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If Lagos can be hell by day, by night we entered the realm of sublime at The Africa Shrine, the Mecca of an unique music style that originated in Africa in the 1970s. Afrobeat is a polyrythmic fusion of Yoruba music, jazz, highlife, funk and chanted vocals, created by the genius Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Fela Kuti. A spiritual leader, a hero to millions and a musical pioneer, Fela used Afrobeat in his own political guerrilla that revolutionized the political scene of Nigeria. His music was confrontational and spoke about an imperative and profound social change that was needed in the post-colonial Africa of the 1960s, where people were struggling with military coups and social discrimination. With psychedelic neon lights, an actual shrine bearing personal belongings and intimate photos of Fela, the place is a sound capsule which evokes the original legendary nightclub where the larger than life artist performed with the same incredible energy with which he enjoyed drugs and women. We saw the live performance of Femi Kuti, a "cleaner-cut version of his father", but a true artist, a soft spoken man who exploded into powerful harmonies and rhythms, combining and improvising with different elements. The show was completed by the jaw-dropping dancing of Femi leading a group of 5 women dressed in traditionally inspired attire. Beside hosting the weekly concerts of Femi and Seun, The Srine also provides a venue for new Nigerian talent and a space for intellectual debate.
http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/lagos-6.jpg The Shrine. Photo credits: www.afrobeatmusic.net http://www.afrobeatmusic.net/ Street food in Lagos is not easy to come by, so we wondered if we'll get a chance to sample more local cuisine, other than sue, a delicious Nigerian version of grilled beef, thinly cut and served with red onion and lots of ground pepper. But we also promised to visit Karen, a one of a kind woman and friend we met in Togo a few weeks back. Happy to see her and the family again, we were thrilled to enjoy the best Nigerian food we were to have during our whole stay in the country. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3671.jpg Egusi - a thick soup made from grounded melon seeds and bitter leaves, with goat meat and 2 starches: eba (the yellow paste made from cassava) and seem (semolina paste) http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3681.jpg It was a biker's day. Max had to try on my Tenere and was fearless at 2. I tried his dad's K1. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3690.jpg Ana and Karen http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3694.jpg Me, Karen and the kids http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3698.jpg Ana sharing a smooch with her extended Nigerian family |
Makoko: The 103-year-old stilt-slum of Lagos
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Our friends, Louis and Marine showed us some black and white photos of an unusual settlement nestled in the Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State, and we knew we had to somehow get there. Makoko is one of many shoreline slums threatened by climate change in Nigeria. Rising water levels, strong tidal currents and polluting human activities (wood burning, excreting in the lagoon, throwing harmful substances in the environment) are some of the problems Makoko has to deal with. This slum on stilts was initially a temporary fishermen settlement, mostly Egun people from Badagry and Benin. The population has continued to grow for more than 100 years into a community now largely abandoned by government. The small village has become permanent home to the poorest of the poor, pushed off the land because of the premium real estate prices in and around Lagos. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3709.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3710.jpg The village is built high above the 1,5m deep water, with houses supported by hardwood stilts driven into the water bed. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3772.jpg Every 30 years or so the houses require some maintenance works. It's a harsh environment where one must work hard to survive, but for the villagers, Makoko is home and they strongly oppose the federal project to relocate them. They are not interested to move in a more beautiful or healthier place, despite the evident degradation and pollution. Yaba Local Government provided plastic tanks for drinking water. There are no basic social amenities like health care, electricity and water supply or pharmacy. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3763.jpg The only primary school in Makoko is attended by aprox. 50 students who have to pay 50 Naira/day. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3734.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3761.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3765.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3767.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3768.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3710.jpg The adults - and many times little children - go about their daily business in their boats. Every family owns one. Fishing, shopping, selling food or goods is done from a boat. There are even floating restaurants, a mill and manna repair shops based in boats. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3746.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3748.jpg The murky water is almost black with litter and has the quality of oil. There is a calming poetry in Makoko though, gliding on the "streets" - narrow canals that open into the lagoon. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3715.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3720.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3727.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3732.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3740.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3742.jpg There�s limited government presence in the stilt village of Makoko, the local gangs (called �area boys�) control the streets and the community issues are addressed by the Baale (the village chief). Despite extreme poverty, there is joy in Makoko. This is no or Venice of NIgeria, but kids welcome yovos (white people) with smiles and adults are eager to chat. |
Abuja - An Unlikely City
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And then there was the day to leave Lagos. We had fallen for this manic but vibrant, but we had to go. Our itinerary: cross western Nigeria to Abuja to do some visa shopping. We left on a downpour and crossed Ilorin and Ibadan, the city that was recently severely affected by floods and where about 200 people died because of collapsing buildings. By evening we were stopping in Offa, thanks to Karen who had arranged our overnight stay (cheers Karen!). http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3783.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3775.jpg The 70s decor where we stayed for one night. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3799.jpg Waiting for the tropical rain to stop so we can take off to Abuja. We were saddened by the poverty that is so evident in rural western Nigeria. People are struggling to come to terms with a fast developing economy. Focus has shifted from agriculture and manufacture to the oil industry, and not to everyone's profit. Food is scarce and lots of stuff is now imported and quite expensive. The road to Abuja through the Niger state was exhausting. Bad tar with potholes from side to side and a massive traffic: trucks, lorries, buses, minibuses moving about at mind boggling speed. 550 km, 10 hours of riding, 3 brief stops for omelet with tea and a visit into the bush. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3802.jpg Cossing the Niger river once again By sunset we arrived in Abuja less than 3 weeks after a bomb exploded at the UN HQ. The terrorist group Boko Haram had already claimed responsibility for the attack in which reportedly 20 people were killed. Compared to Lagos, Abuja feels quiet and peaceful, but there is a lot of security in the streets, also because all diplomatic missions, NGOs and big oil companies are based in the very young capital of Nigeria. The city was founded in the early 80s. It has an impressive infrastructure due to Julius Berger Nigeria PLC - the same company that built the longest bridge in Africa, the 11.8km long Third Mainland Bridge, which connects Lagos Island to the mainland. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3997.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4088.jpg The church and the mosque are towering symbols of the Muslim and Christian nation. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3809.jpg In Abuja we met the Romanian community and the Embassy staff. Mr. Mircea Leucea kindly wrote letters to the various embassies we had to visit to support our visa applications. A week later we had Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia stamps in our passports. During our visa runs we met Julien and Frank, two bikers overloading round the world on a brand new Super Tenere and on a BMW http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4113.jpg We stayed for 2 weeks at Mircea Rusu's, a fabulous host who can cook a tasty salad soup. We cannot thank enough for the pampering and tips for things to see and taste in Abuja. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4087.jpg Ragu of beet with rice at Mircea's http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/Mogadishu.jpg There are many continental, chinese and french restaurants in the biggest cities in Nigeria, as Nigerians enjoy to travel. Prawns and Sole fish are exported from here to Europe, also prime quality red snapper, crocker, red mullets, as well as lobsters, crabs, gambas are available. The best grilled fish in the whole of West Africa is in Mammy Market of Moghadishu Barracks, Abuja. In the middle of the circular market choose your crocker from the many mamas, then savor it slowly cooked to perfection, with pepper, onion and tomatoe dip, lime and potato wedges. Absolutely to die for. Unfortunately at least 10 people died here in January 2011, when a Boko Haram bomb exploded. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4140.jpg The Nigerian cuisine includes a lot of red pepper, fiery hot. Some of the specialities are the pepper soup (usually with fish); eba, fufu (pounded yam), gari (cassava) with vegetable, fish or goat meat stews. The food is cooked in palm oil with indigenous spices and herbs. Our favorite was suya, the Nigerian version of brochettes: beef, liver, gizzards with lots of pepper, always a night deal. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4127.jpg Grilled pork with cabbage and red onion http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4137.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4128.jpg Fufu with beef in tomato pepper sauce and egusi http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4131.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4136.jpg Dried peppery Idemol caterpillar - a protein rich snack usually enjoyed with beer. Has a mild fish flavor. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4056.jpg Picnic with friends at the spectacular Gurara waterfall, 90 km outside Abuja. Carrot and sesame salad, chickpea salad with feta and fresh basil, aubergine salad (a summer staple in Romania!), zucchini souffl�, chicken and flap jack with passion fruits for pudding. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4063.jpg The Gurara falls, in full force at the end of the rainy season http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_3959.jpg On the 1st of October, the national day of Nigeria, we stayed inside and watched on TV the festivities. Because Boko Haram threatened to repeat the terrorist attacks from last year, the ceremony took place inside the presidential villa and the whole city was deserted. |
An Enchanted Night In The Rainforest Changed Everything
On the 9th of October there were presidential elections scheduled in Cameroon. The dictator Paul Biya, in power for over 20 yrs, was the expected frontrunner for yet another 7 years term. On the 30th of September an opponent of the current regime fired a gun in Douala, and the police found an unexploded grenade in Limbe, at the Elecam hq. On the 13th of Octiber our Nigeria visa would expire, so on the 4th we were heading from Abuja to the Ikom border, with the intention to cross into Cameroon and avoid the capital during elections or to bushcamp next to the border.
There 3 ways into Cameroon: the good tar up in the north, through Maiduguri and the highly unstable Boko Haram territory. The overlanders' hell, the dreaded Ekok-Mamfe piste, marred by lorries and loggers' trucks and potentially hazardous during the last weeks of the rainy season. Or the ferry from Calabar to Limbe, that we could not afford. The eastern Nigerian states are visibly more lively and prosperous. Small, colorful villages, mud brick houses with zinc roofs, fresh food markets, streetside restaurants with delicious food, plantations. People are friendly, food is cheap and we zoom by police checkpoints without being stopped. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4146.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4155.jpg The roads are bad though, so after Obudu we decide to crash overnight at Afi Drill Ranch. Emi and Oli, the Brits overloading in a Landie who we'd met in Lome and who are ahead of us in Gabon, told us to stop in Afi, if we had the time. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4156.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4162.jpg The air is moist, the forrest is soaking and we are rolling through dense high vegetation that hardly allow any sunlight in the undergrowth. The track is narrow and goes up and down for 15 km into the dark heart of the rainy forest. It rains every day, sometimes even more times a day. The tires slide easily or the sticky mushy clay, so a fall is imminent. We bite the mud two times, but we arrive in one piece, yet covered in dirt and with rivers of sweat flowing from the forehead to the boots. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4063.jpg We're in the deep bush. There is no GSM network, no electricity and no running water. Afi Drill Ranch is the research camp of Pandrillus, a conservation project dedicated to saving the primates and the forest of Cross River state from extinction. The camp is bordering the wildlife sanctuary established together with the state government. The project receives short teem visitors who can witness the daily work and learn about primates conservation. We are welcomed by 2 American long term volunteers, Amanda and Jens, who show us around. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4179.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4184.jpg We are completely exhausted. Soon we lay down in our tent, pitched in the bamboo shed. The night is magical. The darkness burns the eyes and is hardly interrupted by myriad stars and immense fireflies. A choir of forrest sounds - amphibians, insects and nocturnal mammals - completely new to our ears. We let this new energy burn its imprint into our DNA. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4190.jpg We're having a scottish breakfast in the middle of the rainforrest The route to Calabar is long and hard: area boys, potholes and traffic jams all over. But the city of Calabar is pleasant and clean. A very un-Nigerian place, where people walk the streets, where there are no okadas, with good fresh produce markets and a suya arcade. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4242.jpg We are camping right by the main drill enclosure, next to the crocodiles and the duika, in the yard of Pandrillus HQ, which is also the home of Peter Jenkins, the founder of the project. Him and Lisa Gadsby arrive in Nigeria while overloading in Africa. They had a 10 days transit visa and a meeting with destiny. They discovered that the Cross River subspecies of drill monkey, assumed to be extinct, was still roaming the forests, and they embarked on a race to save them. More than 20 years later, Pandrillus has become one of the world's most successful conservation & captivity breeding of an endangered species projects. It is amazing that such a project exists in the impoverished West Africa and in Nigeria, of all the places. To us it was logical to volunteer our time and effort, and a privilege to be accepted. We sorted out our papers (visa and laissez passer extension) and went shopping for working gear (trousers, long sleeve shirt, shoes) from the second hand shacks in the market. By the end of the week we were already back in the midst of primary rain forest. We were not to exit this unique but dwindling wildlife sanctuary for the next four weeks. |
What are Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Afri Drill Ranch and Pandrillus?
Information provided by Pandrillus. Photos by us.
www.pandrillus.org http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4063.jpg Pandrillus is a Nigerian NGO that promotes survival of one of Africa's most endangered primates, the drill monkey. The main activity is the Drill Rehabilitation & Breeding Center project (nicknamed "Drill Ranch"), conducting conservation research and survey work in Nigeria and Cameroon, where it also co-manages the Limbe Wildlife Center. The project also provides sanctuary to 28 rescued orphan chimpanzees, the older ones living in their own natural forest enclosure at Afi Drill Ranch, while the youngest live together in a chimp nursery in Calabar. What is a Drill? http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4383.jpg Bulli, the challenging male to the alpha in Group 6, Ochu Drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus) are large, short-tailed rain forest monkeys, endemic to Cross River Sate, Nigeria, south-west Cameroon and Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Drills have a smooth black face, males have wider faces with intense magenta and purple coloration in genital area and around the cheeks, and they can surpass 45 kg. They have a particularly well-formed thumb, they communicate with facial expressions, vocalizations and specialized behaviors. Unlike most monkeys, drills are semi-terrestrial, searching the ground for food (fallen fruit, roots, leaves, insects, invertebrates), climbing the trees to forage and to sleep at night. They are also semi-nomadic, traveling long distances in the forest, perhaps following fruiting seasons of different trees. Like most primates, they are highly social and live in groups of 15-30. At certain times of the year super-groups of up to 200 animals can occur in the wild, allowing individuals to leave the group they were born in and join another, thus preventing in-breeding. Unfortunately these extraordinary animals are in danger of extinction. Hunted illegally for bushmeat, with only 40,000 sq km of natural range impoverished by logging, farming and human developments, drills are a top conservation priority among the 60+ African primate species. Little is known of drill ecology, as they are elusive and not well studied in the wild. The world population if wild drills is less than 10,000 and could be as low as 3,000. Drill Conservation http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4911.jpg The first step is to learn exactly where drills still live and which populations have the best chance of survival. Liza and Peter completed in 1989 a survey of Nigeria and covered most of Cameroon (which has over 60% of world's drill habitat). Drills are protected from hunting in Cross River National Park in Nigeria and the Korup National Park in Cameroon. In May 2000 the Cross River State Government created the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, where wild drills, gorillas, chimps and other endangered species survive. Still, forests are difficult to secure against poachers. Former hunters are being employed as wildlife rangers, to patrol the sanctuary, in an award-winning community-based protection scheme. Recently Peter has created the first ever Task Force that is fighting illegal logging in an attempt to protect the wildlife habitat of these endangered species. Drills are rare in captivity and they reproduce poorly in zoos, where they lose some of their native instinct and are not likely to successfully return to the wild. While conducting survey work in 1988, Peter and Liza discovered infant drill in villages, by-products of hunting of nursing mothers shot for bushmeat. They decided to salvage this potentially valuable conservation and genetic resource and to raise the primates in natural-sized social groups in their own habitat. The Pandrillus project promotes habitat protection education and awareness about the importance of endangered wildlife conservation. What is "Drill Ranch"? The Ranch started in 1991 with 5 drills, and by January 2009 298 drills - over 75% of captive drills in the world - were living in Afi. Most drills were donated by citizens of Cross River; some were recovered by wildlife or park officers, or police. Two monkeys were recovered from Asia, from the hands of international smugglers. The project never buys animals, because it's illegal and we must not encourage wildlife trade. Drills usually arrive as infants and, after quarantined, grow and live together in 1 of the 6 groups, in solar-powered electric enclosure of naturally forested drill habitat in the Afi River Forest Reserve, Boki LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. The first group of drills was flown by helicopter to Afi in 1996. The project is home to Africa's first captive drill birth and world's first ever twin birth in captivity, and has witnessed more than 200 births since its start. The nearest villages (Buanchor and Kataba) benefit greatly from the project: permanent staff is employed from there and most animal food is purchased from local farmers. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4186.jpg The wheelbarrows with fruits for one of the 3 daily feedings. Each will feed a group of drills, the scarcity of the food encourages the drills to continue foraging and prevents them from becoming dependent. The Graduation http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4920.jpg The project has been working for this pioneering event for over 5 years. If the project will be able to maintain sustainable protection of the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, the super-group of over 130 drills will be released from Enclosure 1 on Afi Mountain, in a carefully monitored program. The Graduation will be a worldwide premiere and is scheduled for 2012, during fruiting season, with various scenarios planned. The super-group is expected to split into 3 to 5 groups, and the larger males - who will potentially assume dominance within the new groups - will carry collars. Chimpanzees in Drill Ranch http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4717.jpg Maya Another world record is about to be completed in Afi Ranch. The staff is working on the largest ever naturally forested enclosure for chimps, a beautiful 12 ha of primary rain forest, where the rescued chimps will be living a decent life, along members of their own species. Chimpanzees are 99% genetically identical to humans and after living in miserable captivity for years - in poorly managed zoos or as pets - they cannot re-adapt to life in the wild. The project offers home to rescued chimps, but does not encourage captive breeding. The chimps in Drill Ranch are divided in 2 heterogeneous groups, dominated by 2 alpha males: Willy and Jacob. The oldest chimpanzee is 42 years old and there is also one lowland chimp, rescued from Guinea, named Pablo. How is Drill Ranch funded? The project is funded by direct donation in Nigeria, the fund-raising efforts of Pandrillus Foundation in the USA and Rettet den Drill in Germany. The Cross River State Government provides monthly contribution for staff salaries and animal feeding and has donated a vehicle and funded eco-tourism infrastructure that brings in revenue. Non-national staff, including Liza and Peter, work for free, with about 40 Nigerian staff on salary. The project has a tree nursery where native species are being grown from seedlings, then sold for a modest fee to the forest department for re-planting. Pandrillus works in cooperation with the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Ministry of Environment and Tourism Bureau. Pandrillus offers a yearly grant for a green project developed by a Boki villager. |
Our Stint with Pandrillus - Part I
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Day 118. We reached the 30,000 km on the clock, and the next km will be only logged while moving to our working sites or going to the next village, Buanchor, where sometimes there is GSM signal. Working day starts at 8 a.m. with a staff briefing, there is also a 12 am - 1 pm lunch break. Crew boys - supporting personnel who perform most endurance tasks - finish work at 4 pm, the rest of us at 5 pm. We cook our own fod, dinner being sometimes served in the secondary staff shed, where we cooked and socialized, learning words in local dialects, how to use wild vines for the traditional Nigerian food (like egusi) and abusing the local staple, garri - a casava flour that we used for pancakes, tortillas and deserts. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues, the management and in particular to Peter Jenkins, for the opportunity to work together in one of the most successful and important conservation projects in the world. Satellite 6 & 1 works http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4264.jpg Cutting and pre-drilling the frame pieces http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4320.jpg A quick run to Ikom, to sort out our Laissez-Passer extension http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4351.jpg After work we would relax in the communal area, the main shed http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4270.jpg The view from the main shed towards the Afi Mountain it's never the same. Satellite 6 - 2 days, individual work http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4426.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4429.jpg We replaced rotten wood, fitted the panels with mesh, repaired broken frames, built new platforms for the quarantined drills and designed, built and fitted door stoppers for the sliding doors that connect the satellite to the enclosure and that separate the 2 compartments inside the satellite. After work we cleaned the site from debris and transported all scraps to the garbage pit and to the storage from where wood can be recovered for making fire. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4863.jpg On the Canopy Walkway, the second largest in Africa, suspended at over 30 meters in the trees. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4410.jpg Lianes are parasite plants typically found in the tropical forests http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4857.jpg A parasite tree is slowly murdering its host http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4584.jpg At the magic tree in Buanchor: the village GSM antena. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4603.jpg Kids in Buanchor Survey Work http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4686.jpg We completed and assessment of the entire built base, highlighting: what needs to be fixed, replaced or improved in visitor and staff cabins, sheds and animal enclosures, we tagged with red tape the fence poles that are must be changed, suggestions for an improved layout of the vet shed, tool shed and fuel shed in relation to the main staff shed and the working area. We proposed 2 washing points (water birds) with easy access from the toilets and water source (stream). One important aspect is using as many materials from site as possible and keeping the budget to a minimum. Our second survey work was assessing the new chimp extension which is a big operation: we proposed an improved working flow taking into account manpower and materials availability and sources (gravel and sand are difficult to bring to the site because the terrain is quite irregular and even marshy). We proposed a prototype for the 7 bridges that would ensure easy access around the enclosure for maintenance staff and an ATV. We proposed solutions for terrain works in particularly delicate areas (2 marshes and one area very difficult to cross). Bridge proposal follow a few main ideas: using materials already on site, using as little concrete as possible to keep pollution to a minimum, keeping the site clean for debris, building a cheap wood strecher-like container for concrete mixing (to avoid several pits difficult to clean afterwards) and following a simple but strict work flow. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4729.jpg Riding the truck to Buanchor http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4547.jpg American pancakes with garri and bananas by Jens http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4723.jpg Shaua-Shaua, the wild pineapple. In the background is CJ. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_5030.jpg Changing the brake disc, thanks to our invaluable friend, Harry. |
Our Stint with Pandrillus - Part II
President Obasanjo Former star president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo arrived at the ranch 10 years after his first visit. It was an intense team effort to prepare the camp for his visit and it was great fun to have him over and to get to know him. Years back in Galati or Bucharest we would have never thought that us, two ordinary Romanians, would get to know the president of Nigeria, and the most famous and powerful nevertheless. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4442.jpg President Olusegun Obasanjo posing with the ebony that he planted here 10 years ago. Ebony is one of the most precious essences in Africa, it's very resistant to humidity and was traditionally used for bridges in Boki region, but is now under threat of being forested into extinction. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4464.jpg At the chimp platform where I had build 2 new visitor benches. CJ is the star of the day, making a brilliant presentation for Obasanjo and the entourage http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4482.jpg Obasanjo signs the guest book, while Peter Jenkis acts as the man in the shadow. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4486.jpg Asuko (senior drill keeper in group 1 & 6) shows Poto, who is rather unhappy to be disturbed from his usual daytime sleep http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4489.jpg President asked us to take a photo with him, and we happily obliged. Now we are waiting for Jonathan. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4491.jpg The president meets permeant staff: Takam (crew boy), David (group 6 & 4) and Franca (animal food); the armed dude is from the escort http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4494.jpg The strong jaw of the president next to more ranch staff: Tony (group 1 & 6), Gabriel (group 2, 3, 4), James (group 2 & 5), Rose (housekeeping), Thomas (group 5, fence maintenance) Chimp Septic - 5 days, 4 crew boys (1 for digging, 2 for mixing and pouring concrete, 1 to wheelbarrow materials) Cleaning and maintenance of the two big and crowded chimp satellites was top priority. The faces, solids and liquids are difficult to collect and remove from site. Problems are: staff medical issues like frequent eye and skin infections, pools of dirty matter where mosquitoes quickly reproduce generating an unmanageable infested area and most of all, pollution of the nearby stream via a channel that carries all dirty waters. We proposed a septic pit: 95x155 cm, 1.60m deep, concrete walls, no bottom. We would lay gravel and then sand on the bottom of the septic, allowing the dirty matters to slowly be filtrated. The solids would by then be partially be consumed by insects and the surplus can be shoveled to the main garbage pit. The septic would be connected with a concrete gutter to the satellite, and would have a wooded pedestrian cover, making it easy to maintain and service. We would fit the septic wit an overflow: PVC slotted pipes that would direct only filtered liquids and meteoric water to the stream. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4508.jpg We eliminated the polluting drain system towards the stream, we closed the gutter in the satellite, we marked and dug the pit http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4553.jpg We sent crew boys for sand and stones, which we then pounded to the desired granulation. We designed the concrete recipe. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4554.jpg We built and placed the forms. As we were using scraps, we struggled to level the faces. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4560.jpg Forms, reinforcing wire and overflow drain fitted http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4579.jpg With my crew boys for the day: Mathew and Godwin. We prepared a semi-wet premix on the floor, then correct the consistency in the wheelbarrow, and poured with a metal basinet. We vibrated with an old iron. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4718.jpg Walls and washing platform done. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4742.jpg We dismantle the forms. The walls are not perfectly plane, but the concrete is impeccable http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4746.jpg Godwin covers the drain with soil http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4776.jpg We poured the connection gutter to the satellite. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4774.jpg Typical staff & visitors photo. From felt to right: Jens (from Oregon, volunteers for 1 year), a German visitor, Asuko (Senior drill keeper, from Calabar), Mageed (vet and manager), Ana, visitor & driver http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4808.jpg From left to right: me, Nasseru (welder), Ana, Asuko, Celestine (driver), CJ, Mageed http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_5046.jpg Takam http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_5053.jpg Me, Peter, Ana, Godwin, Emmanuel 1, Amanda, Mathew, takam, Tony, Thomas, James, Gabriel, Robert, Emma 2 Final group photo, the departure morning. |
Wildlife and Nursing Animals
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Harry Poto - a 1 year pot adult, rescued after suffering a life threatening injury to the head. Its a nocturnal low rank primate, it feeds on fruit and insects and has chosen to stay in Afi, nobody knows why. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4343.jpg Green Tree Viper - the adult measures about 40-45 cm, it's poisonous but not dangerous. We saw it sleeping one cold wet morning by our water tank. The next morning, it was gone. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4572.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4789.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4823.jpg The many amazing butterflies that lives in Afi, some as big as a palm are still little known. Their food of choice are rotten bananas. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4611.jpg Lala, the wild civet baby who arrive in the cam soon after us. She is barely 1 month old and her mother and sister were killed by some farmers. While we were in camp, I was her daddy, nursing her with milk and taking her to matinal and evening outing in the undergrowth. Civets grow to the size of a Labrador, are nocturnal and carnivores, but unfortunately orphan babies have a less than 40% chance of survival. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4627.jpg Lala http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4761.jpg Rhinoceros beetle. It lives in the palm stem and its larvae are edible. This one is a male. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4955.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_5063.jpg Praying Mantises http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_5058.jpg Pius, the 4 months old porcupine who is recovering well after severe injuries from a drill attack. He will return to the wild within a couple of months. |
Chimpanzees In Afi There are two main groups: the chimps in the natural enclosures and the ones in the satellites, who will be release in their new world record home next year. Chimps in the satellite have been rescued from miserable captive conditions. They have never experienced freedom and the chimp extension is destined to provide them with that for the first time in their life. After spending all their life close to humans, these chimps can never successfully return to the wild. http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4713.jpg Waiting for their new primary forest enclosure to be finished http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4925.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4933.jpg http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4943.jpg Lucy http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4951.jpg Murphy, the former alpha male in the enclosure http://intotheworld.eu/blog/nigeria/IMG_4957.jpg Pablo, a lowland chimp with a slight paresis |
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