Musa and the Island

The Jungle Justice

It was a breezy cloudy Monday morning,the weather was milder than usual, the sun is still asleep, it was drizziling cold rain drops, the type that made my skin awake from it's slumber. I can recall vividly when I arrived lagos, a sprawling metropolis teeming with life and energy. It was like no place I had ever been to, especially when compared to kafanchan, a very small village I came from in kaduna state , the bustle of everyday existence in lagos played out in amazing chaotic harmony.

I was invited for an interview in a school recommended to me by my former boss, even though, I never got that job, I was more than happy to remain in lagos, I wanted to see the whole of lagos, from the mainland to the island, I wanted to see the beautiful tall buildings and malls, especially those ones I see in pictures and on TV screen. The famous Dodan barracks at Obalende.

At the break of dawn, I ran out of my friends apartment which is where I was going to stay for the time been in a hurry to meet up with my assignment of the day It's going to be an Amazing day I thought to myself, the lagos rush hour had just begun. The city was already awake, the buildings scream with joy as every light comes alife in very tall buildings, lagosians were already on their feet facing the challenges of the day. The sound of cars, the blaring of horns by impatient and angry drivers. Boys and Girls dressed beautifully in office wears and some other girls in their semi nude 'office' wears, I starred As I walked towards my bus stop, alot going through my mind, I was not at ease as this place is notorious for pickpocketing, hijacking k********g, and the famous one chance buses. I had on me a big bag that contains ten packs of A4 paper. A laptop, an umbrella and my jacket, I had some reasonable amount of cash (dollar) in my pocket too, i had every reason to get jumped by Agberos. I stood there for about forty five minutes waiting for a bus going my way to arrive

At first I didn't think much of it as there usually are so many people standing and waiting for buses too. Two good looking boys and a very attractive girl walked towards me with a smile, the lady said hello with a smile and looked away almost immediately. Suddenly, a bus going towards my direction came, as I struggle with other impatient passengers to get in, I felt a hand pulling my bag and another in my pocket, I turned around and the lady that smiled at me awhile ago was pulling my bag..

I shouted on top of my voice but no one seem to care, every one was minding their business of get a place to sit in the bus. I jumped down out of the bus, the bag had already been passed on to someone else as I didn't see it with the lady anymore, so as I approached her I screamed Ole so as to get the sympathy of people around, just after this word escaped my lips, some one else in the crowd shouted Ole with a loud voice pointing at me, immediately, everyone focus switched to me and I was surprised, awhile ago I scream that same word and nobody seem to have heard, now all of a sudden, their ears were opened, the whole crowd rushed towards me and before I knew what was going on, I felt a heavy slap on the back of my head, next it was a stick on my back, I didn't know what to do, I tried to explain what had actually transpired, but no one seem to care, so as soon as I got a fleeing space, I took to my heels, but I think that singular action made it worst for me because, when I turned back to see if I was still a subject of interest, I realised that the whole of lagos was running after me with clobs, sticks, stones and all kinds of dangerous weapon.

Blood was at this time gushing out of my head, I was feeling a sharp pain on my lower back, they scream ole even louder now, as I ran, some people stood back and we're just watching the drama as it unfolds, there was no destination on my mind, all I wanted was to get away from these dangerous and deadly crowd. The road to my left is a very busy one, three lane road where cars sped and never seem to use their brakes at all. So going across to the other side is a no for me as I could easily be knocked down by a speeding vehicle.

As I ran my race, I quickly got tired but not the crowd coming after me, they were beginning to catch up with me. So I intensified my speed, but just as I was about to do that, I went blank, when I came to, I realised that I was hit by a danfo bus who seeing the situation decided to stop me with his car. I fainted immediately, but the beatings didn't stop, stones were being thrown at me and stick landed on every part of my body. They stopped for a little while when they thought I was dead. People were beginning to disperse as the thought of police coming to the scene will lead to more chaos... Just then I screamed with pain and almost immediately, the dispersing crowd reunited again and two tyres were brought and put around my neck, while the look for a match to start a fire, I pleaded for my life because I am aware of what is going to be done to me. I tried to explain what had happened but it all fell on deaf ears.

What I thought would be an amazing day turned out to be my worst night mare, all I want to do right now is to get out of lagos fast as I could. My legs are shaking, lips swollen with thick red blood oozing out. I had no strength to talk anymore as I had given up and accepted my faith, today I will be dead.