My journey from Cross River to Anambra for COPDEM Training: the intrigues

Ugbo, joshua okori

The road condition from Wanihem the last community to Benue state in the Northern Cross River to Yahe, where I can get a taxi to Abakaliki main town, is hell on earth! And so permeates me to wake early enough on Sunday morning in other to catch up with my colleagues who are already waiting at Abakaliki.

Because of the thought of the bad roads leading outside the shores of my home, I had sleepless night, trying to imagine the dusty-nasty road I will pass through for this rigorous journey!
As my parents and siblings wave goodbye at me, immediately reality struck at me and I know I will miss home for real!
As i was on the bike headed to Yahe, I began to imagine the neglect of our road, which has caught the attention of the government for decades yet paid less concern to it! I watched how lorries cry as their body cracks on the endless dangling road!

The journey was rough, tough and challenging, full of experiences with little interesting events. In this very narrative, the experience from Romchi park in Abakaliki was funny due to the kinder kind of passengers onboard.
While on motion, the oldest woman amongst us in the bus started feeling uncomfortable, probably because of the emission and heat from the vehicle. At some point, she could not control her feelings and she started throwing up which messed up the corner she sat. The situation became unbearable that the driver has to park, we tried all we could to calm the situation, all to no avail, probably because she’s allergic to the smoke and heat environment.
In that manner, the driver got angry and spilt out his anger on the woman, calling her all manner of names such as old thing, “waybill” and so on. The driver’s choice of words on the woman drew the attention of the army officer who cautioned the driver on his choice of words.

The journey to Awka in Anambra was a bit exciting because of the presence of my colleagues who are very lively and accommodating, until I was unable to stretch out my leg because of the “icefish like” nature of passengers and luggage loading! Maybe because is Christmas period!

Getting to Awka in Anambra, the atmosphere alone was welcoming and anticipating, showing that the environment will be friendly and accommodating! We navigated our way to DDM village where we were welcome like kings and queens!
The experience in the villa is one unforgettable and the type to be remembered all life time because it is actually a privilege for me to be part of a program sponsored by the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy, a body whose aim and objective is to see transparency, accountability and reliability in our politics and governance

Lots have been unlearned and learned in the days spent here and hope for more like Oliver Twist!

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