Superintendent Akpevwe Ogboru, a Nigeria Customs Officer, has made history by becoming the first Nigerian woman to travel across 12 African countries on a motorcycle. The journey, which covered over 8,000 kilometres, began in Lagos, Nigeria, on November 10, 2023, and concluded at the Seme-Krake Border Post on December 3, 2023.
Ogboru’s route took her through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Reflecting on her 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.”
She also used her experience to encourage other women to pursue their dreams relentlessly and not 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 it, 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.”