An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Superintendent of Customs Akpevwe Ogboru, has travelled across 12 countries in Africa on a motorcycle.
According to a statement shared on the official X handle of the NCS on Monday evening, Ogboru began her journey on November 10 from Lagos, Nigeria, passing through other countries, and ended her journey at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post on Sunday, December 3.
The statement read, “Superintendent of Customs Akpevwe Ogboru, a dedicated officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, has etched her name in history by becoming the first Nigerian woman to embark on a remarkable journey through 12 African countries on a motorcycle, covering an impressive distance of over 8,000 kilometres.
“Commencing her expedition from Lagos on November 10, 2023, Ogboru navigated her way through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Togo, ultimately arriving at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post on Sunday, December 3, 2023.”
Commenting on the journey, Ogboru said, “It’s been an awesome journey. Africa, and indeed, West Africa, are great places. And I’ve come to realize that we’re all the same people. I think we’re using the same manual; it’s just the language and ethnic diversity, but everything is just the same. Security is still the same thing; you just have to be security conscious, but it’s not as bad as they portray it, you know.”
She further encouraged women to pursue their dreams relentlessly, urging them not to be deterred by fears.
The Area Controller of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi, expressed delight at Ogboru’s courage and passion during her journey. He emphasized the commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to foster a work-life balance for the officers and men of the service.
Bomodi said, “The current management led by the CGC encourages a work-life balance; in other words, you work, but also balance it with some kind of activity that adds value to your life.
She’s the poster person for the Nigeria Customs Service. What she has achieved today, no woman in Nigeria has been able to achieve, and we are very proud of her success. She’s also portraying the image of the Nigeria Customs Service, and that means that there’s something positive that we are doing.
Credit: X | CustomsNG
