My Experience at Uyo City for the Nigerian National Meetup, and my view after attending!

It finally happened!

The Nigeria National Meetup was an unforgettable event for me. The 30th of November 2024 will always stand out in my memory.

Even though this meetup was planned for months, I initially thought I wouldn’t attend. To my surprise, I ended up going, and I have no regrets.

My Trip to Uyo for the Meetup!

Enroute with @ruthjoe and @xkool24

I knew Uyo was close to Aba city, so I suggested we leave around noon since we had a place to stay and didn’t need to rush. I took my time shopping with a friend for some essentials before we left.

After we finished shopping, I called my boss @xkool24 to meet us at the park where we would catch a ride to Uyo City. It wasn’t long before we arrived at the park, and he showed up too. We bought our tickets and boarded the bus.

The journey was smooth and safe until the driver decided to create some drama in the middle of the trip, but we eventually settled down and continued.

	At AKTC park Uyo, Nigeria

When we reached the Uyo park, we followed @ngoenyi directions to a convenient spot for her to pick us up. It was a memorable journey.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by @ngoenyi, @sahmie, and @alli001. We went to the hotel to drop off our bags and then headed to @ngoenyi's house for some refreshments. The warm welcome was lovely, and we enjoyed a delicious meal with palm wine. After eating, it was already late, so we returned to the hotel to rest for the night.

Welcoming us from the park	A selfie with @ngoenyi from the park	A group photo after the welcome	Consuming the delicious meal

The next day, which was the big day, we woke up early to join @ngoenyi at her workout center, where we watched her students perform. On our way there, we grabbed some bean cakes (akara) and bread since many of us were hungry.

Purchasing the bean cake	Enjoying the bean cake with the boss	Ngoenyi with her students

After @ngoenyi finished her training, we went back to her house for breakfast. She had prepared a tasty meal for us, and after eating, we relaxed for a bit before heading back to the hotel.

I decided to lie down and rest from the stress of the past few days. I slept for two hours until a knock on the door woke me up. Then, I started getting ready for the meetup. Unfortunately, Ruthjoe and I couldn't join the others right away because we were running late, but we eventually made it to the event center. When we arrived, we were invited to sit at the high table with others who were already there.

I missed the introduction but arrived just as @ngoenyi was finishing her speech. She asked me, "Why Steemit?" I replied, "If it’s not Steemit, it can’t be like Steemit." If Steemit can bring people from all over the country together to connect and form a community, then it’s definitely the place to be. Her speech was inspiring and gave hope to those who were uncertain about their future.

	@ngoenyi giving her speech

@goodybest giving her speech

	@xkool24 presenting his speech

After her, @goodybest, with her cheerful personality, gave her speech, followed by @xkool24. These three speakers were fantastic motivators, encouraging all Steemians to keep pushing forward.

Many questions were asked, and clear answers were provided, which helped reassure those who were unsure. Non-Steemians attended as well, and after spending time with us, they showed interest in joining Steemit. I believe we will soon see millions of active users from Nigeria.

Food and drinks were shared around the table with everyone present. We also had a surprise called "the mystery box," presented by @bossj24, who gave out wonderful gifts. This unexpected gesture truly brightened the event. I had a great time with @minichef, who was very active during the meetup. I really enjoyed her company.

Just think about having Minichef on Steemit; it means we can look forward to a bright future where our kids could become popular bloggers on the Steemit platform.

	@minichef with @ngoenyi

We took a lot of pictures after our meal and danced until it got dark. But guess what? The party kept going! A few of us decided to hang out a bit longer. We stayed outside for a while before heading back to the hotel. The next day, we traveled back home. Everyone said their goodbyes as we made our way back.

My Photo Gallery

A proposal

After this meetup, I started thinking about organizing a global gathering for all Steemians around the world.

I envisioned a meetup where Steemians could travel to different countries to connect. It wouldn’t just be a national event but an international one, which I believe would be exciting.

We have great planning teams in various countries that can help with food and other ideas to make this happen. This is just a suggestion, and I hope to see it become a reality.

Overall, I want to thank everyone who supported the Nigerian meetup, including @steemcurator01, @steemcurator02, @goodybest, and @bossj24.