My Travel Chronicles: Bauchi

Travelling in the North is quite different from travelling in the east. In the North, especially the North East, there's a flat demarcation.

Ladies or women don't sit with the men, it's like a silent law or something. I grew up in the North but somehow didn't inculcate some of these traditions, so I usually have issues at the bus parks with their conductors when they tell me where to sit, which is mostly uncomfortable.

My most recent experience was when I was traveling from Bauchi to Borno state, I didn't tell my mum of course, till I came back. (She would have killed me) 🙄🙄.

I got to the park late on a work day and it was the last bus, I paid for my ticket and went to sit directly behind the driver. I saw another woman there and the back seats were filled with women with children that were crying and pouring stuff from their mouth in the process.

Mba, I will seat far away please 😒.

Conductor brought a male passenger and commanded I go to the back, he told the other woman with me in Hausa that we all are supposed to sit at the back. I was wearing an earpiece but could hear them. I pretended not to.

The woman grumbled a bit and went to the back, as she was leaving she touched me. I feigned ignorance and said 'baa Hausa'. This ajayi woman interpreted and said the guy asked us to go to the back. I looked at the conductor and asked him why, his reason was that I'm a woman, I'm not supposed to sit with a man.

Hian. As what? Since when? 🙄 🙄 🙄. You hypocrite. So if I sit with him here I will get pregnant or the driver will have accident abi? Please oga baa Hausa, leave me alone I want to sit here.

The guy started to insult me. In Hausa of course. He kept ranting and I ignored him. Then he said I must go to the back, or leave the bus. I looked around, this was the last bus and it was getting late, it wasn't even a direct bus to Borno sef.
I had to get to Gombe first before getting another bus to take me there.

Ah! This guy knew he had me in a fix, I didn't have another option as I was up against him, alone, and the other female passengers who were by this time insulting me as well and saying I was a stupid and troublesome girl for wanting to sit with men. I glared at the conductor and stood up, went to the back and continued with my ear piece. The women continued talking, as usual na 🙄😒😒. That I was troublesome, and a spoilt girl. They were saying it in Hausa and I could pick some of the words they said.

Few minutes later, the conductor guy came back with a lady and a man, and asked me if I still wanted to sit in front. Mtcheww 😏 😏. After making me shamefully carry my bag to the back, you want to come and placate me? Your head is not correct!

The annoying co-seat mate that has been insulting me touched me and started laughing, I looked at her with all the disdain I could muster on my face.

What's wrong with this one? What ma? 😒 😒

She stopped and said conductor is talking to you. You can go to the front. I hated where I was seating, but I still had to do small shakara. I gave the conductor a short lecture of allowing people sit where they wanted to, especially when they come early. If the men wanted to sit in front they should come earlier and secure their seats na, what's all these.?
I was talking in English, but I cared not if he understood me or not.

I carried myself again back to my initial position with plenty grumbling. 😏😏

So for those planning to travel to the North by road for the first time, and with a northern travel company. Respect yourself jejeli and go to where your gender is seating.