MY LAGOS -IBADAN TRAIN RIDE
So I went on the Lagos-Ibadan train Saturday 15th May 2021 to and fro and it was an enjoyable ride all through. Come with me on the short story of my journey.
Got into the train station at exactly 6.35am and met just 2 other passengers. The last time I took a train ride in Nigeria was August 1987 when we headed out to Jos for our annual family vacation, yes you heard right; VACATION.
Took a quick tour of the boarding area. A few pictures taken then later went to sit at the reception area to wait for my friends travelling with me. Temperature checked by the NRC staff on standby. I hear ticket sales starts at 7am and ticket prices are First Class N6000, Business Class N4000 and Standard Class N2500 but you pay N2000 if you are stopping in Abeokuta. It’s gonna be an interesting journey I know.
More travellers start to arrive and I am guessing most of them are also first timers like me judging by the looks of excitement on their faces. Tickets bought and we are ushered onto the old platform pending when we will be asked to board. I see armed security men from the Police and Civil defence corps, a friendly bunch I must say.
It’s boarding time at 7.30 and we trekked from the old station to the new one. New station will be commissioned by next month so I heard. We are ushered into the train according to ticket classes in preparation for movement.
More travellers come on board the train and one can instantly feel the excitement . What I fear most has happened, the AC is turned on and going by other travellers who have been on the train, I hear the cold will be mortuary standard.😀😀😀😀 Anyway, we moveeeeee.
Plenty children are on board and I am sure they are already excited being on a train. Let’s pray they sustain this standard and they will all grow up to tell lovely stories of their various trips.
The announcer comes on and the accent is funnyyyyyyyy. The train slowly glides out of the Mobolaji Johnson Station, Alagomeji at exactly 8.30am. My second spell on a Nigerian train begins 34 yrs after the first one.
Ghen Ghen, some minutes into the ride, ticket checkers made an entrance like in a movie, wahala for who no buy ticket o 😀😀😀😀😀. They are feeling on top of the world like those in charge of drinks at parties or better still, like exam invigilators.😀😀😀😀
Ticket checks done, everyone on board are so relaxed and chatting away both on phone and face to face. An indication that Nigerians just want the basic things of life and the Nation can develop at its own pace.
We arrived at the Chief Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti station at Papalanto at 9.30am ( though still under construction) and there will be a disembarkment by some passengers and also a change of some of the train crew.
I just imagined that previous administrations have made an effort at fixing some of the dilapidated infrastructure, we would have gotten somewhere by now. Commercial activities around the station vicinities would spring up in no time.
Naija no dey carry last. I took a stroll of the coach 3 I am in, a couple came prepared and are already sharing their Eba and stew ni sha. 😀😀😀😀😀
We arrived at the Professor Wole Soyinka Station(still under construction) at Laderin in Abeokuta at exactly 9.55am for passengers disembarking and for those going on to Ibadan to come on baord. Ride has been smooth and enjoyable thus far.
As the stations are not yet fully operational and the bar in the trains are yet to start operations, light commercial activities are going on by traders. This was at our brief stop at the Prof.Wole Soyinka Station in Abeokuta.
These are some of the beautiful country side scenery as taken on the train ride.
See me feeling cool. Kudos to everyone from the President @MBuhari @ChibuikeAmaechi @CCECC8 and down to every labourer that took part in this monumental construction all through. God bless you all. Nigeria shall be GREAT again.
We arrived at the Chief Obafemi Awolowo station at Moniya Ibadan exactly 11.07am. Nice journey all through.
Various business opportunities will spring up when all the infrastructure around the rail stations are finally ready. Chauffeur driven car hire services will be a big hit there when the road out of the station is fixed. Property prices will shoot up too.
We hope they increase the train speed and number of trips per day as time goes on. By and large it was an enjoyable ride to and fro. Next stop was our owambe wedding in Oluyole estate and I am sure gonna be ordering Abula straight up.
And so my 2nd train ride in Nigeria as we got back into Lagos last night comes to an end 34 YEARS after the very first one. Thanks for reading.
#MyLagosIbadanTrainRide
