Katsina-born Gaddafi Musa, 26, who rode a bicycle from Funtua in Katsina State to Lagos to celebrate the victory of the Nigerian president-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, in this piece told Daily Trust Saturday the intrigues of his journey.
Gaddafi said only his parents and two of his friends encouraged him when he decided to embark on the journey. He said many mocked him and wished him bad luck, saying bandits would kidnap him while on the journey.
“But I thank God I reached Lagos safely after the 14 days journey. I have never been to Lagos before; I only travelled from Katsina to Ogere in Ogun State some years back,” he said.
Narrating his story, Gaddafi said: “When I told my parents about my intention, they encouraged me. Two of my friends also wished me well, but others mocked me. I have read a lot of comments on social media about my journey, many think I am a fool or I don’t have anything doing, but I know that I’m on a mission. I only see Tinubu on televisions and posters, and my hope is to see him face-to-face.”
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While recalling his 14-day journey on the bicycle, Gaddafi disclosed that he embarked on the journey on February 26 after he voted for Asiwaju, saying, “I embarked on the journey on Sunday morning without waiting for the announcement of the results of the general election, as I had confidence that my candidate will win the election.”
I left Funtua, my home town, early on Sunday morning and I reached Zaria in Kaduna State in the evening where I slept and continued the journey the following morning. I reached Rigina, a village on the outskirts of Kaduna State and passed my second night there. Then, I proceeded to Suleja, Niger State and met some APC party members when it was announced that Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu had won the election, we rejoiced and celebrated the outcome of the election.”
The outcome, according to him, encouraged him to continue with his journey. He went through Minna, Bida and Mokwa, but after leaving Mokwa in Niger State, he was faced with some challenges.
“In the town, many people gathered to welcome me and rejoiced with me, then they bade me farewell. As I left, some young men followed me to the outskirts of the town and asked me who I was and where I was going to. When I told them my mission, they harassed me, called me names and said I was wasting my time and energy on someone who doesn’t even know me. I resisted the urge to fight them, but they took one, out of the three phones with me and left. I did not argue with them and continued on my journey,” he said.
Gaddafi was also challenged with the issue of no cash because of the cash crunch the country experienced at the time, though he had some cash and money in his bank account before he embarked on the journey.
“My plan was to pass the night at any of the village or town head’s house, but in most cases, most of them didn’t accommodate me, they told me what I’m doing is for politics and some connected me with party leaders while few others accommodated me.”
He, however, said in most cases, he used his money to pay for accommodation and feeding and as a result used up all the cash with him, which was about N40,000 before leaving Niger State.
He had to pay cash for food as they did not accept transfers and also had to patch the tube of his bicycle several times and in some cases change them about five times.
“I met an Igbo woman along Mokwa in Niger State, who sells bicycles, when I had deflated tires in Makwa. She was very happy to see me after asking if I was the person who embarked on a journey to Lagos on bicycle from Katsina. She said she had read my story on social media, and was excited to see me and she gave someone money to buy the tube and fix it for me,” he said.
While expressing his happiness over meeting the nice woman, he said, earlier, he had met a man in the same part of Niger State when he had a deflated tire. He bought a tube from him but he hiked the price when he realised that he was riding the bicycle for Asiwaju’s victory.
He further said: “What also surprised me when I got to Oyo State was meeting a vulcanizer who asked for N500 after he patched my tire. I told him it’s N50 I pay for patching my tire in the North, but he told me Oyo State is not North and I had no choice but to pay him N500.”
Gaddafi added that when he got to Ibadan, many journalists were waiting for him because he had earlier spoken to some journalist in Oyo, who reported his story on local radio, so whenever he passed along the major roads, people hailed him, having heard of him on the radio.
So, after speaking to the Ibadan journalists amidst a crowd who were glad to see him, he had to force himself to leave as he didn’t have much time to waste.
“I entered Lagos on Sunday 14th of March and was surprised by the BRT lane. I wasn’t aware of it as I noticed some major roads were divided into four lanes with another road in the middle and nobody was using it. When there was gridlock on the other side, I decided to follow it, to avoid the traffic jam, and then I saw a long BRT bus coming. It horned and I gave way, so I asked one man about the road, and he told me that the lane is dedicated for only BRT buses, and if they hit me, I would have myself to blame,” he said.
While relaying his surprises as a first timer in Lagos, he said; “I also noticed that there is no lazy person in Lagos. People living in Lagos are hard working, they are always busy, always in a haste and focused on their day-to-day activities. I realised that Lagos is not home for a lazy man.”
Gaddafi added that though he has spent 14 days in Lagos without seeing Tinubu, after several attempts and efforts, he is still not regretting his journey, and has confidence that he will meet with him.
“My aim is to meet him, and when I see him, I will gift him the bicycle I used for the journey, and I will tell him to look at the issues regarding Nigerian youths, because I’m doing this for Nigerian Youths and for my state Katsina. I want him to create opportunities for the teaming youths of this country,” he said.
The 26-year-old said he is an NCE holder from the Federal College of Education Zaria but has no job. He noted that many Nigerian youths are in similar situations, adding that his state, Katsina, has been battling with the issue of insecurity due to the incessant activities of bandits in the state. “I want him to take this into consideration; that is why I want to see him, and tell him about it.”
Meanwhile, the Bola Tinubu 4 President 2023 Support Group led by the Convener and Director-General of the group, Mr Fola Tinubu, had on Wednesday March 15 received the 26-year-old in Ikeja.
At the reception, Musa disclosed that he embarked on the journey on February 26 and got to Lagos on March 10.
Praising Musa for his love for the president-elect, the convener said that the step taken by the student demonstrated that young people loved and cared for Tinubu.
“He (Tinubu) has been saying since he became the president-elect that he would be the president of the youths and he is going to create a Nigeria that will make the youths prosper. Tinubu cares about the youth. His focus is to create the enabling environment for the youth to thrive. We need to follow and believe in his leadership.
“We thank Musa for the effort but unfortunately, Tinubu is in Abuja now; that is why I said I would meet with him,” the convener said.
However, Musa told Daily Trust Saturday that he will be leaving Lagos back to Katsina by air this weekend as he was unable to meet with the president-elect after he had spent two weeks in Lagos. He however added that he still has hope of seeing him sooner or later.
