₦airaland Forum

gaby:
This is going to make a long read though but here we go..

The story about a day i'll never forget..

The year was 1999 and i was just 21,had dropped out of college and decided to migrate for economic reason from my home state in Nigeria.

With no pre-requisites nor sufficient finance to go legal by obtaining a visa and flying,i opted to travel by land through the desert onwards Spain via Moroco. There was however a snag as all i had was a map and a sketch of how and where to change vehicles at specific towns in each country i’ll be passing through. Fortunately on the night i was to board the check out bus from my small town of Benin City enroute Katsina State bordering Nigeria and Niger Republic,half the passengers on the bus turned out to be making the same journey so we all naturally gelled and formed a group.

We got to the border town the next morning and got smuggled into a vehicle that took us further into Niger Republic specifically to a town called Agadez.We did a couple of more days there until we got the next connection to smuggle us through the Sahara desert into a town (Tamaransett) in Algeria. Pertinent to note here that the ultimate target of our journey was to hit Morroco from where we can either Climb accross the razor fences seperating Morocco from either of Spain’s enclave of Ceuta and Mellila both on mainland Morocco.This is actually like crossing from Mexico into the US.

A lot happened on the travel through the Sahara as we did the journey in three days.From co travellers collapsing and been abandoned in the desert to having to survive on our urines. Travelling through the desert we did come upon a couple of human skeletal remains of a couple of unfortunate travellers.

Not to bore you folks with my epistle so i’ll leave out much of what i went through on the journey and continue from when we got into Moroccan territory or the border between Morocco and Algeria in a town called Magniya.Everybody journeying through that route actually get together at this jungle-a valley actually where we set up camps and wait to make up a certain acceptable number for the smugglers to take us on the journey by foot through the woods,deserts and jungles of Morroco to evade the authorities.On a good day with a good guide who knows the route well that’ll be a 2 weeks or thereabouts journey on foot.

So on this day my group and i got prepped to embark on this journey.We had gotten our standard supplies of barguettes,sardines and milk to survive on just enough not too heavy to burden us on the long walk.

We journey only at nights for cover.On the first night we covered a couple of km’s in between some guys and ladies already dropping by the way side not able to keep up pace and exhausted,nobody even cares it’s either you ship in or ship out. So we continued until i eventually took a short rest and afterwards got sperated from the group and i knew not what way to continue on.

Out of frustration,hunger and desperation i decided to come out of the woods in broad day not a single scare of the police as i would have gladly ran to them at this point if for nothing at all just for something to eat and a place to sleep.I started begging for food from some locals who were so kind God bless them.These locals will actually get into trouble with the authorities if it becomes public knowledge that they are habouring or didnt report seeing an alien.But these guys will take me in,make me ‘shai’ morrocan tea and bread then hide me until night time then show me how to go and avoid the cops.

So i continued until i got to Nador.This town actually borders Mellila one of the spanish Territories on Morrocan soil.Meanwhile as a group,our original destination was Rabat where we have a decent population of fellow immigrants on the same journey,where we could gather and map out the next strategy on how to cross into spain either by ferry on. a dingy across the atlantic/mediterranean or scaling the razor fences.

When i arrived Nador i was lost for how to proceed being alone.Mind you it was 2 weeks plus already since i got seperated from my group.I hadn’t showered all these while so you can imagine what i was like. While thinking about my life and how to proceed a bike drove up to me and asked i hopped on,i was hesitant but he insisted and i obliged.He drove me for about 5 kilometres and stopped then asked me to keep left and climb a super mountain across that if i did that and kept to my left i’ll get close to the razor fence.

I thanked him and started on the journey of climbing the huge mountain.From my reckoning i started ascending at about past 8pm when the.man dropped me and when i got to the peak of the mountain where i could see all around Nador and also look into the spanish territory it must have taken me about 3 hours but i became so fired up that at least i’m close to spain.

While i was still basking in the euphoria of my new found luck and planing on where to attack from,the heavens gave way and it started raining cats and dogs with no where to take shelter.

I decided to just keep walking with no particular direction until i happened on a cemetry.When i got to the cemetry at about 12–1 am i couldn’t hold it any longer.I just broke down and started crying my hearts out thinking about my family and friends and how no one knows where i am at what i was passing through. Afterall and the rain had subsided i hadn’t the will to continue that night i just laid on the closest grave to me and prayed for the person resting there.

Pretty tough journey i must confess but had to leave out most parts for easy reading.

Thats it folks a lil story about my life.

Thanks for your time and for reading.

dexcira

gaby:
Just remembered how in the course of the journey one of the girls had gotten knocked up by someone she can't place and how she had gone into labour and everybody scampered in different directions except me. I helped Christy bring into the world a cute little baby boy and christened him Tyson right there in the desert.The boxer Mike Tyson was at his peak then.
How i managed with the delivery? Even me sef tire for the inspiration and inexplainable direction on what to do.

I can remember kneeling in front of Christy while she was gritting in pains and urging her on to keep pushing.When the baby popped out and unto my hand i was confused on what to do because the baby was still attached to the placenta inside her mom through the umbilical chord.

Confused on what next step to take,i resorted to pulling on the umbilical chord until the placenta came out. At this time i had shown Christy her new bundle of Joy and though still in pains,she had the presence of mind to direct me on what and what to do , such as un tying a thread from her head and tying between the chord and the placenta before separating the baby from the placenta. For the cutting i had to improvise with the lid of a sardine can.

There's more on this particular event too.
Only God knows where Christy and Tyson are today and if they ever talk or think about me...lol Got no contact with them.

joseid,nairalane,skyken001,nazarene,dexcira

XaintJoel20:
It hurts...

bottlecap:
maybe, maybe not

gaby:
This is going to make a long read though but here we go..

The story about a day i'll never forget..

The year was 1999 and i was just 21,had dropped out of college and decided to migrate for economic reason from my home state in Nigeria.

With no pre-requisites nor sufficient finance to go legal by obtaining a visa and flying,i opted to travel by land through the desert onwards Spain via Moroco. There was however a snag as all i had was a map and a sketch of how and where to change vehicles at specific towns in each country i’ll be passing through. Fortunately on the night i was to board the check out bus from my small town of Benin City enroute Katsina State bordering Nigeria and Niger Republic,half the passengers on the bus turned out to be making the same journey so we all naturally gelled and formed a group.

We got to the border town the next morning and got smuggled into a vehicle that took us further into Niger Republic specifically to a town called Agadez.We did a couple of more days there until we got the next connection to smuggle us through the Sahara desert into a town (Tamaransett) in Algeria. Pertinent to note here that the ultimate target of our journey was to hit Morroco from where we can either Climb accross the razor fences seperating Morocco from either of Spain’s enclave of Ceuta and Mellila both on mainland Morocco.This is actually like crossing from Mexico into the US.

A lot happened on the travel through the Sahara as we did the journey in three days.From co travellers collapsing and been abandoned in the desert to having to survive on our urines. Travelling through the desert we did come upon a couple of human skeletal remains of a couple of unfortunate travellers.

Not to bore you folks with my epistle so i’ll leave out much of what i went through on the journey and continue from when we got into Moroccan territory or the border between Morocco and Algeria in a town called Magniya.Everybody journeying through that route actually get together at this jungle-a valley actually where we set up camps and wait to make up a certain acceptable number for the smugglers to take us on the journey by foot through the woods,deserts and jungles of Morroco to evade the authorities.On a good day with a good guide who knows the route well that’ll be a 2 weeks or thereabouts journey on foot.

So on this day my group and i got prepped to embark on this journey.We had gotten our standard supplies of barguettes,sardines and milk to survive on just enough not too heavy to burden us on the long walk.

We journey only at nights for cover.On the first night we covered a couple of km’s in between some guys and ladies already dropping by the way side not able to keep up pace and exhausted,nobody even cares it’s either you ship in or ship out. So we continued until i eventually took a short rest and afterwards got sperated from the group and i knew not what way to continue on.

Out of frustration,hunger and desperation i decided to come out of the woods in broad day not a single scare of the police as i would have gladly ran to them at this point if for nothing at all just for something to eat and a place to sleep.I started begging for food from some locals who were so kind God bless them.These locals will actually get into trouble with the authorities if it becomes public knowledge that they are habouring or didnt report seeing an alien.But these guys will take me in,make me ‘shai’ morrocan tea and bread then hide me until night time then show me how to go and avoid the cops.

So i continued until i got to Nador.This town actually borders Mellila one of the spanish Territories on Morrocan soil.Meanwhile as a group,our original destination was Rabat where we have a decent population of fellow immigrants on the same journey,where we could gather and map out the next strategy on how to cross into spain either by ferry on. a dingy across the atlantic/mediterranean or scaling the razor fences.

When i arrived Nador i was lost for how to proceed being alone.Mind you it was 2 weeks plus already since i got seperated from my group.I hadn’t showered all these while so you can imagine what i was like. While thinking about my life and how to proceed a bike drove up to me and asked i hopped on,i was hesitant but he insisted and i obliged.He drove me for about 5 kilometres and stopped then asked me to keep left and climb a super mountain across that if i did that and kept to my left i’ll get close to the razor fence.

I thanked him and started on the journey of climbing the huge mountain.From my reckoning i started ascending at about past 8pm when the.man dropped me and when i got to the peak of the mountain where i could see all around Nador and also look into the spanish territory it must have taken me about 3 hours but i became so fired up that at least i’m close to spain.

While i was still basking in the euphoria of my new found luck and planing on where to attack from,the heavens gave way and it started raining cats and dogs with no where to take shelter.

I decided to just keep walking with no particular direction until i happened on a cemetry.When i got to the cemetry at about 12–1 am i couldn’t hold it any longer.I just broke down and started crying my hearts out thinking about my family and friends and how no one knows where i am at what i was passing through. Afterall and the rain had subsided i hadn’t the will to continue that night i just laid on the closest grave to me and prayed for the person resting there.

Pretty tough journey i must confess but had to leave out most parts for easy reading.

Thats it folks a lil story about my life.

Thanks for your time and for reading.

dexcira



Hello Sir,
can you get to write about this experience with us at https://thatothercity.com
or email : ifeatu@ifeatuosegbo.com.

I hope to read more about your vast pool of experience at https://thatothercity.com

Northmall:
February 7, 2017
Lost my baby sister and I couldn't get to see her before she was buried. She was just 10 yo

sunemi:
I just feel like sharing this for the first time. It was my 12th birthday and I was in our apartment. My neighbors children (girls) of about 10 and 8 respectively came in. Immediately they went to our bathroom to shower. The door was opened, their dad checked them in their flat and didn't see them, so he just barged into my flat. They were just stepping out of the bathroom (naked) and on seeing them, he started accusing me of raping them. I am an introvert and very naive about sex then. Immediately he alerted the other neighbors and everyone on the street. The police came in an hour and they beat me like a thief, I cried and cried. I was abused heavily as a kid. I was handcuffed and taken to the station with no one to believe me. I thank God for the intervention of my parents and some other people around, I was vindicated. He ruined my birthday party that was supposed to take place that night. It was the worst birthday gift anyone could get. The stigma almost made me commit suicide. It happened in Ogun State. Till today it still hurts. I can't ever forgive him even after 13years.

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

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

obataokenwa:
I was writing exam for my babe back in school and was caught. The lecturer ordered the security to pull all my shirts and I had only one nicker on and paraded the whole faculty of Biz Admin. No camera phone then.

ohem007:
no vex o....

Buh why would you allow them take their bath in your house

Jigba:
Lol.. Where is she now?

Elxandre:
What would have happened if you fell unconscious?

Elxandre:
Did you cross?

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!

gaby:
You get sense bro. 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. Can you imagine the pain and life time scare?
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 for life now i know.

SKYKEN001:
I swear.... This is touching

gaby:
I'm good dear,not where i used to be though but more at peace with myself.Now I feel fulfilled knowing that just a part of my story have this much effect on you,this is the definition of encouragement.
Thanks for firing me up.I'll let it all out.

gaby:
sabi pikin

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.

TiffanyJ:
Whatever are you thinking?

joyberry:
On 12th December 2009, when I walked into the palour ,from a short nap in the room, only to find my elder sister dead body on the chair.For a while, i thought she was sleeping, but the posture of her body made me suspicious. I tried waking her up to no avail,i stayed with her dead body till Mumsy came back,cos i didnt know what else to do. I was just 14 then and it left a psychological scar on me.The first time I saw a dead body of one close to me.

gaby:
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 thank 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.

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!

gaby:
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.

Angel1696:
Mind was on 13/09/2013 my ex girl friend birthday we had an accident while going home, later in the night around 11 pm when we were searching for her phone so I remember that her phone might have fell off on the spot where we had an accident so I went out that night in search of her phone under a heavy rainfall what my eyes saw that night while coming back around 12:30 am was a raw witch standing in front of us( me and bike man) there was unexplainable fear,tension fell on us and we were one minute away from been destroyed by the witch in a junction along ikot osurua in ikot ekpene LGA but God save me twice so that day 13/09/2013 that was on Friday will ever remain fresh in my memory like it happened yesterday

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.

gaby:
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.