The night before the trip we I was so excited
COMING TO AMERISUKKA!
I'm planning to travel to East sometime in this week. Since I'm
not really hurrying, I decided to try the train. I thought it wise
to go get info today, ahead of time.
First boarding terminal is at Port Harcourt and last stop is at
Kano, on this route. I found out they reserve the first class
coach, giving preference to people traveling further away as
this was more profitable for the corporation.
The policy indicated that first class tickets to nearer
destinations were ONLY given on the day of departure if there
were still vacancies. The first class coach is quite comfortable
and spacious while second class option, though not so bad, I
was told was a prayer point...sort of.
I needed the first class in this because I already have a
second class from the University and since my mom didn't
give birth to an idiota, why would I use my money to buy
another second class? I went to pay for the ticket, knowing I
needed to convince whoever I met at the ticket boot to do the
impossible and get me the first class ticket today.
I cleared my throat of phlegm and used my best "This is Tolu
from MTN customer care, how may I help you" voice to call
out. A permanent smile was already waiting on my face for
whoever was coming to answer. A fair, middle aged woman
came out with a baby. Baby, yes (I'm good with babies)! I
spoke to the baby first. Winning the baby over may just make
getting the ticket easier. Well, it turned out she was not the
one to attend to me.
Then a younger, dark lady came to attend to me. Change of
game plan. I just smiled at her calmly for about 8 seconds. No
words, just a genuine smile! She didn't know what to make of
it at first but soon enough she smiled too. Then we both burst
out laughing (thanks to Catalina and Sebastian, y'all are
awesome; Telemundo works). When we finally spoke, she told
me same thing about the policy. Well, I smiled again. She then
began asking me questions. We spoke a short while. She took
a deep breath, drew out a pile and got me a first class ticket. I
paid, thanked her and left.
I'm coming to Amerisukka...by rail!


After the trip
PLEASE DON'T SAY NO.
(The Salvageable Nigerian railway system)
I want to start by apologizing to all those who have become
inspired to try traveling by train in Nigeria, because of my
previous post. I'm so sorry. I did not know much.
I bought a first class ticket to join a train from Port Harcourt to
Kano (though I was to stop at Enugu). You can imagine the
romantic notions I had about how the trip would go; how I
would look out of the window in slow motion while having
some melancholic background music to reminisce with on
anything; while my imaginary long, jet black, silky hair would fly
around in a carefree manner. Most of what I had thought
about traveling by train was informed by European subway
tubes! I know, right? I gave too much credit to a government
run commercial system in Nigeria. I shall now attempt to share
my experience as briefly as possible.
First, I arrived at the station at about 5:49 am. The girl who
sold me the ticket made it feel like coming by 6am was equal
to missing the train. Well I did my best to be early yet we only
boarded the train at 6:49 am. Like most Nigerian institutions,
they failed to keep to time. I was like the 5th person to get
into the 1st class coach. I immediately noticed the odor, it
wasn't so strong but it was well represented among the gases
in that coach.
At first, I thought that those of us in the first class coach had
hit jackpot. It was properly lighted and the air conditioning
system was up. We sat, took pictures and generally relaxed.
Things began to go bad as we made a stop at Imo River.
At first, the ride was so cool I even had enough time to
fantasize about being an action hero in a movie. I imagined
one grumpy, tall guy in a red baseball cap as a terrorist whom
I would fight on top the moving train, save the passengers and
ride into the sunset. Soon enough, our coach was jammed
with passengers with both 2nd class and 1st class tickets
forcing their way in; so jammed and hot, I was cured of my
action hero day dream almost immediately (even James Bond
would fail his mission, if it was to be carried out in that coach.
How can you shoot when your hand is squeezed to your sides
by standing committee?) We were told that the 2nd class
coaches had reached their max, we had to put up with the
new passengers. Things got even worse at Aba terminal.
There seemed to exist little or no synergy between stations or
their activities. Why would the train be filled and yet tickets
would still be sold at successive stations. So we would arrive
to large crowds of passengers waiting for an already filled
train with valid tickets. If the train is filled on booking at PH,
we shouldn't see large crowds of people with ticket waiting for
us at successive station.
The Railway Corporation also appeared grossly under-staffed.
We had just one young boy trying to control our coach of over
300, sweating, angry and volatile passengers. There were
several near clashes or mob incidents as bot tempers and
temperatures rose.
Now, something really unhealthy was that, the first class
coach was built in such a way it has very little ventilation
because it is supposed to always be air-conditioned. But, as a
matter of tradition, the power generator always breaks down at
some point (or so claimed the staff). Then we had to all
squeeze into this very hot coach. The little vent present, can't
even be opened as dust and soot from burning bushes flow in
and choke the passengers. It was hot, we're locked in and
tightly packed. That's the picture.
Asides this, the management of haulage was very
unprofessional and undependable. A passenger who sat in
front of me, had paid to transport 10,000 fingerlings. He had
the fishes in perforated jerry cans with water at the heavy
luggage section and would come down at every stop to check
it and change water as necessary. But in between Aba and the
next stop. He had lost his fishes- they died. Some of the new
passengers had had their luggage thrown over the vent of his
cans and killed his fishes.
Wouldn't it have been more solid if inventory of luggage was
categorized according to such sensitivity? Wouldn't it have
been better if an adequate number of staff had been employed
so that some could be fully assigned to handle luggage so no
one gets a damaged good after paying for the service?
If there was any asthmatic person in that coach, an attack
would have been certain. I am not sure there's any medical
help on board, not even a first aid box. I may be wrong on that,
though. I hope. The children were the worse hit. So many of
them were crying almost constantly.
Because of the minimal coordination at each stop, there was
much delay before the journey would commence. We left Port
Harcourt at about 7:11 am and arrived Enugu at 6:55pm.
Almost 12 hours for a journey of roughly 5hours. If the
departures and arrivals at successive terminals are overseen
from an overall monitoring center with sub-monitoring
centers, the delays could be significantly cut out.
People of Nigeria, the railway system is a viable transport
option but the corporation or the ministry of transport, in
following status quo will just kill it. The overload of people and
luggage will exert faster wear on the trains.
My humble suggestion?
1. Get more staff to man the coaches (to maintain order in the
trains) and to handle bookings at the stations.
2. Restructure the system by creating a functional central
control station to collate, process and manage trips, oversee
the system. This will end the current kamikaze approach of
transportation; come one, come all!
3. Draw up and enforce policies to ensure weight capacity is
not exceeded so outrageously.
4. Carve out a special unit from the corporation to receive,
process and handle passengers' luggage in a more
professional manner.
5. Increase the number of first class coaches. A lot of of
people fought hard to get into the limited first class coach.
They had money to pay too but there was just one.
6. Better the conditions of the first class coaches. When we
had to open the few available small vents, we coughed and
choked from dust and soot. I'm lamenting but I was in first
class. Stretch that to appreciate how bad second class
coaches must have been.
7. Re-orientation of the security personnel on board. We're
customers, they should stop shouting, pushing and hitting
people at the slightest offence like we came to write JAMB.
Let's show our civility by how well we treat even the bad eggs
among us.
8. And change the embarrassing ticket. It won't be bad if the
tickets read the actual amount they cost instead of N13.45.
(Do share. Maybe someone who is in some position to effect
some change is on your friend list).

More pictures

story is too long. could u summarise in 5 sentences?

Too long... Can't even go tru it. What u trying to say in short?