Category: On the Blaze

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On the Blaze

HOW TO SURVIVE NIGERIA IN 2024

It is common knowledge that the situation of the country has gone from bad to worse. The persistent irregularity in Nigeria’s economy most especially the high prices of key essentials has led to the rich lamenting, the comfortable, living averagely, and the poor, poorer. The cloud is so blurry with no sign of even, a ray of hope that things will get any better soon.

Nigeria has always been a place of running helter-skelter to survive, there is little or no access to secured employment in the labor sector of the country for the youths, especially fresh graduates, and implementation of initiatives from governments like providing employment opportunities is also absent. It is left to each individual to find a way out and strive to survive in the face of difficulties.
Of course, there are chances of survival i.e. succeeding in Nigeria but they’re as slim as a thread.

Some of the ways to survive nigeria listed below are no new information, and might appear clichè already. This article’s main purpose is to stand as a resounding reminder that you should not let Nigeria kill your dreams of getting higher or meeting your life goals.


Ways to Survive Nigeria in 2024

1. Have a plan/plans


The country is more or less a field of struggles to survive than of ease and every Nigerian must have plans in place to survive. As in financially liberating plans to secure their future. Different versions of solid plans, that is plan A, B, and C must be intact and ready to be weaponised for survival. Your survival rate in this country depends on how solid your plans are, how zealous you are to survive, and how unrelenting you are in case your plans don’t work out.
Almost everyone’s fixed plan is going to school and bagging a degree or a diploma then utilizing the degree/diploma to search and apply for sustainable jobs afterward which is almost or not attainable at all nowadays. Hence, the need to strategize and incorporate a concrete plan for the betterment of your future.

One of these concrete plans is “A JAPA PLAN” i.e. traveling out of the country. One of the ways to survive Nigeria is to be out of Nigeria. It is better to start and work towards this particular plan as early as possible, prepare fundings for your japa plans and make ready preparation of the money making mediums to rely on when you get to the planned destination.

Other plans like learning a skill set or utilizing a passion/hobby as a source of maximum income earning might turn out to be your financial way and a means to secure your future.



2. Earn in Dollars

The next paramount action after acquiring a skill set or utilizing your passion and hobby should be how to use it on platforms or gain clients that’ll pay in dollars. Dollar’s value to Nigeria naira is a high gap, earning in dollars enables you to get the right pay worth the values you proffer.
The exchange rate of Dollar is of substantial value. When you continually earn a good and sustainable amount in dollars, this will enable you sort out as much bills as possible and along the line, if possible, you save enough to invest in other business forum.

These two options mentioned above are not as easy as they appear, they take month or even years of strategic planning, hardwork and a series of failures but the resilience and the great desire to survive Nigeria is the key to keep going. After all, no one wants to be thrown under the bus by Nigeria and its ups and downs.

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On the Blaze

THREE TIPS ON HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

What brings about happiness should be paramount and foremost to each individual, we all deserve to know and gladly indulge in what brings us immense joy and fulfillment. Your source of constant happiness might be tangible indulgences like diligently building on your career, your course of study in school, your interaction with other individuals, your passion for something, or generally, what you do at leisure like listening to music, reading, surfing the internet, retail therapy and many more.
Nowadays, the majority go about the day’s activities looking worn and morose without a care as to what makes them happy and lightens up their spirit.
Some are clueless about the things that make them happy and those who have one way or the other disregard what brings them happiness, subconsciously or unconsciously overlooking and setting aside what makes them happy due to tedious workloads at the workplace or school, they tend to be so worn out from excessive workloads and overwhelmed with deadlines so much that there is no time to think about what brings them happiness let alone actualizing them. While some out of care and selflessness tend to make other people’s happiness, particularly their loved ones, a priority over their happiness. This kind of people tries everything possible to make sure you are comfortable, healthy, and nourished while being oblivious to the lack of care for themselves. How then do these people discover what makes them happy? Below are tips to discover what makes you radiate with happiness as an individual;

How to discover what makes you happy.

1. HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET

One of the pathways to discovering what incites happiness in you is having the right mindset and harboring happy thoughts. Prepare your mind towards positive thoughts, reminisce on things that you’ve possibly done in the past that made you immensely happy, remember the pleasurable moments, and memorable experiences you have had, and try doing those things again to spark joy.

2. DISCOVER YOUR HOBBIES/PASSION

• Hobbies:

Hobbies are pleasure-inducing or dopamine-pleasing activities done to evoke enjoyment in leisure time. Check yourself, and your surroundings for a particular thing you enjoy doing that brings you immense pleasure. Even as a person busy with workloads from work or school, there must be something you do that brings a smile to your face each time you indulge in it, find it, and do it over and over to induce happiness.


• Passion:

When we talk about passion, it is simply the great love or strong interest we have in something almost to a fault. Passion in this context is a career path or a lifetime interest that certainly makes you feel happy and fulfilled to do it. It is common knowledge that in the course of obeying our parents, one might be studying or might have studied a course totally of our parents’ chosen and not of ours just to please them. Also, our choice might have been altered by the institution of choice, which in the process leaves us unhappy and unfulfilled. It is not late to pursue what you wanted from the onset, it is never too late to cross over from that course to the one you’re passionate about, not too late to learn and build that career path. See this content as a piece of encouragement to restrategize and center on your passion, if the chance ever comes to make a change seize it and make good use of it. A life of unhappiness & unfulfillment is not worth living.

3. PRIORITIZE YOURSELF

Yes, you are a kind person who finds it hard to say no to people even at the expense of your happiness. Sorry, but it is less of a flex compared to prioritizing yourself first and above all. Now, that’s a flex! Resist the urge to bend easily to people’s demands if it’s at the expense of your happiness and fulfillment.
Anything that requires doing for others, that will puncture your constant laughter, do not do it! Find the courage to say no, buy that stuff before you buy for others! It may be as little as reading a book, read that book before you lend it out! wear that new wig before lending it out to a friend who you do not offend! Look after your wellbeing as much as you do others and practice self-care. Above all, eat foods that make you happy!

HOW TO DESTRESS AFTER A STRESS-FILLED WORKWEEK
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On the Blaze

FIVE (5) Fun and memorable adventure bucket list ideas.


The official meaning of a bucket list to majority, automatically points generally to traveling and achievements like financial goals, career growth, personal development goals, health goals, and many other serious and professional goals.
This article, ‘Bucket List Adventures’ vividly represents the context of this article. I will proceed using an adventure bucket list.

An adventure bucket list is a list of activities that garner fun experiences and memories an individual particularly would derive pleasure doing and hopes to actualize in the course of their lives.

I will always be an advocate of workaholics making time during their work years to have fun and also make interesting memories with their friends or families when the opportunity to do so presents itself. The importance of every individual having an adventure bucket list has always been undermined.

Having an adventure bucket list is more of a proven way to relieve stress, and escape the surroundings one is used to, and actualizing the pleasurable activities on your list, is a means of relaxation for you, your body, and your soul that has probably been working nonstop all year. An adventure bucket list is also a means to create special moments to hold on to, moments that when reminisced on, make you smile and look forward to creating more of such moments.
Everyone can curate an adventure bucket list, you do not have to be extremely financially buoyant before you can indulge in fun-filled activities.
There are a lot of adventures an individual can indulge in.
Below are five adventure bucket lists for Nigerians.

ADVENTURE BUCKET LIST FOR NIGERIANS

1. ROAD TRIPS

A road trip is a long-distance journey using a vehicle. Road trips allow you to sightsee the beauty of nature and other countryside and it is one of the best ways to feel relaxed and have fun without doing too much or spending too much.

During your days off work or a long vacation from work, a road trip is one of the fun things you should consider adding to your bucket list adventures as it is also cost-effective.

You will get to enjoy the view of different places at a distance, preferably from the window view of a vehicle. As the car moves, you will feel the rush of the wind against your face with a smile spreading across your face and also, breathe in the fresh air that will seep into your head slowly, relieving you of the burden of work gathered over the week, fresh air not crammed up with the smell or feel the frustration like the places you are used to i.e your place of work, your environments at home.

The top five safest and damage-free road trip routes where you can immerse yourself in the wondrous view of each town or city you pass by and the serene beauty of each within Nigeria are;

• Lagos to Ibadan express road
• Calabar to Obudu Road
• Akure to ikogosi
• Within Osogbo
• Ibadan to Osogbo Road


2. FOOD EXPLORATION

For someone who loves food and yearns to explore different dishes, food exploring and tasting should be on your bucket list adventure.
Exploring different dishes from other tribes across other states within the country or other countries is another fun activity that can be soul-fulfilling and memorable especially.

Food exploration exposes an individual to a variety of foods and knowledge about how some dishes are made and if taken a step further, you get to know the history of how certain dishes came into existence. It’s a must to state that you get to take beautiful pictures and videos of different dishes for future reference, and the most important and interesting side of food exploring is, that you will get to savor each dish with the taste of each staying imprinted on your memory for as long as possible.

You can try food tasting and exploring at;
• Fancy restaurants within or outside your country
• Chinese restaurants to eat Chinese foods
• Indian restaurants to taste Indian dishes
• Korean restaurants with unlimited Korean dishes on their menu
• Local food places to try Indigenous food of different tribes.

3. WINE TASTING

Be informed that Africa brews some of the world’s best wine and tasting is a must as a Nigerian.

It is another fun and unique adventure that should be on every individual’s adventure bucket list. You do not have to be passionate about wines or be a wine connoisseur to indulge in wine tasting. The only exceptions are those who outright dislike wine. Here, you can go to a winery or a restaurant known for keeping wines, especially aged or vintage wines. This particular type of wine is said to offer a better palate experience compared to the others.

Suitable locations for wine-tasting adventures on your bucket list are;

• Wine stores or wine clubs that offer a variety of wines and allow wine-tasting activities. • Countries like Paris and Switzerland have bars and restaurants that majorly offer wine-tasting and wine tours.
• In Nigeria, Plateau State, Jos has a good number of wineries offering wine tours and sampling some of the local wines.
• Premium bars and restaurants like Eko Atlantic City. They offer visitors the choice to select wines from a variety of foreign or local wines made in Nigeria.

4. A PICNIC IN THE WOODS.

This particular adventure is not usual yet so unusual in this side of the world, Nigeria.
Some people in Nigeria consider picnics in the woods a weird concept, some others are scared to indulge because of their safety, some simply do not know if locations to indulge in such activities exist and some are just learning about picnics in the woods from this article. Relax, this article is here to help.
Picnic is another fun activity that involves an individual and loved ones usually, consisting of a person or more. Picnic in the woods is not weird but is one of the most interesting adventures ever. Picnics require lots of planning ahead. Usually, they entail lots of preparation like preparation of wonderful food, packing baskets of food and drinks, blankets and other requirements needed to set the scene, perfect for a picnic in the woods.

It involves laying a blanket or any fabric on bare ground, and sitting on it alongside you and your companions, spending quality time together, taking in the beauty of the woods while having a taste of the food handy. There are protected areas with adequate security that serve as tourist attraction centers where individuals can easily indulge in a picnic in the woods.
Locations where individuals can indulge in or carry out a successful picnic in the woods in Nigeria are;

• Tourist centers

• Agricultural Research institutes like IITA in Ibadan, Oyo state. This place has safe and wild animal-free reserved areas with scenic beauty where an individual can go for a picnic alongside loved ones.
• Other places like Obudu Cattle Ranch
• Well guarded Forest reserves with forest guides that will lead you to areas suitable for your picnic in the woods.

5. VISIT A CASTLE.

I know the majority have seen a castle only in documentary videos and movies.
Castles are large buildings with fortresses, numerous rooms, and the capacity to occupy a large number of people. Castles are fortified against enemies breaching during wars and were often inhabited by a nobleman or king in ancient times.
Visiting a castle sounds interesting, right? Make haste and add it to your adventure bucket list as visiting one holds promises of an interesting and memorable experience. There is also the immense pleasure that comes with seeing in real life, what you only see in movies.

The northern part of Nigeria boasts of some exotic and age-old castles that are suitable for touring.

The importance of having fun as a working citizen is not emphasized enough. Keep in mind that you can indulge in fun activities alongside being diligent at work, all you have to do is snatch any open opportunity to have fun. After all, you’re just a human, trying to take a break and relax from the daily hustle and bustle that has become a part of you.

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Nigerian lady overjoyed as boyfriend proposes with diamond ring, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and new shop

A Nigerian lady expresses excitement as her boyfriend proposes to her with a diamond ring, gives her a brand new iPhone 14 Pro Max, and opens a new shop for her.

This is revealed in a video she made available on her page on a popular social media platform, TikTok, showing off her ring and other gifts.

In the video captioned: “Guess who said yes,” the hand of the Nigerian lady is shown as she flaunts the ring she received from her boyfriend, which is a diamond ring.

Moments into the video, she shows the iPhone 14 Pro Max she also received from her boyfriend after she accepted the marriage proposal.

Another video attached to the article shows that the lady was gifted a well-furnished shop by her boyfriend.

As the video made its way online, concerned individuals stormed the comment section of the post to share their thoughts.

See some reactions below: 

SILE❤️ MOINA 🥵of NNEWI 🙌: “IT WELL ❤️😫CONGRATULATIONS 🥰.”

pretty Diamond: “congratulations.”

tashamoremonye001: “Congratulations my daughter.”

sunshine collection: “Me 😂❤️congratulations.”

goodmario: “congratulations I don’t know you but I don’t want to miss the wedding rice o.”

Lizzy Gold: “big congratulations to you asa odogwu,I tap from urs ❤️❤️.”

SkyQueen king vana’s dancer: “Congratulations we have a wedding to plan guys.”

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THE GINGER FOR A NEW WEEK

Monday, despite being the start of a new week, is a dreaded day for so many people.
“It’s about to be Monday again” “Tomorrow is Monday” “How I wish this weekend does not end” and so on is usually the lamentation of all and sundry prior to Monday, especially students, 9-5 workers, apprentices, and even the self-employed.

But why do people hate Mondays? Usually, Monday marks the beginning of a stressful week for some, and of rigorous school activities for students. A day that ends the comfort associated with a weekend, it is a day that kick-starts another five to six days routine race of humans chasing survival, that is, striving to make a means to an end which also at the same time makes it an important day. A day needed to kick-start the other days to continually set in place and stabilize our means of survival.

How to get Motivated for Monday

We all simply feel less motivated on Mondays and we tend to need an assurance or a sort of motivation that preaches “tomorrow will be better than yesterday” or “this Monday will be better than the past Mondays.” The truth is that we can be our own source of motivation. We can set the wheel of a better week running ourselves. How about we stop dreading Mondays? What if we start approaching Mondays with zeal and optimism?
Here is how you can make the best of the beginning of a new week:

1. Prepare your mind for a successful day/week:

View Monday as a day to gear yourself towards positivity, take time to relax your tense mind either by affirmations or meditations, reminisce back to the past weeks, reflect on your past tasks, check for mistakes, and seek for improvements to avoid recurring mistakes and be hopefully for the best throughout the rest of the week.


2. Have a positive mindset:

Cultivating a positive attitude in every ramification of life begets fortitude, assurance of the best, and enthusiasm towards one’s objectives. Every individual needs to approach Monday, the beginning of the week, the rest of the week, and the milestones ahead with a positive mindset. One should view difficult tasks as an opportunity to learn more and grow.

3. Set Clear Goals For the Week:

Setting clear goals itself is motivation enough to set a tone for a successful week ahead. This enables you to focus and narrow down the possibilities of overwhelming tasks to clear and purposeful ones. When you’re at it, be stern while setting your goals for the week, and outline the things you aim to actualize, they might be workplace-related jobs or geared towards personal development.


4. Have a curated list of your plans:

Draft a plan or to-do list to guide you throughout the day or week, and arrange the order of your tasks according to how they suit you or according to your work pace. Do not be in a rush to carry out if not required of you. An organized plan motivates and contributes to a successful week.

5. Seek more knowledge about your goals:

Associate yourself with individuals equipped with more knowledge on the goals you wish to tackle, and source for inspiration on your objectives by reading reassuring or motivational quotes, books, or online content like this one you’re currently reading. Indulge in activities that arouse your creativity and quest for learning.


6. Be Consistent:

Your motivation towards a new week can be further backed up by being consistent in whatever you set your mind on whether workplace-related or a self-objective, show up every day, and get it done at the time you have assigned to get it done. In other words, consistency serves as an instrument to spur a productive and positive week.


7. Be mindful of your well-being:

Good health is mostly underrated and unappreciated meanwhile good health is easily a source of motivation. Your body loses the ability to engage in important activities when experiencing weakness both physically and in the mind. Eating healthy, taking time to relax, and prioritizing self-care activities like exercises revitalize your mind and body.


Also, remember to always share your achievements with your loved ones, and celebrate your achievements regardless of how little. This would further make Monday less dreadful for you and motivate you for the coming weeks. So, as each beginning of the week draws closer, do not hesitate to seek and cling to any source of motivation, embrace positivity, look forward to daily growth, and of course, make more money.

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What PROCRASTINATION costs you and how to tackle it.

There is a common habit practiced by the majority of individuals. I refer to it as the “I will do it later syndrome” and it is generally referred to as procrastination.

Procrastination is being aware of the task at hand but choosing to postpone and carry out the task at die minutes or close to the deadline which mostly leads to the task being poorly done.

Procrastination does a lot more bad than good. Procrastination;

  • Disorganises schedules 
  •  Activates “the deadline mode”. Here, your brain is under the pressure of workloads and placed on impromptu to carry out the work meant to take some days under a few minutes to do research, put things in order and so on while battling with deadlines, you may make series of mistakes when carrying out a task.
  • Procrastination affects your income due to the inability to meet deadlines, which might lead to a query or a job being terminated if not done on time and loss of the stipulated reward or payment in the process. 
  • Procrastination affects your well-being i.e. the intake of food is also affected in the sense that the time meant to take in food is used to keep up with deadlines.
  • Opportunities may slip off one’s fingers, and one may miss life-changing events.

Procrastination can be a challenging habit to overcome, but with determination to change, some right steps to take, and incorporating discipline while taking those steps, you can reduce its impact on your productivity. Here are some tips to help you put an end to procrastination;

1. Define your goals for a certain period: Get a piece of paper or a journal or better still a notepad app on your phone, clearly outline what you want to achieve for the day, the week, or the month. Put down the tasks you have to get done and set an ultimatum to get them done. Outline what and what not to do when carrying out the tasks.

2. Set a reminder: A marked calendar, a to-do list with time intervals, and a labeled phone reminder placed on an alarm to remind you of a pending task can go a long way in getting your tasks done.

3. Create a Schedule: Create a to-do list for all the tasks at hand, opt for setting each task to each day of the week i.e. writing 1500 articles on Monday, doing laundry on Tuesday, rearranging the room on Wednesday, and so on. Also, set a particular time of the day to get the tasks done. 

4. Prioritize Important tasks: Make sure to downsize your to-do list to the paramount tasks, remove the unproductive ones away from the to-do list, the hard tasks that are likely to take a lot of time to be completed should be done first, followed by least hard then the easiest.

5. Eradicate Distraction: To not procrastinate while carrying out your tasks, focus and do away with any form of attractive and tempting distraction such as;

  •  Mindless scrolling on social media platforms.
  • Noise in the form of songs that you might be tempted to abandon your task and dance to, the source of noise might be your family or friends calling your name now and then. Find a solace away from noise or better still, carry out your task when the activities around you are lessened.
  •  Another source of distraction is the hustle and bustle of other people around you. What to do is ignore and try hard to concentrate. 
  • The source of distraction might be wall geckos or cockroaches fighting or mating, just shake your head and get back to work.

6. Books: Reading books that edify personal growth and teach how to break habits has a very big influence on you and can help provide you with more tips on how to tackle the habit of procrastinating.

Solid books like;

  • Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog: 21 Great ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
  • Neil Fiore’s The Now Habit
  • James Clear’s Atomic Habits

Most importantly, the determination and zeal towards changing this habit and cultivating discipline contribute a lot to finally eradicating procrastination.

Remember, procrastination has no benefit and you can not overcome it if your mind is not set on breaking through from it.

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On the Blaze

VACATION DESTINATIONS: VISA-FREE COUNTRIES NIGERIANS CAN EXPLORE (TWO)

In the previous article, 28 visa-free countries that Nigerians can visit were mentioned and we promised to curate a list of the topmost vacation spots where you can relax and enjoy breathtaking environs whether alone or with your loved ones i.e. girlfriend, boyfriend, friends, or family.

There are a lot of beautiful countries to visit, judging by the previous article, your wishlist might be filled up by now which brings us to the question that might have gone through your mind after reading the article– which of these countries guarantees a very interesting and memorable experience? Which particular visa-free country or countries can I go to enjoy a premium ‘soft life’ alongside my loved ones?

Here is a curated list and concise description of some suitable countries you can visit;

BARBADOS 🇧🇧

An island located in the eastern Caribbean, its capital is Bridgetown. This country is known for its breathtaking view of water bodies, beautiful waterside gardens, and buildings.

Barbados is a perfect place for a couple’s weekend getaway where you and your boo or bae can indulge in romantic and memorable activities away from work stress and the environments you have gotten used to. While in Barbados, you can visit Harrison’s Cave, Haute’s Gardens, Farley Hill National Park, and Barbados Wildlife Reserve amongst others.

Harrison’s cave

Image source -wikipedia

Image source-wikipedia

Haute’s gardens

Farley National park

Barbados wildlife reserve

The requirements for visiting Barbados are a passport valid for at least 180days and a return ticket.

CAPE VERDE 🇨🇻

This country is one of the most developed African countries surrounded by beautiful cities like Sal, Praia, Fogo, Buracona Blue Eyes, Santo antāo, and so on that now serve as tourist attractions. It is a perfect country to travel to when taking a break from work and tourism centers for tourists. Nigerians can easily get to Cape Verde by road transportation from Lagos State and the period of stay for a Nigerian is 30 to 60 days.

FIJI 🇫🇯

Fiji is a country located in the South Pacific, its capital is Suva, a city renowned for its beautiful architectural buildings. The Fiji Museum is said to have ethnographic exhibits.

Fiji is an ideal destination for beach and water lovers. Nigerian citizens can stay in Fiji for up to 120 days with their Nigerian passport. The exciting places to visit in Fiji are;

Fiji Museum

Image source – wikipedia

Coral Coast

Blue Lagoon Island.

HAITI 🇭🇹

Haiti is a Caribbean country perfect for a getaway as it is said to have several places that are pleasing to the eyes. Vacation here will not be complete without exploring the capital, Port-au-Prince which boasts beautiful beaches and historical buildings around the island, you can explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Citadelle. It is a mountain-top colossal fortress and one of the largest on record, the Labadee, a private port, and Sans Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti.

Haiti grants visa-free access to Nigerian passport holders for up to 90 days, there is enough time to explore all the places of interest.

La Citadelle

Image source - wikipedia
Image source – wikipedia

Labadee

Image source – wikipedia

Sans Souci Palace

SEYCHELLES 🇸🇨

Seychelles is a small country in Africa, another amazing destination to spend your vacation. From its scenic views of water bodies to the views of beautiful coral reefs, to a variety of delicacies, and numerous activities like water diving, you get to have a close to none thrilling experience. A visitor’s permit is granted to Nigerians visiting Seychelles for a 30-day stay. While there, you can explore exciting places like Praslin, and Mahe, a beautiful city in Seychelles. The capital, Victoria, La Digue, and also get to see rare animals like the Aldabra tortoise.

Aldabra tortoise

There are a lot more countries that promise exciting experiences. As you visit these destinations, do not forget to abstain from stress-inducing activities, forget about work and bask in that moment, and also remember to capture the moments by taking beautiful pictures and videos.

Have you ever visited any of these countries? Share your memorable experience in the comment section below.

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VACATION DESTINATIONS: COUNTRIES NIGERIA CAN EXPLORE WITHOUT A VISA

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is what they say and here you’re working tirelessly without taking a break even when you have all the time in the world to relax, you still chose to work, ‘ahh’! Are you running a race with a clock?

Yes, it’s common knowledge that humans need to work mainly to earn a living and alongside, achieve some goals we’ve outlined for ourselves but at some point in time, there is a need to take a break, relax, and possibly make unforgettable memories while at it.

Making plans for a vacation to indulge in sightseeing tours in other countries is one of those ways to relieve work stress. As in ‘no kee’ yourself with work, try ‘dey’ enjoy small small!

There is an existing phenomenon that says exploring, that is, traveling to other countries is an essential part of life as it helps garner knowledge, learn about the cultures of other nations, and most importantly, have unforgettable experiences.

From having a bucket list of countries suitable for vacation, and as per the motto of Gen Z ‘delulu is the solulu’ i.e delusion is the solution, we progress to fantasize on several occasions about how every moment during the vacation is going to materialize, especially the things of interest you’d indulge in so much that your imagination is getting the better part of you. From booking an amazing hotel room with breathtaking views of the seas or landscape to trying different dishes, exploring beautiful places, taking aesthetic pictures for the gram, and generally speaking, having the best time of your life.

Now, you already have a ‘boujee’ budget enough for you to go on vacation and to explore during the vacation but you have a problem that is very much like a big issue that can mar your vacation plans and that problem is a Visa!

It’s common knowledge that a visa is compulsory to endorse international movements.

Almost all the countries in the world require a visa before entry, this policy is particularly peculiar to Nigerians and we all know how stressful it usually is to obtain one. Everybody wants to live a soft life, we can’t come and die on top visa.

If you’re a Nigerian reading this content, I have good news for you! With a Nigerian passport, you can travel to a few countries visa-free!

Countries Nigerians can visit visa-free

The Nigerian passport ranks 191st in the world as of March 2024 according to VisaGuide Passport Index.

The updated list of countries Nigerians can travel to visa-free with only a Nigerian passport as of 2024 shows a total of 28 countries and these countries are;

1. Barbados

2. Benin

3. Burkina Faso

4. Cameroon

5. Cabo Verde

6. Chad

7. Cook Islands

8. Ivory Coast

9. Dominica

10. Fiji

11. Ghana

12. Guinea

13. Guinea-Bissau

14. Haiti

15. Liberia

16. Mali

17. Micronesia

18. Montserrat

19. Niger

20. Niue

21. Senegal

22. Sierra Leone

23. Saint Kitts and Nevis

24. Gambia

25. Togo

26. Vanuatu

27. Antigua and Barbuda

28. Kenya

The period of stay for some of these countries can be as long as 30 days and some others longer than that, usually 90 to 120 days. It is important to take note of this so as not to forget yourself while enjoying your stay to avoid the risk of being penalized for overstaying or banned from future visits. Don’t turn yourself into ‘contraband’ by overstaying.

The question now is which of these countries promises a very interesting and memorable experience? Which particular country or countries can I and ‘my boo or bae’ go to enjoy a premium ‘soft life’?

In our next content we will give an overview of the top most appealing countries you can visit to ‘chop the life of your head’ visa-free and all you need is only a Nigerian passport.

Everyone is meant to enjoy life, and we must! The goal is to work hard, make money, and live life to the fullest.

I hope this pushes the idle ‘God when’ and ‘God abeg’ category of people to sit up and work hard. Everyone deserves to enjoy life but it requires a lot of effort.

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A VIEW INTO VALENTINE’S DAY

“Some people have never received valentine packages” and similar posts like this are probably the first thing you’d come across as you log in to any social media platform on the 14th of February every year.

Some playfully refer to this day as a perfect one to apply pressure and ‘press the necks’ of single people. But, has there ever been a day when single people are not subjected to pressure from couples? Those people have always restricted our airflow! God abeg!

To those of us single, it’s just another day to be reminded of our inexistent love life and to be pressured further when those in relationships upload lovely, and cute pictures and video evidence of them exchanging Valentine’s packages or gifts, flowers, and so on.

The work automatically assigned to the singles on this day is to display the ‘raise am, raise am’ act. Some do this by liking the couples’ posts, exclaiming, and leaving comments like ‘he-he’ ‘ awwn’ ‘God abeg’ and ‘God when’ while some will rather hiss, squeeze their faces, and scrunch their nose as they scroll past the posts with a speed of light.

People’s opinions about Valentine’s Day vary.

Some view this day as ‘overhyped’, some deem it important and look forward to it, every year while some think it is just like every other day. What then is the big deal about Valentine’s Day?

For the lucky few, it’s a day of happiness and to further bond with one another, for others it’s a day that opens up old wounds.

Now, here comes the question, Is Valentine’s Day really what it should be nowadays?

What’s Valentine’s Day all about?

Valentine’s Day is all about love.

St. Valentine, patron of love.

Valentine’s Day was presented in honor and remembrance of St. Valentine, a Roman priest. It is said that this man displayed love in its greatest form for the church through dedication and laying down His life. Since then, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated as a day of “love”. A day celebrated between loved ones with a theme colour of white and red that symbolizes this special day.

Over time, Valentine’s Day evolved from the celebration of St. Valentine’s sacrificial love to a day for individuals, friends, and families to rekindle and keep the fire of their undying love for each other burning bright, to ensure their bond wax stronger, and to appreciate one another through admirable gestures, such as exchange of beautiful words, and substantial gifts that further preach love to their loved ones.

But, spoiler alert!!!

Valentine’s Day has lost its actual substance and uniqueness. Nowadays, the exchange of material things is used to measure the extent of love between couples. High expectations as well as competition for who got the most expensive gifts are now the order of the day during Valentine’s Day. Also, Comparisons of what others did for their partners to what their partners did for them now matter over the real love that should be celebrated. Most people believe that the only genuine manner their partners can sincerely establish their love for them is through expensive gifts which should not be so.

Valentine’s Day has been reduced to one single day that is all about overhyped excitement of partners who forget being good or showing love to one another for the rest of the year. The majority have misplaced perceptions about Valentine’s Day and they celebrate it just to follow the bandwagon.

Series of events on Valentine’s Day

We witness diverse happenings on Valentine’s Day, some lovely and prayer point worthy while some are filled with sad experiences. The lucky few get appreciated, and some get served premium breakfast as ‘e dey hot’.

We see instances of a cheating partner getting exposed as Valentine gifts and the bearers of the gifts collide with one another in the house of a girlfriend or vice versa. Both men and women are dumbfounded as they witness or see videos of their supposed partners presenting gifts to another person.

For people like this, Valentine’s Day will forever be a sour day until someone somewhere, the right man or woman appears to change their view about it.

Then, there are the ones who experience kindness from real partners who immensely understand and incorporate intentionality on a normal day aside the Valentine’s Day. To them, Valentine’s Day is just a plus one day to wax stronger and a reminder that their love can’t be shaken.

I know at this point, you’re wondering how to reset the true purpose of Valentine’s Day.

Here are some updates;

• As a person with an active relationship, avoid exerting pressure on your partners to get you expensive gifts as regards Valentine’s Day, as this is somehow unkind and stressful. Do away with high expectations and let your main focus be on growing to be better in your relationship.

• If your partner is not buoyant enough to get you any gift whatsoever, spend quality time with them, and bond over meaningful things on this day, it might be a movie night together in your room, or a game night. Indulge in any other interest you have observed that sparks joy in your partner.

• If you have once been hurt on Valentine’s Day, it’s understandable if your view about it changed completely after that experience but trust me, you’re deserving of love in its purest form. Be open-minded and give love another try.

...life let me embrace my ‘single to stupor’ life

• To those of us single, let us keep exclaiming ‘God when’ to couples pictures!

• I’d advise us to not be a troll or leave hateful comments under couples’ posts or take memes or posts pointing at our dilemma to heart. Have it in mind that one of these days “God go run am” And if all those get to you, you better go find a partner! Or humor yourself and order a Valentine’s package for yourself, take pictures, and caption it “Valentine gifts from my man/woman” so you too won’t ‘carry last’

In all, we should be willing to rewire our ethos on the perception of Valentine’s Day. It’s all about love and love is all about being sacrifial, pure, selfless, and not materialistic as material things are just a plus. Therefore, all-round love should be the order of the day.

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A VIEW INTO VALENTINE’S DAY


“Some people have never received valentine packages” and similar posts are probably the first thing you’d come across as you log in to any social media platform on the 14th of February every year. Some playfully refer to it as a day to apply pressure and ‘press the necks’ of single people. But, has there ever been a day single people have not been subjected to pressure from couples? Those people have always been restricting our air flows! God abeg!

To those of us single, it’s just another day to be reminded of our inexistent love life and to be further pressured while those in relationships seem to pressure us with uploads of pictures and video evidence of them exchanging Valentine’s packages or gifts, flowers, and so on. The work automatically assigned to the singles on this day is to display the ‘raise am, raise am’ act. Some do this by liking the couples’ posts, exclaiming, and leaving comments like ‘he-he’ ‘ awwn’ ‘God abeg’ and ‘God when’ while some will rather hiss, squeeze their faces, and scrunch their nose as they scroll past the posts with a speed of light.


People’s opinions about Valentine’s Day vary. Some view this day as ‘overhyped’, some deem it important and look forward to it every year while some think it is just like every other day. What then is the big deal about Valentine`s Day? For the lucky few, it’s a day of happiness and to further bond with one another, for others it’s a day that opens up old wounds.


Now, here comes the question, Is Valentine’s Day really what it should be nowadays?

What’s Valentine’s Day about?

Valentine’s Day is all about love.

St. Valentine. Patron of love.


Valentine’s Day was presented in honor and remembrance of St. Valentine, a Roman priest. It is said that this man displayed love in its greatest form for the church through dedication and laying down His life. Since then, Valentine`s has been celebrated as a day of “love”. A day celebrated between loved ones with a theme colour of white and red that symbolizes this special day.


Gradually, Valentine’s Day evolved from the celebration of St. Valentine’s sacrificial love to a day for individuals, friends, and families to rekindle and keep the fire of their undying love burning bright, to ensure their bond wax stronger, and to appreciate one another through admirable gestures, such as exchange of beautiful words, and substantial gifts that further preach love to their loved ones. But, spoiler alert!!!


Valentine’s Day has lost its actual substance and uniqueness. The exchange of material things is used to measure the extent of love between couples nowadays. High expectations competition for who got the most expensive gifts is now the order of the day during Valentine’s Day. Comparison of what others did to what their partners did for them now matters over the actual real love that should be celebrated because many are now wired to believe the only genuine way their partners can sincerely establish their love for them is through expensive gifts which should not be so.


Valentine’s Day has been reduced to one single day that is all about overhyped excitement of partners who forget being good or showing love to one another for the rest of the year. The majority have misplaced perceptions about Valentine’s Day and celebrate it just to follow the bandwagon.
Series of events on Valentine’s Day.

We witness diverse happenings on Valentine’s Day, some lovely and prayer point worthy while some are filled with sad experiences. The lucky few get appreciated, and some get served premium breakfast as ‘e dey hot’.


We see instances of a cheating partner getting exposed as Valentine packages and their bearers collide with one another in the house of a girlfriend or vice versa. Both men and women are dumbfounded as they witness or see videos of their supposed partners presenting gifts to another person.
For people like this, Valentine’s Day will forever be a sour day until someone somewhere, the right man or woman appears to change their view about it.


Then, there are the ones who experience kindness from real partners who immensely understand and incorporate intentionality on a normal day aside the Valentine’s Day. To them, Valentine’s Day is just a plus one day to wax stronger and a reminder that their love can’t be shaken.
I know at this point, you’re wondering how to reset the true purpose of Valentine’s Day.


Here are some updates;


• As a person with an active relationship, avoid exerting pressure on your partners to get you expensive gifts as regards Valentine’s Day, as this is somehow unkind and stressful. Do away with High expectations and let your main focus be on growing to be better in your relationship. If your partner is not buoyant enough to get you any gift whatsoever, spend quality time with them, bond over meaningful things on this day might be a movie night in your room, or a game night. Indulge in any other interest you have observed, which sparks joy in your partner.

• If you have once been hurt on Valentine’s Day, it’s understandable if your view about it changed completely after that experience but trust me, you’re deserving of love in its purest form. Be open-minded and give love another try.

…like let me embrace my ‘single to stupor’ life.


• To those of us single, let us keep exclaiming ‘God when’ to couples pictures! I’d advise us to not be a troll under couple’s posts or take memes or posts pointing at our dilemma to heart. Have it in mind that one of these days “God go run am” And if all those get to you, you better go find a partner! Or humor yourself and order a Valentine’s package for yourself, take pictures, and caption it “Valentine gifts from my man/woman” so you too won’t ‘carry last’


In all, we should be willing to rewire our ethos on the perception of Valentine’s Day. It’s all about love and love is all about being sacrifial, pure, selfless, and not materialistic as material things are just a plus. Therefore, all-round love should be the order of the day.

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