Event Recap: Local Guides Meetup at Ikota Shopping Complex
The meetup kicked off at 11 AM at Ikota Shopping Complex, a modern shopping complex boasting over 3,000 shops in addition to banks. By 11 AM, I was on the ground and ready to start, awaiting others to join. I began by conducting a quick survey of the complex and quickly realized that only about 3 out of every 10 shops on two major roads I surveyed were listed on the map.
It was a pleasant day. The weather was perfect, with a brief rain earlier in the morning, leaving the air cool and calm.
Within the hour, @esietukeme joined, and we sat down to briefly discuss our strategy for the day. Given the size of the complex and our desire to accomplish as much as possible in the limited time, our plan was clear: We would focus on visiting a handful of shops to update key details on the map, while for the other shops, we would take photos and update them based on the information visible on their signboards.
Our strategy worked wonderfully! We stuck to it as we moved from shop to shop, updating opening hours, contact details, photos, and locations. In most cases, we added shops that weren’t on the map at all.
What made the meetup even more enjoyable was the opportunity to share mapping experiences and discuss the importance of connecting with fellow Local Guides through Connect. Before we knew it, two hours had flown by, and it was time to wrap up. But before we left, I treated myself to a delicious shawarma from one of the shops we visited, while Ukeme picked up a sleek new Itel phone, and we snapped a quick photo with it. To top off the day, we relaxed with a bowl of chopped peppered goat meat (Asun) and some refreshing juice at Bukka Hut, our meetup location.
All in all, it was a productive, fun, and memorable meetup in celebration of Local guides and Google map @ 10 and 20 respectively. Can’t wait for the next one!
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