Today
saw
the
whole
team
up
early
for
the
first
day
of
sailing
down
the
River
Niger
in
Goodwill.
The
villagers
at
Fakum
had
ensured
that
Goodwill
was
safe
and
secure
overnight
and
in
return
the
village
school
was
presented
with
a
box
of
educational
materials
donated
by
UK
school
children.
Goodwill
and
the
John
Holt
support
boat
set
off
with
the
team
in
high
spirits
and
prepared
for
the
hot
and
sunny
day
ahead.
It
was
fantastic
to
sit
back
and
watch
the
river
landscape
unfold.
This
first
day's
journey
was
to
the
dam
at
Jebba
some
100Km
away.
The
boats
made
very
good
time
until
a
large
number
of
fishing
nets
made
navigation
difficult
and
therefore
slower.
Mid-afternoon,
the
team
stopped
at
a
small
village
called
Bajibo.
They
could
see
a
very
large
crowd
on
the
shores
ahead.
As
the
team
arrived,
hundreds
of
children
could
be
seen
on
the
bank
and
in
the
water,
with
each
one
of
them
cheering
and
shouting
at
the
top
of
their
voices.
It
was
an
amazing
experience
to
then
walk
through
these
welcoming
crowds
to
a
marquee.
Speeches
were
made
and
gifts
were
presented
to
the
team
including
a
ceremonial
oar.
A
branch
cut
from
a
tree
was
also
presented
to
the
team.
The
tree
was
purported
to
be
from
the
compound
of
a
barrack
constructed
by
the
Lander
brothers
in
the
1830's.
The
brothers
had
brought
out
this
tree
from
England
in
order
to
provide
shady
refuge
from
the
African
sun.
The
team
had
not
been
aware
that
this
visit
to
Bajibo
was
to
take
place
until
immediately
before
departure
that
morning.
Because
of
this,
they
did
not
have
any
suitable
gifts
and
promised
to
return
the
next
day
to
rectify
the
situation.
The
remainder
of
the
boat
journey
was
straightforward
and
the
team
arrived
at
the
dam
at
Jebba
in
good
time.
They
were
greeted
at
the
dam
by
a
reception
of
local
dignitaries
and
a
large
party
of
schoolchildren.
The
children
put
on
a
lovely
show
of
local
singing
and
dancing
which
the
team
felt
privileged
to
see.
The
next
step
was
for
the
team
to
see
the
monument
to
Mungo
Park
and
Richard
Lander
at
Jebba.
This
large
and
imposing
monument
sits
on
top
of
a
small
hill
overlooking
the
river
and
close
to
the
road
bridge.
Accommodation
that
night
was
at
the
NEPA
(Electricity
Company)
quarters
which
were
both
spacious
and
well
equipped.
|
Presentation
of
books
to
Fakum
School
The
Children
inspect
the
books
Welcome
to
Bajibo
School
Children
dancing
at
Jebba
|
