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Platoon II - Story So far, Trip to Lagos Camp
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Hello Readers!!!
It's great to be back! Thanks for your love, patience, readership and encouraging words, you all have kept me on my toes. It was nice meeting some of you during the last camp meeting and I was touched by the way some of you relayed the Corper Shun story to me and even the last episode of Platoon Two, wow! what more could I ask for? Well contrary to what some felt, I did not stop or leave, it was a temporary break, yet I apologise for the abruptness of the break. I missed you though, thank you once again.
Platoon Two continues in January but i'll just repost story so far the last weekends of December for those just joining to bring them up to speed.
Chronicles of Greatness (Biographies of Successful people) also continues in January.
Watch out for the release of the Novel of Corper Shun!!! the first series of Diamond in the rough. It's fuller, bigger and with more details about how Derin started her journey. If you think you've read it all in Corper Shun online, you may just be missing out in a lot more of the story. I love you all! Thank you all! Thank you Psts Dunamis & Sophia Okunowo! God bless KHC!!!
PLATOON II
Story so far..
TRIP TO LAGOS CAMP
EPISODE 1
At exactly 8:50am, the plane landed at Muritala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja Lagos State. As the Pilot made the landing announcement, I felt the butterflies in my belly and my eyes widened as if they would pop out any moment.
I had been feeling like Casper, the friendly ghost since the plane was in the air going through the clouds seamlessly like the breeze slips through closed windows. The pillows of cloud gave me so much hope of fulfilment as they sat comfortably in the sky in groups. They happily expressed the creativity of a well organised Creator, the radiance of a genius with aesthetic demeanour.
Mrs Williams and I sat beside each other in the plane during the flight. She was a fair complexioned chubby woman who had a beautiful natural long hair that looked like a wig, she looked like a woman in her mid-40's. She must have heard me when I whispered to myself “Lagos, wait for me, Aderinmola Adeyosola is coming in grand style!” that statement must have caught her attention because she chuckled after I said it and she asked if it was my first time going to Lagos.
Her son was the first child and he was only 20 years old too. They had been in Jos a week before the Orientation Camp was to start and she was just returning to Lagos that morning leaving her son to move on with his life in the new phase.
EPISODE 2
When we entered the airport, our tickets were checked and we passed the necessary check points we needed to pass. We waited for 20 minutes at the Baggage Claim Section. When my bag came out, I picked it and we were on our way out in no time.
It was a brief walk from the arrival to the car park. Mrs Williams’ Car was a brand new Kia Sportage (2005 Model). It was metallic gray colour and the latest in that year. I looked at the car with admiration, the driver collected our bags and put it in the boot.
There was a long traffic from the airport gate to the main road. Mrs Williams told me traffic was a common feature with Lagos especially during work days in the mornings and evenings. It did not matter to me how long the traffic would take. I was in Lagos, that was first the most important thing to me and the second was that I was enjoying the atmosphere in her car.
EPISODE 3
After an hour, 10:30am to be precise in what it seemed to be like go slow, we arrived at Ikeja Bus Garage. I was overwhelmed with excitement. Once again, I acted organised physically.
“Ha, Mama, e ti dun ju, nibo le n nlo?” He said to Mrs Williams appreciating her beauty in “tout” language. Then he faced me “Omo ele, na your mama be this where you dey go?” He asked. Omo ele is a slang in yoruba language popularly used among garage boys to acknowledge a beautiful lady. Mrs Williams answered him that I was going to the NYSC Camp. She further explained that I was new in Lagos and we would need his favour to show me where the Lagos Camp was located.
While the conductor collected the fare, the driver called a vulcaniser to guage his tyres. The driver also brought out a yellow 5 litres keg of water from under his seat and poured the water into the bus radiator. It was a yellow bus with two black stripes drawn across it. It is popularly called Danfo in Lagos. After the whole “ceremony” was done, they both entered the bus, closed the door and at exactly 12 noon, we were set to leave for Iyanapaja.
EPISODE 4
The driver drove out of the garage like he was been chased by a monster. As he drove out, through the gallops of the exit, we bounced back and forth the seat. My heart almost jumped out of my mouth.
They exchanged insults in the bus and in the heat of the argument, the passenger voice said “Hello, Shola, how far? Please send me 5 of your men from the barracks to Iyanapaja, I'm almost there. There is someone I'll like your men to discipline. Make it fast please. Thank you.” The passenger ended the call.
The bus went quiet and the conductor became restless. The passenger sternly warned the conductor to be ready to be disciplined when they get to Iyanapaja.
EPISODE 5
There was an awful silence in the bus. The passenger had called a 'Shola' to send soldiers in advance to Iyana paja to discipline the conductor. The Conductor seemed restless in the bus.
“Boda, abeg no vex, I go give you your change” The Conductor apologised to the passenger. Then, he said to his driver to help him change N500 note to bits “abeg change this N500 oga mi, make I give my chairman change.”
The conductor playfully said to the passenger that he was too hard on him.
“You still dey talk, I can still redial o” The passenger brought out his phone as if to redial.
“Ah no o, my chairman, me ke, sorry abeg” he quickly begged. Everybody laughed. The driver warned the conductor to keep quiet and every body laughed at the whole scenario. Just then, we arrived at Iyanapaja.
EPISODE 6
When we arrived at Iyanapaja, the bus stopped and every body rushed out of the Bus like there was a Prison Break. I was surprised. I was not used to this kind of life in Jos. So much rush, noise, abuse etc.
“When you go to your right, you fit trek am but e far small, just carry bike, tell am say you dey go NYSC Camp. E dey beside Government College.” He stated with his croaky voice that he could have suggested I walked down but it was a little far but I could take a bike and tell the rider I was heading for the NYSC Camp beside Government College.
“Don't worry, save your money, I'll take you there, I'm going the same way.” A deep female voice spoke.
“Just a minute” She said. She had just a bag that looked like a school bag and another travelling bag, so she carried her “school bag” on her back and carried the second travelling bag. While I pulled my bag to roll on it tyres. Then we started the long walk to the camp.
EPISODE 7
The road buzzed with traders, buses, conductors calling passengers, hawkers selling their products and people walking to and fro the street.
I looked around happily. This part of the market reminded me of Brukutu in Jos. Brukutu also had a busy market, the noisy chatter, the sales of products and so on and for the first time since I arrived Lagos, I was able to find something similar to Jos.
“You don't let Lagos people know it's your first time, else, they will cheat you. Especially with the way you've been looking all over the place since we started this walk.” She said.
“She must be a nice girl. She would probably help my adventure. I think like her already” I thought to myself with a mischievous smile as we kept walking.
... to be continued
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