After home, what lies ahead?

by George Thomas (Nigeria)

A leap into the unknown Nigeria

Cold air rushed through my window pane, sending shivers down my spine. I got up to investigate but it was still 4am; I still wanted another nap and for the past 4 hours, instead of sleeping, I have been napping, waking and napping in an unending cycle. The environment was serene; houses had their outside lamps lit. It was quiet until I heard the revving sound of a moped by my window side. The street lamps were out and the bike’s headlamp lit the road ahead, there I saw street dogs scouring the bins for whatever interests them. Sleep abandoned me, leaving my body to turn around on the cold sheets of my bed. I was both excited and afraid — it was my first journey into the state. In my room, there was a small couch facing an 18-inch television. Beside it was my bed, a wardrobe and a table. The table housed most of my items that had nowhere else to stay — my old PS2 console, laptop, and the remains of various gadgets that I can’t even remember how they got there. Dawn quickly came; the sunlight was gentle, as if it was afraid of hurting my skin. I was still cold, it was the rainy season. Not long after, I heard my name and I recognized the voice — it was my mum's. She called to remind me of my travel to Lagos State and then to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The nearest airport was in Lagos, 115km away and I had to go by road. We left Abeokuta by 7:16 am. That morning, the air smelt different, I felt different. ***** I could count the number of times I saw houses on the road, the remaining was a forest. It was like an army of giants, 25 foot tall, wearing green. I was watching, couldn't take my mind off where I was going to. I rested my head by the door, to get a better look at everything. Then mum woke me up, alerting me about our arrival at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja Lagos. I boarded the plane with optimism about Abuja, it was my first time being there, and in fact, my first time in a plane. When I settled in, the engines roared and I remembered the lions I saw at a zoo back home. I peeped at the propellers while the plane taxied on the runway, and in a moment, everything changed; from the relatively gently rotation of the propellers during taxi to a vigorous, powerful action during takeoff. The next thing I noticed was that the whole airport gradually became smaller and houses were no larger than little mail boxes, then I couldn’t see anything but white clouds looking like a giant white cotton candy with extra fluffs on all sides. ***** I heard a voice over the P.A; it was the pilot announcing our arrival at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, Nigeria. I quickly looked out the window and the buildings started becoming bigger as we descended. The airliner tires shrieked as they kissed the face of the airport runway. It sent a light jolting action through the plane and probably in fear, the airplane leapt up again and landed back softer than the first, then it finally came to a stop. The runway was wet due to a rainfall earlier that morning. I walked through the “Arrivals” terminal and to the cab I booked before I left Lagos. It was nothing like I imagined, the roads were very large and there were hills everywhere. I placed my hands in the wind to feel the air, and it was like having a dragon breath cold air on one’s hands. I quickly retracted my hand and warmed it with my breath. I arrived at my hotel and checked in; I got the second floor, third room to the right. There was a double bed adjacent a wardrobe, a table and chair facing the window. As I went to open the windows, I thought about why I came, seeing the central city from my room I stood frozen still. Abeokuta: Capital city of Ogun State, Nigeria Lagos: A state in Nigeria