On this day in November, she closed from work a bit later than her colleague, of whom they always went home together, but because of a few things she had to put together before leaving for the day, her colleague left her behind.
She walked to the junction in Games Village, where she works and waited for a Keke to Galadimawa as usual. A Keke pulled over some minutes later. There were two passengers in the back seat, one of them alighted, leaving the other passenger: a female. She asked the driver, an Aboki man if he was going to Galadimawa round-about and he nodded in affirmative. She asked him how much his charge was, and he responded that it was a hundred naira, which was the normal transportation fee from Games Village to Galadimawa. She further asked him if he had change of two hundred naira, just to avoid any form of misunderstanding, and he nodded in affirmative again.
She entered the Keke and he drove off.
Some kilometers further, he stopped to pick up three other passengers heading to Galadimawa as well. When he got to Galadimawa bridge, which is just a short distance to the round-about, all the passengers alighted except her, and he drove her to the round-about.
So, reaching the round-about, her final destination, she stretched her two hundred naira note to him. He turned, saw the money and immediately said no, his money was three hundred naira. She was confused. How could he say three hundred naira?! Aside the fact that he already told her the amount before she entered his Keke in Games Village, the regular amount for that distance is a hundred naira only. She asked if it was possible to pick a passenger from where he had picked her for the amount he was mentioning, and that was when he dropped the bombshell.
He said he did not pick her up from Galadimawa, he picked her from Gudu, which is a farther distance from Galadimawa.
She was stunned to her bones. She could not believe her ears! She recounted the short conversation they had before she entered his Keke, and he kept speaking Hausa, arguing that he carried her from Gudu. She turned around helplessly, not knowing what to do. She did not understand Hausa language, and the Aboki did not understand English at all. All the other passengers, especially the woman that had remained in the Keke when he had dropped a passenger at Games Village would have testified that indeed, she was speaking the truth had all alighted. Her colleague whom they always went home together after the close of work every day would have made a difference had long gone home. Who would save her from the hands of this Aboki who seemed to be experiencing some sort of memory loss?
The Aboki was furious. She was shocked; this sort of thing had never happened to her in all her years of using public transportation. Worse, there was no witness to back her claim.
The Aboki insisted his money was three hundred naira, and she stood her ground that what she owed him was a hundred naira, and she wanted her change, although the Keke driver was yet to collect the two hundred naira note from her. While he spoke and swore in Hausa, she explained in English. Some bike riders came along, asking what the problem was in Hausa as well; they too could barely speak or understand English. Both she and the Aboki tried to explain, each speaking their believed truth, but it was a futile attempt, as the bike riders who supposedly came to intervene rode away shaking their heads.
Nevertheless, she would not relent. She had an extra hundred naira note in her handbag that she could have easily added it to the one in her hand to complete his demand to save her from the embarrassment the altercation was stirring, but she made up her mind that she would not. It was not fair that this man would just act as though there was something wrong with his retention just to extort her.
The argument continued; she explained, narrated, sighed, described, gesticulated, but there was no evidence to prove her point.
At a point, the Aboki got upset and got out of his Keke, and stood an inch away from her in a threatening manner. In that instant, flashes of stories of these Hausa riders and sellers always hiding knives in their pockets for cases of misunderstanding, and the speed with which they use the weapon on their victims went through her mind, and she almost backed down, but somehow, she refused to cower or surrender. Then he sat back in his Keke and continued his argument.
After a while and none of them were willing to accept defeat, he brought out fifty naira and stretched it to her. On a normal circumstance, she would have accepted it, but she decided that she would see to the end of it. In fact, she remembered the money in her purse, brought it out and gave him the hundred naira note. That way, he would not need to look for change. There was a little back and forth argument again, but then the Aboki finally collected the money from her, albeit grudgingly, and throwing swear words at her in Hausa. But she dusted them off, after all, one cannot be hurt by what they don’t know!
Was it wise, risky or foolish of her to have contended with an illiterate tricycle rider?
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Why did he give her fifty naira later on?
Maybe after much arguments, he started feeling she was right and he was wrong.
Sometimes it is good to stand your ground, some of this transporters forget where they carried you from while some even forget that you’ve paid them😎😎😎
I don’t even know which is worse.
You go explain tire, no evidence😅😅
Risky though, because these Hausa people are very dangerous, and they have taken lives all in the name of money or “change”.
It’s the phrase…
At times it’s good to stand your ground and defend yourself, but you see this illiterate hausas I don’t think there’s any point arguing with them cos they are very dangerous…… I couldn’t remember a similar event that happened in Gwagwalada where the taxi driver stabbed his passenger to death all because of #50 and he got away because the police couldn’t find him.
These people are dangerous, one needs to be super careful when dealing with them.
I love the fact that the lady stood her ground. It’s a different thing if an agreement wasn’t reached before boarding the keke, but both parties agreed on the price. To me, it’s a wise decision.
Exactly why she was lost in shock…sigh!
Omor somebody like me way dey calculate my transport fare .. Omor aboki no ho cheat me oo
But sha
Sometimes we just have to run away from trouble ..
Co’s aboki no get joy oo 😂
Everything about this comment…
I will also be reading and rereading again 🤗
Ion think dat was smart from her knowing der reputation..Bt it’s all good, she got away ryt ?😂
Nyc write up
That’s right.
You can never be too careful in situations like this. Best bet is to give in to avoid any form of problem. It was a very risky thing to do based on the kind of country we find ourselves in.
That’s right.
There are some scenarios that doesn’t needs explanation. It was way too risky. “Life doesn’t have duplicate” they say. The fact that she had extra ₦100 was enough to end the issue because of the kind of person she’s dealing with. Assuming he did something worst, Definitely she would spend more than ₦100 or worst….
I rest my case
Exactly…sometimes it is better to let go than try to prove a point.
I wouldn’t argue much if it were me…
Right?
Omoo..I honestly wouldn’t have risked it, the keke rider might not know the value of my life, but I do, so to risk it all for an extra #200 ??..naa fam..”Justice for ****” no fit bring you back to life… thank God she got out of that situation unharmed sha coz the story could’ve been different
Honestly…we all should learn to take safety seriously.