₦airaland Forum

pizzlesbar:
As an experienced traveler. Most of the time it doesn't make any sense to travel internationally by road especially if you are not going to the next country A to B. Its even more expensive, exhausting and very time-consuming. I've met Nigerians in all sorts of shitty countries, places their families will never imagine they are. Stuck and semi-destitute. Some, where misled. Some really had an averagely paying job in NG. They quit and embark on such regretable journey without the right sets of skills. The people that really survive the road those type of skills are not taught in any school. That's why Gaby spoke about the real 419. The one on one thing. Anybody outside the realm will never know the real GUY MEN schemes. Those are the real hustle. Some pick it up out of necessity to survive. But in reality, there is no victimless crime. The governor of your state embezzling funds, Might not think that he is creating victims such as the road travelers. Road travelers commit crimes along their way creating more victim footprint. Dodgy human smugglers. Dirty border cops. Greedy businessmen who get hooked on GUY story.

They do lie when they call home too. Spend 5 years in some shitty place. Have kids that will never meet their extended families. I've always prayed for the spirit of fear. And that spirit of fear lets me realize my limits. The point of return. It's good to try. But when water pass garri, it's no more a worthy drink! The experiences are one in a lifetime unique experiences. But I always make sure I can go back home. Don't be afraid or embarrassed about deportation or returning home with nothing. I'd rather go back and restrategize; then make the move again.

Maybe I'll create another nick to be more expressive. I rarely comment. But an avid NL reader since its inception. Gaby sounds authentic. Unless he is telling another man's story.

I can't be 'realer' bro..I'm not faceless and if this story gets anywhere further than this trust me you'll find people to corroborate my story.It'd be more stressing lieing or telling someone else's story trust me.

Nairalane:
Are you the white fairly guy in the pics, much looking like Charlie Chaplin!!!

Nope sir,I'm straight up Ebony.
Was just thinking bro and need your counsel.How about i blog on my life,travails and sojourn.Any sense plus economic value?

Nairalane:
Bro, many including myself would have love your concept but the fear of lifting the burdens limitedly is a major dilemma! Rather than posting your episodes here, get a captivating topic, open a thread! Do not add more than, the little you've exposed here, then, drop an address where interested investors can connect you, let's see how it goes from there! This is how many people hit jackpot! Like a woman went to prison, she came out and was exposing how many popular film makers are on her neck tie get scripts from the experiences she had in prison! She'd make a lot of money, since she owns the experience.... Do that also. And also, take God along, cuz He's the ultimate help we need to have good success!

God bless you richly for this insight.
Fair enough i haven't said anything yet with the prologues here,story is way deeper and thrilling. Sure my contact is on my profile incase anyone cares about reaching me.

Franky826:
Lol classic response. Pro to asking the question, I read where you said you actually made it in, got hitched up with a white lady, advanced fee scam(guess that's where the money came from), buying up trucks and how it went down the drain.

Seriously you are a good writer.

We could use your story to tell people of what to expect when they leave The Nigerian struggle to the desert of no return (if unlucky).

Kudos man. I'll still be waiting for the thread and other stories to come.

The highlight was when you improvised with a sardine cover to cut the umblical cord to save the woman and her child! Damn! Your life is full of story bro.

My brother tori boku how many man fit talk sef.
Everytime i get asked what school i graduated from,i answer..i attended/still attending the school of life and graduation date unknown..

Franky826:
So did you make it into Spain? And where are you now?

Would you advise someone to embark on this kind of trip with your experience?

You wan travel by land? I go send you map and some of my contacts along the way no worry..lol.
Was just kidding you bro.It's in your best interest to jettison that idea and seek an alternative means of checking out if you must.
First of,you wont be spending less than that alternative you will be shying away from.I call it capital ' penny wise,pound mumu'.
Second of,you dont wanna get your whole life and psyche corrupted and messed up from the inherent trauma therefrom.
Peace

DonPiiko:
Your story makes for an interesting read, thank God for your life, I am sure you are doing good now.

Can't complain even though it's been hellish since all i garnered crookedly dissipated the same way i garnered them,and also my personal decision to live aright and not covet another mans sweat or property under whatever name or guise now that i know better,brought me back to rock bottom and mother earth.
Been paying for my crimes and funny enough it gives me this inner peace not minding the 360' turn around in the negative but i still keep my chin up.
Constantly in the process of reinventing myself as i'm presently selling off my last stocks to raise up cash and pursue a trade i've got an eye on.
I have become a laughing stock among friends who knew when i was balling and are wondering why i chose to live like a monk by not continuing in the crooked ways,but i remain unfazed.I actually hear them talk but shake my head at them while keeping on with my vow of living at peace.

Elxandre:
You learnt it shortly?
That's interesting.

Aside the fact that i'm talented in picking languages,it actually gets easy learning a language when your compulsion stems from not having an alternative means of communication with the locals. You'll definitely have to learn to be able to get by on a daily.
My opinion.

sokarsenal:
pls open a thread already...this could be your major break in life.....

I hardly comment here.....but i had to ........please

I will sir..

Elxandre:
Your story sweet well.
Would make a good book.

I forgot to ask.
How did u communicate with the locals in Morocco?

Spoke passable Arab plus french..

Babagy823:
My brother gaby, this your story will be the next best seller if put in writing, it will be read all over the globe.
And i bet you with this experience you will be granting interviews with the likes of CNN and BBC. Go ahead guy, i cant wait to read this book.

I'll need more livers plus guts aswear but its sure worth giving a thought..

schumastic:
I would say you were lucky and destined to make it. Yours is better since it was 10years back, compared d to the tales I have heard from migrants who returned last year till date, its really sad.

There is a tv program called talking migration, which we air in our media firm and that's how I get to know about all the above mentioned you talked about. Sometimes I shed tears when ever they recount their ordeal.

It was a bit easier to make the journey years back when there was no crisis in the middle east. The situation right now is so bad that they sale human beings as slaves to a fellow human. CNN had to cover it to let the world know what is really going on in Libya and other north African countries.

almost 20 years ago bro..1998/99

Nairalane:
Even, if it's just an article of few pages, develop something from these experiences, God will guide you through and we can even help with promoting it..... Just suggesting a title "My Sojourn to Spain on Land"... People will damn want to see how that happened!

"Europe by bidon" lol

Literally translates to travelling to europe through the desert with a water keg. If you've seen any pictures of travellers on land loaded into trucks,you'll notice kegs hanging out all around the trucks.Those were individual survival kits for we the journeyers on that journey of possible no return.
That was a nickname we coined for ourselves then.

Tobi7:
Dude I just read your story and it got me engaged, hoping to read more of your experience, maybe I can learn something from it. Seems you have gone through a lot as a man.

Thanks Tobi,trust me loads to learn from it.I haven't been courageous to share this much with anyone before now but with the edging on i received here and even though i break down intermittently in sobs,it's been more of therapy than entertainment.
I've got to apologise to the op of this thread as it seems my story has hijacked his/her thread. It wasn't deliberate please just a spur of the moment.

SKYKEN001:
I swear.... This is touching

The last piece just completely broke me this Sunday morning.

You can imagine the tit bits i've been sharing here which isn't even 10% of the story of my life,then you'd understand why i haven't been able to share before now especially on one-on-ones. Who wan siddon dey listen to my long epilogue and even believe me.
Will just take a break for now.

Nairalane:
Even, if it's just an article of few pages, develop something from these experiences, God will guide you through and we can even help with promoting it..... Just suggesting a title "My Sojourn to Spain on Land"... People will damn want to see how that happened!

You get sense bro will definitely think that through. Couldn't sleep last night after the lil i spilled on here i was just reliving it all and cried my hearts out.(No shame)
I count myself lucky to be alive man to even start a narrative on my life story.
I wasn't the smartest amongst all,but damn was i lucky? Hell yeah. Writing this and remembering friends and clients alike i lost who'd come to my shop and say guy my folks just sent me money to cross over and i wont be needing this passport and jewelries you can have them to sell and push your ministry forward while you are waiting for your time and the next day i'll be greeted with news that the boats ferrying my friends capsized and they all drowned. (R.I.P Smart,Nelson and all you other guys) Actually promised you guys we'll meet on the other side.As you all know we cared less about death in the jungle as it had become second nature,but i'm sorry i lost you guys to the waters which i barely survived probably to tell this story.Can you imagine the pain and life time scar?
Sobbing right now guys i'm sorry this is too tough on me reliving.
It's been frigging 20 years and i'm just sharing all these and the impact is just hitting me.
I'm fucking scarred and damaged emotionally for life now i know.

N.B
I'm still thinking on the best way to let my story out and just help myself heal especially even while passing a lesson to the readers.
In the interim i'd pause on telling it all until i've decided on how best to proceed. Please i do not want my story shared without my express permission except with someone probably willing to help me develop it into a readable one piecer as it is presently disjointed and not exactly how i would want it presented.
Thanks for your understanding guys.
Credit for picture source:Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters

Elxandre:
Did you cross?

Sure i did after two years owing largely to not having anyone abroad to send me money unlike most of my co-travellers who had left me behind and already settled in Spain and other countries.But i did refuse to wallow in self pity during my stay in Morocco and picked up myself when i ran into someone i had lent 200$ along the way and gotten separated from at some point.Dude got into Rabat and never cared to look out for me to fulfil his promise of repaying me.
So i mentioned to some of my hungry and angry lion pals that i've got 200$ somewhere with someone who's in town but avoiding me,everyone was like say what? And we are here stranded and starving?With no mercy we mobilized one beautiful morning with battle axes and swords to boot and traced Mr's ghetto where we found him with the group of girls he was trafficking to his sister up town.
We held everyone in the lodge to ransom after enough slaps on the Target. At a point the humane part of me kicked in as usual and i could no longer stand the smack down ans started pleading on the targets behalf but my mercenaries turned on me and proceeded to force him to call his sister who was made sure to listen to the slaps been rained on her brother.She immediately ran to a western union office to remit plus extra for the boys.
Within 1 hour i got 200$ which i split in two- one part plus extra for mercenaries who could seize it all from me if they so wished but knowing how i'm Mr cool and all i've been through i was allowed to keep my 100$.
After the hit and the boys had proceeded to get their supply of hasjes for the day,i moved from the target location and headed into the city center to see what i can do with my latest life-line.
At this point i needn't a soothsayer to have told me i'll be in Rabat for a long haul and to survive until Miracle happens i decided i was going to spend my lifeline getting at least 2 hair clippers and see how i'd float a salon however and wherever.
So i bought the 2 clippers and a cover cloth got home and showed to pals who with their bushy hairs made me clean them all up for free ofcourse.
Now i needed to get a space to start working,renting a shop was completely out of it as you can imagine. So i remembered there was this teleboutique where we usually go slot in coins to make calls, i approached papa the owner and pleaded he allowed me a space at a corner in front of his shop to my amazement papa was so happy and willing to give me space.
I needed a chair to sit potential customers while shaving them so i moved into the market close by where i found one of these wooden fruit boxes and moved it to my new space.I'd sit on or stand beside my wooden box office while canvassing for customers and boy,i didn't even need much canvassing not with all the destitute like fellows tripping into Rabat on a daily unkempt and haggard looking after many months in the desert.
In no time my lil space had turned into a meeting point for all immigrants and i had gotten a boy who pleaded to work with me.(Dude is a recording artiste based in Norway now). He became my worker and in no time i had the 2 working for me while they make returns at the end of each day.
So i managed until i started a mini bureau de change where i'd sneak into town to buy Pesetas (this was before the introduction of euros) on the cheap and proceed to sell at a mark up to those lucky enough with helpers and could afford the 1,200-1,500 $ cross over fee. As i no get who to help me na i jejely accept my fate become aboki wey dey change money and lend money.
I had become very comfortable and started losing steam on crossing over into spain at this time even though it wasn't easy saving from my business to make up the cross over fee which was also most of the times a gamble as you could lose it all in flash if anything goes wrong as it often times did.

Hard knock life it is..My story big oo and e long wella.

blueeyes1:
I wish I could give you a hug right now.

It is well sis..thanks

blueeyes1:
Please , open a thread, you never know, your story might save someone and please tag me when you do, thanks

Will sure do..Thanks Ma

chuksp09:
After reading your reply, i can say u re a natural at writing, yes i read a lot too and i can confirm it helps a lot. With all the dreary topics posted on this once great forum, one rarely see anything inspiring but thanks to the Op who created this thread as it led me to your story, i hope to read more of it.

Appreciate you mate

Taku555:
Elmyaaaa! Bro! Your story has taught me more than a million lessons. It's really touching

Glad you did but there are more to learn as i proceed.

Bsideboi:
Wow.. Bro.Your book will be a best seller aswear in the light of these campaign against irregular migration thing going on...and you write well too.Make it happen!!!

Thanks man

dexcira:
Awww I know how u feel flashing back. Am sorry dear for the challenging memories. Can u sleep now?

Thanks sis...Will sleep some now...hugs all

XaintJoel20:
I am sorry if you see my comment from that angle I didn't mean to. I am an Edo person myself and should know one from afar.

I know how we ball.

lol no wahala obhi epa koyo...

Notmyproblem:
It will nice is you can write a book, I am sure there are people on NL that can provide guidance if need be.

Not a bad idea and i sure will need guidance lol

chuksp09:
I find it hard to believe you did not complete high school, "flows like a knife through butter", come on man even u should be proud of your writing skills. Sadly, I find myself in a situation a lil similar to yours. First kid with all the attendant pressures (setting good example and the lot); my parents are cool though so i am taking the time to improve myself.
However your story encouraged me, it really did. I would greatly appreciate it if you mentioned me when u do complete the narrative. Please do... I'm rooting for you.

Bless you bro..you are appreciated.
I tend to lean more towards the 'self-tutored' cliche. I read a lot.
Growing up my dad was an engineer who'd travel out of state for work most of the time and whenever he gets back he'll need to write a report on his trip to the MD.
As part of the efforts to drill me into a responsible first son,my dad will ask me to come write the report while he dictates.
The first of such reports i wrote was in 1988 and i was just a J.S.S 1 student of Ugborikoko secondary School,Warri while we lived at 25 Metsarun Street Okumagba layout.
Looking back now i see how it actually helped me in improving on my writing.

Taku555:
what a touching story! You're really a kind man. I believe that was why God kept you alive up til today.

Thanks and God bless you man.

AnyDevice:
Great story.. i hope you are not in this country called Nigeria now or else....

lol...i dey Naija my brother..i don do Ajala come back home.

Taku555:
with this wonderful write up, many would have been convinced that you have attended your plight in education if not reviewed to be a drop out. I must confess you are a good writer and I really enjoyed reading your story. I wish you could go ahead and finish your story. I have learnt a lot from your story.

I want to tell you that self confidence is something abstract and in built, do not allow it to WA you down.

Thanks brother..I'll let it all out so i can begin my healing process.

Taku555:
I would have loved to read the story to the end. How did you get in Spain and what were the obstacles you encountered in Nador?

Will write more on the story in detail.

XaintJoel20:
You probably would be an Edo man.
Did you make it to Spain?

Yup i'm Edo but your comment was going kinda stereotypical seeing in my group alone we had Igbo,Yoruba,Edo etc.

Yep made it to Spain and beyond.

XaintJoel20:
I would like to get the full gist.
Please keep me updated.

No wahala

Amhappy:
@gaby God is with you. I can't imagine. I also will love to read your story.

Thanks guys.talking about and reliving it is making me cry here.You know that feeling of an experience only you went through and can't paint a vivid picture of it to people around and you just wished they knew what you been through.