Title: Day 2 – Family, Food, and Finding My Roots

Category: Travel Journal

Tags: Lagos, Ogun State, Family Visit, Nigeria, M Lounge, Glaucoma Awareness

A Morning in Lagos

Woke up this morning feeling refreshed and recharged.

I did notice the scale tipping upward slightly—unsurprising, given how hard it is to resist the rich, nostalgic flavors of home. There’s something about the tastes you grew up with that calls to you, calorie count or not.

Being in the tropics, we kept to our daily ritual of taking Malarone—our antimalarial prophylactic. Unlike the typhoid vaccine, which we completed before departure, this one is a daily commitment while we’re here.

With that done, we headed down to the Marriott M Lounge for breakfast.

Breakfast: A Blend of Home and Abroad

As expected, breakfast was sumptuous.

I had a delicious mix of oatmeal and orange juice—classic continental staples—but also couldn’t resist the Nigerian yam and egg combo, topped with a spicy pepper sauce that was absolutely 🔥.

It’s a beautiful thing when breakfast feels like a cultural reunion.

On the Road to Otta

We soon set out to visit my mother in Otta, Ogun State.

Navigating Lagos traffic is a full-body experience—less about the distance and more about maneuvering through a moving maze. The roads themselves aren’t terrible, but the sheer volume of cars creates a kind of vehicular ballet as everyone jostles for space.

One thing I hadn’t seen in a while?

🛒 Street hawkers weaving through traffic, selling everything from bottled water to plantain chips—negotiating deals through car windows. It’s chaotic, yes—but also uniquely Nigerian.

And I’ll say this:

✅ The traffic lights? They work.

A Visit to My Mother

Visiting my mother was deeply grounding.

Though her health is challenged—she’s legally blind due to glaucoma and battles severe arthritis—her spirit remains unshaken. We sat together, reminisced about family stories, and she offered a heartfelt prayer for us all, especially in honor of my retirement.

In that moment, I felt the weight of heritage and the grace of belonging.

Despite my earlier apprehension, this visit reminded me of who I am and where I come from. It was humbling—and necessary.

Evening Reflections: Shared Meals and Quiet Joy

We returned to the hotel for a light refreshment at the M Lounge, anticipating a special delivery:

🍽️ Home-cooked meals from my sister.

Back in our room, we gathered as a family—brothers, sisters, niece, and nephew—sharing dishes full of local delicacies, laughter, and memories. These are the kinds of evenings that fill the soul, not just the stomach.

Eventually, as the night settled, everyone headed out. We packed up for the night and reflected quietly on what had been a full and meaningful day.

Looking Ahead

So far, I must admit—my initial fears have been mostly misplaced.

But tomorrow begins another chapter: traveling to the hinterlands to begin the process of organizing my wife’s family home.

That story unfolds next.