#LagosInJuly: How my commute to a job interview landed me in a Black Maria.
In 2015, I had just secured an interview for a Social Media internship at XYZ Bank HQ. I was very excited about the opportunity of working in Lagos after Uni, the email said “dress to fit the role”; so I looked for my best Jeans and a nice shirt I bought from Sapon and set out for Lagos from Abeokuta. The interview was for 1pm and by 11am, I was already at Oshodi. I was on time, or so I thought.
I crossed the express to get a bus to CMS, two rough looking guys moved close to me and held me by my trousers, claiming they were KAI agents, they showed me their ID ( or something that looked like it). I fought hard but they overpowered me and in the process tore my jeans. In a few moments I was in a black maria, where I met other people who were lamenting, crying and shouting when they could. Different people; some in suits and ties, market women, old men and others.
M’on gbé yín lọ sí Alausa, one of the men in uniform shouted, Ẹ ma lọ face court. I was shocked. First time in Lagos and I’m chilling in a Black Maria, I shouted Ejò mo ní interview ooooo, student ni mì. All these fell on deaf ears. A few of my part time fellow ‘inmates’ started calling who they knew and told them to come with money to bribe the officials. I just sat there with my CV in my bag, my transport fare back to Abeokuta, my phone’s battery was flat so I couldn’t reach anyone.
One of the officials started the truck and drove towards Ilupeju, then turned towards Oshodi Òkè, I thought to myself, what would I tell my parents happened when I eventually get through to them and they need to come and bail me or pay a fine. Eventually the truck stopped the officer instructed a few people to come down, at this point I envied them and shouted “please I am a student ooo. See my ID card, abeg I have a meeting at CMS.”
One of the officers walked towards me, I explained my self to him, he said he’d instruct someone to let me down when the truck returned to Oshodi Isale. I heaved a sigh of relief, finally I’d be out of here. The truck moved to Oshodi islae like he promised. Was I out of there? Yes… 1 hour 30 minutes later, with torn jeans and not so great looking clothes. I got into the street before Broad and bought another pair of jeans… ‘I was determined to never give up’ all the ‘aspire to acquire’ I had listened to filled me with so much passion. I changed into the new jeans, got to CMS and let’s just say the interview killed me.
Irebami.
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#LagosInJuly EP drops 23–08–19.
