I recently had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Ese, the visionary behind the African Travel Journal.

Her passion for exploring and celebrating Africa’s rich cultural is truly inspiring.

Here is her story👇

I am from Ebony State, specifically Yabakeleke in Nigeria. However, I was born and raised in Lagos State, in the Umose area. Africa Journal was intended to be a magazine outlet focused on African culture, covering everything about Africa, including its tribes.

The leaders of these tribes are referred to as tribal chiefs, which is how the name "high court" even came to be associated with tribal chiefs.

Fast forward a few years, and I gained the opportunity for my first travelling journey in building Africa. If you look at my pinned tweet, I mentioned starting from where you are, from your background.

My first travel experience was actually in Ebony State. The trip I sponsored myself was in Ebony State because I live in Lagos State with my family, but my school is in Ebony State.

I would travel a long distance, about 11 hours or more, from Lagos to Egoye.

That was how I began my journey into travel. As a student, I spent most of my time in school, but I would look for places in the neighbouring areas to visit and create video content about those places.

Many of my contacts on WhatsApp would see my status updates and ask, "Wow, did you visit Neighboring State?" I would respond affirmatively.

From that point on, I started to build the audience I needed.

I began posting these videos on Instagram, and that is how I secured my first sponsored trip to four states in Nigeria.

I faced many challenges, and I cannot say they are over yet; they still exist.

My first challenge was travel sickness, which was a significant reason for me to consider stopping as a travel creator.

However, I did not let it stop me. If you truly want something, you will find a way to achieve it.

There are no excuses that can outweigh the desire to pursue that particular goal. I had a passion for travelling and a strong motivation behind it.

I experienced motion sickness and was sensitive to certain smells, such as the scent that comes from entering a vehicle.

This often made me feel nauseous. I would usually vomit, especially after reaching a certain point during a trip.

Fortunately, I found a remedy; there is a medication I take that helps, although it does have side effects, such as making me extremely hungry.

Another challenge I faced was imposter syndrome. I grew up in a neighbourhood in Lagos where the societal norms dictated that the typical path was to get married, have children, and consider life complete.

Once you finished school, the expectation was to marry immediately.

I faced pressure from my mother, who insisted that I should get married and not pursue business or other aspirations.

It was challenging for me because I had unsupportive parents. 

Their lack of support affected me deeply, and I struggled with imposter syndrome.

Their words often got to me, making me feel uncertain about my endeavours. I would think, "I’m just starting this, and it may not lead to anything significant." I frequently had second thoughts.

Whenever I tried to edit a video for posting, I would hope it made sense.

Fortunately, I often found that the videos I doubted would resonate with others ended up receiving likes, comments, and direct messages.

While I cannot say these challenges are completely behind me, I have gained the experience needed to not let them overwhelm me. As for mantras, I don't have a specific one, but I do have guiding principles.

I wake up at 4 AM to work on improving my video editing skills and seek out new skills to enhance my abilities as a travel blogger.

It is essential for individuals entering this field to have something that guides them. When you have a purpose or goal, it drives you to meet expectations and achieve greatness.

Establishing routines and habits is crucial; maintaining these habits can help you reach the next level you aspire to.

As a travel blogger, I require more than just a phone or a camera. I need various types of cameras to capture different angles effectively.

Technology plays a significant role in providing a user-friendly experience and making work easier.

Currently, I primarily use my phone, but I envision how much easier it would be with a 360-degree camera or a professional camera.

Instead of relying solely on my phone, I could create videos with these cameras, export them to my laptop, edit them, and post them seamlessly.

I am the kind of person who does not remember when I failed.

I always see failure as a reason to try again. When I keep trying, I forget that I failed because I am focused on getting the results I want.

There was a time when I was very broke. When I say broke, I mean I didn't have a dime in my bank account, and I was a student at that time.

I needed to attend a trip because it was the first time I was supposed to participate. I had already told one of my friends that I would show up for this event, and I am the kind of person who likes to keep my word.

However, I didn't have any money on me. I remember saying that if you want something, you will get it. The festival was in two days, and I felt pressed for time.

I considered telling my friend that I wasn’t going to come, but it was so hectic for me. I felt like the ground should just open up and swallow me. After the event, I thought about how not attending would make me look unprofessional.

If I missed this event, he might not want to invite me to future events because he would think I would not show up. From Stagnation To Success Before that, I was very stagnant.

My follower count and views on Instagram were not growing; I was stuck at 100 followers. Just before the festival, I was still at 100 followers. I asked the first person for financial support, and she agreed to help me.

I requested 70, as I needed to cover my hotel, meals, and logistics. She sent me 50k and asked how much I wanted. I explained my needs, and she sent me the ticket. I assured her that I would return the money after the festival. However, she later told me there was no need to return it, explaining it was her way of repaying my kindness.

I was pleasantly surprised and accepted the help, as I planned to spend three days there. With 70k for three days, including hotel, meals, and logistics, I was hopeful.

The first content I posted about the festival skyrocketed my followers, and it was the first time I received over 100 likes on Instagram.

If I had not attended that event or had chosen not to go due to financial issues, I would have missed out on this opportunity. Sometimes, God can intentionally take things away or create situations to show you that there is more potential within you.

However, I leveraged the wisdom and resources around me. I started with what I call my "backyard," focusing on places to visit in my school and Ebonyi State as a student. For anyone starting travel blogging, having a marketable skill is essential.

Even if I venture into travel blogging, I will still utilize marketing as a skill. I have a monetizable skill, and I am currently learning video editing. Travel brands or individuals inquiring about travel often need videos created and edited.

Therefore, it’s important to have a marketable skill and choose a platform where you want to establish your presence.

I am well-known on Twitter and enjoy spending time there. You should focus on a platform where you are most active, where you can share your videos and content, and provide value through travel tips, insights, and observations.

Ultimately, you should aim to scale your efforts and work towards becoming a UGC creator, as I am striving to do.

Hope this helps-Lukman