ABUJA, Brooklyn

October first was Nigerian Independence Day.  Since it fell on a Thursday, it was celebrated on Saturday Oct. 3rd this year.

Ewaen invited me to the Nigerian Independence Day Parade. I like parades. I always go to the Puerto Rican Day parade, I marched in the village Halloween parade, and a Columbus Day Parade is gonna close down my block on the eleventh (the area I live in is so steeped in Italian heritage that we have 47 espresso shops per citizen, and the crosswalks and parking meters are all painted green white and red like the Italian flag).  We have bakeries and coffee shops and restaurants and even a ravioli factory nearby, as well as the famous Arthur Avenue stretch of eateries.

i didn't go to the parade because i had cramps of death. and then i didn't go on the pre-party shopping trip because i had extra more cramps and needed a nap. have you ever partied with Nigerians?  Because they sure like the sunrise. that's the sign to go home, whereas regular people party to 2 or 3... they tuck it in at like 5 or 6AM. i learned this on our big adventure Atlantic city... here's a pic with some friends in front of come casino at like six in the morning, after a long night at the 40-40 club.

Ewaen picked me up at 9 and we went over to his house, hanging out with his sister, Osamede, until we left to meet up with Niji at 11.

I like Niji, he's real cool.   Never given me any shit about being different, and I remember sitting up with him eating breakfast in A.C. at like six in the morning, talking and bullshitting and practicing speaking Spanish with each other.That's him in the bling sunglasses with the big smile.

We were supposed to be leaving at eleven, but in typical Nigerian Time (the equivalent of CPT in the US) we ended up driving around the BX, then Manhattan, then Brooklyn, picking up people at a variety of buildings, while the men stood on the corner bullshitting and being rowdy.  I had to piss like a racehorse so by the time we got on the road for the party (about 12:30) I was dying for a leak.  We went down flatbush ave forever, then utica forever and finally got to the party.

It was the ghetto-est industrial-est scary-ass-est place to be at 1:30 am but there were tons of people around all looking eager and excited for the party. Osamede and I decided to go on ahead while the boys waited for the other car of people to show up, because she and I both needed the facilities like you wouldn't believe.

It was like a warehouse party, and it was completely packed.  We went through the parking lot, getting lots of catcalls and hollas from the gentlemen.  After getting frisked and searched at the gate by a VERY thorough female security guard (why Hello there missus lady!) we made it to the first lobby area and it was a zoo.  no one knew which line we were meant to be in or how much tickets cost.  Rumors flew, suggesting everything from "ladies get in free" to $40 a head.  There were posters everywhere advertising the $400 VIP tickets, which came with four guests, fancy liquor bottles and access to the upper level of the venue.  Osamede got us two regular tickets and we got in.  Everyone was looking at me like I had three heads, because I was the only white person in a sea of like three hundred.    No one was outright shitty to me, but i got a lot of looks and the first fellow I asked for directions to the bathroom sent me to the wrong side of building.  ha-ha.

The bathroom was a flurry of butts and breasts and weaves and toilet tissue and lipstick.  There was ONE mirror and you can imagine the press to get in on that.  The promoters hooked us up fairly well because there was still TP when we got in there at like 1pm, and soap and two sinks were working.  Not to shabby for a late night party spot with a full bar.  I pissed a yellow river, washed my hands and smoothed down my hair real quick.  As soon as we walked into the party my hair was hit by serious wave of humidity and began its transformation into a mighty jew-fro.  I joked with Osamede that I was gonna end up with the biggest afro in the whole club.

Drinks were DISGUSTINGLY over priced, but Ewaen hooked me up.  We shook our *sses like crazy to sick mixes of African and American music, all bumping ill beats.   It was so friggen hot in that club I kept having to go outside to sit down, with steam billowing off my dripping-hot skin.  They had caterers outside doing up some chicken and rice that smelled awesome.  I tried to sneak in to VIP and got shut down, which was a new experience for me... as i tend to talk myself through security.  Oh well, I danced my ass off with Ewaen all night....  had a blast.

When we left at about 4 there were cops everywhere. It was a wild scene with everyone showing off and acting foolish.  Osamede and I took some pictures, posing and lookin fierce, giggling like schoolgirls.

I got home at like 5:30 and fell the F out.  all in all, a hell of a night.