Alawusa is a locality in Ikeja local government of Lagos State, Nigeria. It is the seat of the Lagos State Secretariat and offices of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Lagos State. Alawusa also has a vibrant and growing Central Business District with several multinational business concerns like Cadbury Nigeria Plc and many others having their offices located in the area. It also has many low density residential estates like the Cornerstone Estate; MKO Abiola Gardens located within it.
It was a wonderful Thursday Morning, just about a few minutes past 7am, I stretched my body on the floor in our sitting room and by the time I raised my heavy eyeballs, it was already dawn. Beams of light penetrated my eyes through our windows, it was dawn indeed. Though I was weak and famished, which was as a result of the fact that I went to bed late. A book kept me awake all night. I never slept until I finished flipping through the very last page. In spite of this fatigue that seared though my entire body, My hope for a bright new day was very high. I realized I had a deep feeling of assurance inside of me. So I never bothered too much.
As I stood up unsteadily from the floor, I found my mother already absorbed with her baking work,-my mother is a big time caterer. I exchanged pleasantries with her, my father had left for work so I did not set my eyes on him. I quickly recalled I had a trip to Alausa. Before now, I have always heard of Alausa when I was younger. Many times then, I will take my time to imagine what challenges I would meet on my way to Alausa, how wonderful the place would be like. My interest to visit Alausa skyrocketed when I heard that the Governor's office was situated there. I have always known I would be at Alausa someday in the future, 'probably when I grow up and start working' I thought to myself. I have always learned that Alausa was a very industrious part of Lagos State with huge infrastructures, conglomerates coupled with its beauty. I also knew quite well that Civil servants and Governmental staff and authorities emanates from that entity. At least I knew of the sanitary body called "The town Council"
Over the years,as I Read more about this peculiar part of Lagos called Alausa, my desire increases even more. I watched a couple of live broadcasts covering news from Alausa, and lately I stumbled upon an epoch making conference that took place at Alausa, I thought to myself "It is an opportunity to be in Alausa" as I grasped the black attracting flier. I perused through this flier and found the venue somewhere over the left corner of the paper It was a Neca Building. The program promised to be a great one with highly sought after motivational speakers, talented musical artiste and popular gospel singers. The conference was spearheaded by the CEO of Visible Impact, Mr Fela Durotoye. The bottom line was, I was not importuned to attend that seminar because of the cost to participate consequently I missed a trip to Alausa!
Another opportunity!
I and two other friends-Victor and Muawiya had been working assiduously to form a Youth Organization, and we had to get the Organization registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission which was located at Alausa. Yeah, another opportunity indeed. I was never going to missed this one. So I volunteered to go for the trip. On that same Saturday morning. I quickly took my bath, changed into one of my best clothes,-someone who saw me would have mistaken me for a young C.E.O, but I was not, only a cool guy trying to catch up with something very important to him.(Alausa of course). As I set out to leave for Alausa, I mustered a few prayers for God's direction and Guidance. And off I went!
It took me about 30 minutes to board a bus heading for Alausa, and at just about 10;44am I fortunately got one. I jumped in and the driver zoomed off! As I sat down comfortably inside this commuter bus, I saw different faces, some were smiling, some looked very worried, perhaps they are late for work I wondered. I remembered I noticed a young and fresh graduate with the N.Y.S.C grayish uniform seriously 'pinging' on his black berry phone. I stared at him for some minutes, then I was forced to say another prayer again "Lord I know it will be my turn soon" I love young corp. members, whenever I meet them I see them as special people I always wish them well in all their endeavors. For a couple of minutes, silence took over the bus, everyone was focused looking at the front, of course-minding their own business, or perhaps enjoying the fresh air that saturated the place. I saw a dark young man who never stopped glancing at his wristwatch and I believed so much he wanted to catch up with something and very fast!
I sat back just gazing at the beauty of nature. I saw tall trees running behind our bus, grasses clapping and bending as the wind blows. I felt the warmth air which gradually evaporated my sweat. I saw a new world, my perception changed within minutes. The bus accelerated with a high velocity. The bus halted at different bus top with passengers alighting and other jumping in. The journey seemed like a 'never-to-end' journey. At a point in our journey the silence we had longed experienced was disrupted abruptly when the bus conductor asked a young woman for her transport fare he said "Yes your money" The lady handed him some money as she stretched her hands forward towards him, but the bus conductor retaliated in a fierce voice saying "your money na 100 naira jare" The young woman busted into anger "Na we tin, if you know say you no go collect 70 naira,you beta talk make I come down now oo, thief" The bus conductor stared at her with his reddish eye wildly open and shouted back at her "You dey craze, I no tell you say na 100 naira before you enter?" In a twinkle of an eye, the bus turned into a boxing ring. I have never seen a young lady at that age very skillful at throwing punches. The bus turned in a pandemonium, the noise drew people's attention, while we are moving at an average velocity. I peeped out from the window and saw that we became cynosure of all eyes. Noise rented the atmosphere. 'Na which kind bus I enter today" A woman said in anxiety. I was busy watching the drama though deep down I was panting like a deer that escaped the ambush of a hungry lion.
As we entered the environs of the great Alausa, the noise from our bus exacerbated, the lady and the bus conductor enjoyed the boxing competition, I saw two men dressed in an official uniform heading toward the bus since the driver had to stop so the brawl should be stopped. The two huge men hung onto our bus and ordered the driver to drive them to the police station. They charged the driver with the offense of noise pollution in a governmental entity with was meant to be serene and calm. We the passengers were allowed to alight even though we had not gotten to our proposed destinations meanwhile the bus drove off........
As I walked down along the well tarred road of the great Alausa, asking to get the direction that leads to the Corporate Affairs Commission. I saw a green board that hanged from a an iron pole which reads 'Welcome to Alausa' that welcome note relieved of agyiophobia i.e.ear of crossing busy streets
me and of fear of getting lost. As I walked a few kilometers ahead, Alausa unfolds itself to me. It was a great place indeed. I saw the clean and well tarred roads, I saw how the vehicles obeyed traffic lights in an orderly manner. I walked close forward I saw the road that leads to the Governor's office. I saw the beauty of Lagos, the beauty and richness of our country Nigeria. I saw big conglomerates and industries like :The Onward Printing Press, The Seven up Bottling Company, Lofty banks and well structured infrastructures .
The environment left a mixtures of feeling in me, it left a deep impression in my heart. Finally I came to appreciate the richness of nature and how God has immensely blessed NIGERIA.
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