I have been around the world but my trip to Germany two years ago was very memorable. I travelled to the country to get an award as a living legend.
When you touched down in Germany, what was the first thing that impressed you?
I was impressed by the cleanliness of the place. The citizens are clean, the air you breathe is clean, everything about the country is clean and fresh. Also, I was fascinated by their roads. They have a very good road network unlike what obtains here.
Did you taste any of their local dishes?
Yes, I had some of their foods but I can’t really remember their names. Basically, when you eat foreign food the first night, you will want African food the next time. In fact, I couldn’t eat their meals because some of them looked like they weren’t properly cooked. However, they like and enjoy it; so I respect them.
How would you describe their movie industry?
They have a standard movie industry. Our problem in this part of the world is that the government has not really understood what we contribute to the system. You can go to a film school in Germany and access loans from the government for your projects. There is an arrangement for entertainment that has been logged into the system. So, you don’t just carry a camera as an individual and start shooting by yourself without being properly registered. They are organised and give their citizens opportunities. They also have quality movies. Hollywood goes to Germany to make quality movies because they have standard studios. I think it is a moviemaking country and they have good entertainment companies.
How would you rate their fashion sense?
They are not as fashionable as Nigerians. Nigeria is a fashion-conscious nation, and we tend to compete with ourselves when it comes to fashion. As a matter of fact, when it comes to fashion, I wouldn’t compare Nigeria with any other country. In Germany, fashion is not considered a big deal. You could see a mayor wearing a T shirt on jeans.
What are some of the things you learnt in the country?
I learnt to be more disciplined and everyone that leaves Nigeria should learn without being told. When you travel to another country where things work, it helps you, so that when you come back to Nigeria, you will be a procedural person. Also, over there, everybody minds their business. It is not a social media nation like Nigeria where you can abuse the authorities as you please. They control their system in a very nice way and everyone is happy.
What was the highlight of your trip?
The highlight of my trip was the award I got and I met a lot of fans. Also, I met a lady and today, she is my wife. I just went to pick an award and not for anything romantic because I was still in pain (from my former marriage). I didn’t want to fall in love.
Are Germans friendly?
They are much stronger people economically. They are hard-working and respect human rights. Also, they put in everything into their system. For instance, in Germany, the social system works very well. It is quite sad that the people at the helm in Nigeria don’t know how to activate a social system for young people. We should learn from countries that are well organised.
How would you advise someone who wants to travel to Germany?
If you want to travel to any country, make sure you go through a legal process. Lately, what Nigerians are doing in other countries has become very disturbing. Many people just want to escape from Nigeria, and they don’t go to other countries to do responsible jobs. Rather, they engage in illegal activities that would further damage the reputation of the country. There are opportunities in Europe and all you need to do is pay your taxes. So, why go there and evade paying taxes. If you go to any country, do things according to the laws of the land. Pay your taxes and let the nation improve.