After our valedictory service and my meeting with my to-be father
in-law, I returned to Lagos to my parents who had now relocated to
somewhere in Ikosi-Ketu (one of the then suburbs of Lagos) from
Shomolu. The relocation took place shortly after I had left home to
the college. I got to know the place during my first holiday, when
my big uncle that stays in Shomolu close to our former house, took
me to the new home in Ketu.As at the time I finished school and I was joining my family fully,
they had already spent five years in Ikosi-Ketu.As at this period, a plot of land at Ikosi-Ketu was sold for N200,
N300 but my parents could not afford it, partly due to my father's
fear about the problems of land owners (omo oniles) in Lagos.
They had also missed chances right from their stay at Idi-Araba,
Ojuelegba axis, according to my mother.Partially due to financial handicap, my father had wanted to give
me a note to the Nigerian Railways then to start work, but I
declined saying that I would want to proceed immediately to
further my education instead and that I was sure of making my
WAEC exam papers. After much persuasion and convictions from
my big sisters (by then the eldest was in her final years at the school
of nursing while the other one had her own business), my father
later agreed.They ordered us to come out asking us for our trinkets, etc., but we
didn’t have any. The only major property that was taken was our
video player, but we were spared unhurt; as was declared in the
prophecy in the church on the mount on the first day of January that
year. They proceeded to the next building and injured somebody
after taking some money and properties.
Because of these experiences, our daughter could not stay in our
apartment for about two weeks and my wife was always fidgeting
whenever she heard the slightest noise, especially at night, as there
was rarely power supply (NEPA).
Our initial plan was to develop our own land and move, but this
dream could not be achieved as my wife and our daughter were
traumatized by the harrowing experience with the armed robbers.
We were then forced to relocate again. By this time, I had changed
my job also.
The day we paid for this new apartment was the same day my wife
and daughter moved in with just a mattress and their cooking
utensils. The company van that I was meant to use the following
Saturday traveled to Ibadan and broke down there. Hence, I had to
use our car (a Mitsubishi Colt) to move the entire belongings,
starting from that Saturday.
By Sunday night, the last stuff; the 3-seater couch was tied to the
roof top of the car and the other petty things were moved. The night
was also my first night at the new apartment. My wife told me that
on the first night they spent in the apartment, the night guards were
parading and blowing their whistles. She said that she was gulped
with fear and could not sleep till the next day, when she went to the
landlord to enquire about what the whistle was all about.