I can be an introvert and extrovert but it depends on whom I’m with at that moment. If I ever want to mingle with people, I always want to make sure that they are influential people or people of high caliber so that I can benefit from them in a way or the other. Also, while moving with influential people, we need to be very careful because they can be very funny. They may even end up being the one to use you even though you few of you may benefit from them.
Well, my plan has always gone well with all the influential people I meet since I am always mindful of the things I say or do around them.
There are some people here in Nigeria who can be influential like policemen, soldiers or people working for the government. Unfortunately, a lot of people usually have bad experiences with them and this happened to me someday.
I was going out a few years back and I ordered a ride. I was shocked that the driver is a very cute young guy if my spec. I didn’t even think twice when I saw the picture. I booked the ride. When he arrived, I decided to sit at the front so we could have a chat. I can be like that at times especially when I’ve been lonely.
After thirty minutes drive. We saw some policemen by the road. They waved at the car signaling the guy to halt. He did and they asked him to give them some money. The guy was being gentle but explained to them that he didn’t have any cash.
To my surprise, a policeman pointed a gun at me and another one pointed a gun at him too. I was asked to get dish of the car but the guy told me not to worry so I had to relax back and the policeman by my door side had to cock his gun like he was ready to fire.
I became very scared and I had to get down and I didn’t even wait because I didn’t want him to shoot at me. That was how I left the vicinity. I was very scared and that’s why I didn’t look back.
I ordered another ride to my destination and by the time I got there, the program was over. When I got home, I called the first driver so I could ask for his account details and make payment for the short ride and also ask him how the story ended.
He told me not to worry about he money but mentioned that those policemen even had a POS machine that they could use to withdraw money.
It’s absurd and that’s how so many Nigerian police can be. Also, we can’t fight them because anyone who does will go to jail. We have to be very careful around them.
What did I learn from the situation?
I learned to always give ceasers what belongs to them. I had cash but the driver signaled to me not to give it to them. If we had given them that cash, we wouldn’t have gotten that much embarrassment.
It’s a lesson for next time and I pray not to ever encounter them again.
