Jigawa by road, Sadiq Baba's wedding off I go.
I woke up Friday morning so early, so excited. Started preparing for traveling to Jigawa for the first time in life.I bathed and took my breakfast with my two elderly brothers, they rushed me because I walked very slowly but I never walk Bach.
I finished everything in time to avoid disappointment. I desperately need to be in Jigawa, at twelve noon we were at Bauchi park, I and a brother of mine.
We entered a commercial car to Bauchi. I tried to seat at the front cap to avoid disturbed by people but I couldn't, it was occupied by another passenger.
The road to Bauchi from Jos was a well known place to me, I knew it quite well. All the bumps, holes, and the checkpoints were pretty familiar to me.
The chauffeur seemed to be skillful to his job but I don't want to judge for a start. He followed every single rules of the road, I liked it. I'm a good rules abider when it comes to road.
A waved by a Federal Road Safety Corps make a stoped, I knew exactly what they want. We didn't violated any rules, thanks to God we were not over speeding. They just need a token to fuel their vehicles, I guessed. A corp member greeted us very humble and polite. Eye service. I didn't say anything, interfering in other people's issues and lives is not good.
A handshake with the driver and asked " Oga can I see your license"? We were safe, he was at possession of his license. Another question followed; where is your particulars? Very bold. I don't know if he has the right to ask for that, but I muted. The chauffeur gave him a note which I don't know if it was a paper or currency. They both smiled and said; safe journey the road Safety corp member.
The speed of breeze makes me slumbered. I'm not a fan of sleeping on the road because I so much love experiencing new things on the road, but I have to. I didn't slept well last night, and I'm well familiar with route to Bauchi from Jos.
The first thing I cited in Bauchi was a flee of vehicles queued for fuel at NNPC filling station. I thought fuel scarcity was only in Jos, I was wrong because Bauchi's scarcity was worsened than Jos. I passed through Zaranda hotel, the famous motel in Bauchi state.
Nostalgia about the past memories in Bauchi, the friends, the colleagues, and the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi. Those memories were unforgettable. I remembered Globe F.M the radio station that I first carried my journalism assignment. Oh poor me. I left globe F.M at the time that my services were needed the most.
I quickly tuned my radio set to 98.5 f.m, exactly my radio station Globe fm. I heard the voices of my colleagues and senior colleagues in pen profession. I missed them all. I can't even forget that voice of my editor, Nura Bashir Faggo, sir, I remain your Servant with a common heart.
I toured around Bauchi, because I can't passed through Bauchi without visiting people, the place that I called home other than Jos. It was a large billboard I saw at Dogon Yaro's roundabout which carried the poster of Kaura, campaigning for 2019 governorship election. Will kaura bring a positive result in 2019 Bauchi state governorship election? I concur.
I also cited another large billboard for governor M.A Abubakar of Bauchi state, and president Muhammadu Buhari which contained campaign words "Gaskiya+Gaskiya=Tazarce"
Meaning; truthful+truthful=continuation.
It's well. If I'm to choose a Governor in Bauchi state, I will go for Governor M.A Abubakar. I don't know why.
The people of Bauchi state were good in politics, they valued political leaders and parties. I knew that. They have a large number of political thugs. I'm sorry to say that the people of Bauchi state have a great problem with politics. I most spill out the beans through thick and thin. The inhabitants of the state are not satisfied and ingrate when it comes to politics projects, agendas and promises.
My reason for saying they are not satisfied; after all what Ahmad Mu'azu did to them, at the end he was stoned instead of appreciation and gratitude. Mu'azu's statue supposed to be built for remembrance adjacent to Government House. The only humble, tested and trusted person that I know in the universe is my father, Alhaji Danmande. If Danmande is to contest for a Governorship Election in Bauchi state, they will also stoned him after a lot of sacrifices.
I picked a big brother of mine at central market and head to Jigawa. I love being around my elderly brothers and they also love teasing me. I remembered the old maxim, blood is thicker than water, they said. But I was teased.
The road to Jigawa ( A new world) from Bauchi seemed to be pretty good. It was a pregnant promise, I guessed. This time around the journey is quite different, the road is smooth and the chauffeur is well kempt, I didn't blinked my eyes because I need to experienced a lot. I experienced brand new things.
A young girl, 7, tried to crossed a road at 'Gada' without taking precaution. We almost kicked her down, alas, she was saved, we were safe. Is a normal thing for a village people to crossed a highway without being cautious, it's a normal thing for drivers to drive reckless at a crowded village. When we were young, they taught us how to crossed a road. Look at your right hand, your left hand, and look at your right hand again then crossed. This idea worked.
It was Abdul Ahmad Ningi's large billboard campaigning for 2019 Governorship election that welcome me to Ningi. Nigerian leaders so much love power, I think I will be a politician someday. I pray and wish that my future wife would love me like how oga Atiku Abubakar love power.
Around 6:53 PM we dropped at 'Babildo' a small village in Jigawa state. We took a shattered to 'Dutse' Jigawa state capital. A brother of mine almost fought with a transport union member, very old aged man, but doesn't have a good manners of approach.
The road to Dutse from Babildo was not good enough, was poor. A friend of mine F.J Habila will say, the road is bad. This's not a grammatical error, it's a grammatical okay. But a different meaning. Why don't you use this; the road was poor. When you said the road was bad, you're simply saying there are rubbers on the road, or rubbery is taking place on the road. Miss Habila this's not a correction it's an advised.
I can feel the aura of Dutse's weather very nice but little bit hut. Along side the road was a two Sharons that collided with each other at Birnin Kuda very serious crash. I hope there was no lost of any life counted. I pray so, but I don't know so.
By the virtual of reality, Sule Lamido seemed to have worked hard for Jigawa, street lights filled the streets spreading around so much cheered.
In far north things are said to be cheaper than other places, we picked up a passenger with huge loads for about 15kilomiter at rates of 80 Naira only. I loved it. Very cheap.
It's true we experienced a lot whilst traveling. We see places, natures, cultures, and unique people with unique personalities. It was an Igbo man we picked very comedian, can you imagine someone who doesn't understand Hausa insisted that we most played Hausa song for him. I don't know how he'll listen to Hausa song talk more to understand the meaning. Very funny.
When I took a glanced through window at 'kwana' village around Birnin Kudu, it was a collection of youngsters I saw in hamlet barbing without a mirror. I will cut down my hair someday but not now.
Exactly 8:30 PM. We dropped at Dutse Jigawa state capital, I was shocked, bewildered, and perplexed by what I saw. I so much underrated Jigawa and it's local Government as a typical village.
Dear Jigawa state, I'm most sorry for underrating you and your local areas. Long live Jigawa state.A new world, a desirable title.
Tunde was our host at Jigawa state. He was just like a Fulani man when it comes to directing people. He mislead, he misdirected, and gave us tough time before we get to our destination. Tunde; I don't know how he passed through his exams. I will not blame him for that since he was from Kaduna where more than 21 thousand teachers failed basic four exams. Probably he was taught by them, I guessed.
Tunde was a youth corper serving in Jigawa, we didn't expect him to cook for us. Besides he was at a close by viewing center, watching English Premier League, Arsenal Vs Liverpool.
We decided to go to a tea shop. I remembered about my debate about tea shop, with my colleagues when at school. I told them tea shop is a good example of sources for news, they all opposed but I defeated them and won at the end. We ate noodles and shared views about politics with the people I mate there. They so much loved Lamido.
I toured to, Miyatti, Yan Tifa, Government House, Broadcasting House, all in Dutse. It was a small town, with good constructions, roads, buildings, and streets lights but very scarcely no populations.
The most beautiful and amazing thing was the Broadcasting House. It was well architected. It reminded me with the British Broadcasting Commission, about the building. Jigawa state Broadcasting House was built same design with British Broadcasting Commission. I love it. Love to work there.
Saturday morning, we were at 'Sabon Tasha' new park. Sadiq Baba's wedding off we go to Ringim. We couldn't get car in the park due to fuel scarcity. We were only able to get a golf wagon along the road side, almost occupied by passengers. Two spaces were vacant, and we were four. Two people seated on the vacant seat, two people entered car boot, I entered boot. An hour journey in car boot is not an easy job. The road is a pretty poor.
At an unknown village Was a donkey that recklessly flung himself onto the road, which brought an instant break that made me heated my head on a glass. My brother can make jokes. This your headbutt can break glass, he said. It wasn't funny, I almost broke my head. Single tear dropped from my eye, I don't know how it happened. But it hurts.
We were welcome to Ringim by large billboard of Dr. Sule Lamido, campaigning for 2019 presidential election. The people of Ringim and Jigawa were mad at Lamido, they so much love him. It's well, he was worth it.
Gosh, we were late for the wedding, it was taken place as scheduled. No African time. We missed the event that we planned for a long time ago. We were taken to Ringim emir palace by the Groom, Sadiq Baba. I liked the palace, it was well decorated. Everything Beautiful. I liked the hospitality and the delicacy tasted good. From Ringim to Kano is 50kilomitres, my brothers decided to take me to Kano since I have never been to there. I was so excited to see myself in Kano(Tunbin Giwa).
The road to Kano from Ringim seemed to be good, but it was a pregnant promise. From a start the road was good but at the end it was extremely poor. We called it partially good. Before the blinked of an eye, we got to Kano. It was a collections of red cap(Kwankwasiya) that welcomed me to Kano.
Kano state; centre of commerce, was a big city, it was a nice place to stayed, it was a populated area, the weather was cooled, and the breeze was calmed. I'm loved with the feelings, I can spend all the rest of my life there.I admitted that.
I visited a lot of places. Such as; Zoo road, Kantin Kwari, Wambai, Koki, Aminu Kano special Hospital, Murtala Specialist Hospital, Bayaro University Kano, Kurmi Market, and North West University( Miatama Sule). It's true, kwankwaso worked for Kano. Ride on Engineer Kwankwaso. Come 2019, come Kwankwaso.
It was very late hours, and we can't take back our way to home. We decided to spend our night at cousins house, we spent our night in cousin house at koki closed to Hajiya Mariya Dantata house . We were highly welcomed, I was impressed with the way she treated us. I liked the hospitality.
It was a crowd that woke me up at about 6:00 AM, when I took a glanced through window it was a large number of people I saw at Hajiya's house collecting free meals. I learnt that less privilege people do collect three times meal every blessed day. May God bless Hajiya as usual.
I decided to toured since crowded wouldn't allow me to sleep well. I toured to Kano abattoir with my brother, a number of cattle were slaughtered. A gigantic camel freed from his perch and cheesed people, almost smashed me into the woods. To get My way back home was not easy, I changed route to experienced something new, I experienced newly things and I lost my way back home. We were directed by old age person to get our way back home. Is easy to be lost in a big city, most especially Kano state.
We came back home very tired and weakened. We bathed and took a breakfast. We did one to things and packed out our things. Is good to meet and departed. I hated departing words, it hurts, but I most say goodbye.
We headed directly to Wambai market and buy some things. We finished everything with no time wasted, and headed to park in Kantin Kwari. I entered a commercial car with some fat guys, I mate at the park. We seated at the back seat, and they they squeezed me like a rag doll. Free advice to tiny people like me, don't ever enter a commercial car with fat people, we shared equal rights, and you'll get squeezed like a rag doll, just like me.
The road to Jos from Kano state was poor, and bad sometimes, but we have a good chauffeur and the road was well known to him. He was a speedy runner type, I forgot. When we passed through Nigerian Law School, I remembered with my two able barristers, F.J Habila and Rukaiya Muhammad. May Allah see you trough your future endeavors. Ameen.
Cool Indian music was played before it was changed to Hausa song, it was not bad. It was M. Sharif track, it was cool, I liked it.
We stopped at a village to pray, I have prayed already. Those fat guys went to pray whilst we were left at the car eating our dried 'Gurasa' roasted flour. We ate our Gurasa finished without water. Just to pray for 6-7 minutes, Asr prayer is four Raka'at, two Raka'at for a traveler. I don't know what took those fat guys 20 minutes, always delayed us, always bring obstacles right from park. I hate delays, even though I walked slowly but I never delayed.
I counted this; from Kano to Saminaka was eight high way patrol officers who collected tokens from the chauffeur. Six were mobile police patrol, and two were soldiers. The road to Jingir from Saminaka was extremely poor.
I can feel the aura of Jos city, the weather was very cold. Places were well decorated, I felt the Christmas feelings and gifts. Selfishness makes Christmas a burden, love makes it a delight. Tell Santa Claus I'm good this year. We dropped at the park safely, it was a safety landed.I left fat guys at the park were all freezes.
Love is composed in a single soul inhabiting it two bodies, they said.
May Allah bestowed his benevolent mercy upon the union, may the marriage be blessed with full of joy and happiness. Ameen.