Saturday, April 20, 2019

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.

9 comments:

  1. Lol! As funny as this may sound, it's a problem actually, point is, African cultures are deeply rooted in pretence and fate of the girl child in our clime is mostly pathetic! SMH...

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    1. lol.
      what an experience.
      me favour wee never leave dat place o.
      av had my own experiences with those foolish pple na har ma dey were telling me d man dat came and met me on dat sit,was there before me. i just laugh in a very loud hausa bass voice and ask dem to come and move me. lol all dat one na forming coz if those pple mean to move me,e no go hard unto say i too get plenty physical strength. e get one day wey i give them trouble sotay dey gas follow d ticket no o.hahahhahahhahahah. yeye brothers and sisters of mine.

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    2. 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 I would love to watch them move you

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  2. Most a times even if we know our right, for the sake of peace you respect the practice of the people if it does not take or reduce you to a certain level.

    In English class back then, we were taught registers not just for farmiliarization and vocabulary building but to use the idea to control our conduct and exhibitions in a given environment.
    I really feel for you, having to come face to face with such experience.

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    1. Hmmm. I get your point though. I hope things gets better this way. Thank you.

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  3. Na their way. It's always like that in the north, a guy can enter the booth of the car once he sees that all the passengers in the car are women even if there is space. Funny people.

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  4. I know God will elevate you soon... Thanks for the tip, but I travel by air hahahahaha

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    1. Lol. Amen. Come and join us and travel by road na.

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