Take A Holiday …. Travel By Road! (Part 1)

Dear Friends,

I’d like to wish you my sincere compliments of the Easter season… of course in arrears. As a practicing Christian, Easter for me, is significant for two major reasons, both of which are closely related. The first is that it demonstrates God’s perfect love in giving up His son to die on the cross for the propitiation of our sins. Secondly, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead makes it clear that whatever is dead in our life and circumstances is capable of coming alive – including our relationship with God. We only need to believe and appropriate this mystery by faith!

The Easter season provided an opportunity for me to take a holiday and I would like to share my experience with you in this two-part blog post.

Preparation

I have three places I call home on earth; each located in Lagos, London and my village. The last holds a special place, because it is my family foundation, where it all began and where my father lives in retirement. I have not been home to the village for close to a year, and the ancestral pull was too strong to ignore, particularly for some family issues that required urgent attention. Furthermore, business pressures have mounted so much in Lagos that I had to just get out for some air! Located in the eastern heartland, it was quite a journey from Lagos and I had to make adequate preparations including checking all the essential fluids of the car and replacing a tyre. The trip across six states – Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Anambra – to Imo, my home state, was daunting especially as I have not travelled long distance by road in a long while. I was determined, however not only to go by road, but also drive myself.

Lagos

All set, I drove out from my Lagos residence exactly at 6am on Good Friday. My calculation was to start early and cover much ground before the sun came up and weariness set in. Joining Ikorodu Road, the main artery out of town and linking it with the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was not much of a problem; in spite of the early morning traffic.

Ogun

For anyone who has travelled out of Lagos, once you left Berger Bus Stop, you were already in Ogun state, though the seamless development would not allow you know the difference. This stretch of the road will get you through the numerous church camps including those of Deeper Life, MFM and of course Redeemed (RCCG), up until the Shagamu interchange, where a right turn takes you off the Lagos- Ibadan express way and positions you firmly on the Shagamu-Benin Expressway. At this point the journey to the East is fully underway and I enjoy it because the traffic is less of those heading to Ibadan, and the Abeokuta k end of Ogun State. The road network is also much better, and the major landmarks are the old Shagamu and Ijebu Ode toll gates.

Ondo

Ondo State tells the traveler that he has made considerable progress and being at Ore by 9am was remarkable for me; though some speed could do that within a shorter time. I did stop at a travel centre to refresh and stretch my legs. From this point, you get the feeling that you are on the second half of the trip and this is true enough.

Edo/Delta

For me crossing into Edo State means the beginning of the home stretch, as I quickly reached Okada university town, Benin and then soon on the Benin-Asaba by pass which effectively reduced the travel time to the East by at least one hour. Delta State is familiar ground and after the border communities with Edo, Agbor and Umunede, Asaba the state capital increased the comfort level that the trip was already on the last lap. By 1.26pm, and just about 3 kilometers to access the Niger bridge and then enter Onitsha, Anambara State, I was on phone giving my wife a progress report. What happened within the next 2 minutes was unexpected, to say the least. I entered the ‘mother of all hold-ups’, and could only access the Niger bridge by 4.45pm! .....

Anambara/Imo

After the harrowing vehicular pile up, entering Onitsha was such a big relief. It is home to me: having spent 5 years of my working career as a branch manager there, it is my wife’s home town, and I could decide to spend the night there. However, I continued to Owerri, being very comfortable with the terrain. I got into the Imo State capital by dusk and not being in any particular hurry, had dinner in one of my favourite restaurants, before heading to my village. At Emekuku, where a turn off the Owerri – Umahia road takes me twenty minutes to my country home, I called my parents to expect me… and by 8pm was home!

Last Line: Was the journey worth the effort? What were my experiences? Any learning points? Is there a journey you have been planning, or a step you want to take? (“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off”. Prov. 23:18 NIV) I strongly recommend you find possible answers in part two of this blog!

Our hopes are realizable through divine intervention. To find out more about God and how you can have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, visit any Bible believing church near you, or: CHAPEL OF DESTINY RESTORATION CHURCH, 2 Akinlabi Lane, off Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, by Round About Bus Stop, Ikeja. Lagos.