Chapter 4: Welcome to Lagos

The next day came and I had already made up my mind to go to Lagos that same day, no matter what anyone says. Well, I might just beg my friend to let me return back home that same day, and if that is not possible I will just have to come back early the next morning.

After taking my children to school, I came back home to dress up. As I was about leaving the house I sighted my next-door neighbor coming from the kitchen, she was tying her usual Ankara wrapper all around her chest.

"Mummy Comfort," I called her in our usual way.

"Iya Ope bawo ni?" She replied as she paused on her track.

"I'm good. Please, I will just be rushing down to Lagos. I won't stay long. If possible I will come back tonight, but if I can't make it tonight then it will be the next morning." I told her as I walked up closely to her.

"Ok, ok." She agreed.

"Please help me look after my children, and if there's anything don't hesitate to call me." I pleaded and she accepted.

"Or… should I not go? I just want to collect some things from my friend." I asked, confused with myself.

"Go." She supported.

"Go. Is it because of your husband that you are afraid? Go. He will not do anything." She added with so much confidence.

"Because I don't know what else to do. Have you ever seen me with any friend or going anywhere ever since you've known me in this house?" I asked and she shook her head.

"That's because I don't keep friends around. I only joke and play with people. But this lady has been my friend since secondary school. My husband knows her very well and she also knows him — they are not strangers. In fact he knows her father. Shebi he is the one that used to carry us on his bike when we were in school.

"But because my friend is now back in my life and she is rich and she is ready to help me, he now has a problem with it. Is that good?" I complained to the woman.

"Don't mind him. That's how men behave. Once they see that you are about to make progress in life, they start having problems. Don't let him discourage you." She charged me, and I felt lighter immediately. Though I've never engaged her in my family affairs but I see her as someone that can help out because so many young people in our community rushed to her for counciling and advice.

Iya Comfort is a very jovial and influential woman in the community. A full time house wife that still has impact on the community.

Without wasting any more time, I picked up my handbag that I had already packed with a few clothes and other things, and left for Lagos.

---

The journey from Osun State down to Lagos was not small at all. Different traffic, different drama on the road.

When last did I even travel out of Osun State? Maybe when my mother died and we went to Oyo State to bury her, or when my aunt was doing a small celebration in our hometown back then. I can't even remember the last time I traveled properly. And that was even before I gave birth to my first son.

I looked and looked until my eyes told me "look no more." Everything has changed. Everywhere has totally developed and it felt like I was being left out of the whole development that is evolving around the world.

Finally we got to Lagos and I was so tired. I immediately brought out my phone to call my friend.

"Ore, the bus has dropped us at the terminal o. How will I get to your place?" I told her.

"Oh, ok. Give me a few minutes. Let me call the driver that will come and pick you up." She told me and immediately hung up the call.

I was confused as I didn't know where to stand. Everywhere was just too busy for a normal person. In order to keep myself safe, I quickly went to meet a woman selling some snacks at the terminal and asked her to let me stay with her for a little while.

After what looked like an hour, a call came in.

"Are you Mrs. Oluwatoyosi?" The caller asked.

"Yes, yes." I quickly responded, not knowing who it was.

"Ok. One Mrs. Omosalewa asked me to pick you up. She said you are at the terminal. Please can you kindly step out? I'm already inside the terminal."

"Ha, I don't know you bayii o. Which place are you?" I asked in confusion.

"Ok, you know what? Tell me where you are instead so I can come and pick you myself." He asked.

"Ehnehn o, better. Ehmm… I'm putting on one — shey green or blue — leleyi bayi — is this even green or blue?" I said looking down at my own cloth confusedly. "Ewo kojo, somewhere between blue and green. You will sha see me — I'm tying a yellow scarf and sitting with one woman near the Osun bus stand." I told him.

"Ok, you will see me right away." He said and hung up.

Not really too long after, a young man appeared beside me. He looked averagely young. He was dark-skinned and his skin was soft and shining. He wasn't too dressed up — just a striped shirt and a pair of trousers with neat palm slippers.

Wow… he was really handsome. I did a double take and I think he caught me staring.

"You must be the…" he asked calmly, keeping a straight face.

"Yes!" I replied as I immediately jumped to my feet.

"Ok, where are your bags?" He asked as he looked around?

"I don't bring bags, I only come with this?" I told him showing him my black handbag

"Ok ma. Let's move to the car." He said respectfully as he led me to where he had parked.

---

After about an hour we finally stopped in front of a big black gate with ash color fence all around it.Lagos is really a whole lot of stress — traffic, noise, everything is just not normal. Like how do the people living in this state cope? For real. 24/7 load of stress — don't they ever get tired?

"You can call the person that asked me to bring you. This is where she asked me to drop you." The man finally spoke to me after those long hours of driving, without a single hello coming out of his mouth the entire time.

"Ok." I said as I reached out to pick my phone.

"Hello."

"Are you already in front of my house?" My friend asked.

"I don't know your house o. The driver shasha asked me to call you." I sounded confused.

"Ok, give the phone to him." She requested and I did.

"Hello ma. Yes ma. Ok ma." He said those words and returned my phone back to me.

"She said you should wait, that someone is coming to pick you." He informed me and I nodded.

Few minutes later the big gate of the house we were standing in front of opened, and a young chubby fair lady came out. She was wearing an orange up-and-down house uniform with a big brown bonnet on her head and ash-colored Crocs on her feet.

"From Mrs. Omosalewa?" The driver asked and the girl nodded in confirmation. The driver then beckoned on me to get out of the car and I did.

"Welcome ma." The girl greeted me politely as she took my handbag from me and led the way.

Without saying goodbye, the driver zoomed off. I was about waving him down so I could pay him, when the girl gently held me back.

"Madam has paid for it." She told me, and with that I was calm.

---

As we entered the house, the smell of a nice fragrance and the coolness of the AC was what welcomed me. Truly my friend is rich — this is not mouth-making at all.

Everything looked neat, cool and glittering. I couldn't even tell if it was day or night because the room just looked too cool. No unnecessary heat, no harsh reflection of sunlight, no too much darkness. Everywhere was just exactly how a normal rich person's house is supposed to look.

"See who we have here!" My friend's voice brought me back to life as I was totally carried away in awe of the house. She rushed downstairs with joy and pulled me into a hug.

"Toyo baby!!" She hailed as she welcomed me, but I couldn't stop assessing the beauty of the house.

"Haha. Haha." I kept saying as I carefully touched everything that looked amazing.

"Kini?" She gave me a playful look.

"Oya come and sit down joor." She whined as she dragged me toward the chair.

"Toyosi, come and sit down now." She called again.

"Ore, you get money o!" I told her in amazement.

"I know. Sha come and sit down." She replied and I obeyed.

By this time her maid had already brought a chilled glass of water for me. I immediately took it and gulped it all down.

"Haaaaa." I let out a sound of pure satisfaction.

"Pele. How was your journey? Hope it wasn't too stressful?" She asked as she watched me quietly.

"Ehn, not stressful ke? You're not supposed to even ask me that when you know the h£ll of a city you live in. It was over stressful." I told her and she smiled softly.

"Sorry… yeah I know it must have been stressful. Sorry ehn. Let me just run some warm water for you in the bathroom so you can have a shower. Come, let's go." She said as she stood up from the chair and led me in the direction of my bedroom and I followed suit.

As soon as she unlocked the bedroom door for us to enter, my heart almost jumped out of my chest.