. Covers 8000km in 23 days, as she turns off her bike engine
By Steve Agbota
Superintendent of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has become the first Nigerian woman biker to ride solo from Lagos to 13 African countries in 23 days.
She traveled over 8,000 kilometers through Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire
, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, from there to Togo and Benin and arrived back to Nigeria on Sunday afternoon.
She was welcomed by the Seme Area Customs Controller, Comptroller Timi Bomodi, her family, Exclusive Riders Motorcycle Club (ERMC) and other Customs officers at Seme border, as she turned off her motorbike engine after completing an arduous 23-day trip.
Speaking with Daily Sun, Attracta said that she the beauty of God creation inspired her to embark on the journey, saying she always wanted to travel, visit West Africa and understand the beauty of God’s creation.
She said said a lot inspired her on the journey because most times women are not allowed expressed their feelings.
“People will just tell you that you are a woman, you not supposed to do this and that, this things is for men. I just feel people should be allowed to do what they are supposed to do because if you are to do what you want to do, you don’t have any bottlenecks inside.
“I have a feeling that most women have a lot of bottles inside and that is why they are always nagging because the things they want to do they cannot do it because somebody out there is saying you can’t do it. They have these bottles inside and it brings in anger and one day they will just burst out because they are things they want to do and want to achieve. “They see what people are doing and they will say this is what I can do, why am I not allowing to do it? So I want to inspire people,” she said.
She advised that women can be anything they want to be and they should not allow anybody to bring them back. She said that the spirit of positivity and positive people around her behind her journey, adding that the spirit of positivity made her put through.
However, Comptroller Bomodi commended Attracta for embarking on a journey to 23 African countries with over 8,000 kilometers
“We are very proud of her, the courage, persistency she displayed and perseverance and also embracing her passion is something unique. We indeed encourage officers to achieve work-life balance to do what they love to do and then go out and put in the work. This is the classic example of that. She is an inspiration to everybody both women and men,” he said.
He said her story is a message to all individuals particularly the women because of the mainly limitations the society often impose on them.
“If you have anything you are passionate about, be courageous, be bold, go ahead and pursue your dreams. She is a Superintendent in the Nigeria Customs Service but because she’s passionate about her activities of traveling using a bike., she made out with time, efforts and she did all the necessary research that was needed and embark on this journey on 12 different African countries with about 23 day that is huge. She went alone and she didn’t go with anybody to assist or guide her and it is a huge thing over 8000 kilometers on your own. It huge.
“This is what the current management of the Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi encourages a work-life balance. In other words, you work and you balance ot with some activities that add value to your life, which could be music, writing and others.
“It is a great thing because she’s a poster person for the Nigeria Customs Service because what she has achieved today no woman in Nigeria has been able to achieve it and we are very proud of her success because whatever she does her name is there and is also for the image of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he added.
He said it means there is something positive Nigeria Customs Service is doing, which others must take the same script and see how they can encourage their officers to have a balance between what they do at work and what they do in their private life.