Circle, Accra – Episode

Circle, Accra!!
Chapter One (Circle, Accra, Circle!!)
The cold winds as usual swept through the city of Accra like wildfire, the city slept still, just for the street owners and lords who rule at night, and the black market merchants, and the buses that just entered the city…You could see and hear criminals being chased by police patrol, or a thief running away from a victim, you could also hear victims scre-ming “julor”, but nobody will chase a thief at that time of the night.
Femi tried to coil herself to catch some warmth, but there was nothing to coil into, she was tired and feeling so cold, she tried adjusting herself well on her bed, and ended up falling from where ever she was.
“Herr, we nor dey sleep for here ooo, wake up la”, a guy who saw her fall said in a loud voice which brought Femi back to her dearest senses.
She just realized she wasn’t in her room, and not in her little student mattress, and no blanket, then she remembered where she was.
FLASHBACK:<<<<<< Femi had travelled from Benin to Ghana in search for greener pastures, she was tired of staying in Nigeria, and later Benin, where she felt life was not favoring her at all, she then made up her mind to travel to Ghana, a country not too far from Benin. She was told and had heard about life in Ghana. ‘’My sister, ebi Ghana wey save me ooo, plenty job dey der, and you for look sharp, everything go work give you jorrr’’. She was told by a woman who ever visited Ghana and made it. Femi: But I don’t know anyone there, how ago survive Woman: You don’t know, you norr for know anyone for der, I reach Ghana, I don’t know anyone ooo, but I survive am well well Femi was much convinced that, Ghana was her location, and her place of breakthrough, she started raising funds in other to make her journey to Ghana. The only negative comments she heard concerning Ghana was the rate of crime in the country, she only laughed that off “Crime, spare me that jorrr, I survive for Warri, I survive for Lagos den Abuja, then I come survive for Benin too, Ghana no go reach Warri quarter quarter sef for crime …weytin you dey talk?…abeg lef me jorrr…She said laughing uncontrollably After two months of preparation, Femi was ready to come to Ghana, she had this agent who assured her of accommodation and job immediately she arrives in Ghana, she was told someone will pick her up from the lorry station when she arrives, but she was just dealing with a fraudster, she paid a huge sum of money in other to complete her deal with the 419 agent. It took almost two days before they arrived in Ghana, it was already in the wee hours of the night, she stood outside trying to get in touch with the one who was supposed to pick her up, but the number didn’t go through, she was a bit confused, the place the car stopped was soon des**ted and only a few people were seen sleeping on benches and others waiting to be picked up by either their friends or relatives. Femi decided to get some rest on one of the benches, she turned to pick her bag, but it was nowhere to be found, she rubbed her eyes to see well, but her eyes were not deceiving her, Ghana just gave her a welcome…Her bag full of her belongings were gone, it was stolen right in front of her without her notice. She run trying to see if she will see anyone with it, after sometime of searching, she missed her way back to the lorry station, that was when she ended up at the Circle Lorry Station, where she slept on one of the concrete benches. FASTFOWARD>>
Femi: Oga, abeg, wer be this place?
Man: You nor know wer you dey?
Femi: Yes, I come sleep here, I come from Nigeria
Man: Omo Naija, this be Accra, wer you dey now now be Circle, C-I-R-C-L-E!!
Femi: That one too be what?
Man: Ebi what, you for look sharp for here, or else somebody go look sharp for your top
Femi was now all alert now, she was beginning to realize where she was, this is the second time somebody is telling her to “Look Sharp”, but this time she heard the send part “Or somebody go look sharp for your top”…So she had already experienced the second part when she had her bag stolen…at least she still had her handbag which contained ladies stuff, she learnt some lessons, she quickly hid her money in her brassieres, her smart blackberry phone was tight in her hand.
She had in her possession Naira and CFA currencies, which is not accepted as a legal tender for business rendered here in Ghana, so Femi walked to the already busy city looking for a place to change her foreign cash into Ghana’s Cedi.
Femi: Oga, abeg, where afit change go Ghana money? I want go forex bureau
Guy: Oh, forex bureau no gbeley yet ooo, but you for go there, the total filling station der,some people dey der,dem go change give you…But you for look sharp for der
Femi: Okay, thank you
But what is all about this “You for look sharp”, everyone ends a statement with that, Femi asked herself.
Immediately she arrived at the place, this guys who did not look soo Ghanaian approached her with varieties of currency, she went to one of them who she saw holding Naira and Cedi
Man: What you want change from?
Femi: Naira, I want change 50,000 Naira to Ghana Cedis
Man: So, come make I calculate show you, so you see I go give you GHS648.20, But I go komot GHS5.00 for changing, the rest be yours
Femi: Okay, here you go
Man: Make I take put this brown envelope in,side give you
After some seconds, the money changer gave the brown envelope to Femi
Man: Take put your bag in,side, this be Circle, you for look sharp
Femi: Okay Sir
Femi quickly kept the money in her bag and left, she went to an isolated place to check out the cash, and what she saw nearly gushed out her eyes.
“Whaat, pepars? Ewoo!!…I don die finish! Wey kind witchcraft be this” she cried out loud, her voice attracted this lady who was passing by, she come to Femi and consoled her before asking her what happened
Femi: I go change my money for der, but e all turn pepars
Lady: Where exactly?
Femi: The place wer the petrol station dey
Lady: Hahaha, lady, this be Accra oooo…This is Circle!!
Femi: You for help me go take am back, abeg
Lady: Take back your money? You were tricked lady; you won’t find him there again
Femi: Wey kind country this one too, haii!!…
Lady: Where do you live?
Femi narrated her story to the young lady who was her age mate, she felt pity for Femi and decided to take her to her place for some time, Femi agreed, but this time, she was trying to look sharp.
Lady: Rule number One, don’t trust anyone.
Femi: Okay.
Lady: Good.
To be continued……