If you missed part One, read it HERE!!!
It was a beautiful morning. The atmospheric condition was relatively cold prior to an heavy downpour that fell a day before.
After several tossing and turning, Femi had finally woken up from sleep, he stared at the wall-clock located at the centre corner of his room and the time reads 11:35am. He heaved a sigh of relief, and had a flashback as he began reminiscing about his stressful journey to school the previous day.
Femi had boarded a public transportation bus from check-point in Okene at 5pm. The vehicle later developed mechanical problem along the Adogo-Ajaokuta Road as it began to overheat. The driver who was the first to observe heat protruding from the engine of the vehicle had informed the passengers as he parked along the side of the Road. He made to open the engine cover and after several trials and errors, he discovered that the fan belt of the vehicle had become cut. He looked around him from where he could sought for help, just then he realized that they were stucked in the middle of nowhere. The highway was surrounded with bushes on both sides. There was nobody on sight, no houses and most importantly, no mechanic workshop nearby. Then, it dawned on him that they were gonna be around for a while. The driver went back to inform his passengers about the development, telling them he would need to locate the nearest village, in order to inquire where he could find a mechanic workshop from where he intended to buy a new fan-belt. This didn’t go down well with the passengers as most of them made some inflammatory remarks, considering that actual time and when they would eventually arrive at their destinations. The driver, however, pleaded with them not to be upset and asked for volunteers who would accompany him as they embark on that ultimate search.
A male passenger including Femi volunteered to go along with him as they started trekking. About 30mins later, the trio sighted some disperse houses in Adogo village, they walked towards a particular house where they met an aged man probably in his 60s, and after explaining their ordeal to him, he informed them that they had only one local mechanic in the village who doesn’t sell fan-belt. In a bid to alleviate their problem, he offered to convey them to Ajaokuta with his motorcycle, which is about 10mins ride from Adogo. Fortunately, they were able to procure a new fan-belt immediately they got to Ajaokuta. Indeed, they were gleeful but time wasn’t friendly anymore, as it was already 6:14pm. They hurriedly mounted the bike, whilst riding swiftly to their vehicle, and that was when it began to rain heavily. They had no choice but to relinquish themselves to the wrath of the rain, but that was after they had kept their perishable items which could be damaged by water into Femi’s water-proof handbag. At exactly 8:00pm, they reached their vehicle and fixed the fan-belt. The driver offered to pay the aged man for his help, but he rejected the money and prayed for them as they continued with their journey.
The aggrieved passengers who were already shivering as a result of the cold were insulting the driver for not putting his vehicle in good condition before embarking on the journey. Femi who knew the stress the driver had gone through, kept mum, and even decided not to collect his remaining change from the driver. It took them another two hours to arrive at Anyigba, the host community of Kogi State University.
Femi alighted from the vehicle, collected his luggage and food items from the boot and beckoned at an okada man to take him to Freedom Quarters, which happened to be his Lodge. A fellow female passenger who appeared impatient to wait for another bike literally begged to sit with Femi and he obliged reluctantly.
The okada man was riding at top speed before they were accosted at “Our Lady of Fatima Lodge” by the dreaded vigilante group. Femi had just moved from frying pan to fire….
To Be Continued…
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