₦airaland Forum

stagger:
Mail me at dankrabb at gmail dot com. If you are good at writing, I will include you in my team. I will send you a code to type here with your moniker to prove it is you.

I have sent you an email.

Jaonnyster:
You write so beautifully.

Please, take up writing as a career.

Welcome back.

Thanks for the compliment. Some other people have said the same thing so I will look into that. I never imagined being a writer but I do love to read books and articles alot

deolivette:
May God almighty bless and open doors for you. You can email me deolivettepress@gmail.com with your account number... I will see what I can do for you

Hello sir, I hope you got my message sent to your email.

Rhea:
I am not sure what someone with an above-average-level command of written english in nigeria today would end up in a ghetto in Accra. Good story, just does not add up.

I had to definitely cut the whole story short because I can't explain it all here on NL so maybe that's the reason you won't understand. Come to think about it, who English help for naija

uruba23:
he who hasn't experience this would think it is fiction, but I tell you this Tales are real especially having gone through similar experiences myself. But God has been faithful. I bless the writer,the Good Lord would always located you.But for the Man at the Embassy even though we don't know your name the Good Lord would triple your promotion as well as all those who contributed to help this Gentleman.

I will never forget that man and if God makes a way for me, I know I will visit Ghana again just to see that man.

coming2america:
And you wrote all this on phone, very lucid, almost no mistakes, no typos, excellent grammar and you decided to go pick pure water bags in Ghana?

Na wa o

I didn't say I went to pick pure water in Ghana sir. I saw our people doing it but then I wanted to do any job just to raise money to get back to Nigeria.

alexola20:
I was traveling through London,I'd be having like 17 hours transit at Heathrow airport,so I told my friend of many years that he could join me at Heathrow for a hangout.
Of course I didn't have UK Visa but I was given 24hours stamp on my passport as I arrived at Heathrow.
So I connected to airport wifi and message my friend. O boy na so the guy read my messages and ignored it with no response.I was so surprised and just smiled as I was having more than enough money on me and flight the follow morning was to Lagos.
The money I could have spent had it been my friend showed up,I just enter duty free in the morning and shopped for whatever i liked.
I still thank him for not showing up.But this taught me a great lesson.And he has become 5th class friend in my life.

You even put him as 5th class friend. This my so called friend has no space in my life anymore and I know by the time we ever meet again he will be ashamed to see who I have become. Maybe he is still suffering there which mad him hide is head.

Ten06:
Pls how can we help you to thank the good Samaritan? Cos I was almost crying when reading your story. Guy I have been there before but it was in PH, Nigeria.

He is always at the reception stand at the embassy. He is the only person there most times that attend to people.

belloabd1914:
Did you later hear from your friend who was suppose to accommodate you in Accra

Not in a lifetime.

tempem:
Thanks for sharing, man.. You've Unknowningly helped some folks..
But, this is my question: Do you have the contact of the man that helped you?

No I don't. I didn't have a phone then so my mind didn't go there to tell him to write it for me. But he was really very nice and helpful to me.

deolivette:
May God almighty bless and open doors for you. You can email me deolivettepress@gmail.com with your account number... I will see what I can do for you

Thank you sir, I will do that.

Haykinsofficial:
Abeg make one pesin wake me if @op don cum bck...
We die hia 2day!

The comments are much so go back to page 2. I modified it and concluded there.

Ennyhorlar:
Please, continue

I modified it in page two and finished it

josephobaro:
please continue the story oo. I can relate well.

I finished it in page 2

Iyajelili:
This story of yiursust be fictional because I can't imagine someone passing through this shit in real life

It's real dear. I even had to cut it to be as short as possible.

Belial06:
Hahahahahahahahaa

Rubbish

Everytime I see topics by losers who failed to plan advising those yet to travel about how greener pastures isn't abroad I laugh

You all traveled with fake documents or went into crime then get deported and start crying

My friends and I all have different stories

We have good jobs abroad and live very well darn better off than our colleagues in Nigeria

Stop spreading lies

Even the president sent all his daughters to school. Abroad why?

Why didn't they school in Nigeria

Zara has a business in the UK

All your top politicians have their kids schooling and living abroad

They only bring them back to run companies they set up here
Liars and crooks who go into crime and get deported or enter as illegal immigrants always come here a d open threads to console themselves after they are deported

We know your type

Even dangote the richest Africa. Has his kids abroad

So does alakija

But you will come and.tell us stories oga go back and lick your wounds in Nigeria and stop looking g for home is better crusade

Who asked.you?

Let the serious ones come.out and join us legally and make a good life for themselves

Please all readers ignore rubbish like this , as long as you enter legally and work honestly there is no comparison between life in Nigeria and abroad

Please for graduates there are companies now employing nigerian graduates in Asia

Use indeed.com.sesrch Jon's for Nigerian graduates in Asia space indeed.com

Pay is okay roles are in admin, sales and logistics

Forget this your teller who was deported

Do you have common sense at all. Where did you see me advising anyone about traveling or not traveling. Is the topic to hard for you to comprehend that I am just sharing my experience. After you will think you know how to talk.

We all stayed in one kind of abandoned open shop close to the church. Unlike most of the guys that were picking pure water sachet in the circle area, the guys here were doing more of hard labour like bricklayer work, offloading goods from containers because that area is an industrial area so there are many warehouses around. Many of them have been there for long so they had their connection and knew when jobs were coming up. I tried to get involved with anything I could do so I can survive but yet again everyone would always tell me I can't do those kind of jobs. I will force them to take me but at the end the supervisor will still reject me. I felt really bad but then I had to get back to my usual begging which was obviously the only one that favoured me. Somehow I really felt like God was with me because I never imagined doing those kind of jobs and God didn't allow me do it. Sometimes when they have church services am always looking for you to beg until one day one man told me he will report to the pastor because the pastor warned that if anyone is caught begging they should report security and arrest the person.

Let me try to cut the long story short so I don't have to write in different pages.
Staying at that shop space close to the church was a nightmare because when rain falls at night we are practically sleeping under the rain. The mosquito bite at night is terrible. The shocking thing was how new people come almost everyday with the same story of how someone ran with their money or how their money got missing at the border and we will all have to stay in that place together. Mind you we can only stay there at night because during the day it's in front of a factory and that's were their workers sit down during their break. So during the day we all have to disappear from there but our bags are there and we cover them with the cartons we spread on the floor to sleep. I had tried so hard to raise money to get back to Nigeria but it only seems I can just find money to eat and do little things and that was it. I had to make enquiries about the Nigerian embassy in Ghana and then I got the address. So one day I went to the Embassy and explained my situation. The man I met there was really so nice and helpful. He told me they will send my issue to the ambassador because I told them I needed to go and I had no were to stay if they don't attend to me that day and find money for me. Unfortunately they said the ambassador had an urgent meeting so he will have to see it tomorrow and any amount he approves they will let me know. I thought about going back to sleep in that store and I said not today, so I gave my usual pity face and said I don't have anywhere to stay. So they allowed me sleep somewhere inside the embassy. That was the best sleep I have had in ages and the best bath I had taken that night. It was like I should not come out the bathroom and they oven put AC for me but I put it off later because my body was not use to AC anymore. I felt so alive again praying and hoping they give me money to go.
The next day I got a very bad news that the ambassador didn't approve any money because Buhari has not released money to the embassy. I actually almost fainted because I could not imagine going back to that store house after sleeping in the embassy so I pleaded with the man to help me in anyway. Very nice man I will never forget. He told me to wait, he was going to rag all the workers and see what he could get for me. That was how he was able to raise 200ghc for me and then told me I should not use the naija buses because the money won't be enough but I should use the short cut which he wrote on paper for me. From Accra to Aflao, I cross through the back gate and entered Togo.

I have now written a little introduction of my experience in Togo in my new post and I will be writing the full story very well in my blog. It's truly an experience of a lifetime.

The worst part that morning was that there were several other people that their things were stolen also and they had to call police. The stuffs of chisco started pointing fingers to we Nigerians that use to come and sleep at the park. I had to tell them that my phone was stolen also and that I was travelling back to Nigeria the next day which was why I slept in the park. I showed them my passport and told them that I was just waiting for the money someone wants to send for me to buy my bus ticket at Chisco so they didn't really do much but now asked all of us to leave and never return there to sleep except we want to travel. My people that was how I was thrown into the main street in the circle of Accra and that place is just like ikeja underbridge in Lagos were anything can happen. I had no phone and I could not communicate with anyone again. My money had already gone down and all I could imagine was hunger, starvation, mad man looks, and probably death very soon. Where do I go and where can I see help. I practically just carried my bag and and went to the back of the park so sit down were those Nigerian guys normally stay. The worst part was that non of them had a house. All of them were just in the street living from hand to mouth. They can't even help because they are equally looking for who to help. So a Nigeria lady that sells indomie offered me space in her little shop to keep my bag safe and I can always go and join the guys to sleep in one empty small store at night. Even though the mosquitoes there were the worst I have ever since because there is a very big canal close to that place, finding a place to just lay your head was the hope I had. Now for some time now I had not slept on a mattress not to talk about bed. It has been bare floor with carton we just put on the floor or bench.

Like play like play I was there for weeks and I think even up to a month living on coded street begging. I deviced a format I was also using to beg with my innocent face. I will start talking like who wants to cry. I will tell them that I was into 3d wall decor and I was invited to Ghana for a job only for the person to abandon me in a hotel and I got stranded so I am just trying to raise money to go back home. The bad thing was that not everyone will definitely answer you and even if they do they hardly give more than 5ghc because most times its less. So you can imagine how many people I will have to beg to get up to 10ghc in a day for me to eat well and be okay. I also had to bath and use the toilet once a day because it cost money to do that. Sometimes I had to leave the bathing matter because that 1ghc is one plate of banku with palm nut soup without fish or meat.

It wasn't easy but somehow I was always grateful to God that each day that passes, I was able to at least eat banku without fish or anything. The days were the begging gives me up to 20ghc I will be glad because I could each good food with fish or meat. I could barb my hair and at least still look a little normal.

As time went by I happened to discover there is a winners chapel church somewhere in the North industial area of Accra. I located the place and behold this was were I met another set of Nigerian guys in another world of suffering entirely. They only good thing now was that the area was more peaceful and safer compared to that circle and they had access to use the toilet and bathroom inside the church very early in the morning and a little late at night before they close the church gate. So I made friends with them and moved from getto to GRA lol.

Please check next page for the continuation as your many comments are pushing the stories to different pages.

While I was at chisco park I realized there were some Nigerian guys there who had their bags kept in one corner like that. I observed they picked clothes, went somewhere to bath and change then came back. I had to quickly meet them and I explained my situation to them. They started gisting me of their own struggles and how difficult life has been for them in Ghana. They told me they go to somewhere in town to hustle and come to sleep at the park at night. I was so shocked and became really confused. We went somewhere at the back of the park, that area is a confirmed ghetto and just like that I had already started becoming a ghetto guy. I met other Nigerian guys there as well some were gathering big bags of pure water sachet and when I asked what they are doing with big bags of dirty they laughed and said what am seeing there is money. They big pure water sachets from different places until they fill up big bags and they go to supply a company that recycle them. I was like this is really terrible but now am here I need to raise money to go back to naija asap. I stayed with them for a while then one told me if I need to raise money like I said I do, he will take me to were he hustles because they need workers. So I can do some work during the day then at night we come to sleep at the park. I thought about the idea and said I will give it a try so we went there. It's a local restaurant were they sell food and it's owned by a lady. She usually have lots of customers so she hires workers that do different jobs like washing plates, pounding fufu, cutting vegetables, cooking etc. She gives food free to the workers for lunch and dinner and then she paid 10ghc per day and sometimes 5ghc per day depends. He introduced me to the lady and she asked me to wait. Later the guy came to meet me and told me the lady said she doesn't need workers for now. He now said the truth of the matter is that I don't look strong enough to do that kind of work. In my mind I said at this point I am ready to do anything to raise money but then she has rejected me so I had to leave alone and I went back to the chisco park area. I sat somewhere thinking seriously, almost cried while still trying to reach my friend all to no avail. I said to myself so this is how people can be so wicked to the point of leaving you in another man's land stranded. I now tried to reach those other guys in Abidjan through facebook because I didn't have their number. I wrote a long message to one of them explaining everything and begging for any little money that they can send me anyhow so I can face Abidjan but actually my mind was that if they send any money I am running back to naija without even thinking twice. With what I have already seen in Ghana that is closer to naija I will now proceed again to Abidjan that is even a French speaking country, meaning say na die I wan die be that. Anyways I waited for response without getting anything and so that night the other guys retured and we all stayed together and passed the night at the park.

The next morning, this became the beginning of the worse moments of my life in Ghana. Imagine waking up in the morning to find out that my phone has entered voice mail. Jesus Christ, that is I cannot communicate with anyone again and that was the first time I really cried in Ghana.

That morning everyone that we came together had all left, only people waiting to travel to Nigeria were arriving the park. I called and called my friend and that's when it hit me that my so called friend has abandoned me. Probably all the mouth he was making are lies and might even be homeless in Ghana that's why he was ashamed to receive me. I started calling those ones doing chairman in the bus, their phone was ringing and they refused to pick my call. I felt since it was quite a long journey maybe they had to get enough sleep. For now I am on my own what do I do.

I then asked one of the workers at the park if I could get any cheap hotel around and he directed me to one nearby. I went there and they gave me a room with fan and small TV for 30ghc per night. I paid for that day and slept off because I was so tired. Later in the day I was up because I couldn't sleep for so long, I was worried. I called my friend and to my surprise the phone rang and he picked up the phone apologizing and giving me excuses how something urgent came up and he had to go to kumasi which is very far from Accra. That day was a Saturday so he asked were I was and I told him I had to stay in a small hotel near the cross country park. Thinking he would now direct me on how to get to his place and relax until he comes, he said I should just manage the hotel for a while that he will be back by latest Wednesday and I should not worry about the money I spend he will give me more self so that I enjoy Ghana well. What can I do, I am already in Ghana so I said okay. I took a walk that evening to find something to eat. I found a place close to the hotel which was a small nice bar and restaurant run by a couple. I was just admiring the way the organized everything. The guy was in charge of the nice little bar while his girlfriend was in charge of the restaurant. They both had two Kia shortage parked in front, one for the guy and one for the lady. I was just there eating, took few bottles of bear to give myself enough hope that all will be fine and later I went back to the hotel to sleep.

Next day Sunday I called my friend just to check on him and ensure he doesn't forget am still waiting, only to discover the phone has been switched off again. My people this was how I stayed in that hotel till Wednesday without being able to reach my guy. Now money has gone down just a few cedis left and I could already see problem. No where I know I want to go and no one I know. I tried to call some few people I knew in naija to see if I can get help with little extra cash to see if it's for me to return back to naija but as usual everybody is broke and I was able to see who will give me 10k which is just about 100ghc and to go back to naija was like 300ghc or with cross country because I didnt even know the way back to efex.
With the few money I had I knew staying in the hotel is no more an option something has to be done so I checked out the hotel and went with my bag to cross country. I stayed there almost all through that day until night I had no choice than to sleep there. Now in the morning no where to bath and no where to brush, till wearing same clothes I said to myself wahala don set. I had to ask a guy working there how I could take my bath and at least change my clothes. He directed further to the main Accra area called Circle and where they had the Chisco park, he said I should ask around and someone we direct me to one public toilet and bathroom around there which anyone can just pay to use so I went there, found the play, paid 1ghc to bath and 1ghc to use toilet. They had the cheaper option for toilet but that option is so disgusting I had to run out and upgraded to that of 1ghc per poo time lol. After everything I felt a little relieved and I just went to the chisco park to relax and think of my next move.

uruba23:
It is a cold morning my house is flooded can't go downstairs Oya continue your story.

I will am just charging my phone small.

As the bus took off it was actually a smooth interesting journey as everyone was gisting and so I was trying to get different information about Ghana and life in Ghana. Somehow most of the guys were forming chairmen and talking about how they had boys, cars and doing well in Ghana. They were even saying they help people that don't have were to stay in Ghana by collecting just small money from them and giving them a room where they can stay for two to three months at least to become a little stable. I was so loving the stories I was hearing and all my hopes were really high. We crossed the idiroko border without stress as we didn't even come down from the bus. Getting to ilakonji border (Benin/Togo) we had to come down, pass through the security post with leg then wait for the bus on the other side. All through the journey the driver held all our passports and ID. I had to just follow the guys that knew the process and when observing everything carefully.

When we got to Aflao (Togo/Ghana) I observed the changing money process and did mine along with other people then I got a Ghana sim put credit and tried to call my friend that am already at the Ghana border just waiting for the bus to take off to Accra. The call didnt go and I felt maybe battery is low and he might put it on before I get to Accra.
Finally we got to Accra around 2am and the bus just dropped us at their empty park that was even closed and he took off to where I don't know leaving us there by that time. I tried to reach my friend and his number was still not going. So most people were already leaving as they knew their way and some of the ladies already had people that brought cars or taxi to pick them with their goods. I had to now resort to asking the guys that were forming chairmen that help people if I could at least pass the night with any of them. Quite sadly they came up with one story or the other and gave me their number to call the next day if I don't hear from my friend.

So those left didn't know any cheap hotel around as the ones we saw were expensive. Someone then directed us to cross country park and said they are always open and it's safer for us to sleep there till day break. So that was how we went there and passed the night.

When it was morning everything became another different story.

I have been thinking for a while how to share my story so I have decided to give a write up bit by bit about my horrible travelling experience from Nigeria with hope of getting to Abidjan. Do not mind the way I type but just enjoy the story.

I had some friends then who were based in Abidjan and everytime they visit Nigeria the way they splash money was really alarming. Sometimes one would wonder if there was a tree over there they pluck the money. They buy expensive cars, stay in expensive hotels, carry expensive girls, drink and eat carelessly with caution. I was always tripping and hoping that I can join them in Abidjan so that I get to make money too although I had intention of not living the kind of life they do but try to be low profile and establish something profitable in Nigeria.

I worked hard and saved up some money, got my international passport and made up my mind to travel. First of all I contacted a friend that also tells me he is living large in Ghana. My plan was to stay in Ghana for a while, see how life is there and maybe learn one or two things from my friend in Ghana and then proceed to Abidjan. We had spoken about it and he was always sounding excited to heard I was coming.

The day came I was ready so I made my journey to Lagos, met up with a friend there who I told about my decision to travel. He took me to Yaba area were I booked my ticket with Efex going straight to Accra. That day was a Wednesday and the ticket available was for Friday so I booked it and decided to pass the night at my friends house. He was staying with someone so I could tell the person wasn't feeling to comfortable. The next day which is Thursday I decided to move into a cheap but clean hotel around to pass the night since I was taking off very early the next morning.

Early the next morning I was at the park, everything so set and about 9am we took off. Here we go, I never knew this was actually a journey from frying pan to fire. Inside the bus I was the only one who seemed to be going to Ghana for the first time as everyone was talking about Ghana and how they live in Ghana. I could instantly tell that all the guys in the bus were yahoo boys as some even held their laptops with their dreadlocks also wearing shocks and slippers. Most of the ladies seem to have come to buy goods from Nigeria like hair attachment and other stuffs they sell in Ghana. Getting almost close to idiroko border the bus started over heating so we had to come down while the driver called that they bring another bus. As at when the bus came and they had to load the bus before we took off it was already 3pm.

This is were the real journey began. I will be back to continue.