Lagos to Port Harcourt and back to Lagos

I have been away from here simply because my PC has been in bad condition yet again and having to do with my phone is a whole bunch of work. The good news is, the PC is back to life with a brand new one at hand.

I woke up one sudden morning to the change yet to befall me, well, my next stop is Rivers state. I had my fears and loads of expectations on the cross line as well. All I long for is to live and enjoy life to its fullest without holding back, well, I’d say I’m glad for the journey thus far.

Out there in PH City, the people I met made my stay worthwhile and remarkable with blissful memories that will last an eon. I met Angels in human form I feel indebted to every one of them for the love and beautiful memories we shared.

I traveled down to PH on 30^th of September, 2019 and got back to Lagos on the 29^th of July, 2020, that makes it about 10 months at a stretch I’ve been away.

The amusing thing about we Lagos residents for the most of our life time is this common notion of dread for any other place other than Lagos, more like concluding on one’s end that Lagos is the only energetic place in the country. Maybe liveliest but definitely not the only one. There are beautiful places I will attest to that could bridge that gap which Port Harcourt in Rivers state and Owerri, in Imo state stands a typical experience.

Did I mention Owerri above? Well it happened. My journey down to Owerri was on a low-key first because it is out of the law for corps members to travel out of their state of deployment in the course of service year without proper documentation with cogent reasons and a formal approval from the NYSC boards. And also for some personal reasons, I kept my journey down there confidential. It was a journey of 2 hours or even less. At first, I thought I’d be heading to an uncivilized environment, but on arrival, I marvelled at the sight of the beauties before me and for a fact I felt so at home. If not for responsibility down in PH, I could have stayed longer than I did. This means one thing to me, that there are beautiful places in this country aside Lagos, and it makes me long for more of such experience. I had people speak “igbo” language to me out there, sometimes I played along despite not understanding jack! and at a point I had to speak up like “Hey! Ms, I really don’t understand a damn thing you’re saying”. I get compliments of being “igbo” in looks up till now that I'm back here, and people get to speak the language to me at first instance then refrained when the communication isn’t mutual.

The down turn and most annoying part of my stay in PH had to be the environment I ended up, one of the few reasons I had a fall out with my employers from on set. My expectations on different range was so high compared to the its return, it was really a downgrade compared to the promises made afore hand. Somehow, I end up in a house popularly known as “face me, I slap you”. Good thing for me was having my room in one of the boy’s quarters which somewhat saves me some unnecessary drama. I got to take turns in washing toilets – unlike the way it’s been done here in Lagos, bachelors don’t get to do all that -. Something I never thought I would do, I meant washing a general toilet of more than five persons or that is outside my family circle. It was tough at first try, but I did even better than most so-called house wives because I believe that “whatsoever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well”, I’d rather not do it at all than do it shabbily. Although, I grew up in an environment like that in Lagos which gave me all the endurance needed till the end, unlike my colleague who left after a while. I almost did as well though.

I endured and minded my business like my survival depends on it, I spent most times in door and lots of them have a problem with it, at first I kept on with them just so I could keep a clean record and have a peaceful stay but all to no avail. I saw illiteracy in its darkest form and it wasn’t in anyway funny. It would have been a smooth ride if not for the lockdown that stayed me home and worsen the situation. Unlike pre – covid19 days, I leave home as early as 6:30am, get back in the evening exhausted from teaching and all, get what to eat, chat, do the necessities and then sleep. I never appreciated being busy until lockdown came, then I got to know most of them for who they are and it hooked me in the neck that I couldn’t keep up with the good and gentle guy thingy any more, had to show them the “oshodi-boy" part of me to avoid the nonsense thrown straight at my face, and somehow it did worked magic. This might be stale, but still valid, so I reiterate, EDUCATION IS NOT SCAM, and it’s VERY IMPORTANT. I got myself a quote “Literacy is sanity”.

It’s funny how 95% of guys out there are tagged to belong to a cult, saying 95% is me being fair. I had conversations with some of them and the most of them say it’s 98% and their major excuse being that it’s for personal safety/protection. I made sure I was cool with as many of them that met regardless of their status just for some serenity. I hate that I get alarmed of being out late at night, I meant as late as 8pm, which will never be a thing of worry for me out here in Lagos. Did I mention that I was attacked by some guys and lost the money I had on me to them, had to beg them to spare me some for t-fare to my destination. It took a while to clear that day’s experience off my head.

 

In all, I enjoyed my stay Port Harcourt. I miss the privacy I have there the most, I command everything around me, unlike what it is out here. I see PH as a place I could visit, stay for a fee weeks and back to base, maybe someday I could see beyond that. Pre "33k allawee" days was hell for me, and I must admit 33k in PH is a life saver. It’s not a lot of money, but enough to cater for basic amenities to make life easy and make one a little independent unlike 19.8k. I know some days I’d be travelling down there again, definitely not by land anymore because it’s always hectic every time I had to. Regardless, big thumbs up to G.AGOFURE Motors for coming through always and making me have a smooth journey to and fro. Most importantly, top most gratitude goes all out to God almighty who’s always been on the wheel. I tell you, journeying down that path isn’t in any way easy, but He sees me through unscathed.

To everyone who’s made my stay in PH city lovely, worthwhile and remarkable, of a truth no amount of gratitude will do, just know you’ve earn a special place in my heart.