You were among a group of students from your school who went on an excursion to places of interest in your country. Narrate to your classmate who did not go what you saw in at least two of the places visited and how you have benefited from the experience.

THE WONDERFUL EXCURSION

I was among the Geography students who traveled on excursion to places of interest between June 1 and 4, 2013. The excision thought the first of its kind in my life but the echoes will linger on in my memory for a long time to come. A week before the excursion I had began  to dream about what to see and experience. I was the first of the fifty excursionists to pay the fees of  five hundred Naira. I couldn’t sleep on the eve of the excision as I was gripped with anxiety about the trip to wonderland.

At seven O’clock in the morning of June 1 2013 we assembled in front of Mr. J. O. Babalakudi’s house, our senior Geography master. Two chartered coaster huses drove in. the teacher gave us a lecture to prepare our mind about the journey. He mentioned Kaniji Dam, Ajaokuta Iron and Steel industry and Sugar Factory at Bacita among other places to visit. After a short paper the journey commenced at eight on the dot.

Of course, that was my first time of traveling on a long journey of this type, so everything was new to me. Our students in the two buses were busy singing melodious choruses as if we were on sacred pilgrimage to the holy land. I couldn’t sleep in the bus at all as all of us joined in singing the songs. The first thing I discovered was the disappearance of forest towards inland. In less than two hours we had passed Ibadan, the largest town in black Africa. The traffic congestion at Iadan was chaotic. In fact, worse than that of Lagos. It was as a result of a road accident which involved two trucks which has a head-on-collision. It took us two hours to get out of the  traffic mess. Between Ibadan and Ilorin we saw some important towns like Iwo, Ogbomosho and Oyo. We had a brief stop-over at Ilorn to have our luch at Kwara Hotel. The food there was cheaper by far compared to Lagos. It was only thirty Naira a plate for students and fifty naira for others. at six o’clock in the evening we arrived at New Bussa Hotel where we lodged for the night.

On Tuesday after our breakfast of egg, tea and bread we made straight to Kainji Dam, a journey of less than thirty minutes. At the dam, we were conducted round by their public relations officer Alhaji Dodo. The man was very jovial and highly experienced in his job. He conducted us round the major units of the dam specially built in 1969 for generation of hydro electricity. We took numerous photographs. It was a multi billion Naira project. He took us to the power house where eight large engines are installed to generate electricity  to Nigeria, Niger and Chad. We ask various questions which were systematically answered by the PRO. He later conducted us round the irrigation project, a subsidiary of the Kainji Dam Authority. At the end, the PRO took us to a large hall where he gave us an hour lecture on the dam and its major functions. He explained why we always have power failure. He attributed it to fluctuating level of water in the dam. We returned at five in the evening when everyone was fired. We had to rely on the snacks supplied by the dam’s authority as our lunch. We later took rich and beans as our dinner.

On Wednesday we woke up early to continue our trip to Bacita Sugar Company. At first we were conducted round the sugarcane plantation which I think should be more trip to Bacita Sugar Company. At first we were conducted round the sugarcane plantation which I think should be ore than seven square kilometers. The plantation was irrigated, we saw clearly how most of what we had learnt in Agriculture. Since were practiced. We were given some sticks of sugarcane. They tasted better than the ones we used to buy in Lagos. The farm manager called it a special name which I have forgotten. We later drove to the Sugar Factory Complex. It was where about 80% of sugar consumed in Nigeria is manufactured. Producing fifty tones a day. I never knew Nigerians consume so much sugar.

In numerous ways, I benefited from the experience I had during the trip. Firstly, I saw how many of the laws in Physics were put into a practice particularly those in electricity. Secondly, I knew why we experience power failure often. Thirdly, I knew the history of Niger Basin Authority comprising Nigeria, Mali, Niger and other West African countries. Finally, I saw the various stages of sugar production. Generally, the excursion afforded me first hand information on many things our teachers have taught and what I have red especially in subjects like Geography, social studies, Physics, Chemistry and Agricultural Science. The experience I had during the excursion is worth it as it has benefited me in no small way.