In fact, I had a battle with our Production Manager, Isaac Edoh who was wondering why I was taking all our hard drives to Lagos. I told him I may just need them to plan a few pages during the holidays in preparation for 2016. On hindsight, I should have listened to him.
Anyway, on the flight, we met our good friends; Sammy Omai, a close ally of Olorogun Oskar Ibru and Oye Balogun, a Director of First Atlantic Bank, Ghana and we all as usual had a hearty chat on many issues most especially about Nigeria and our current security challenges. As soon as we landed, we all wished one another well, said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I rode with our Publisher to his home in GRA, Ikeja before the driver dropped me at the Ovation Magazine Office located off Allen Avenue in Ikeja.
I had a few private engagements in Ajah, Lagos and at about 6.30pm I headed to the new Lekki home of top Compere cum Comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st who was hosting the meeting of our Club called January 9 Collective (J9C)
The meeting ended and as is the norm, we spent the rest of the time catching up, eating and drinking. The jollity was in full swing when I decided to leave.
The reason was that I had to cross the bridge to the Mainland and knowing full well that I had my booth filled with all manner of office stuff including international passports, I did not want to leave so late since our meetings dragged till well after midnight a times.
So I got into the car and was listening to CDs of Rev. Sam Adeyemi speaking at the recent Excellence Leadership Conference as I cruised home.
The journey was smooth and uneventful. That was until I got to Gbagada Expressway and turned into Anthony and swung into Ikorodu Road towards Maryland.
The service lane leading to Maryland is quite narrow and just about 50 metres ahead I spotted a Danfo bus (painted in the usual official Lagos colours: bright yellow with black stripes) driving towards me in the wrong direction.
My first thought was that it was the Police. And was wondering why they will be driving against traffic (One Way) in a dimly lit area like that.
So I moved to the left to give the Danfo some space. The bus then changed lane and swerved to the left too. That was when I became alarmed, I slammed the breaks and switched the car into reverse.
All hell broke loose. Some men jumped out of the bus and began to fire gun shots indiscriminately and at the same time, they were dashing towards me. There was pandemonium. The cars behind me were not fast enough. The men caught up with me, therefore, I had no choice but to unlock the vehicle and allow them access into my vehicle.
I was pushed to the back seat as two armed guys kept guard on opposite sides. One pinned my hands down, the other blocked my shoulder. One took the passenger’s seat while one grabbed the steering.
Initially, they could not move the car as one of them may have pressed the hand brake. “You don stop the car abi, we go waste you now” one of them thundered.
I assured them that the car was not locked and I then leaned forward, checked the dashboard and sorted out the issue. They reversed into Anthony and in front of GTbank-all those who know the area, know that is usually a busy place and my car was used to block an oncoming vehicle. The robbers poured out from my car and the bus. They operated there for a few minutes, snatched one car and we screeched off.
We drove into the Gbagada Expressway turned into Ikorodu Road but this time we were heading towards Surulere. By now I have been dispossessed of my phones, ipad mini, wristwatch, wedding band and reading glasses.
The next question was “Oya how much do you have, where is all your money”. I told them I had some money in my pocket and in my bag. They took all those, “Is that all”, the leader and driver of my car shouted from the front. I said that should be all but I should have some foreign currencies in my briefcase ” He said “like how much?”I said “small dollars, pounds and some Ghana currencies”. I could spot the smile on his face “Ok good, very good” he said.
By now we have approached Fadeyi area. He was on the phone to the Danfo bus, telling the driver to drive directly behind us and also those who were in the newly- hijacked car too. He instructed them to watch him and ensure no car crosses their path. So in effect, we were “shunting” as we used to call it, swerving left and right as we hit the bridge towards Ojuelegba.
He then turned to me “oya where is your ATM card?”. I said it must be in my briefcase in the booth. By now fear had given way to survival instinct. And my street sense kicked in. I Identified the driver as rhe leader of the gang and went to work on him.I begged him that I was a hustler like them and the man shouted “you be hustler abi, for this fuel scarcity, you get full tank”. I quickly replied that I was a mere writer and that it was an official car which my office usually fuels. I then gained some more confidence and fired my next line in Yoruba “Bros, I grew up in Mushin and trust me I am also struggling, I know the country is tough but” Read the Rest Here
No comments:
Post a Comment