XII.Onitsha

  We left from the village early in the morning. Chidemma came with us. We went to visit one of Alex's cousins. We stopped at a market and Charles went to look for an exchange. All kind of sellers came to the window exposing their goods, hoping that i will be interested in their goods. In the left side there was a buffet where people could sit down, drink and eat traditional foods. Chidemma bought some cashew and we ate it together. Charles was wasting too much time and i was worried. Another vendor came. He was selling motivational books. It looked interesting but then I remembered how they have so many fake things and i noticed the bad quality of the paper and i gave up. I was ashamed that i spend so much time studying to books he was holding so i bought a children.s book for my daughter. With the air condition off the air inside the car was unbearable. I opened the door. Chideraa saw a vendor that was selling bread and she asked me to buy the bread for her just because it had a ScoobyDoo package. I was getting thirsty and i got off the car to check what drinks they had. I choose a CocaCola from the box with ice that the woman was keeping them It wasn't cold enough but i was thirsty so i bought it. Alex and Chideraa went to eat  at the buffet. Chidemma said that people were happy that i am eating their food when they saw me chewing on the dry donuts.

   I was wondering how any other woman can wear false eyelashes and i cant. My eyes did not want to stop dropping tears and gum was filling them, making them unbearable. I  tried to clean them but in the process i removed some lashes and they weren'.t equal anymore. So i started tearing them all off. I was hoping that i will not  got off my own lashes along with the false ones. 

   One boy entered the car from the driver's seat. I did not know him and i was surprised by his action.I placed my bag in a safer place far from his reach, then he introduced himself. He was Alex's cousin.
    He joined Bianca and her dad a the table and they ate together. Then we went to his house. My bad was occupying one seat at the back so he joined Chidemma, Charles and Bianca. It was funny and embarrassing how so many people were crowded on the back seat but it was normal thing there, they call it " manage"
    Getting to his house  required us to cross over a head that scratched the car underneath which i did not find necessary but they insisted to park the car in the yard. The 2.5 meters tall fence had pieces of glass  sticked at  the top edge  We climbed up the stairs to his apartment. Bianca was happy to see a more normal house. The entrance was getting us straight to the balcony. From the balcony we entered the living room. We sat on the armchairs. It was starting to get warmer and we were sweating. I felt so dirty and it was unbearable. Chidemma told me that we will spend the night there. I was angry that she knew it and i didn't. I said to myself that the moment i reach home i will start learning igbo again so that i will not be the last to know what happens around me. 

XI.In the village

  We arrived in the village in the afternoon. We lodged at the same hotel like 2 years ago, in the same room. Nothing has changed, only their price got higher. Alex negotiated the price with them and they reduced it with 1 or 2 thousand Naira. We went to the house, but nobody was around. Grandma was at the hospital because he had an accident. We did not know how bad it was and when she will come back. We went into the house to see how it looks. It had iron door everywhere with iron lockers like a garage door.What i did not understand and i was very revolted about, is why they put iron lockers both on the inside and outside the bathroom door. It looked like a prison. Who am I going to lock in the bathroom? That thought was weird. We climbed the stairs which this time had railing to hold on to. The house had custom ceiling everywhere even on the terrace. I saw a very big insect and Charles said is a poisonous, maddening bee. Thank God i did not put perfume this morning i dont want it to confuse me with a flower. We went in the other house but the heat was overwhelming. Bianca brought the Indo'mie she kept in the car and ate it in the living room. We sat there for a few moment then i went out. They showed me where they berried Clifford right in front of their house there was a big mound with  some plants with big leaves on it. We decided to leave. The road was spoiled by the rain and it was bumpy. The car was going up and down and it was afraid it will tumble or get stuck in the mod. We never knew how deep the puddles were. We did not go far and we met grandma. She was coming home from the hospital She said that a bike hot her. She entered the car and Bianca was soo happy to see her. She did not want to let her go. We wanted to visit Chidemma and we left grandma to go home. We parked the car in their yard. Chidemma mother, a robust Negress, was extremely happy to see us again. She came and hugged me strongly and asked me when am I going to have another baby because she thought I was pregnant last time she saw me. Chidemma was not home and we gave the mother some Naira so that she will cook for us the next day. We went back to the hotel and Chidemma joined us soon. 

IX. 3 nights in Abuja

   Later that day we went to a local restaurant where they wanted to order fish. They picked the fish they wanted to eat . Uncle A. bought a mix of sweetened popcorn and peanuts for me. Soon the girl serving came and said she cannot cook it because she is alone and she cannot serve and cook at the same time. So she brought them cow head or tail with pepper soup.  I drank Eristoff and uncle A. took a soft drink.. We left after they finished eating  because the mosquitoes were biting me. Back to the hotel I went inside room where they sprayed Flit and I slept while the man continued drinking at the bar. 

   The next day we went to the Ministry to stamp the birth certificate. A policeman working there helped us and we supposed to come back and pick it 2 hours later. Near the parking where we left our car there was an outdoor restaurant. Woman working there were enticing the costumers by telling them out loud which good foods they cooked.  I took a bottle of water while they ate semo with soup.  Bianca ate with them. We found a taxi to show us the road to the embassy located on Nelson Mandela street. At the embassy the consular attache  couldn't help us much because the council was travelling and we supposed to book an appointment long before. He was so frightened and insecure, i couldn't tell why. The fact that we took the risk of driving 700 km and that I was leaving the country before the council was coming back did not matter. A kind man working there that we encountered when we arrived seemed to be more willing to help but had no power. He excused himself that he cannot on the air condition because it had a lizard inside. 

We asked the attache if we can transcribe the document we needed there and he said that he must check because the procedure is complicated. He asked us to call back in 1-2 hours so that he will find out. When I called he said that he cannot help us and that we should book an appointment in 2 weeks time when the council will come back. I wasn't expecting to make this long travel without working things out. We left there  surprised by their lack of interest in helping us. 

    Later that afternoon we went looking for an old friend of Alex. The road was extremely bad that area. Charles bought pineapple that we kept in the trunk and he also bought some sliced watermelon pieces that we ate with a toothpick from a black bag. We went to the place where his friend used to live and we could not get any information about the guy so we came back through the capital to avoid the bad road. Back at the hotel I gave the pineapple to one of the boys working there to cut it for me  and I drank strawberry yogurt milk with uncle A. I regret not going to uncle's house to meet the other members of the family. Who knows when I will be in that city again to have that chance. 

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.

V. At the hotel in Festac

   The hotel room where we spend the first days of our holiday in Nigeria was pretty cool . The shower was o.k.  although we had a to wait a little while before hot water would start coming . The bed sheets were clean and the bed was comfortable .The room had a desk with a tv on , a chair and a wardrobe with no door and a few square shelves . The windows had the so called "robber proof " and big curtain . By the window we also had a shabby huge armchair and nightstands on both sides of the bed .  Alex was always setting  the air condition at 18 degrees and i was feeling cold so i had to cover myself with the blanket . The bed was big so 3 of us were comfortable in it . I put the 10 cans of beer that Alex asked to the flight attendant because he thought that he paid enough and he deserved it . I was surprised that they gave him so many beer because i was always feeling ashamed in the flight to ask for too many drinks or an extra portion of food as he did .

   Charles had also a room the same hotel but downstairs . Last time where I went to Nigeria , anywhere I was asking for coffee i dint not find this is why this time i brought enough packs of Jacos 3 in 1 . In the morning i was going to the hotel's bar and asked them to bring me ma cup of hot water so i can drink my morning coffee. After 30-40 minutes , tired of waiting i was going myself t the kitchen , where I always find a black lady doing nothing , and i was looking for a cup and filing it it water to make my coffee . I never understood why it was always taking them so long to do anything . We had the breakfast included in the room's price and if i was going to order for it it would always take them around one hour to prepare it . The breakfast consisted in a  sandwich made with omelette and a cup of milk made with milk powder and sugar cubs and Lipton tea . When they noticed that i drink coffee in the morning they brought 2 sachet of Nescafe instead of the tea. One morning , after one hour of waiting for the breakfast i went to check what they were doing in the kitchen and i saw how there were making the sandwiches : after preparing the  omelette on the kerosene stove , they put it between 2 slices of bread and place it in the sandwich maker on which they placed a heavy saucepan :)) .Bread in Nigeria is sweet . I think they make it with milk and sugar , powder milk i suppose because i did not see much fresh milk . I can't even imagine those thin malnourished cows giving much milk .I think i know now why they mostly eat the head and the tail ,the stomach, the legs  and other things that we usually, Europeans don't because there is not much meat on the bones anyways.

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