So You Want To Travel To The East By Sienna? For some, a most obvious response would be, of course, why not After all, it is one of the preferred options both for speed and convenience, and sometimes even cost, if you are able to hitch one by the bus stop. But someone who tried traveling to the East by Sienna recently, has come came out with sad tales to tell....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
He picks up the story from here, implying that those settling for this option had better watch it:
I know that travelers to the Eastern side, any destinations beyond Edo-Delta would prefer fast vehicles to be able to get there on time; and Sienna easily presents itself.
However, I am here to warm such people to be careful where they board such vehicles from.
In my own case, the problem started when I could not leave home for the park early enough because of some issues.
So, by the time I got to Yaba where many of these established transport companies are located – about 10: 25am- it was somewhat late, to catch the early buses -; most had either left or almost fully loaded. For the one or two left, the prices were more than I had budgeted.
In fact, when I called my wife, she was alarmed. She asked me, so, you want to travel to the East by Sienna?
There was no Young Shall Grow, no God is Good Motors, No Abia Line and in fact no Imo Transport.
What littered the area were some unknown and untested names, fleets notorious for trans-loading passengers even at very great risk and discomfort to them..
I decided to enter one of the Sienna vehicles with no brand name. A family member was wedding the next day at Awka and I had to reach home that day to be able to play family assigned roles.
Even after I had paid, the fourth passenger supposedly to do so, my wife’s question kept ringing in my brain: So you want to travel to the East by Sienna?
I just prayed and resigned myself to date.
There was a man in front, a lady and a young man at the back and myself.
Literally it was just three more passengers to go, or so I thought.
Thirty minutes had passed, when one lady came to join me; making me mutter appreciation to God in my heart. But just as it remained one passenger to fill up, the lady at the back started making her way down, pleading that she wanted to ease herself.
Shortly, two persons arrived taking up the space the lady had vacated and the last space beside the lady beside me.
I personally protested that a lady had been displaced at the back, but the agbero loading said it was not his business. Where was the lady? I almost broke my neck looking round to see if I could locate her.
The vehicle had wasted much time already, and passengers, myself inclusive were eager to depart. That was how we left it.
And so soon, one the emergency prayer contractors had taken charge and was committing the journey into God’s hands, but the so-called driver did not allow him to do a good job of it: in fact, he literally scared emergency pastor off, by the manner in which he was revving the engine, only for him to now take over the praying.
Anyway so long it was prayer, I held my peace. I only became alarmed when despite slowly joining the express, the was still praying; in fact, not just praying now, but shouting, gesticulating and driving all at the same.
At that point, I protested, urging him to concentrate on the road.
I remember the tall, chocolate fellow by my side, telling me not to be afraid, that God was in control, which I protested instantly.
I reminded him what we should not also tempt God, and that was how the driver stopped. I though that we would now have peace, but I was wrong. The man by my side took over, moralisong, preaching, illustrating, all manner of sayings supposedly underlining the importance of God and all that.
My mind told me that something was wrong and that was how I resumed personal prayer.
I just told God that it looks like I have made a mistake but that he should just help me.
We had reached Anthony by this time, and there appeared to be some.traffic ahead, and rather than driving on to Ojota, the driver veered right, taking the Oworonshoki/Gbagada exit that could also link toll gate to The East.
Even then, my wife’s question: so you want to travel to the East by Sienna was still nagging me?
I got back praying, asking God for mercy. In fact, I closed my eyes briefly trying to concentrate on the prayer, but in the next few minutes as the vehicle had begun to cruise, I had a very strange feeling.
Truly when I opened my eyes, it was obvious something was wrong: it was as if I was in a trance, and our vehicle was no longer on the expressway to the East, a route I knew very well, and take often going to bring down goods to Lagos or visiting home. Obviously, it was where I saw cruising on.
I could not panic that first time. I closed my eyes momentarily a second time, and I was damn right, for I Just saw in that – whatever it was – that we were actually off the road to the east, possibly Abuja bound. If it was not where we were physically, that was where the driver was headed: I could bet anything .You know when you are damn sure of something even if it had not taken place. In fact, what followed thereafter were to reassure me that I was right.
I know when something goes wrong with me, even if it is seemingly okay around phsically.
How could I be in an east-bound vehicle and be seeing myself through Osogbo headed to Abuja?
I just knew I had to get off that vehicle, but how, I hadn’t known.
All I kept muttering was God help me, God help me. Up till this time, the co- passenger turned preacher was still talking, in fact, this time round, as if he had a commission of distracting attention
The next moment, it was like a thunderbolt from the blue. The way I reacted, I can’t swear it was entirely me…
I just shouted: Drop me! Drop me Drop me!, taking everybody by surprise, and reaching out to the front door from middle compartment where we were and opened it forcing the driver to begin to apply his brake…
