VII. Going to Abuja

    We decided to go to Abuja because we had some things to do at the Ministry of External Affairs and also at the Romanian Embassy located on Nelson Mandela street.We decided to wake up early morning so that we will start going in time. I put my alarm to ring by 5 but Alex stopped it and continued to sleep. Charles promised to wake us by 5 but he didn't make it. I woke around 6.30 and i i had to awaken everybody else. We packed our bags in the car and we said goodbye to the hotel staff that wasn't happy that we are going. In the small parking there were many cars and a Hiunday Camry was blocking our exit.  The staff did not know who was the owner of the car and it took them about 30 minutes to find the person and ask him to come and drive out. We finally left Festac around 7.30. As they don't have many traffic signs this was a journey toward the unknown. I asked Charles if he knows the road and he said that he went to Abuja before but with bus and he slept all the way. We missed the main road they wanted to fallow and being on a highway there way no way to come back so they decided to fallow another route. I bought small bags of cashew with 100 Naira per piece from the ambulant sellers that were taking advantage of the traffic agglomeration, sometimes in the portions of bad road. You could buy anything you needed from them but most were selling soft drinks, cashew banana, cola nut, peeled oranges or even boiled eggs. Charles bought some eggs that morning  and he had to throw them away because they weren't good.  I was usually drinking Coca Cola that was costing 100-120 Naira or Coca-cola water.  The road on the high way was sometimes excellent and we could reach 150 km/ hour but on some portions it was so had to drive with 20 km per hour. As they were still working on the road they had many diversions and from time to time we had to drive on the left lane. I was always careful at what is happening on the road  because we never know when a huge Lorry was entering a dangerous overtaking without  being careful and most of the time we end up suddenly braking and driving off road to avoid an accident.  We were fallowing  a Cisco bus that we knew it was also going to Abuja. Before leaving we also considered going with bus because they knew the road and also because of the kidnapping and robbery risk on the road. Alex brother was saying that the bus drivers were communicating between them and knew when the road is clear.

    We stopped at a Tantalisers restaurant because i needed to go to toilet and also we were hungry. i took "Moin Moin", a beans pudding with spices with hot pepper that was containing  boiled eggs. I did not like the "Moin Moin" that they  cooked at that particular restaurant, luckily i also bought 2 donuts and and ice cream so i shared the donuts with Chideraa and finished the ice cream in the car although it wasn't tasting as i was expecting. Alex wasn't happy with the food he ordered either. We left discontented. I was hoping to find the same food is all the restaurants of the brand but I think it depended on the personal recipe of the woman cooking it.

    At most of the crossroads  we were stopping the car to wind down the glass and ask people, most of the times ambulant sellers, the way the the next main city we were heading. This was the only way to get the road unless you did not know it very well.  People were friendly and they were giving us good directions. We stopped somewhere to ask a man which is the road to Ibadan,the largest city in Africa, and he said he was going to that city so we took him with us in the car to show us the way. He offered to go with us and show us the exit to Abuja and from there he went back to city with taxi that they call "okada".

   Somewhere along the road we saw some human body parts on the roadway. Nobody stopped to find out what happened to the dismembered woman body.  Her face was covered by a veil and she was cut in a few pieces. I did not see any blood so we assumed she was killed. It was a deserted area so it was out of the question for  usu to stop the car.

 

VI. First days in Nigeria

     We went to the marriage registry to make sure they had all the required documents . We made pictures for the file and he needed a bachelor document. We paid to get it and the chief made a meeting to make sure that everything is in order.They asked me my name and my address. I did not understand what they actually wanted until realized they all wanted  money. We made an appointment for the next day. We went back home after spending a few good hours in the car because of the traffic. As our own car was in service with Shino we had to book a taxi for the day. We went to eat at Big Fish that evening. Charles called them in advance to order 2 roasted catfish. I drank Smirnoff ice and Alex and Charles took Star after Star as usual. Bianca became friends with the girls and boys working at the bar and she was spending time talking with them. As usual in evening time  the bar was full and extremely noisy. At the 50 inches wide screen t.v., surrounded with the iron anti theft protection that was locked when they closed, they were playing a Nigerian film. Everybody jumped up from their chairs frightened when we herd a big bang. Not long before this event i red an article on internet about a girl that was shot accidentally by the police and i was afraid for my daughter's life. Everybody went back to their chairs as nothing else happened. Charles later found out they were gun shuts fired up in the air by the police in order to stop some undisciplined drivers. Alex called Kingsley's sister and she joined us at the table. They first brought water in bowls and liquid soap to and we washed our hands and after they brought the big plates of grilled catfish with chips and cabbage salad. Everybody was eating with hand but i was always asking them to bring  fork for me. Most of the times i gave up waiting for them and i fallowed them in using my fingers to eat. The fish was delicious as always. We couldn't finish it so we told the to pack it so that Josephine will carry it home. They had big water basins not far from the place we were eating where you could choose yourself the fish you wanted to eat at a price between 1500 and 3500 naira depending on the size. After a few hours we went back to the hotel and i went to sleep while Alex and Charles continued to drink at the hotel's bar.

IV. The next day

   We wake up around 9 or 10. Kingsley brought some things that we should give to his sister when we arrive to Nigeria . They were packing the things , checking the weight . Me and Chideraa had a bag of 23 kg together and 2 school bags and he had the rest of 100 kg  in 5 bags , mostly carrying his cloths and shoes . We needed 2 cars to drive to airport so we found a friend to hep us .I went with Kingsley and Chideraa went with his dad in the other car . I was looking at his face . He was just an impoved version of Obi .... i can't believe how much he resembled him . I think Alex noticed the way I was staring at him the other night .I helped his type the name of the airport on his gps because he did not know the road very well . He was driving fast and he asked me if i was afraid since i was holding myself by the handle above the window. I said no and he smiled . Alex was so excited by this trip that he did not have time to eat the omlette that the man's wife prepared for him so she found a box to pack it for take away . We cecked in and finally got into the flight . They waited a few minutes for other passengers but they did not show up . The flight was almost empty . The lasagna they brouht for Chideraa was delicious , maybe because i finished her remains i didnt enjoy the food they later brought for me . As the fight was almost empty most of the people lied on 2-4 chair and slept . I tried to watch a movie but it did not capture my attention . When we got off the plain I felt the humid heat surrounding me . People for all the plains that landed on Murtala Muhammed Airport were flocking on the same exit down the stairs . We had to fill some form . After passing the stairs we were divided into 2 lines , nationals and foreigners . Luckily they noticed Chideraa and they allowed us to pass front . They stpped my husband for fingerprints so i had to bring out 10 euro from my bag so that he will escape interrogatory . We waited for a long time for the bags to come out . Finally we were out . Mathias and Chemoo and Charles  was waiting for us . Chino was driving our car . We went to the hotel in Fetac .

I. A family reunion

     We have been planning for this trip for a long time . We met in Italy , Rome . WE arrived early in the morning and i was expecting him to be waiting for me at the airport . I was so tired and he wasn't there. We waited and we waited, people were coming to pick their friends and family , car after car . The guardian of the parking was smoking ganja without any problem . Finally he came and we took a bus to Roma Termini. Chideraa was happy to see him , she was holding him tight . He came with a friend that took my bag . The traffic was high and it took us more than it had to to arrive to the destination . We went somewhere to eat . They went to keep the bags in a friend's house . I ordered a coffee and 2 donuts. Chideraa wanted a pizza. It was old and she couldn't eat it . The coffee and the donuts were tasty . I went to the toilet and i was unpleasantly surprised to find a dirty and unkempt . They came back soon with the bag because they couldn't find the guy at home so we went looking for a shop to buy our wedding rings . I am going to pick my daughter from school so i will be back to you soon