Bukola Bakare
Television presenter, Nneka Isaac–Moses of Goge Africa fame shares fond memories of her trip to Uganda
When did you visit Uganda and why did you visit the East African country?
We went on a tour of Uganda in partnership with the Ugandan Tourism Board, in 2015.
Was that your first time of visiting the country?
No, it wasn’t.
Did you embark on the trip alone?
I went with the Goge Africa crew, so it was a working trip.
What would a first-time visitor find fascinating about Uganda?
The warm welcome from the beautiful people of Uganda is quite fascinating. They are a very calm people and they have a rich history. In addition, the Gorilla Trekking was an awesome experience.
Do they speak other languages apart from English and how were you able to communicate with the natives?
They speak English and Luganda officially, so it was quite easy to communicate with the locals.
What did you learn about their cuisine?
On my trip, I found their staple food called Matooke (boiled green plantain), very interesting and nutritious. It contains a lot of fibre and it is eaten with a variety of soups. It is boiled in plantain leaves and stem.
What other interesting things did you discover on your trip?
I discovered the source of the River Nile, which is regarded as longest river in Africa and the Lake Victoria, that is considered the largest lake in Africa, all originated from Uganda. That was quite a discovery.
If you could bring back one thing from Uganda, what would it be and why?
I would bring back the calmness of the Ugandan people. Sometimes, I wish Nigerians can develop a calm attitude to life.
How fashionable are Ugandans compared to Nigerians?
I think Nigerians are more fashionable than Ugandans.
Describe some of your memorable moments while on the trip.
Some of my memorable moments were the visits to historical sites such as the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for the Gorilla Trekking, Salt Mining Lake in Katwe, and the Equator. Equator refers to an imaginary line on the earth’s surface equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole. It divides the earth into the Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere. I also visited the popular Queen Elizabeth National Park which is located in the Kasese,Kamwenge, Bushenyi and Rukungiri districts, during my trip.
What other interesting activities did you engage in during your visit?
I attended a wedding. The wedding started at 10am on Saturday and festivities ended the following day.
Are there similarities/differences between Uganda and Nigeria?
Uganda is a small country with a population of 32 million people, the size of Lagos alone.
Describe your typical day during your stay in Uganda.
I wake up, eat breakfast, visit tourist attractions, eat lunch, return to the hotel, go strolling or shopping in the evening, return to the hotel and off to the next town. We travelled to five towns in the North, South, East and West of Uganda in five days.
What are some of the odd things you discovered about Ugandans?
The people eat kilos and kilos of meat!
How informed were Ugandans about Nigeria?
Ugandans love people from West Africa, especially Nigerians. They always try to speak like us.
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