I got a call from my friend Christiana asking me if I’m still interested in exploring PORTO NOVO. “Flash Back” > Sometimes last year we both discussed about me exploring Benin republic but don’t really have anyone to tour guide me around not until this year she placed a call across asking me if I’m still interested. Which immediately I declare my intention of exploring PORTO NOVO with her and you know it will always be positive to me to accept.
So we fix the date to be July 4th being Monday. But before then, we have different series of dates we wanted to go with but didn’t work out for us until we concluded to explore on this particular date.
I woke up by 5:30 a.m preparing to dash out to a nearby jetty closer to me to enter Badagry directly. I got to the jetty at 6:27 a.m. After waiting for an hour, one of the guys there just came straight to me asking me brother where are you going to? and I replied to him that I’m going to Badagry and he said to me that I will not get Badagry from here unless I go back to CMS. I quickly Left the Jetty and followed the commercial transport to Badagry which took me about 1hr plus before getting to Badagry roundabout.
I called Christina, telling her that I have gotten to Badagry roundabout and she said I should take a bike down to Badagry Jetty where we are going to enter the boat to PORTO NOVO.
After 10minutes, we saw each other and exchanged pleasantries before heading down to the ticket table where we both paid 2k each. We waited for like 1hr 37min before the boat filled up. There were 18 passengers inside the boat including me and Christiana. But at that moment there were 8 passengers at the Jetty waiting for the boat to fill up before moving. So we decided to use this opportunity to explore the market and also look for where to exchange the money from Naira to Cfa Franc. Badagry market has the same similarities with other markets in Nigeria except for the multitude of fish sellers, crayfish dealers and crabs distributors. It was nice exploring the Badagry market. So we have to go back to Jetty to avoid stories that touch the heart.
We left the port at 10;38 a.m, immediately the boat left. I was so excited that at last I’m going to be visiting this place. On our way going, the boat was stopped at some checkpoint from the marine police, down to marine soldiers and to the marine navy even to a customs checkpoint before crossing down to the border where the Benin checkpoint started from, with their flag swinging.
Before getting to PORTO NOVO, you will pass 4 village’s before crossing the border. The names of the villages are Gbaji Village, Kayagbo village, Apah Village and Akere Village.
After crossing the border, it was not more than 10 minutes until we arrived at our Destination. We arrived at 11;40 a.m. including the stop over all added together the journey was 1hr 2 min.
Mind you, when traveling to this country, I will kindly advise you to exchange your money in Badagry market within that jetty. Nigeria One thousand is still the same as their one thousand but if you decide to exchange it over their country, your one thousand will be 800 Naira.
Please note you are paying with naira on both sides when traveling with a boat to this country. Be it Port Novo jetty or Badagry Jetty.
That was HOW I TRAVEL TO PORTO NOVO BY BOAT & EXPLORING BADAGRY MARKET.
I’m Dennis Chukwuebuka Okeke AKA Onye-njem one of AFRICA your number one celebrity Tourist.
