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MICHAEL SEUNOLUWA

SongSoptok | 4/15/2017 |



How long I have waited fulfilling this purpose, that I can actually begin my sales on clothes! My hope had a renewal in fulfilling things in this life as I woke up from my bed. It was not tough in choosing the best location to get the needed materials that will suit quality and enhance profit for my sale, Lagos state was my first and final conclusion. I got dressed up and began my journey. On getting to the bus stop, the air was filled with calls for different destination and my ears filtered in search, Eko! Eko! Eko! The conductor kept calling for passengers, and soon enough the bus was filled. We began our journey and checking my watch, it was a good time to have a quick return, all things beings equal. It was quite throughout the journey and no road suprises. I thanked God for my safe journey along that thin road where big trailers will by-pass us like we will be blown off the road. It was quite a relieve getting down finally, I met with my boy friend who had waited for me at the Lagos bus stop. We both went straight to the market as he guided me into buying my materials appropriately. It was some minutes past five, evening time as we returned back to the bus stop; I decided to head back to Abeokuta instead of going back to the school institution I was attending. We both agreed on my reasons to do so and bid ourselves goodbye with our lovely smiles and the bus driver drove off.      
  
In a short distance, the bus began with strange and slow movement which most of passengers noticed, we complained to him on common ground, with various voices giving several suggestions, oga driver! Stop this bus now! take us into another bus o! if you know this bus won’t take us to our destination. He remained adamant to his will; he kept driving like all is safe. Soon enough, we began to experience the bus moving in a reverse direction as we climbed up the hill, the bus couldn’t accelerate. Drop us! Drop us o! some passengers lament, in minutes smoke filled the whole bus, I began to hear Arabic citation behind me like the woman is praying for God’s protection, the bus kept moving back. I couldn’t move out, I was not sure of what to do. A man sitting behind me had jumped out through the window, only to ask for his son to be thrown out after ensuring his own safety. Sir! Please let me excuse me, I was possibly thinking of jumping down, but the man’s response was odd, when he entered I saw him with some mechanic tools, like he knew what was going on, he kept mute, unshaked. He told me to fill relaxed. I couldn’t hold on, almost everyone had gone down the bus one way or the other. Please sir! Excuse me, he consented and as I was about to find my way down with my linen materials, I felt a hot liquid splash to my face, oh shit! My mind cut up. Don’t touch it, and don’t scratch it were the voices all around me. Finally, the bus stopped and I got down with my eyes luckily okay. Quickly, I went to the conductor, holding him, give me my money! My money now! Like he knew fresh trouble was coming he handed to me quick. I need a new bus to my final destination; it’s getting late and dark now.

Abeokuta! Abeo-ku- taa! another bus conductor called out, I got into the bus, I was becoming stressed, headache, my eyes was aching, I thought of my glasses, oh! I need my glasses. Now it’s getting darker, colder, a journey of approximately one hour thirty minutes going to over three hours, lament cuddle with my pain as we kept driving into the dark night, I closed my eye to site relieve to the pains after receiving a call from my parent. I began to hear various rumbling, voices, complains from passengers, let me get down, I opened my eyes, I watched the bus conductor block the exit, pushing one another, let me get down o! people from behind began to rant curses as they got prevented from alighting the bus. It was worse the time again, same problem as the first, the bus decelerate but now it was in a wrong direction, probably into the long hollow along the road if we had a drunkard as a driver, finally the bus found a stance, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Everyone rush down, now its past nine on a lone road, how can I get a bus from here, oh! My phone! With low bar! At this stage I had to switch off my phone’s network. Like a lucky charm, this bus came on. I went in with other passengers. The pain increased more, I went straight in and slept off in soothe relieve. I began to feel small taps like someone calling me from a far distance, it kept on until I woke up, the woman in her yoruba native attire gave me a signal, talking silently to me, this is not the time to sleep, sit straight, as she showed me a way to sit demonstrating like I am the only one who can understand. I recalled various scenario people have told me of, experiencing kidnappings, rape, I concur to her talk, I was feeling a relieve to my eye pain at this time.

Eventually, I got to Abeokuta, got a car to my final destination. The whole street was dark, silent. I walked slowly on the street as I move towards the gate of my house, coming into the compound, I checked the time, it was 12:00 midnight, I looked up to see my parent still awake, I promised myself within never to trouble my parent with worries this much. I went in so tired, I couldn’t take my bath or eat, my glasses to my eyes, went to my bed and slept off.


[MICHAEL SEUNOLUWA]

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