I have been thinking for a while how to share my story so I have decided to give a write up bit by bit about my horrible travelling experience from Nigeria with hope of getting to Abidjan. Do not mind the way I type but just enjoy the story.

I had some friends then who were based in Abidjan and everytime they visit Nigeria the way they splash money was really alarming. Sometimes one would wonder if there was a tree over there they pluck the money. They buy expensive cars, stay in expensive hotels, carry expensive girls, drink and eat carelessly with caution. I was always tripping and hoping that I can join them in Abidjan so that I get to make money too although I had intention of not living the kind of life they do but try to be low profile and establish something profitable in Nigeria.

I worked hard and saved up some money, got my international passport and made up my mind to travel. First of all I contacted a friend that also tells me he is living large in Ghana. My plan was to stay in Ghana for a while, see how life is there and maybe learn one or two things from my friend in Ghana and then proceed to Abidjan. We had spoken about it and he was always sounding excited to heard I was coming.

The day came I was ready so I made my journey to Lagos, met up with a friend there who I told about my decision to travel. He took me to Yaba area were I booked my ticket with Efex going straight to Accra. That day was a Wednesday and the ticket available was for Friday so I booked it and decided to pass the night at my friends house. He was staying with someone so I could tell the person wasn't feeling to comfortable. The next day which is Thursday I decided to move into a cheap but clean hotel around to pass the night since I was taking off very early the next morning.

Early the next morning I was at the park, everything so set and about 9am we took off. Here we go, I never knew this was actually a journey from frying pan to fire. Inside the bus I was the only one who seemed to be going to Ghana for the first time as everyone was talking about Ghana and how they live in Ghana. I could instantly tell that all the guys in the bus were yahoo boys as some even held their laptops with their dreadlocks also wearing shocks and slippers. Most of the ladies seem to have come to buy goods from Nigeria like hair attachment and other stuffs they sell in Ghana. Getting almost close to idiroko border the bus started over heating so we had to come down while the driver called that they bring another bus. As at when the bus came and they had to load the bus before we took off it was already 3pm.

This is were the real journey began. I will be back to continue.

Ogbeni continue jhoor

Waiting

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As the bus took off it was actually a smooth interesting journey as everyone was gisting and so I was trying to get different information about Ghana and life in Ghana. Somehow most of the guys were forming chairmen and talking about how they had boys, cars and doing well in Ghana. They were even saying they help people that don't have were to stay in Ghana by collecting just small money from them and giving them a room where they can stay for two to three months at least to become a little stable. I was so loving the stories I was hearing and all my hopes were really high. We crossed the idiroko border without stress as we didn't even come down from the bus. Getting to ilakonji border (Benin/Togo) we had to come down, pass through the security post with leg then wait for the bus on the other side. All through the journey the driver held all our passports and ID. I had to just follow the guys that knew the process and when observing everything carefully.

When we got to Aflao (Togo/Ghana) I observed the changing money process and did mine along with other people then I got a Ghana sim put credit and tried to call my friend that am already at the Ghana border just waiting for the bus to take off to Accra. The call didnt go and I felt maybe battery is low and he might put it on before I get to Accra.
Finally we got to Accra around 2am and the bus just dropped us at their empty park that was even closed and he took off to where I don't know leaving us there by that time. I tried to reach my friend and his number was still not going. So most people were already leaving as they knew their way and some of the ladies already had people that brought cars or taxi to pick them with their goods. I had to now resort to asking the guys that were forming chairmen that help people if I could at least pass the night with any of them. Quite sadly they came up with one story or the other and gave me their number to call the next day if I don't hear from my friend.

So those left didn't know any cheap hotel around as the ones we saw were expensive. Someone then directed us to cross country park and said they are always open and it's safer for us to sleep there till day break. So that was how we went there and passed the night.

When it was morning everything became another different story.

how far your friend never pick calls.

It is a cold morning my house is flooded can't go downstairs Oya continue your story.

uruba23:
It is a cold morning my house is flooded can't go downstairs Oya continue your story.

I will am just charging my phone small.

DonFebzyBlog:


I will am just charging my phone small.

so where are you now?Ghana,Abidjan or back to Nigeria?

following, more updates dear

Come fast...

Lalasticlala justwise abeg we need your standby monitor just in case

That morning everyone that we came together had all left, only people waiting to travel to Nigeria were arriving the park. I called and called my friend and that's when it hit me that my so called friend has abandoned me. Probably all the mouth he was making are lies and might even be homeless in Ghana that's why he was ashamed to receive me. I started calling those ones doing chairman in the bus, their phone was ringing and they refused to pick my call. I felt since it was quite a long journey maybe they had to get enough sleep. For now I am on my own what do I do.

I then asked one of the workers at the park if I could get any cheap hotel around and he directed me to one nearby. I went there and they gave me a room with fan and small TV for 30ghc per night. I paid for that day and slept off because I was so tired. Later in the day I was up because I couldn't sleep for so long, I was worried. I called my friend and to my surprise the phone rang and he picked up the phone apologizing and giving me excuses how something urgent came up and he had to go to kumasi which is very far from Accra. That day was a Saturday so he asked were I was and I told him I had to stay in a small hotel near the cross country park. Thinking he would now direct me on how to get to his place and relax until he comes, he said I should just manage the hotel for a while that he will be back by latest Wednesday and I should not worry about the money I spend he will give me more self so that I enjoy Ghana well. What can I do, I am already in Ghana so I said okay. I took a walk that evening to find something to eat. I found a place close to the hotel which was a small nice bar and restaurant run by a couple. I was just admiring the way the organized everything. The guy was in charge of the nice little bar while his girlfriend was in charge of the restaurant. They both had two Kia shortage parked in front, one for the guy and one for the lady. I was just there eating, took few bottles of bear to give myself enough hope that all will be fine and later I went back to the hotel to sleep.

Next day Sunday I called my friend just to check on him and ensure he doesn't forget am still waiting, only to discover the phone has been switched off again. My people this was how I stayed in that hotel till Wednesday without being able to reach my guy. Now money has gone down just a few cedis left and I could already see problem. No where I know I want to go and no one I know. I tried to call some few people I knew in naija to see if I can get help with little extra cash to see if it's for me to return back to naija but as usual everybody is broke and I was able to see who will give me 10k which is just about 100ghc and to go back to naija was like 300ghc or with cross country because I didnt even know the way back to efex.
With the few money I had I knew staying in the hotel is no more an option something has to be done so I checked out the hotel and went with my bag to cross country. I stayed there almost all through that day until night I had no choice than to sleep there. Now in the morning no where to bath and no where to brush, till wearing same clothes I said to myself wahala don set. I had to ask a guy working there how I could take my bath and at least change my clothes. He directed further to the main Accra area called Circle and where they had the Chisco park, he said I should ask around and someone we direct me to one public toilet and bathroom around there which anyone can just pay to use so I went there, found the play, paid 1ghc to bath and 1ghc to use toilet. They had the cheaper option for toilet but that option is so disgusting I had to run out and upgraded to that of 1ghc per poo time lol. After everything I felt a little relieved and I just went to the chisco park to relax and think of my next move.

OP you are a talented writer

While I was at chisco park I realized there were some Nigerian guys there who had their bags kept in one corner like that. I observed they picked clothes, went somewhere to bath and change then came back. I had to quickly meet them and I explained my situation to them. They started gisting me of their own struggles and how difficult life has been for them in Ghana. They told me they go to somewhere in town to hustle and come to sleep at the park at night. I was so shocked and became really confused. We went somewhere at the back of the park, that area is a confirmed ghetto and just like that I had already started becoming a ghetto guy. I met other Nigerian guys there as well some were gathering big bags of pure water sachet and when I asked what they are doing with big bags of dirty they laughed and said what am seeing there is money. They big pure water sachets from different places until they fill up big bags and they go to supply a company that recycle them. I was like this is really terrible but now am here I need to raise money to go back to naija asap. I stayed with them for a while then one told me if I need to raise money like I said I do, he will take me to were he hustles because they need workers. So I can do some work during the day then at night we come to sleep at the park. I thought about the idea and said I will give it a try so we went there. It's a local restaurant were they sell food and it's owned by a lady. She usually have lots of customers so she hires workers that do different jobs like washing plates, pounding fufu, cutting vegetables, cooking etc. She gives food free to the workers for lunch and dinner and then she paid 10ghc per day and sometimes 5ghc per day depends. He introduced me to the lady and she asked me to wait. Later the guy came to meet me and told me the lady said she doesn't need workers for now. He now said the truth of the matter is that I don't look strong enough to do that kind of work. In my mind I said at this point I am ready to do anything to raise money but then she has rejected me so I had to leave alone and I went back to the chisco park area. I sat somewhere thinking seriously, almost cried while still trying to reach my friend all to no avail. I said to myself so this is how people can be so wicked to the point of leaving you in another man's land stranded. I now tried to reach those other guys in Abidjan through facebook because I didn't have their number. I wrote a long message to one of them explaining everything and begging for any little money that they can send me anyhow so I can face Abidjan but actually my mind was that if they send any money I am running back to naija without even thinking twice. With what I have already seen in Ghana that is closer to naija I will now proceed again to Abidjan that is even a French speaking country, meaning say na die I wan die be that. Anyways I waited for response without getting anything and so that night the other guys retured and we all stayed together and passed the night at the park.

The next morning, this became the beginning of the worse moments of my life in Ghana. Imagine waking up in the morning to find out that my phone has entered voice mail. Jesus Christ, that is I cannot communicate with anyone again and that was the first time I really cried in Ghana.

Interesting

The worst part that morning was that there were several other people that their things were stolen also and they had to call police. The stuffs of chisco started pointing fingers to we Nigerians that use to come and sleep at the park. I had to tell them that my phone was stolen also and that I was travelling back to Nigeria the next day which was why I slept in the park. I showed them my passport and told them that I was just waiting for the money someone wants to send for me to buy my bus ticket at Chisco so they didn't really do much but now asked all of us to leave and never return there to sleep except we want to travel. My people that was how I was thrown into the main street in the circle of Accra and that place is just like ikeja underbridge in Lagos were anything can happen. I had no phone and I could not communicate with anyone again. My money had already gone down and all I could imagine was hunger, starvation, mad man looks, and probably death very soon. Where do I go and where can I see help. I practically just carried my bag and and went to the back of the park so sit down were those Nigerian guys normally stay. The worst part was that non of them had a house. All of them were just in the street living from hand to mouth. They can't even help because they are equally looking for who to help. So a Nigeria lady that sells indomie offered me space in her little shop to keep my bag safe and I can always go and join the guys to sleep in one empty small store at night. Even though the mosquitoes there were the worst I have ever since because there is a very big canal close to that place, finding a place to just lay your head was the hope I had. Now for some time now I had not slept on a mattress not to talk about bed. It has been bare floor with carton we just put on the floor or bench.

Like play like play I was there for weeks and I think even up to a month living on coded street begging. I deviced a format I was also using to beg with my innocent face. I will start talking like who wants to cry. I will tell them that I was into 3d wall decor and I was invited to Ghana for a job only for the person to abandon me in a hotel and I got stranded so I am just trying to raise money to go back home. The bad thing was that not everyone will definitely answer you and even if they do they hardly give more than 5ghc because most times its less. So you can imagine how many people I will have to beg to get up to 10ghc in a day for me to eat well and be okay. I also had to bath and use the toilet once a day because it cost money to do that. Sometimes I had to leave the bathing matter because that 1ghc is one plate of banku with palm nut soup without fish or meat.

It wasn't easy but somehow I was always grateful to God that each day that passes, I was able to at least eat banku without fish or anything. The days were the begging gives me up to 20ghc I will be glad because I could each good food with fish or meat. I could barb my hair and at least still look a little normal.

As time went by I happened to discover there is a winners chapel church somewhere in the North industial area of Accra. I located the place and behold this was were I met another set of Nigerian guys in another world of suffering entirely. They only good thing now was that the area was more peaceful and safer compared to that circle and they had access to use the toilet and bathroom inside the church very early in the morning and a little late at night before they close the church gate. So I made friends with them and moved from getto to GRA lol.

Please check next page for the continuation as your many comments are pushing the stories to different pages.

chai,

I don't even know what to say

This story of yours must be fictional because I can't imagine someone passing through this shit in real life

See this life ehn...

Na make God help person

OP you have your self to blame for poor planning. Number one sin is you left Nigeria broke and you entered another man country broke. You could have save little money and keep with your trusted friend or family then when you are desperate overseas they can send you tiny bits.
I met countless Nigerians who made it to Europe through African countries most especially Ivory Coast .
If you enter Europe with no papers then they know you are a Nigerian, 99.9 percent you are coming back home I swear . But if you go first to other African countries and get the knowledge of that country like you know the tribes, few languages, cultures, their foods etc then if you made it to Europe you have 50-50 chance as you can claim you are not from Nigeria.
There was a man I’ll call Mr T an Igbo man left naija for Ivory Coast then he entered holland . He was able to get paper in Holland because he claimed Ivorian, if he claimed naija 95 percent they won’t give him.
Another man I know went to Uk from Ivory Coast, claimed asylum he was refused, they took him to Ivory Coast embassy in Uk, the embassy agreed he speaks French and their language but his accent is not from them. Home office took him to Nigeria embassy. At Nigeria embassy he started speaking French non stop. The embassy staff told home office this guy doesn’t speak a word of Nigeria language and English. After 3 years of dragging it on and off, home office gave him paper.

Dddd

Life is not fair to all, but we would all be fine at last...

My brother my brother. See where it landed you?
You're very lucky you didn't land in an Indonesian jail.

Please stay in Nigeria and be hustling here, you stand a far greater chance than those slaves wasting their lives living abnormally in foreign lands.

There's no fire hotter than Buhari's Nigeria.

kaen1317:
There's no fire hotter than Buhari's Nigeria.

Go and ask those stuck on the way to Libya.

following

Hmm....stranded Nigerians plenty here for Nairobi.