I thought I had seen how intense the sun can be until I came to Kaduna State. Hot, blazing sun showing no mercy on its citizens. The wind blew dust, the fans blew hot air. Everything about the weather is extreme. Rain, heat, cold, harmattan. Little wonder Northerners are very dark-skinned. With this sun, my SPF is in the mud.
I flagged down a bike man. “Bike, Sabo.”
“E na ne za ka he a Sabo?” He said as he stopped in front of me.
(Where are you going to in Sabo?)
I burst into laughter.
Wahala for who dey foreign land oo.
“I no hear Hausa. How much for Sabo?”
“Ban ga ne abun day ka chia ba.”
(I don’t understand what you’re saying.)
“Don’t worry, be going.” I waved him off and off he went.
I looked for another. “Bikkeee…”
“Where you dey go?”
Thank God.
“Sabo.”
“Where for Sabo?”
“Kasupda.”
“Enter. #200.”
I gladly entered. I’ve been standing in the sun for a while and I couldn’t wait to get to my destination.
Kaduna State is a beautiful place. I applaud the government. The roads, the way the light lights up the streets at night, the buildings, the vegetation, the infrastructure, everything is just so beautiful. It’s not choked up like Lagos or Ibadan. No wonder it’s ranked one of the most beautiful and biggest states in Nigeria.
Kaduna is a lively place as there are various joints, hang-out centres, and recreational centres.
The people of Kaduna state are very nice. We were well received when we came. My dad’s company provided a hotel room with room service for us to stay in for a week till the accommodation was settled. Everyone was interested in where we were coming from and they were happy to share a part of their culture with us.
The only issue with the state is the issue of insecurity and insurgency.
We got to my destination and I got down. That was when I remembered I didn’t tell the bike man I had #1,000 on me. I brought it out anyways.
“I no get change,” said the bike man.
“Check now. Sorry, I forgot to tell you it was 1k I had.”
He didn’t collect the money from me. He just sat there, muttering some Hausa words to himself.
I looked around and no one seemed to care about what was going on with me and the bike man. I decided to ask around for smaller bits of the 1k I had. I got the money I needed and as I turned around to give the time man his money, he was already preparing to zoom off.
I shouted, “Where are you going to? I’ve gotten your money ready.”
“That man don pay for you.” He pointed towards a man disappearing into the crowd.
“The one on white?” I asked.
“Yes.” He confirmed and zoomed off.
“Excuse me, sir.” I ran towards the man so I could tell him thank you but he seemed to be moving too fast for my small legs.
I eventually caught up with him, tapped on his shoulder and he turned.
“Yes? Can I help you?” The man said.
“Thank…thank you..,” I managed to say, short of breath.
“For what?” He appeared confused.
“The bike man told me you paid my transport fare. Thank you, sir.”
“Which transport fare?” He responded.
“Sorry, I thought you…” Then I looked at his shirt, it was off-white. Not white.
“Oh, sorry sir. I mistook you for someone else.”
“It’s okay.” And he turned and left.
Where could he have possibly disappeared to?
I looked around, hoping to find him but I didn’t.
Tor, maybe my angel paid for me…
I stepped into the road to cross to the other side. I looked left, looked right, looked left again and then, my eyes met him.
Those eyes, how familiar. I can feel his muscles under my palms like I’ve felt them before, all wrapped in a white clean shirt.
As I tried to cross to the other side, vehicles and the traffic lights decided not to cooperate with me. I raised my hands to say hi. He smiled at me and then raised his hands to his forehead in salute and then disappeared into the crowd.
Again.
Just that this time, he was already beyond my reach.
Wait… Did I just meet the man from my dreams in Kaduna??
My Relationship Story 