That was what I experienced on August 13
But for the fact that Tuesday, August 13, 2024 was the day set aside for the presentation of an internet connectivity equipment to the Department of Mass Communication of the University of Lagos by my set, the Class of 1984, to mark 40 years of our graduation from the department, the day would have started and probably ended like any other day.
But it was not.
On that day, I faced the University of Lagos venue of the presentation of the internet facility to the department rather than the office on Fatai Atere Way in the Matori area of Lagos State for the regular Tuesday Management Meeting that I had taken permission to be excused from.
Within two and a half hours or so, we were through with the presentation, which was only the first leg of the activities for the day.
The second leg was a dinner at the prestigious De Riggs, Elsie Femi-Pearse Street, Off Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, later in the day.
In order to be able to arrive the venue from the university campus on time, I drove straight to the office, which is closer to Lagos Island, than return home. In less than two hours, I was done with all I had to do in the office and then drove to the island for the dinner.
Everything went well at the dinner. We had fun. It was a reunion indeed as some of us that never met, probably since our graduation, were able to connect again.
Read Also; Seven habits that make people respect you
Then, at about 9.00 p.m., I put Google Maps to work to navigate my way back home. It pointed in the way of Third Mainland Bridge and I decided to obey it. This was something I usually avoid, even in daytime. I have always expressed my preference for my old, reliable Eko Bridge. But somehow, I missed where I was to turn towards Third Mainland Bridge on my way back by some 20 to 30 meters before I realised this. Many drivers were driving at the speed of light for security reason; so reversing was not an option. Somehow something just told me to drive on, that probably it was divine intervention that made me miss where I should have turned towards Third Mainland Bridge. That singular decision was my saving grace.
Miracle number One.
Shortly before I got to Ojuelegba Bus Stop on Western Avenue, I noticed my car started to jerk. Then the engine went off. I waited a few minutes and started the ignition again, it responded. I was happy, only for it to start misbehaving as I climbed the bridge at Ojuelegba. At that point, something told me it was better to reverse and try to talk to people at the Fire Brigade station just at the foot of the bridge to allow me park the car with them until the following morning.
As I was trying to reverse on the still busy road, people started telling me that fuel was leaking from the bottom of my car. I perceived the odour too and I was really scared. This was fuel (as in petrol; not diesel, not engine oil) leaking from the engine of a car that had travelled several kilometers from Lagos Island and most parts of the engine were already hot, I mean very hot.
Miracle Number Two.
An ‘area boy’ then requested to help me push the car to the Fire Brigade station or at least to a place where it would not pose a risk to other road users. He also volunteered to help me get a mechanic or rewire to check what was wrong with the car. I never liked the idea of roadside mechanics experimenting with my car, but, I had no choice at that point.
Anyway, before the man returned, God had raised a genuine mechanic who also offered to help. I told him what was wrong. After checking the fuel pump, he said there was no problem with that and made straight for the engine. It was then we saw that the hose taking fuel to the engine had given way. He asked for plier and I gave him. In no time, he had cut off the bad portion and fixed the hose firmly again. At this point, the ‘area boy’ who had gone to look for a rewire or mechanic returned and said he did not see the fellow. I thanked him and gave him some money. I could see he was not particularly happy that help had come while he was away. They don’t like solution coming at such critical moments, preferring instead, a situation where stranded motorists would be at their mercy and they would be calling the shots, especially as it was night.
Anyway, having thanked and paid him off, I offered to drive the mechanic who eventually fixed the problem to Maryland Bus Stop from where I would branch off to Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way, en route Agege. He said he preferred to drop at Onipanu Bus Stop. He entered and we drove off. I thought the worst was over.
After dropping him at Onipanu, the car began to misbehave again. Somehow, I had my eyes on a popular church at Obanikoro that I would park the car there overnight. About 100 or 120 metres to that church, the car suddenly stopped again.
As if they had been expecting something like that, two ‘area boys’ again surfaced. It was getting to 10.30 p.m. and everywhere was dark. They asked what the problem was and I told them. I suggested that they help me push the car into the nearby church premises. As they were pushing the car, they suddenly stopped and came to me to ask for what I intended to give them before they laboured far. I said they should rest assured that I would compensate them reasonably. They didn’t seem to understand what that meant and named their price: N15,000! I said if they turned me inside out, they couldn’t get anything near that. I didn’t know where the confidence came from because I was alone with them in the dark. They grumbled and after a while resumed pushing the car. This time, they suggested I should park it on the street nearby instead of the church. Before I knew what was happening, they had pushed the car pass the church gate towards the street they suggested. When I suddenly realised this, I asked them to push it back towards the church and somewhat reluctantly, they did until we got to the church gate.
Miracle Number Three.
At that point, another of their type came and they started an argument. I didn’t know whether it was because they didn’t want to share whatever I wanted to give them with the fellow or they were just pretending not to know him. But I told the fellow that I was okay with the two people but he insisted on staying put. No problem. At least I knew those I gave a job to do.
The security man at the church gate then opened the gate to see those knocking. I moved closer to him and narrated my plight. He said he would not be able to help me because the church authorities wouldn’t like such. We talked and he then agreed, called his colleagues and that was how I paid off the two ‘area boys’. I knew I should not go out alone that night because those guys would hide somewhere and surface as soon as I get out to get a vehicle to take me away from there. The security men advised that I call Uber or Bolt. None was available. It was getting to 11.00p.m. They then suggested that the three of them would join me to stop a bus in front of the church and they did. Eventually, I got one bus to take me to Maryland. Somehow, something was telling me it was not the right bus. Only two men were inside with the driver; one sitting at the extreme back and another in the left corner of the middle row. The seat beside the driver was vacant and I opted for that. Somehow, we got to Maryland safely and I jumped out, even though they were proceeding towards Ikeja that I was going.
I joined another bus from Maryland and, mercifully, it was the same bus that took me to Agege because I felt some peace inside it. No fear of ‘one chance’ as in the previous bus.
I called my decision to continue on Eko Bridge route instead of Third Mainland Bridge that Google Maps initially planned for me Miracle Number One because the vehicle would have stopped in the middle of nowhere if what happened had taken place on Third Mainland Bridge, considering that it took me to as far as near Ojuelegba Bus Stop or so before breaking down. Unlike Western Avenue where there were still people who were willing to help, there would not have been anything like that on Third Mainland Bridge. The least trauma I would have suffered would have been to lose my phone, my wristwatch, money, and may be, be forced to transfer whatever was left in my account to the hoodlums on the Third Mainland Bridge, who would always surface at such critical moments. It would be a miracle for one to escape from them with physical injuries alone; that is when they were not just inspired to throw one into the lagoon.
That the car did not catch fire was Miracle Number Two. Given the distance I had travelled before realising that petrol was leaking underneath, only God could have given petrol such patience.
Then, the ‘area boys’ whose fangs God had rendered ineffective as I was talking to them, indeed commanding them and they were obeying when, in actual fact, I would have been mincemeat should they decide to attack me, was Mistake Number Three. I was all alone with them and anything could have happened.
Definitely some other miracles would have happened that I didn’t mention or reckon with. I give God Almighty all the adoration for not making a good day turn to a bad one for me.
I also thank God that we did not hear any bad news from the other people that attended the presentation and the dinner. Mine that would have been was averted by divine mercy.
Only the God of miracles could have given such safety and security cover.
