Why I mixed business with pleasure in Berlin, Germany

 

In July 2026, I received invitation to participate in the 2026 International Civic Education Summit in Berlin from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. KAS is one of the several political foundations operating across the world from Germany. Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer (5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967) was a German statesman and politician who served as the first chancellor of West Germany from 1949 to 1963. Political foundations in Germany, formally known as politische Stiftungen, are non-profit organisations closely affiliated with established political parties, tasked with advancing political education, policy analysis, and the promotion of democratic principles both domestically and internationally.

I promptly accepted the offer of the all-expenses-paid trip and the processing of my travel logistics began in earnest. It’s been ten years since I last travelled out of Nigeria. That was in 2016 to observe the Ugandan General Elections.  After securing my visa a day to my departure which was on October 31, 2026, I boarded a late-night Lufthansa flight out of the country.  It was my first time using the new international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. I like the ambience with every operation fully digitised and non-cumbersome. Under thirty minutes, I have checked in, collected my boarding pass and gone through the border control. We took off on time and arrived destination on schedule.

Perhaps a bit of factsheet on Germany will be in order. It is unique for its rich cultural heritage, technological innovation, historical landmarks, and distinctive traditions that blend art, science, and everyday life. Germany is often called the “Land of Poets and Thinkers,” reflecting its profound contributions to literature, philosophy, and classical music. Renowned composers such as Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Schumann, and Wagner hail from Germany.  The country has a long tradition of producing influential philosophers and writers such as Karl Marx which we all read about in Political Science. Adolf Hitler who started the Second World War was the chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Germany has around 84 million inhabitants, making it the most populous country of the European Union. Being a federation, Germany is made up of 16 federal states, each with its own state government. It is one of the world’s leading industrialised countries in such sectors as automotive and, mechanical engineering, chemicals, electrical engineering, medical technology, green technologies and AI research.

On Monday, November 2, we had a presentation in the morning before heading out for a visit to the German Parliament called Reichstag Building. There a gentleman called Andy Furste took us on a guided tour of the Parliament. We had lunch in Bedienrestaurant im Reichstag. There’s a beautiful dome on top of the building where we congregated and had some fun time before going into a meeting with a Member of the German Parliament, David Gregosz.

The most exciting time I had in Germany was on November 3, 2026 when we went on guided city tour of Berlin. Before we embarked on the tour, I had to quickly go buy a winter jacket as the cold was too much for me despite wearing multiple warm clothes. Our tour guide was Dr. Anke Fromme. Places visited include:  Holocaust Museum; Brandenburg Gate; Museum Island; Berlin Cathedral; Charlottenburg Palace; Kurfürstendamm; Berlin Zoo and the Museum of the Gestapo (Topography of Terror). We also had a guided tour of the Berlin Wall Memorial.

We learnt that the Topography of Terror occupies the buildings that were used as offices and prisons by the Gestapo and the Secret State Police during the Second World War. Brandenburg Gate is the city’s landmark and Berlin’s symbol of reunification. It was built in 1791. Berlin’s world-famous Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Five major museums showcase more than 6,000 years of art and cultural history: the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte National galerie, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. It was nice having a stop over there to join in the celebrations in 2026 to mark the 200th anniversary of Museum Island.

Frank Johnson on September 4, 2025 in Wonderful Museum wrote “The Holocaust Museum, Berlin, Germany, more formally known as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, is a profound and essential site that stands as Germany’s central place of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust. It’s a sprawling, thought-provoking landscape of concrete stelae coupled with an incredibly informative underground exhibition, offering visitors an unparalleled opportunity to confront history, mourn, and reflect on the unimaginable atrocities committed by the Nazi regime.”

Apart from visit to these historic sites, I’m amazed at a number of things about Germany. I noticed that they had distilled water inside glass bottles. Here we are used to sachet and bottled water. I also observed that a sizeable number of Germans ride bicycles to and from work thereby exercising as they go to work. I recall our former Minister of Transportation, Ojo Madueke tried without success to promote this during his tenure.

I am very pleased that the organisers of this summit created time for sightseeing and networking for the delegates. It has been a part of me to seek out places of interest to visit anytime I travel out of the country. In 2005 when I had opportunity to go to Geneva, Switzerland, we had our sessions at the Palais des Nations which houses the European headquarters of the United Nations and is, after New York, the largest UN centre. I saw a wall‑clock‑like structure on the ground which is called L’horloge fleurie, or the Flower Clock. I took a boat ride on Lake Geneva and I saw a big water fountain called the Jet d'Eau. 

In 2009 when I went for BRIDGE training in Ghana for two weeks, the participants including me went to some of the tourist sites of the country. They include the Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle and Kakum National Park. I have also been to Black Star Square, also known as Independence Square, Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.

In 2010 when I visited US on mid-term election observation, I was at the US Congress, Lincoln Memorial, White House, and Voice of America in Washington DC. In 2014 when I went on election observation mission to Egypt, I had a Nile River view at Beheira, visited Alexandria Castle built over 500 years ago; was at Mediterranean Sea Beach in Alexandria as well as visited the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. In 2016 when I was on election observation mission to Uganda, I was at Nabugabo Sand Beach, Makerere University and Uganda Equator point which is the halfway between the North Pole and South Pole. Within Nigeria, I have visited scores of tourist sites too numerous to mention here.

My return journey to Nigeria last Thursday could have been stalled if not for the fact that my colleague and I who were booked on the same flight from Berlin to Frankfurt got to the airport early. I strolled to the check in counter and even demanded for a window seat only for the  attendant to tell me that I have to provide Health Declaration Confirmation form. I was informed there and then that Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has made it mandatory for all passengers flying into Nigeria. I was stunned. I had to quickly use the airport wi-fi internet to fill the long form before I was issued my boarding pass. Travellers to Nigeria, be aware, fill this Health Declaration form even before coming to the airport in order to avoid stories that touch the heart. Next week, I will comment on the business angle of my visit to Berlin. Watch out!

I.G: @jideojong