By Dare Lasisi.
There are many supernatural forces controlling this sinful world as there is no art to see the full contents of the heart from the face.As mere mortals not blessed with any hidden third eye.We just need to be extra-vigilant not to fall into any trap.
Let all the doubting Thomases with prejudiced religious ideology continue to ignorantly trumpet that unpopular mantra thus:Nothing like unseen forces.Nothing like witches and wizards.Maybe until such a person pass through some life-changing encounters,he will then re-think to face the reality of life.If you have not been to another person’s farm,you may still be deluded that your father’s farmland is the biggest in the homeland.My conscience recently pricked me to share this personal experience with my good friends on this platform.This is never a fiction or cooked-up story.
This is my personal true-life story of how a lady I met in a public transport during my national youth service programme turned out to be an under-cover agent for the ritualists.Nobody could ever suspect this beautiful lady as evil-minded.
My path crossed with one good-looking and smartly-dressed lady who later introduced her self to me as ‘Mary Abrahams’ during my youth service programme in Niger State in the late 90s.I served as a classroom teacher in a primary school in Mokwa area.I refused to redeploy to SouthWest Nigeria for some reasons.I also did not lobby anybody to post me to a better organisation.I accepted and endured all the hardship of the NYSC year.
I love travels and tourism so much and Mokwa was always a boring town during weekends.This boredom always compelled me to travel to Ilorin,Bida,Kontagora or Kutigi to meet my friends and fellow corpers.
But on that fateful day when I met Lady Mary,I was travelling from Kutigi to Mokwa where I had gone to enjoy my weekend break with my fellow corpers who were also in the same platoon 11 with me.
I stayed at the Corper’s lodge in Kutigi town.There was one well-educated muslim sister(Lady T) who was like my ‘big sister’ during my NYSC.I wondered why she came for service because from my estimation,she was over 30 years of age at that time.She was deeply religious but not fanatical.She had memorised most of the major chapters of the Holy Quran with their English language interpretation from her teenage years.She read Civil Engineering in one of the higher institutions in Nigeria.I was amazed by her feat of Quranic memorization.She often said I was not a ‘dedicated muslim’ like other muslim brothers.I always replied her that :’I am spiritual but not religious.’
Lady T and three other male corpers later accompanied me to the roadside bus stop to get a cheaper transportation back to Mokwa town.I told them to return to their Corper’s Lodge since I was not a baby.
They all abandoned me except Lady T who stayed till I boarded a bus to Mokwa town from Kutigi town.I was wearing my full NYSC unform with sparkling clean boot and looking out for a cheaper transportation back to Mokwa.We both sighted a bus from a far distance and Lady T left me with her usual words: ‘Ma Salaam,Brother Abdul Ganiy.’
The driver momentarily stopped his vehicle as if the brake was not active and I told him I was heading towards Mokwa.He said the fare was N120 but I pleaded with him that I could only afford to pay N80(still expecting my NYSC monthly allowance of N1,600 then).I still insisted that I could not pay N120 from Kutigi to Mokwa since I was neither travelling to Jebba nor Ilorin.As I was protesting this expensive fare,a lady interrupted the argument from the back of the bus and promised to pay the N120 for me.She said she also heard that many corpers were not paid on time and she really felt my pains as a former corper herself.I was moved by her kindness but it later turned to be a ‘greek gift’.Lady Mary Abraham was looking for something ‘special’ in me apart from paying for my full fare.I was just too inexperienced in that game of life to understand her.
Lady Mary quickly adjusted the back seat to welcome a smartly-dressed ‘VIP Corper’.I squeezed my slender frame to sit next to her as she was a ‘big Mama’ but very beautiful,fair-skinned,robust and well-endowed ‘front and back’.I was not really bother to discuss anything with her but by paying for my transport fare.I must at least say ‘Thank You’ once again and that would be the genesis of fresh discussions.
As if in a proper job interview,Lady mary started asking me some personal questions ranging from my secondary school days up till my years at the University,my state of origin,my religious beliefs,my family background,my love life and my next step after finishing my national youth service programme.She also questioned why could not redeploy to either Lagos or Abuja during my NYSC period and many more intimate questions.I diplomatically replied all her questions but failed to tell the ‘whole truth’ to a stranger like her.
Amazingly,each time I tried my best to look at her eyeballs during our friendly discussion at the back of the bus.My eyes would always see ‘multiple images’ as if I was feeling dizzy.Something suddenly pricked my both eyes as I was trying to look at her seductive eyeballs.I then suspected this lady Mary was trying to plan something evil or funny with me.I complained to her that my eyes were aching me,she just laughed in a mockery way and later my eyes were performing well as normal.None of the passengers inside the bus disturbed our discussion.It was operation ‘mind your own business.’
She then asked me again what would be my next step after NYSC.I told her I would be looking for employment in either Lagos or Abeokuta.She smiled and patted me at the back and said.’My brother,you will never look for job after your youth service.I have a ready-made employment for you.You will be working with my husband in Abuja as his personal assistant or office secretary.Your fellow corpers will not recognise you after 6 months of this employment.Money go dey flow in your bank accounts anyhow!Do you prefer Abuja or Port Harcourt?’
I was nearly hypnotised by her sweet words to assist me to secure an ‘Abuja job’ after my NYSC but I told her I still preferred to work in Lagos,nearer to Abeokuta as I love to be in constant touch with my old parents.She declined my Lagos preference and insisted that her husband was a successful business man in both Abuja and Port Harcourt and not in Lagos or Abeokuta.She promised to package me to her husband as a family friend in order to get the employment.
When I asked her about what type of employment was she organising for me after my youth service programme.she instantly became so angry saying I was too ambitious and grossly impatient to see her again after my youth service programme.She was a bit temperamental each time I tried to know the true situation.She scolded me as if she was my former school teacher.
As we were approaching Mokwa bus garage which was my own final destination as the bus was still moving towards Lagos via Ilorin/Jebba road.Lady Mary opened her brown bag and gave me N300 freshly minted notes and a sachet of a powdered peak milk as her ‘parting gift’.She also gave me a landline number to call anytime and one awkward residential Lagos address to locate her.She said she gave me the money because I had earlier lamented about my financial difficulty due to non-payment of my NYSC allowance.But I could not easily understand the rationale behind the powdered milk gift.I did not wish to reject her ‘greek’ gift as that was my first time of meeting.I accepted everything in good faith.
As if lady Mary was an expert in telepathy,she quickly defended why she offered me the powdered milk:’When I was leaving my Abuja flat this morning,my mind prompted me to bring along this sachet of powdered milk and give to any of my new friends as a special gift and since you’re a youth corper.You will need this specially-reserved milk to drink either tea or ogi.’
Lady Mary waved me a goodbye at Mokwa bus garage,hugged me and planted a kiss on my partially bony right cheek.When I arrived at the Corpers lodge,I narrated my experience from A to Z to my other three corpers.They just laughed at me and demanded that the sachet of milk must be shared among them.They all interpreted lady Mary as my ‘new girlfriend’.I gave it to them without hesitation because my inner mind advised me not to taste from the milk.All of a sudden,one of the corpers tore the sachet open and started chewing it raw as if in deep hunger and starvation.We were all experiencing hard times during that period due to non-payment of our monthly ‘peanut’ allowance of N1,600.
The following day,I spent N200 to buy essential food items at Mokwa community market for my personal consumption and later shared the remaining N100 between my favourites among my primary school pupils who always performed unexpectedly in the class assignment.
A week later,I phoned lady Mary from a business center in Mokwa to express my sincere appreciation for her kindness and expected offer of ‘Abuja’ employment after my NYSC programme.
To my surprise,she was very upset on phone with me.She exploded like a deranged personality:’I was expecting you to phone me within 24 hours of my arrival in Lagos.I have discussed your employment matter with my husband and he is ready to consider you after your programme.But you intentionally waited till seven days after our first meeting to contact me.That shows you’re not even keen for good employment after your programme.”I soberly swallowed my pride and apologised to her.My apology was just to allow the sleeping dog to lie and not to waste extra time engaging her in any telephone argument as this would dearly cost me more money.
“Make you no vex my dear sister.I was just busy preparing our primary 5 and 6 pupils for Common Entrance examination to Government Secondary schools in Bida and Minna.” She later accepted my appeals bust strongly advised me to always keep in touch no matter my tight schedule.
At the end of the service year,all youth corpers that served in Niger state now assembled at the state capital Minna to collect their NYSC certificates and after collection to now begin another phase of operation ‘Now Your Suffering Continues’ by spreading all over Nigeria in search of suitable employment or plan to travel out of the country for greener pasture.I was internally celebrating and beaming with smile that lady Mary had already secured a top Abuja employment for me through her businessman husband.There was no need for me to be apprehensive that I would be jobless after my programme based on assurance from lady Mary that everything had been set for me.Only for me to resume at the Abuja office of his businessman husband’s office with my credentials.
From Minna,I moved straight to Ilorin and later to Abeokuta to drop my bags,rested for 3 days and proceeded to Lagos to trace the awkward home address of lady Mary.If my memory could still pick up correctly,the bus stop was called Agunlejika around Isolo Expressway.That was my first and last time of visiting the area.I arrived at the bus stop,fully armed with photocopies of my acquired certificates plus 4 passport photographs as requested by lady Mary.I walked through the area to ask for the address given to me by lady Mary but to my surprise all the people I asked strangely looked at me with funny eyes.I still could not understand or predict the danger ahead.I had earlier called lady Mary a day before that I shall be travelling from Abeokuta the following day to meet her husband and also to drop photocopies of my credentials.She was so happy to hear my voice on phone and stated that her husband was also eager to assist and meet me for the Abuja employment.When I reached the street(Sadly,I can’t remember the street name any more!).I met some young boys playing football and I asked them of the address and one of them whispered non-understandable words into another boy’s ear before responding to me.I was beginning to suspect a foul play during this short drama.
‘Are you looking for any particular person in this address?’The tall guy questioned me.I smartly responded with confidence that I was looking for Sister Mary Abrahams.He pointed to one two-storey building as lady Mary’s home address.When I got to the address.I met one heavily-built young man.He appeared like a weight-lifter or wrestler to me with his massive body frame.
There was one imaginary voice which calmly whispered to my right ear that this giant man was capable of crushing my bones if I ever try to mis-behave!I ignored the voice because there was no way to quickly turn back at this eleventh hour.I was just flowing with the scenario while hiding my fear,pretending that all was well with me.It was like a suffering in silence.
This wrestler-look alike personality also re-directed me to another building and informed me that lady Mary was expecting me since early morning.I told him I travelled all the way from Abeokuta to meet her for employment matter.
“Mary had just gone just to the next street to buy something and she would join me shortly.feel at home and relax.”
He asked me to sit down in front of a deserted building surrounded by thick forest.I wondered why the occupants had failed to clear the bushes and maybe they were just dirty occupants.I could not ask him why they all refused to clear the bushes.My agenda was to see lady Mary and her husband for employment.No more,no less.I was never at the place for Health Inspector job interview.
The gentleman later abandoned me as I sat in front of the deserted building.I was worried why everybody was using one reason or the other to move away from me.I was boiling with anger and decided enough was enough.I must calmly dialogue with my legs and escape from the scene as urgent as possible.But it was rather too late.The assailants were just round the corner to kidnap me and possibly kill me for rituals.
Maybe out of curiousity(or stupidity!),there was one temptation that filtered through my heart which ultimately motivated me to check the deserted building.My legs became heavier to move.As I stepped into the backyard or garden of the building.It appeared one unseen hand aggressivelly slapped my chest.As if in a trance,I suddenly met myself at the edge of a bottomless pit.I noticed torn clothings, abandoned shoes and bags all scattered around the backyard area.There was no trace of human habitation in the building.It was like a den of the ritualists and I was likely to be their next casualty.I knew there was no way to escape from these ritualists.I was in a big trap.No way to escape.All roads appeared blocked.Nobody would evey hear my voice.I did not which to die as a whimper!
Suddenly,I heard a baritone voice urging me to get out as urgent as possible.The voice directed me to pass through the bushes in order to locate the main road.
‘Why are you here?Who asked you to come here?You’re not our type of material.Please get out now.’
I obeyed the voice and wandered through the bushes to search for the main road.I checked my wrist-watch,no longer in my hand.I also checked the envelope that contained photocopies of my certificates,no longer in my possession.I could not explain till date how I mis-placed all these valuable items.
I was not aware that I was at the motorway until one ‘good samaritan’ pulled me away from the speeding truck.I had lost my sense of reasoning and more or less a ‘walking corpse’.This man just appeared from the moon and saved me from early death.He asked me some questions.I confessed to him that I journeyed all the way from Abeokuta to trace a lady that promised me employment after my national youth service programme.
“Dont you have functioning eyes to see that truck coming towards your one-way direction?Where are you coming from?where are you going now?”
I just appealed to him to direct me on how to either get to either Ikeja or Agege.I was feeling so hungry at that moment and very thirsty.My body ached me so bad.I was also sweating and my clothings were so rough,maybe due to my journey through the bushes.The man directed me to Oshodi and said on getting to Oshodi,so easy to get a bus going to either Agege or Ikeja.After his instructioons on how to get to Oshodi area,the man vanished from my eyes.That was another mystery.
I still believed the man was not an ordinary human being,maybe from the ‘spiritual world’ to rescue somebody like me.I am a survivor.Glory be to God.
TO BE CONTINUED.
NB:This true-life story is dedicated to all the missing people from every corner of the globe.
No Comments
Really thank God for your life