IJEGUN- HERE I COME!

It was the year 2014, I had only recently been inducted in the Medical and Dental council of Nigeria. Naso e happen. We heard people were dying of a strange disease in Liberia, Sierra Leone, it was Ebola. Eventually, what we feared most happened, Patrick Sawyer brought the disease with him to Nigeria. 🙆🏽‍♂️

I was told there was going to be a meeting that day to determine our Ebola response. At the end of the meeting, we concluded that to better help Lagosians and Nigerians, we needed data. Data on what Nigerians know about Ebola, how they were likely to respond, attitude and practice.

Nigeria had never experienced anything like this before. Worse still, the incidence was in Lagos, the nation's commercial capital. While government was figuring out what to do, I decided to volunteer in any way possible to help my country. Naso, I go Yaba- Infectious Disease Hospital aka IDH.

Quickly the senior colleagues drafted an expansive questionnaire and divided volunteers into teams of 2 to go to different LGAs and LCDAs

 I was paired with one much older colleague to go to Ijegun. I didn't even know how to get there but I was excited. My colleague who I later realised was a scammer quickly declared he wanted to cover 2 locations.. so we were given Mushin in addition

Since Mushin was closer to us, we decided to start there, picking streets and houses at random to find people willing to fill the questionnaire on Ebola

It was real hard work but I was impressed with myself.

We did this for 2 whole days till we completed 100 questionnaire

When we got to 100, it was time to face Ijegun. At this point, my colleague suddenly declared he was not interested in going to Ijegun😱

But, I was determined to see the project through

 I was disappointed somebody would be so dishonest in the face of a national crisis

I was like but you said you would do both, he said he had changed his mind. So I quickly understood the scam he pulled on the team. He collected the stipend for 2 locations but he never had plans to do more than 1.

 So I made enquiries about how to get to Ijegun and I set out the next day on my own

From LUTH, I had to get to Mushin.. From Mushin to Oshodi... From Oshodi to Iyana Ipaja.... From Iyana Ipaja to Ikotun

This was right in the midst of the rainy season and I got to Ikotun at about noon.

I was so tired

Still I was determined

From Ikotun, I was told Ijegun was still another bus away

 So I stood for minutes at the park, waiting for Ijegun motor to pass, none did

So I asked why... and I was told the rains discouraged people from passing that route..

But if i was so keen on getting there, I should take a bike

At this point, I don already exhaust the stipend on transport to this Ijegun

But I was determined to get there

So I boarded a bike with the last  300 naira from the stipend

The bike had barely driven 1 minute when I noticed a mighty flood across the road

 In my panic, I asked him where he was going. He said Ijegun ni o

And the okada was headed straight for the water, better yet, mighty flood

Is there no other way? he said NO

 So I said, wait first

As I was thinking about the potential risk of the flood, make water no carry me go🤔...

Naso another bike with passenger drove past us and waded through the flood

They were almost at the less flooded axis when the water current suddenly dragged the bike and passenger

 Afi gbosa!

They were completely submerged for a full second or so

😨😨😨😨

I say "eh!”

 No be this kain baptism I dey find o

Naso I tell the Olokada, ' Abeg, take me back to the park'

By sunset, I was back in my room wondering what to do with the remaining questionnaires

 Naso, I no reach Ijegun after all 🙈

 Till today, once I hear IJEGUN😱, my mind just goes to 🏊🏾‍♂️

Eventually, I went to Idi-araba garage and got boys to fill

The End 🙇🏽‍♂️

Story submitted by a reader.