My 2018 gay-themed, three-state mini-tour of Nigeria
Back in October 2018, I decided to take three weeks off from work. I was feeling pretty despondent about the whole responsibility and ambition and even, life thing, so I figured that time away from the regular was just what I needed to find my productivity and purpose again. Perhaps, another reason I was feeling low was my recent failing at finding love with a love interest, despite my committing quite some time and effort to it.
Earlier in the year, I'd hoped to be able to travel out of Nigeria during my annual leave (East Africa or Europe). Alas, I never got to planning this out on time despite having the budget for it (I'm so lazy, sometimes it amazes me how I've managed to come up with the amount of content on this blog). So, I settled for doing a mini-Nigerian tour. After what was not really a lot of thought, I settled on Kano, Abuja and Uyo.
Kano, because a guy I'd met on Facebook a few weeks before - and got along pretty well with - lives there. I and Kay had started talking on the phone like once or twice a week (which is a lot if you know me) and found that we had a lot in common. We're both left-handed, neither of us is big on penetrative sex, we both are not religious among other things. I was hoping that my visit him would help us move things to the next level. Besides, I had never visited any state in Northern Nigeria before, so I thought, "why not"?
Abuja because one of my earliest gay friends, Amy, who had been out of the country for a couple of years was back in Nigeria and we had connected pretty well over a phone call recently. Shortly before he left Nigeria, we had hooked up at my place in Lagos when he came visiting from Abuja (which was also the first time we ever saw in person). A few days later, he would call me to tell me of how he has feelings for me. I'd told him I did not feel the same way, shattering his heart into a thousand places. I'm not sure that my response would have been that negative if he'd said this to me, like a year later. Anyway, he's now in a relationship so that ship has sailed.
And Uyo because I'd fallen in love with a son-of-the-soil I'd met on Grindr during a first visit to Akwa-Ibom state in 2016. Two years after, I wasn't really sure if I felt anything for May anymore and I thought it was high time I either closed that chapter in person or otherwise, rekindle things and make firmer commitments to one another. After all, one of my top 3 goals at the start of 2018 was to get a boyfriend.
As for Kay (Kano guy), he had already confirmed during one of our previous discussions that he would be very happy to have me over at his place during my time in Kano. Good thing because I wouldn't have to worry about lodging. I also called Amy (Abuja friend) and he confirmed that I'd be able to stay at his place, even though his doctor boyfriend wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea. For Uyo - since May happens to be a student - I agreed with myself to take the hit of hotel bills for a few nights.
Plans ready, I went ahead to submit my leave application request on the company HR management solution. My leave was going to commence on the Friday of the very next week. It was a very good time for me to be away from work anyway as I was transitioning from one role to another. I would just use the remaining days before my leave commenced to complete my handover notes so someone else could easily pick things up from where I left them in my old role.
I would be talking about my experiences on this tour in the next few posts. Juicy content on the way!!! 😜
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| W A N D E R L U S T |
Earlier in the year, I'd hoped to be able to travel out of Nigeria during my annual leave (East Africa or Europe). Alas, I never got to planning this out on time despite having the budget for it (I'm so lazy, sometimes it amazes me how I've managed to come up with the amount of content on this blog). So, I settled for doing a mini-Nigerian tour. After what was not really a lot of thought, I settled on Kano, Abuja and Uyo.
Kano, because a guy I'd met on Facebook a few weeks before - and got along pretty well with - lives there. I and Kay had started talking on the phone like once or twice a week (which is a lot if you know me) and found that we had a lot in common. We're both left-handed, neither of us is big on penetrative sex, we both are not religious among other things. I was hoping that my visit him would help us move things to the next level. Besides, I had never visited any state in Northern Nigeria before, so I thought, "why not"?
Abuja because one of my earliest gay friends, Amy, who had been out of the country for a couple of years was back in Nigeria and we had connected pretty well over a phone call recently. Shortly before he left Nigeria, we had hooked up at my place in Lagos when he came visiting from Abuja (which was also the first time we ever saw in person). A few days later, he would call me to tell me of how he has feelings for me. I'd told him I did not feel the same way, shattering his heart into a thousand places. I'm not sure that my response would have been that negative if he'd said this to me, like a year later. Anyway, he's now in a relationship so that ship has sailed.
And Uyo because I'd fallen in love with a son-of-the-soil I'd met on Grindr during a first visit to Akwa-Ibom state in 2016. Two years after, I wasn't really sure if I felt anything for May anymore and I thought it was high time I either closed that chapter in person or otherwise, rekindle things and make firmer commitments to one another. After all, one of my top 3 goals at the start of 2018 was to get a boyfriend.
As for Kay (Kano guy), he had already confirmed during one of our previous discussions that he would be very happy to have me over at his place during my time in Kano. Good thing because I wouldn't have to worry about lodging. I also called Amy (Abuja friend) and he confirmed that I'd be able to stay at his place, even though his doctor boyfriend wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea. For Uyo - since May happens to be a student - I agreed with myself to take the hit of hotel bills for a few nights.
Plans ready, I went ahead to submit my leave application request on the company HR management solution. My leave was going to commence on the Friday of the very next week. It was a very good time for me to be away from work anyway as I was transitioning from one role to another. I would just use the remaining days before my leave commenced to complete my handover notes so someone else could easily pick things up from where I left them in my old role.
I would be talking about my experiences on this tour in the next few posts. Juicy content on the way!!! 😜
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