Nigerian documentary filmmaker and photographer, Femi Odugbemi, has shared some of his experiences in his recent travel to South Africa.
The cinematographer said security in Nigeria is far better than that in South Africa. He noted that the roads in the country are more beautiful than Nigeria’s.
He said
I think the state of security in South Africa is worse than Nigeria. I say that because I remember while I was there, I was taking pictures one day and I was warned not to take pictures on the street or I might get attacked. Meanwhile, it was in broad daylight. Here in Nigeria, I don’t worry about getting attacked. Having said that, I believe that despite our shortcomings, the state of security in Nigeria is still better than theirs.
He added,
Everything is different. The two countries cannot be compared. The roads are good, compared to Nigerian roads. Some streets in South Africa are even more beautiful than the streets in London.
Also, the weather is different.
On missing Nigeria while in South Africa, Odugbemi said,
Well, not so much. I only missed Nigeria when I ran out of money. However, I think it is inevitable to miss home. When one travels to other climes, the feeding is always an issue. One might not be able to eat the foods because they would be strange to one’s system.
On their local dishes, he said
Yes, I did and it was unpalatable. There was neither pepper nor salt; it was practically tasteless.
On the downsides of travelling as a Nigerian, the producer said,
One of them is the exchange rate and cost. Things are very expensive because our currencies differ. Asides that, I don’t think there are any other downsides. In South Africa, I wasn’t treated with hostility unlike in some other countries I’ve been to.
