Did I ever think a day like this will come? Yes! What I didn’t know however, was that it was going to involve one of my biggest stars out of Africa the famous Femi Kuti popularly referred to as ‘Shoki’ and his amazing talented son Made Kuti who I just have to commend for his humility and maturity.
It all started with a call from Aunty Yeni Kuti, and never for a second did I even imagine it was going to be for her brother and the family. All ‘YK Power’ as she’s fondly called asked me to do was to get 4 rooms for 8 people at one of the best resorts I can recommend. Inagbe Grand Resorts & Leisure and Epe Resort & Spa were first ones on the list for me due to the ambience and luxury it offered.
We eventually settled for Epe Resort & Spa and it was only after all the arrangements had been made with the Resort Management, that YK Power dropped the surprise on me when she told me it was for Femi, his son Made and their family plus her other brother Kunle and his family as well. I couldn’t control my excitement as I screamed over the phone! I knew I had to bring my A Game on just to prove our mettle as the brand who won the Jumia Travel Award for the best Travel Blogger/Vacation Planner of the Year in Nigeria.
On the day of the road trip to Epe Resort, I had to meet up with Femi, Made and the rest of the family at the Afrika Shrine – The renowned place where Femi Kuti performs with his band. Its also hosts a variety of other shows and events. It was a wonderful yet humbling feeling meeting with the Legend himself.
As I got to the shrine and asked to see him, the manager asked for my name. Within a few seconds he came back and took me up to the private waiting room. Seeing Baba himself looking as fit as a fiddle with his trumpet in one hand and the other stretched out to greet me definitely made my day as I introduced myself as the tour operator taking him and his family to Epe.
Standing with him and seeing all the uncanny resemblance to his father the Late Afrobeat Legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, I had to control my emotions not to jump up and hug him. He asked what I wanted to drink and then called one of the workers to get me a bottle of Coca Cola. I sat down in the guest waiting room staring at the paintings and pictures on the wall and the cat and her kittens wandering about.
I also watched him play his trumpet in a very religious way and from the way he kept playing this particular tune you could tell Femi Kuti was a maestro. I struck up a conversation about the issues of Tourism in Nigeria and how Nigerians were not too patriotic about what we have in our own country. He replied saying Nigerians are the greatest problem of Nigeria. How profound.
As soon as Made Kuti showed up it was time for us to hit the road. Shoki drove himself while I joined Made in his car with some of his siblings and his girlfriend. This was one road trip I definitely won’t forget in a hurry. I bet if Femi and Made Kuti weren’t musicians they would have made it in the F1 motorsport. Anyway we made it in one piece to Epe Resort and Spa and after sorting out the checking in process and showing them around, it was time for me to bid them farewell telling them to enjoy their two nights Getaway.
I can’t thank YK Power enough for giving me this privilege of packaging this mini getaway for her family.
