CHAPTER NINE: LAUGHING WATERFALLS
Stardom Schools has earned a reputation for organizing well-planned excursions, providing students with immersive experiences of Nigeria’s rich cultural and historical heritage. Mr Bepo, a strong advocate of these trips, ensured that students visited iconic sites such as the Ikogosi Warm Springs in Ekiti State; Erin Ijesha Waterfalls in Osun; Owu Waterfalls in Kwara—the highest in West Africa at 120 metres above water level, cascading 330 feet; and Gurara Falls in Niger State. Future plans included visits to Kwa Falls in Anegeje, Calabar, Aesop in Plateau, Karu in Nasarawa, and Barup in Gembu, Taraba.
Beyond waterfalls, the excursions extended to historical and cultural landmarks, including the Yakari Games Reserve in Bauchi, the National War Museum in Umuahia, the Hanging Lake in Ado Awaye, Kano Palace, and the Ooni of Ife Palace in Ile-Ife. Students also attended major festivals such as the Calabar Carnival, Osun-Osogbo Festival, Argungu Festival in Kebbi, and the Ofala Festival in Onitsha. In Lagos, they visited the National Theatre in Iganmu, the National Museum, the MUSON Centre, City Mall in Onikan, and other notable sites. When touring less affluent areas like Mushin, Ajegunle, and Ijora, some students expressed derision. Bepo reminded them:
“If you are determined, committed to education, and make the best use of your talent, time will move you from slum to limelight. You will be surprised to learn that many of those you see on Banana Island started off in slums somewhere in the country. Life is about movement; it rewards those who utilize their talents, money, and opportunities wisely.”
—The Lekki Headmaster (pg. 46)
One particularly moving excursion took the students to Badagry, a town with a significant history in the transatlantic slave trade. They visited the Akran of Badagry, who narrated the region’s history and confirmed that the name “Badagry” originated from Agbadarigi. Students toured monuments of the slave trade and missionary activities, culminating at the Black Heritage Museum. Bepo was deeply affected by the harrowing stories of the enslaved, reflecting on the cruelty and suffering endured.
He also observed a modern irony: many Nigerians, in pursuit of opportunities abroad—a phenomenon often referred to as “japa”—were voluntarily entering foreign labor markets under conditions that resembled a new form of servitude. For Bepo, this juxtaposition of historical and contemporary realities underscored a troubling cycle: after centuries of struggle, many were willingly submitting themselves to foreign systems in exchange for financial gain.
These excursions, Bepo believed, went beyond sightseeing; they were essential to instilling cultural pride, historical awareness, and a sense of responsibility in students, ensuring they maintained a connection to their heritage even as some would later study and work abroad.
CHAPTER TEN: PASSPORT PAINS
Bepo had allowed his passport to expire two years earlier, having no immediate plans to relocate abroad. The thought of renewing it, however, filled him with anxiety. He had heard countless stories of the new rules, long delays, and bureaucratic hassles facing applicants. By early 2022, the pressure from his family made renewal unavoidable, yet he remained wary of the complicated process.
Initially, Bepo considered bribing an immigration officer to expedite the process. The agent quoted a fee of N200,000 to N250,000 for a quick renewal, claiming it would take less than a month. Another option was to travel to a neighboring state’s immigration office, and he ultimately chose Ibadan. Although the law allowed the process to be completed online or manually without intermediaries, he was informed by an agent named Tai that the official procedures existed “only on paper.”
Bepo called Tai and was told to pay N100,000 for a ten-year passport (64 pages) instead of the official N70,000. He set off on a Tuesday afternoon, aiming to reach Ibadan in time to meet Tai by 7:00 a.m. the following day. The journey, taking only 50 minutes, was far shorter than the two-hour trip he had experienced with students on an excursion a decade earlier. Along the way, he noted the proliferation of churches, mosques, and businesses. He mused on the irony of Nigeria having “many religionists but few godly people,” quickly restraining himself from judgment. As his Sienna car approached the city, Bepo admired the Ibadan landscape, recalling J.P. Clark’s poem:
Ibadan, running splash of rust
and gold—flung and scattered among
seven hills like broken china in the sun.
—The Lekki Headmaster (pg. 51)
Arriving at the immigration office at 6:40 a.m., Bepo discovered that Tai was not an official but a business centre operator colluding with some immigration staff. Tai collected the required information and introduced Bepo to an officer who would handle the application. The officer validated his documents and instructed him to return in three weeks for data capturing. Bepo was struck by how fast the process had gone, learning that the extra payment had expedited it. He tipped the officer N2,000.
Despite the frustration, Bepo felt a sense of relief at having taken the first step toward his UK relocation. The experience highlighted the persistent challenges of bureaucracy, corruption, and bribery in Nigeria, but it also underscored the necessity of perseverance. Renewing his passport had been a stressful but unavoidable hurdle on his path to a new life abroad.
