In the Cradle of Humankind

When we finally arrived at Owerri airport it looked nothing like any other airport I have ever seen before. I expected to see a smaller version of Lagos International, but the building we got dropped off looked more like an overcrowded East London squat hosting an open day event for new entrants.

It was impossible to comprehend the crowd outside. People were literally sitting on one another with bags, boxes and children tightened up to their backs and heads. Everybody was shouting and pushing each other in a wild attempt to get closer to check-in whilst trying not to separate from the family members and friends.

For a moment I thought we were brought to a wrong place. The word Terminal handwritten in chalk above the entrance door indicated otherwise.

Just three days back the Nigerian government introduced a martial law in the Northern states of the country in response to intensified Boko Haram activities. The authorities also decided to cut petrol subsidies nationwide which immediately made traveling by car ultra luxury. We desperately tried to find a way to get to the nearest airport utilising all our local contacts. We are here but it does not seem any closer to a happy ending.

The four of us were stunned and none seemed to have any idea what to do next. Lilly sat on her luggage and started crying quietly as if all hope was gone for good.

- We will never make it home. Ever - she said.

My body started shivering and it was not due to cold weather. “Calm down and think” - I told myself. I asked the girls how much cash they had. We got an equivalent of 300 US dollars in naira. It should be enough.

- Call your uncle Lilly and ask for a contact here - I ordered.

Lilly was the only one with family connections in Nigeria. Here everybody knows somebody who knows somebody else who might be helpful. It can take minutes, hours or days but we would eventually find a lead to somebody who can take us through the check-in and security. For a fee, of course.
We were lucky. Lilly’s uncle thought of somebody straight away. Five minutes later a giant gladiator in an airport uniform emerged.

- I will take you through - he murmured.

He did. In less than an hour we were on-board a plane to Lagos from where we were booked to fly back to London the same day.
Seconds after we took off I fell asleep. The images of Lilly’s wedding swirled in my head. The smells, the drums, the smiles, the beauty of Nigeria and the kindness of its people will for ever stay with me.