Every Woman for herself... (My Ladipo Story)

I have never been in a crossfire before, but the one time I was caught in the middle of a cross fire in Ladipo, that single event changed my life view.

In 2016, I was still an  IT student on a one year industrial  training. Just four months into getting familiar with the area I witnessed what I would have on a good day seen on the TV as NEWS.

I had just been transferred to the new branch my boss opened for business, my office had all the comfort: air condition, portable DVD player, roller seat, soft drinks stocked in the fridge, no serious work to get done at that time, take selfie here, take selfie there, then wait till 6pm and fo home.

The mayhem started at about nine in the morning of that unfaithful day. I had resumed work like every other normal day, did the 'every every' and was settled to begin the days work.

Oga Steve (our driver then) had come to park our boss's car at the lot in the building.   He popped in to say Hi, but later sat down on the customer seat to 'take breeze'.

'Chai Chiamaka, you're enjoying here o. Ahnahn, see the kain AC that is blowing here' he was looking around 'see everywhere, fineeee! Oga try for this place o'.
Me: 😑😒  

'Chai! Chiiiiiii 😁 life is good o'. He was all smiles.

Me: Oga Steve bia ga wa biko (comman be going)😏

He stood up, 'We go wash this place o' he opened the fridge part of the dispenser 'see malt, gimme malt nah'

Me: Oga has counted it (😁)

'Hey which time? Chai Chi na me o' 😀

I gave him anyway, not to act like a bad person.

Two hours later, there was noise coming from outside, It was a normal thing to be surrounded by noise in Ladipo.

But the noise kept coming and coming and coming.

Noise of riot.

I became alert, frightened. The news of all Ladipo fights I've heard of in the past began playing in thin air.

Just about that time, my phone rang. Boss.

'Ammie lock up, Steve is coming to take the car key from you, come down here immediately'.
I fumbled with the keys, fumbled with my phone. I had no control of my hands anymore.

I stepped out, the whole place was crowded. All the while i was inside collecting AC, war was busy warming up right in front of me. Our Igbo brothers were armed with sticks, rods, condenser, shovel, iron, bottles... Our brother has been wounded, they were going to fight back.

It was a war march in May.

I looked around for Steve, he was no where to be found. I needed to hurry out of the premises before the real war began and he also had to be there with me to move Oga's car to a safe place. There and then I wish I knew how to drive, so I could at least save myself and Oga's car.

The guys I knew in the area were armed too, and they had given me stern warning to leave the area that it was about to go down. This was Yoruba agbero's versus Igbo market boys something.

People had started running, the fight had started. Sticks were flying here and there, bottles too, I was trying to save my head, then Steve suddenly appeared from nowhere, asked for the key to Oga's car and before I could say 'Holy Spirit' fiammmmm! Steve af disappear...

I was in a state of confusion, I couldn't leave the building, there wasn't enough time to open the door and run back in for safety, so I ran up the stairs instead with other unarmed people like me.

I was scared. I didn't think running upstairs was the right thing to do, there was so many 'what if's' playing in my head.

What if they came upstairs too?

What if stray bullet came there and met me?

What if someone mistakenly pushes me from up? Two storey building is a highway to the ground.

Then I thought of Steve.

Steve that me and him were together that morning, Steve that was admiring my new office, Steve o, the person I gave malt, ha! Life is wuked!

He just left me like that and ran away. He didn't even say 'Chi follow me, I know a safe place' or 'Chi come let's get out of here' but if it is malt he'll remember Chi!

There and then I concluded Steve was a feminist. He couldn't just be a Knight for once and at least think of me fess before thinking of himself. He just did Voo-Doo and disappeared. 🙅
There was no time to count my loss, lemme be alive fess, and deal with Steve later.
Cut long story short, I was safe and found myself at the headquarters, and there was Steve, smiling at  with the 'Chi you're here 😀' talk he was giving me.

Me: 😬😡 don't even talk to me!

Steve: I was looking for you, I thought you followed me that time.

Me:😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈

Steve: Where's Oga's car key nah? You didn't give it to me that time o.

My mind: (brings out gun and shoots Steve)

I turned red and ignored him completely. Do you know he asked me to accompany him to go look for it? Okay now you know. You don't need to ask me what my reply was, cos I didn't say anything. He still used his legs to walk back to the danger zone to go find the keys.

What did i learn from this episode of my life, In this life you're on your own.

Everyone will always seek their own safety first before they come for you, after all it is someone who is alive that will save another 😏

PS. The incident left many seriously injured, one dead, goods worth millions of naira burnt to the ground, cars burnt and houses destroyed. And the mayhem went on for three days straight.