If not for late Nasiru, I would have been lynched to death.

It was my first time travelling to northwest Nigeria precisely Zaria in Kaduna state, in search of admission into the prestigious Ahmadu Bello university in order to further my Education. I didn't know anybody in the north except a family friend named Nasiru (but we call him bro Nasiru to show respect) who promised to help me secure admission into the university. we were neighbors in Lagos southwest Nigeria, before he got married and moved to Zaria northwest Nigeria.

On a faithful Sunday in january 2003 I think the last Sunday of the month, I embarked on the journey from kogi state to Zaria. Because of the distance from Lagos to zaria, I had to travel from Lagos to kogi state,(am a naitive of kogi state)the week before. I knew there were cultural differences between the north and south of the country, but i never knew it was this bad, i was only 18 then, More so I was born and brought up in Lagos a metropolitan city with out going people from all part of the country, I wore a long skirt that had two side slits, with a normal top, and went to the park, I boarded a vehicle going to kano and was asked to drop by kwangila in Zaria. during this period I had no phone, because the telecommunications companies were just coming into country and only the rich could afford it then, so I relied strictly on the description my family friend brother Nasiru had written for me, when we got to Zaria I dropped, it was a new experience for me as the climate was totally different from that of Lagos, and the harmattan breeze was still evident blowing dust, and immediately my lips became dried, I wondered what type of harsh weather is this , though have been taught about the harmattan breeze in high school but never experience or felt it this way. Little did i know something more than this harsh weather was waiting for me. After pondering on the weather I realized that I had to continue my journey, so I picked the little piece of paper where unc Nasiru wrote the description on how to get to his house, from where the bus dropped me, I was to take a bus or a bike to gylesu a rural setting with people of same cultural and religious belief, so i opted to take a bike popularly known as okada in my country, because they know the nooks and crannies of any area you find them.

On getting there I notice people were already shouting and chasing the bike with sticks (cane) I was confused and afraid, i didn't know what was happening, I asked the bike man what was going on and explained to me that it because of the way I was dressed , that girls here usually cover themselves up from head to toe, leaving no part of their body outside, but he would help me to run inside the house immediately I alight from the bike, I thought to myself, but am not badly dressed, only my legs were showing as i sat on the bike because of the slit on my skirt and my hair twisted and exposed, i said to myself had i know i would have asked him what to wear, but there was no phone to communicate, we depended only on post office and back then letters take donkey years to deliver in my country. Immediately I dropped from the bike , the bike man shielded me and I rush inside the house, I was trembling in fear because I have never experience something like this, immediately the saying \"when you are in Rome you behave like a roman\" made sense to me, about 30minutes later before I knew what was happening, Nasiru was summoned , so I was left with his wife maimuna who kept assuring me that nothing will happen, when Nasiru came back, he just told me that, he will be taking me to his friends place in depot barracks, because people in the barracks have diverse cultural background and are more liberal, that was how we went that night to depot barracks in zaria and Nasiru explained my predicament to his friend and pleaded with him to allow me pass the night with his family, so his friend obliged.

First thing in the morning, Nasiru came to pick me and we went to the campus , with the help of another friend of his' who works in the office of registrar, I was able to submit my results and the necessary credentials and I was assured of getting the admission, and I thought to myself, just like that? without a dime? I was sceptical because I know how people use money to gain admission in my country, and since i was determined to further my education, immediately i had a plan B , i told myself that i was going to come back to zaria but this time around straight to the campus where I will meet a lot of like minds.

Some few months later, the list of admission was published in one of the national dailies in my country and my name came out, my joy knew no bounds.

I was very happy that my determination to further my education and the risk I took travelling alone to the north paid off.

It is important to believe in yourself,pursue what you want and reach for the skies, believing all things are possible.

But I would not advise anyone to take that same risk I took, what if Nasiru was not at home as at when I arrived? What if he didn't have a friend in the military? Or what if the friend had refused his plead to allow me pass the night?

But am thankful that all the above scenarios were not at play. Shortly after i resumed school Nasiru was involved in a fatal road accident that claimed his life leaving behind his young wife maimuna, i didn't get the chance to show how grateful I am to him. Am indebted to my family friend Nasiru, because if not for him I would have been lynched on that faithful day, and my dreams of furthering my education at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University would not have been realised. May God continue to rest his soul.