Set up your mind that traveling will become part of your business as agropreneur. I started by traveling by air to any destination for business because of the comfort. But I had to stop when I discover there is more need for me to know the terrain, general environmental status and the kind of people am about to do business with. As an entrepreneur, I lead my team; you will need to pass through everything yourself either good or bad before you can send someone to that particular location for work.
Get your genuine and complete documents to save you entry denial and embarrassment. Your entire traveling document must be up to date. International passport, yellow/vaccination card, national I.D card. Also ensure you go along with your passport photographs as some countries will need it to for immigration policy document at the point of entry.
Get your bags filled with necessities; I do travel with one smart phone, and another one with good battery span, potable camera, solar power bank with touch light, towel, cloths, toiletries, all in one bag and most especially mosquito net. Not every country is like Nigeria, the hotel may not be readily available or rather comfortable so you could just be offered a place to pass the night.
Don’t act like you are a total stranger. Anywhere you find yourself, adapt quickly and switch on your mood to have breakfast with Muslim brothers in the north (Kano, Chad, Mali) and be ready to do ‘Amen’ to group prayers if you travel south or east. I remember I had to breakfast with my Muslim brothers sometimes ago in cote’dvoire during Ramadan period.
Praise your country/state or compare only when necessary. Rather, you can make them know that something’s are not done the same way they do it in their own country and politely analyze it without claiming superiority over them.
Always be smart and keep your bag safe at all time. Never allow stranger to offer you help to carry your valuables.
Always keep in touch with your map for direction within Nigeria and outside. Google map has been helpful to navigate most times.
Remember to show kindness anytime you travel. I remember sometimes ago, I traveled to the northern part of Nigeria, I offer some little children slippers because I wasn’t comfortable seeing them playing around with bare foot. An old man noticed and “said I know you are a stranger, what do you want from this village” I answer in Hausa language that I came to make inquiries about the Baobab. He was of great help to me and for years he had assisted me to send samples without traveling there.
Spend wisely; open an account with a reliable bank and also keep your cash card intact as a backup never go to a strange land with bulk money its dangerous and risky. Keep your spending low until you find what you want and if you want to go international, Contact your bank for more information.
Don’t get carried away. As a man sometimes you can get carried away by little gesture. Most people from some part of Africa cherish Nigerian men no doubt about that and showing Nigerian passport is a gate way to some unusual gesture that will make you to lose focus by elongating your stay and spend more beyond your budget. I know real men will understand me….
Have someone back home you feed back about your movement at all time, maybe your wife, your father, your best friend or your partner. Don’t travel as if you don’t have origin. Above all, search and find more information about any state within the county you want to source and pay experience traveler for the first time to guide you the journey if going outside Nigeria.
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