My experience in the 5 days tour in Lagos took place from 6th November, 2018 to 10th November, 2018 with it’s footprint still fresh in my heart; it is an excursion of 2017/2018 sets of Kogi State University to Badagry Lagos to see the slave trade relics that was tagged “Walk of a lifetime” it is, in reality, the journey of a lifetime.
Day 1: Trip To Lagos
Tuesday 6th Nov 2018 Arrival to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities by 6:00 am, by 7:30 am the four buses to convey us arrived also Isah Jeremiah (President) History and International Studies Association (HISSA), Executives and Course representatives for each level came. Upon their arrival, the process of the Journey of a lifetime started. I sat by the window which gave me a clear view of the whole tour it was a perfect spot.
Tags were given to students that do not have a school identity card with the inscription “The Participant of 2017/2018 excursion tour to Lagos state”. Lecturers were allotted to a bus, my bus was Dr Leonard Abuh. We prayed and the Journey kick off by 10:05 am with so much joy and enthusiasm; at Owo the tyre of our bus busted, then we stopped by a restaurant called The perfect match restaurant in order for it to be repaired and also ate and we charged our phones.
At Akure a little entertainment was set up as students played music from mp3 and people took hold of the dance floor, one particular guy Samuel aka Saka killed the show when he danced hilariously with his Agbada. That eased the tension hovering over us; we passed a lot of Universities and glittering structures.
Things that are mostly sold at Akure were yam, Oranges, plantains, Garri, palm oil and bush meats which got us all salivating.
Having slept and woken up at about 12:11 pm we got to Lagos. Lagos popularly known as “Eko” or “Lasgidi” which is the centre of excellence in Nigeria with smooth roads, streetlights and interconnected bridges with its hustling and bustling a 24hours city “Ekokin sun” means Lagos does not sleep wears a welcoming smile at our arrival, when we got to Lagos by 12:11 pm the city was still very much alive as it was still functioning I was marvelled. We saw the statue of Awolowo too
By 1:05 am we arrived mile 2, the student took the advantage of the streetlight to snap selfie; we lodge at Galaxy hotel and one & two where we retire from the day’s stress.
Day 2: Visit To Badary Slave Route, etc
We woke up by 4:00 am, freshen up and left for the bus by 6:00 am I must confess my eyeballs were as big as eggrolls. We got to a roadside and waited for another bus, the guys came down to eat rice and stew in the open which is N150 for immediate consumption while the ladies bought take away at the rate of N200 others took a selfie.
We left by 7:05 am to Badagry we passed Alaba international market as pointed out by Dr Leonard Abuh the market was big and crowdy. Two other buses got stranded we waited and took hold of selfie stick at the gate of Lagos State University when they locate us we went together.
There was a huge stench by the roadside that could make people faint, cows and pigs ate boldly on the refuse dump beside the main road. We passed the Adeniran Ogunsanya college of education by 9:00 am and we arrived at Badagry at 10:22 am. There was a man sent to direct us to Seriki Abbas Williams slave port which is Brazilian Baracon.
The remains of the exchanged items during the trans-Atlantic slave trade welcome us. The man told us a brief story that the owner is his grandfather and took us to the room in 20 were 40 slaves were kept and pictures to show the gruesome torture too. I recorded them.
Afterwards, we headed to the first storey building in Nigeria where Bishop Ajayi Crowther lived that had the first translation of the Bible, miracle well, missionaries, the first bank and many more. When we there, we entered a boat to the land of no return. It was a mechanical boat been driven like a car, later we trekked for 30minutes before we got to the attenuation well which history has it that it contains spiritual power that made slaves lose their memory for 3months and regain consciousness after getting to the new world.
We proceeded with the tutor for another 15minutes to the Trans-Atlantic ocean, we took lots of pictures there. the ocean was said to be very aggressive and a man with dreadlock was parading to and fro only on boxer chanting God knows what by the ocean. People said he is responsible for stopping the ocean from overflowing its banks.
Some students took water along; returning I was exhausted from trekking. I went straight to the bus, bought a drink at the rate cheaper than the amount it is been sold at Anyigba. The bus developed a fault and we miss our way, we later got to the hotel by 9:32 pm.
Day 3: The Institute Of International Affairs
On Thursday we left for Victoria island by 9:45 am, unity was a big problem for the drivers and some just speed off without waiting for others, with this the student in my bus suggest we pray because due to that we have been missing our ways, by the way I saw a non AEDC man climb the electric pole with no protection doing God knows what on it.
We pass through many minimarkets, magnificent structures, great designs and barracks; we pass through the national theatre by 10:32 am. We got to the Institute of International Affairs in Victoria island by 10:35 am. We matched into the conference hall, it was very neat, beautiful and glittering. We were addressed by two personalities, Dr L.A. Fagunyi, and we were spoken to extensively on international politics and Law, politics and integration, trade, treaty, national climatic change, Kyoto protocol, globalization and lots more.
We were allowed to ask a question and each question was answered. We were given 5 valid academic books, students were of the opinion that they were generous and it should be encouraged. We were showed the library my goodness it was a comprehensive and orderly environment for reading. Students snapped pictures before we left.
We moved further to Shoprite where we bought loads of goodies. The building was awesome filled with a lot of attractive goods not without selfie stick at work all thanks to God for Taiwo my course mate who brought her selfie stick. I personally snap overdose once we were done we left for our respective hotel.
Day 4: Visit To Onu Of Igala Palace
We left for the palace Onu of Igala at Lagos state by 10:03 am. We stopped to buy fuel station, during this time we recounted our experiences the previous day on the bus. Thereafter, we saw trucks that have been parked for months and cars that are not roadworthy used as a taxi. The most striking of all the experiences was the way Lagosians walk boldly, motorcyclists drive dangerously in between trailers without fear.
We pass many markets and bus stops, in Oyinbo ultra modern market were cleaners assigned to sweep and take care of it at work. We saw many streets such as Bariga, Onabanjo, Adebare, Peluola and lots more. By 11:34 am we got to the palace of OnuIgala in which we were been addressed by the personal assistant before the arrival of the King and an interpreter from the students. At the Kings arrival we all stood up chanted some words, he was young and vibrant which got us amazed, the king addressed us.
After we were offered water and took pictures with him, there we were informed that its dark and we will not be going to the beach anymore initially we thought it was a joke not until we diverted to the way that leads to the hotel that students started talking but we didn’t later go. We were later lodged at a different hotel where we rested for the day.
Day 5: The Return
The day we travelled back to Kogi State University, Anyigba. We woke by 5:00 am did hygiene and pack our luggage. We waited for the bus that arrived by 6:10 am and the ladies were complaining that the guys ought to come early were delaying. We prayed and the journey of a lifetime back home began; we were held at traffic due to diesel spillage from a fallen truck from 8:00 am-8:45 am passed through many universities and breathtaking structures. On getting to Ibadan, they sell mostly Robb, bread and chewing stick also Gurumaraji palace which is painted red at Ibadan expressway.
Alhaji Serkina Mosque of Yoruba land at Oyo state, where we alighted to eat because the journey was so stressful that I had to rotate stand with Saka who had nowhere to seat. We bought fried plantain and yam; you need to see how students rushed it.
We arrived at Anyigba late in the night. we were stopped at the school gate where we convey ourselves to our respective destination. It was a wonderful experience and one that I can’t forget…
GOD BLESS DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES & EXECUTIVES!!!
GOD BLESS KOGI STATE UNIVERSITY, ANYIGBA!!!
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!
