
By Michael-Jude Nwolisa
A Canadian Musician, Nicole Glover, who recently made her first trip to Nigeria and, indeed, Africa, has praised Fides Media Ltd for its beautiful environment and organization, just as she bared her mind on Nigeria, Nigerians and her travel experiences so far, reports Michael-Jude Nwolisa
Speaking during her visit to Fides Media Limited last Monday, the visibly delighted Nicole also expressed what she termed a pleasant shock at the level of peace, organization and infrastructural development existent in Nigeria, as against the picture of doom and destruction painted by the foreign media.
Nicole who hails from Ontario, Canada, said she was initially fearful of travelling to Nigeria owing to the gory pictures and stories of terrorism, insecurity and violence painted by the western media about Nigeria and Africa at large.
Nicole who was invited to Nigeria by an Awka Diocesan priest, Rev. Fr. Adolphus Chukwuka (Fr. Oyoyo), explained that Fr. Chukwuka was their parish priest during his days in Canada. She noted that it was the confidence and trust her family had in Fr. Oyoyo that strengthened her resolve to make the trip to Nigeria, much against the advice and persuasions of friends.
‘Fr Oyoyo was our parish priest in Canada and my family knows and trusts him well. It is the trust and confidence we have in him that made me embark on this trip to Nigeria. We have been planning this trip to Nigeria for up to 4 years now,’ she said.
She also expressed joy at the opportunity she had to visit Nigeria which, she said, had helped her to break the walls of stereotypes and negative stories about Nigeria.
Nicole further noted that her trip to Nigeria was an avenue to promote music education among Nigerian children and teens.
Describing herself as very passionate about music, she said she had visited some Schools in Anambra and interacted with their students. She expressed the hope of a possible musical exchange and collaborations with Nigerians in the future, noting that she enjoyed the folk music here.
On the weather in Nigeria, Nicole described it as extremely hot, having never experienced such. She recounted how she was greeted by ‘an extremely hot wind’ immediately she stepped off the plane at the airport. Since then, she said, she had been forced to use a hand fan to cool off herself, a luxury she said she never enjoyed earlier.
The Canadian said the sunny weather in Nigeria lacked humidity which burned her skin instead of tanning it.
Among other things, Nicole said she appreciated Nigerian foods, the hospitality and warm welcome she was given at every corner.
Others were Nigerian folk music, which she said she had added to her musical experience, and many popular fruits that did not grow in Canada which she was privileged to see their trees (avocados, bananas, mangoes and so on).
Nicole finally appreciated the Management and staff of Fides for the level of orderliness and aesthetics maintained at Fides.
‘When I came in here, I noticed you have a very good architectural organization and as a company, everything here is well organized,’ she gushed.

