I grew up in Lagos, the city where no matter how early you leave your house, you’re already late. The traffic, the noise, the rush, Lagos just has a way of making you feel like you’re always chasing something. And for some strange reason, it made me believe that everywhere else, especially outside Lagos, is just one big village.
I’m actually from Ondo State, but I’ve never been there. Not once. Yet, I somehow have this picture in my head that Ondo is full of bush paths and palm trees, maybe with one small radio station where people gather to listen to the news at 6 p.m. (Don’t ask me why, that’s just how I imagined it.)
But lately, I’ve started rethinking this whole “everywhere outside Lagos is a village” mentality. Lagos might be the centre of hustle, but it doesn’t mean everywhere else is backward, right? I mean, Ondo must have its own charm, something beyond the image I’ve painted in my head. I know there’s more to the place than just red sand and old people farming, but, well, I’ve not actually experienced it myself.
I’m beginning to feel like I need to make a trip home, not just to claim I’m from Ondo when people ask, but to actually know what’s going on there. Who knows? I might find out that they’ve got more than enough to make me rethink my “Lagos or nothing” mindset.
Lagos will always be my hustle city, but maybe, just maybe, Ondo has something waiting for me that Lagos can’t offer. It’s time to drop the “village” mindset and explore my roots before I keep embarrassing myself with all these assumptions!
