MY FIRST DAY AWAY FROM HOME

“Am having Audition today” I said as I rushed off from the bed running to go brush and take my bath, meeting my mom for the first time that morning. “Good morning mom”, seeing the anxiety written all over my face said, “Kosi are you just preparing for the audition you told me off yesterday”? She asked, “but mommy you should have woken me up nah!” I said with a worried expression, she smiled and walked in leaving me with no response.

10 minutes later, I was done preparing ready to hit the road. “Mom am off to Ikeja” (haven’t been to Ikeja before I thought), she called me and kissed my forehead “Good luck” she said. Walking as fast as my legs could carry me to the BRT station at Ajah. As I got closer, I could hear them shouting Oshodi signaling to the BRT that was ready to leave.”How much is the ticket for oshodi”? I asked ₦300 she said. I got the ticket and boarded the bus, gave a heavy sigh of relief as I sat close to the window.

“It’s a wonderful view from here” I thought, staring at the people and the city from the window as the sun rendered it gentle smile and I felt the warmness of the sun. The bus accelerated we’re all relieved it was leaving. I plugged my ear phone to my phone and played some cool jams, bringing out a novel (Brooklyn) to continue from where I stopped.  I was engrossed with my reading at a time I felt sleepy, I had to close my book and placed my head quietly on the sit next to me with the music playing in my ears.

50 – 55 minutes later, we arrived Oshodi, “wow” I exclaimed praying silently beneath my breath, I haven’t been to Ikeja nor Oshodi before and I have heard ugly stories about this other side of Lagos. Fear gripped me I saw the faces of people hustling, bus conductors searching for passengers; in a nutshell Oshodi is rough and noisy. I stood speechlessly and scared of talking to anyone. “Sir please where can I get a bus to Ikeja”? He turned and stared hard at me (was beginning to freak out where I was), “go stand for there (pointing to a vacant space) bus dey come” he said in pidgin.

Ikeja bus finally came and I boarded staying close to the window again as I looked out to see men, women and children working to make ends meet. I admired the lousiness and roughness of the place. We got to Ikeja, “wow” I exclaimed again, “the capital city of Lagos” I thought. I got to the Audition venue very close to the Fela Shrine. Standing speechlessly with mouth wide open admiring the Fela Shrine, the African Legend, was it? I thought.

After the Audition, I was tempted to go into the shrine but guess what? I was really exhausted from the Audition, it ended late (4:30pm). “So I would have to start doing the jumping of buses all over” I thought. My first day away from home was really stressful and a little Adventurous.