Hi Folks,
It is interesting how the word Valentine has taken on a new meaning in this age and time. For the past one week, people have flooded the markets in search of gifts and apparels in the name of St. Valentine’s Day.
Like any other week, I set about my activities looking for wherever the excitement would be. A few meetings here and there and on one occasion, I spent over five hours commuting to the venue of a 20 minute meeting. Spending long hours on the road has become the new norm in Lagos, I understand it is for our own good as it won’t be a permanent situation. The state and federal governments are busy overhauling most of the roads in Lagos.
My week was planned to feature Loudthotz Open Poetry, Kulture Yard and Mr. Gee’s daughter’s wedding. I ended up attending just one of these events as I was held up in traffic most of the time.
Thursday 13th February, I left home to hit the StarFM studio in Alausa, Ikeja to host Realtors Connect, a one hour real estate talk program with Taiye Akinpelu and our guest Builder Alani Adegoke; we were going to discuss “How to prepare for a mortgage loan” and I was prepared but I couldn’t make it to the studio as I was held up for hours in heavy traffic. I arrived the studio hours after the scheduled time.
I was so devastated and exhausted that I had to shut my mind to any other event besides just running back home to calm my nerves. Meaning, I had to leave Loudthotz out of my activities for the day.
Friday looked much better; it was a free way from home to most part of the city. My day started with a CSR move by pupils of Shinning Stars School, Arepo, as they presented waste baskets to the community and also cleaned the environs in a small ceremony that included teachers, pupils, the CDA chairman and I. It was a great feeling seeing such young ones taking such a gesture.
I headed out to town in readiness for the Kulture Yard musical hang out. Aare Oladeinde Ariyo had informed me of a group that he was consulting for and he needed me to attend and observe their performance. I jumped on the offer and prepared seriously for the hour.
Ahead of that, I stopped over at the StarFM studio to observe the production of Ariiya Friday; the subject was “what Valentine meant to people”. Different meanings were presented but there was an epic one that I couldn’t have let go of without mentioning here.
A certain young man whose name I would not mention said, “St. Valentine is a lady who was kind and equally a miracle worker who traveled the world helping people. He raised the dead a number of times at different locations”. The presenter of the program couldn’t hold herself from blurting out in laughter; even those of us in the studio couldn’t help ourselves. He even said she was found of wearing red blouses on red skirts.
Different strokes… I left the studio in high spirits and waited at a nearby pub for Aare Oladeinde Ariyo to join me so we could ride together. For some reason, he didn’t show up till later in the night. We hurried along with Oluwole Olatubi another mutual friend, only to arrive the venue just before the performances were over.
With the show over, I wasn’t just going to leave without leaving with a unique experience. Kulture Yard interestingly is a brainchild of Buchi Atuonwu, that doyen of gospel music in Nigeria.
As soon as we got on the premises, there was a table tennis set waiting eagerly to receive us. I challenged Oluwole to a game and he beat me thoroughly, last time I played was like 5 years ago.
We requested for our brands of drinks as we made to sit but to our surprise the only semblance of alcohol out there was red wine, there were more of organic drinks. We did take the organic drinks and it was worth it.
An interesting take away from Kulture Yard is the fact that you could actually have a night club experience without the regular booze and the atmosphere is actually kids friendly.
So I ended up having my Valentine’s day hangout without the booze but I left Kulture Yard feeling good and you happen to be looking for a hangout in Lagos where you and kids can have a real good time, you might want to check Kulture Yard out.