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Well, it seems that the Turkish Airlines baggage issue continued and eventually came to head when frustrated passengers stormed the runway and blocked a Turkish Airlines aircraft from departing Abuja on December 20. After arriving in Abuja and not being able to locate their bags, the passengers overran airport staff and stormed out on the tarmac to surround the Turkish Airlines plane waiting to take off later that night. One frustrated passenger… Read More
While most shoppers in the United States (and sadly now shoppers in the United Kingdom) were out fighting other consumers for $100 televisions and buy-one-get-one-free comforter sets, I was preparing to pop-the-question to my girlfriend! I decided on Thanksgiving weekend because that time has sentimental value as it was the time when Sheila Mutesi was introduced to me – not in person but in theory… Five years ago, I was asked to serve… Read More
A few weeks ago, I had a meeting at the European Union. I was meeting the new head of political affairs for the delegation. When I arrived at the gate, the security officer asked me for identification. I normally use my IRI identification but I reached for my Alabama driver’s license because it was easiest to grab. I presented it to the security officer who passed it into the window for the… Read More
As a Black American living in Nigeria, I don’t stand out like my white fellow country men/women. The ability to go unnoticed in Nigeria has both positive and negative consequences. I can easily meander around my neighborhood without being noticed. However, if I go for a jog, people seem to take notice because you don’t see a lot of Nigerians jogging – foreigners yes, Nigerians no. I can also go shopping, catch… Read More
Once again, the false security that we were enjoying in Abuja has been broken. I was just thinking last month that Abuja citizens had become too complacent with the Boko Haram threat. Security guards were negligent in their duties of checking cars and bags and police and military checkpoints had all but disappeared. But on a quiet Friday evening, twin blasts in separate parts of Abuja rocked the city. It is reported… Read More
A short article my colleague and I wrote on the first 100 days of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency in Nigeria. The photo (above) was taken at the International Youth Day event hosted by President Buhari and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development on August 12, 2015. President Buhari is joined by Nigerian youth and representatives from the Ministry of Youth Development. One Hundred Days of the Buhari Presidency By: Alao Sunday… Read More
Last week, I made my eighth trip to Rwanda. Rwanda, and specifically the capital city of Kigali has a special place in my heart. It was the first place on the continent that I visited in 2009 and it currently serves as a rest and relaxation destination from the chaos of Nigeria. While my professional life is in Abuja, my personal life seems to exist in Kigali. With Lambert in 2009… Read More
On August 16, I not only celebrated my recent promotion to Country Director but also my 36th Birthday! This is the third birthday that I have celebrated on the African continent. In 2013, I celebrated my birthday after only three days in South Sudan. My co-worker organized a cake and impromptu birthday party with colleagues from IRI and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). I made sure to get a photo of the… Read More
Its hard to believe that two years ago I was making the rounds in the United States saying good by to friends and loved ones as I was about to embark on a new adventure in my life. It was a difficult time because I was essentially giving up my community of friends and proximity to my family for unknown challenges and opportunities on the African continent. And while the transition was… Read More
Today, I entered the beast, better known as the Balogun Market in Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos is one of the most populous cities in the world serving home to over 19 million people (about two times the population size of New York City). The Balogun Market is a large and noisy outdoor and indoor space that is made up of stalls along complex and confusing aisles. The market is known for its cheap… Read More
A FREDAY in AFRICA! 