Best of Ojeagbase

It was like a journey back home. I’m referring to the one-day, whistle stop visit that my wife and I made to Ilorin, the Kwara State captial, on Wednesday, June 2, 2010.

No, my wife is not from Kwara  State. And you know that I’m not from there, either. But, that trip was like going back home for me. I will explain why. But first, our reason for making the trip.

The visit was at the invitation of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers [NCRIB], which held a retreat for their CEO members at the Kwara Hotels, Ilorin.

I was asked to deliver a lecture on a topic titled: Thinking Out of the Box –– Tool for Problem Solving.

My wife and I had the opportunity of interacting with business owners who were looking for ways of doing business profitably in an uncertain economy like ours.

Despite what the economy might be  however, these “Brokers” never allowed it dampen their enthusiasm. These men and women had hope boldly written on their faces. We really felt at home in their company.

Back to my reference to the journey being like me going back home. Just before I left the Nigerian Army in 1978, I lived in Ilorin for some months. I was doing a course at the time, and that gave me the opportunity of having attachment to some places in the city.

As the aircraft that flew us to Ilorin was preparing to land, memories of my days in the Nigerian Army flooded my mind. And, suddenly, I was eager to visit many of those places again, just to see what changes had taken place between the last time I was in the city and now.

But I couldn’t accomplish that desire because we had to return to Lagos the same day. But as we drove from the airport to the hotel and back, we noticed that the city centre was clean. And our hearts –– my wife’s and I –– filled with joy.

Surely, there is hope for this country. The governor of the state, Bukola Saraki, and his team, must be commended for their efforts.

After that trip, now I’m seriously thinking of touring the country.