everyday shouts and curse the present day government for its corruption would not write the above statements.

All I see are people who are justifying fraud which is one of the many forms of corruption.How can anyone call a fraudster, 'an innocent fraudster'. Some are even canvassing for the freedom of a thief.

One thing I hate about this generation of ours is our double standards...we want to kill the people in government who we accuse of stealing our money everyday, we burn to death those who rob the poor, yet we would clap and rub the head of the poor in as much as they steal from the rich only.

We definitely are not the generation to move Nigeria forward because we are just like our parents.
The Canker worm of corruption has eaten deep into our souls...right now we are the bane of the nation.

All I can say is God save Nigeria, and may be the generation coming after us can actually save the nation we can ours.

♥Lara
From Ilorin, the city I call home for now.