God Bless The OKADA Man

Recently on a salvage evening, I got caught up in the rain, this was no ordinary rain and the circumstances could not just let me hide from it. I had to get to work, because no one will be there and if am not there heads will roll, the standing order was “madam even if it is raining thunder, get there”

So into the rain I went with some of my most priced valuables, I have no car, no uber driver (who am I kidding can I even afford it) my pilot usually was any okada man. As I walked in the rain getting soaked to my underwear, I kept thinking to myself, I can not find an okada  now, it's raining cat and dogs, and with the nature of okada's, nothing protect you from the rain, it's just more like my “leggdisbenz”, although this moves faster, so I kept walking  hoping to find one.

I got to the bus stop and it was still raining monkeys, no one is trying to get a ride everyone is hiding, I wanted to but I can't afford to (even if it rains thunder kept ringing in my ears). So I kept putting my hands  down for every car, bus and yes okadaman that passed me by screaming words even I can’t understand.  I checked my phone to know how late I was ( yes i do not use a wristwatch because am one of those that believe if you have a phone you don’t need one) 'oh gosh! am screwed, am getting late.' Someone tapped me from the behind and said “sister hide for this rain now u go get okada when it stops” I smiled and said “oga ah no fit but thank you”. He looked straight into my eyes (or probably he was looking past me it was raining I don’t know joor) and said I will stand with you and look for my own ride you're girl and you are doing this. As sexist as I would have made out that statement to be, if it was not raining down on my now frozen brain, it was comforting.

Eventually I got an okadaman willing to take me for my price (rain brings good luck to the okadmen cos desperate people like me will take them for whatever price they are offering). I jumped on and realized this okadaman is  soaked with rain water to his soul and he is shivering too, a scene flashed to my memory a night like this, raining and on a bike but with a romantic interest of mine (you will be surprised how the night ended). So I got to work wet, cold and angry, for a minute I despised everything and everyone and even myself for not having enough money to buy a car well it was only for a minute cos I snapped back but unconsciously praying it will stop raining, it did not.

Now its late into the night most okadamen do not even work at this time, to add salt to my injury its raining but I have to go home, the reward of my warm room and bed kept me going, now am closed to tears I actually did  shed some, not because am somewhat stranded but because I don’t wanna die of cold. Earlier that week I read about an American president that died because he allowed himself to give a long speech in a freezings climate. He was working and he died for it, goddamn! am not ready to die for work. I considered walking but the thought of been robbed or raped wouldn't let me (the fears you have as a woman). so I stayed in the rain with others like me in desperate need of a savior.

To my surprise the numbers of okada men plying the road to save people like me was more than what I usually see on a late night like this. This people are really saviors, such an humanitarian act, I tried a few but the prices were too high for my pocket.  I had to wait hoping and praying as people get picked up. My anger came back, this time mixed with fear then I started mumbling words of prayer with my cold lips “dear lord send my savior for tonight” I was still saying that prayer when one tiny looking man on a bike twice his size parked In front of me saying “madam you still dey here, haba you no wan pay money” apparently he had tried picking me up before but cant afforded his services. Then he said one of the most wonderful words have ever heard (I meant that night) “oya make we go make I help you”. You need to see how I jumped on that bike like it’s my father's. He dropped me at home and he disappeared into the night to save another poor soul like me.

You might say this is business for him, he makes cool cash even more than he had all day, but he was there, out there working when others were not, he had a choice, a choice to be coiled up at home getting all warmed up but he was out there  getting people home, scared people who had almost lost hope.

May God truly bless the Okada man


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