At first glance, ‘Niyi, seems like your regular taxi driver in the Federal Capital Territory. By chance he opened up to BLESSING UKEMENA and ONUKOGU KANAYO JUBAL. His story can best be described as bizarre.
Our destination was Area one, an arm of Garki, in the heart of Abuja.
We boarded and waited for him to get us there. But he missed the right turn and made the journey longer. Annoyed, we asked, “Bros, you new for this town? How you go jus miss road like that?”
?“I beg your pardon, but you couldn’t have put it more correctly, I am actually new in this town. Just two weeks old in commercial driving,” he replied in crisp English. We were taken aback by his answer.
He knew we were surprised and considering from where we boarded, he cautioned against questions. “You guys are journalists and I would not have you asking questions about things you don’t want to know, though it is clear to see how surprised you are.”
“Really,” we queried, “how did you end up here?” The chance was too good to pass up.
“I will only tell you a little of it, but for starters, just call me ‘Niyi. No surname, nothing. Just ’Niyi . . . and please,” he said as an afterthought, “you cannot take a picture of me.”
Once a Londoner, ’Niyi, an indigene of Kwara State, in his late 40s is now a lonely taxi driver. Was he deported? No, he was not.
“I grew up in Ogbomosho,Oyo State. After I finished my graduate studies here in Nigeria, I was able to raise some funds on my own to travel abroad. When I got there I studied further and? was employed into the service of Brent Joiners LPD, Design and Construct Limited in Wembley, Central London.”
Prior to his return, he had sent money home to his brothers to execute and tidy up a lot of projects they had agreed upon, including the family house, some investments, cars and all that, but something strange happened in 2008.
“In the year 2008, I just made up my mind to return to Nigeria to check on my investments here. The urge to return was sudden and too strong to resist. I informed my family and employers about my decision, and I got their permission to do so. Considering a lot of things, my employers paid me up-front for nine months.
“It was as though something was pushing me to come home, despite the fact that I was doing very well in the UK. I had earlier sent about N31m to two of my brothers (even if you put a gun to my head, I won’t mention their names) to invest for me. I decided to come see what they had done with it. That’s how I came alone.”
Just like in the movies, a rude shock awaited him.
“Lo and behold, my brothers had used my money to enrich themselves. They were living very well off my sweat and there was nothing left of the N31m, not even the investments. That money was my entire life savings. You can imagine how I felt.
“I lost my bearing and became so sick that I could not remember who I was or where I was anything around me.”
Was it a mental break-down?
“Call it whatever you like, but up till now I don’t remember most of what happened at that time. For a while I was admitted in the hospital because my blood pressure went as high as 220/210. We tried all sort of drugs just to bring it down but nothing worked. A blood pressure that high was enough to knock me off or result to stroke, but it did not. It was a miracle and everyone who knew about it was surprised. After that we started going to churches. I was taken to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). I also went to a lot of other churches just to get healed. I met so many fake pastors who just collected my money and produced no result. I was a victim.”
How did he get better? He was not willing to explain.
“Remember, I said I would not tell everything. By the grace of God, I gradually returned to my senses and I had to find something doing just to keep my mind occupied. That is why I started driving taxi.
“I have been living in Kuje (a suburb of Abuja) for the past two years, and I can tell you that my family is unaware of my predicament and they do not know where I am. As for my brothers, I have totally forgiven them. They believed that, because I was living in the UK, I had unlimited financial strength. I am sure they did not think that their actions would affect me severely. I do not have any responsibility to them anymore. I now believe in the living God. Back then in the UK, I had no time for God. Perhaps, that was why I was so vulnerable. Someone did not want me back, so my coming was a rude shock. I know there is still a lot I am yet to now, but all that is in the past.”
Will he continue to live like this? Is he so disillusioned as not to pick up the pieces of his life?
“No way. I intend to go back to my family very soon. I am presently processing my papers to travel abroad. I will not like my picture to be taken, because I am a well known person and I look different from how I used to look (he scrolled up the image of a fine-looking young man on his phone). I do not want people who used to know me to find me in this condition, until I put things in order. All I need now are prayers from people like you,” he said, looking back at us from the steering.
“I think I regained my health when I forgave them. I think I am a lesson on the brutality of life, but it is up to each person to choose to rise above the situation, because tomorrow is a better day”.
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