Revealed: Misconception about why night journey in Nigeria is not good.

I was posted to Portharcourt, River state for my mandatory youth service popular known as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

After my passing out parade in February 2021, I was meant to travel back to Abuja for a job interview that same day.

I had received the interview mail two weeks earlier but I decided to go after collecting my NYSC certification since my interview was the second day after the Passing Out Parade (POP).

On this faithful day, I had packed my load and already booked a ticket for the night journey from Portharcourt to Abuja.

I was happy like every other corp member that I am passing out that day and the joy of going for my first job interview immediately after my passing out parade was unquantifiable.

Immediately after collecting my certificate, I went with some of my friends to pleasure park (PLEASURE PARK is a public recreation park city of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria) to celebrate the successful completion of the National youth service year.

All through the flexing, my mind was on the journey I am about to embark on by night as I have never travelled by night before.

I have heard much bad news that are not pleasing to hear concerning the late-night journey and my parent was also very against it because of the security challenges in the country but I had to embark on the journey so that I can meet up with my 10 am interview at Abuja.

At exactly 10 pm, the journey to Abuja started from the waterline motor park in Portharcourt to Utako motor park in Abuja.

At first, it was exciting to me as that's my first-night travel since I was born.

I was enjoying the ride from Portharcourt down to Imo state.

We had a stopover at Owerri park in Imo State to pick other passengers at the park that are heading to Abuja.

I got down, bought some drinks and fruit to enjoy myself while travelling down.

The journey to Onitsha in Anambra state which is the next state after Imo state started after we have picked those at Owerri Park.

The journey was smooth and fine not until we got to Onitsha, exactly at the upper iweka park, just a few minutes to the River Niger bridge where our bus almost caught fire.

God save us, the driver was able to control the situation but unfortunately for us, all the Electrical wire connections in the bus already got burnt and there begins my dilemma.

I was happy that we didn't get burnt in the bus and I was also thinking of how to get to Abuja before 10 am so as to meet up with my interview.

The driver tried all he could to look for a rewire to help replace all the burnt wire in the middle of the night but all to no avail.

We tried to call the park and explain the situation to them so that they could send another bus to pick us up from Onitsha but all was fruitless.

We had no other option than to sleep in the car till the next morning.

I couldn't sleep all through the night thinking of how to make it to Abuja before my interview so as not to miss it.

I was blaming myself that I didn't listen to my parent. If it had been in the afternoon that we had such a problem, it would have been very easy to get a rewire to help us check the bus, but it's deep into the night and that has always been my parent's fear that it is always had to find help if there's any little problem with the car at night.

Since there is nothing I could do, I had to accept faith and not until the following morning before we could get a new bus to take us to Abuja.

As at 8 am in the morning I just got to the River Niger bridge, I already know that I can't make it to the interview again so I just had to enjoy the ride as a night-journey already turned day journey for me.

And that was ow I miss my first interview because I had to embark on a night journey that I have never embarked on before.

Though it was fun as that was my first time and everyone always enjoy the feeling of trying something new for the first time.

It was a day I can never forget as that was my first experience and I also missed the interview. so you know how it feels.