This is a Libyan returnee' tale of how much Suffering one goes through to get to Libya and back......Narrating her experience is healing for her.
Enjoy the read!!!!
What is funny? I questioned the two guys laughing at my response. The
male burga told me to keep quiet that as a 'Jedid' (Jedid is a
newbie) I have no right to question a burga, for the first time I was
afraid, I started having strange feelings about the entire trip.
Back in my father's land, no one tells me to keep quiet but here I am in strange land ready obey blindly.
newbie) I have no right to question a burga, for the first time I was
afraid, I started having strange feelings about the entire trip.
Back in my father's land, no one tells me to keep quiet but here I am in strange land ready obey blindly.
I just clocked 20 years old when I left my father's land, I wasn't forced
to embark on this Journey, after my SSCE, I volunteered for
organizations that take care of Orphans and Vulnerable children, I
also worked in a pharmacy but all these weren't generating enough
income to further my education, my friend introduced me to her sister
who was working in LIBYA,I contacted her, went through her pictures on facebook and was happy that she was living large.
We spent 7 days from Sabha to tripoli, this trip for legal immigrants
is less than 24 hours, we slept in bushes; inside cold and mosquitoes,
we ran out of food until we got to a camp near Tripoli; this camp was
filled with lots of illegal immigrants and it was run by Arab men,
they fed us, changed our clothes and in the dead of the night, they
come back to prey on us; Our Burga told us we should neither shower
nor change cloth.
At about 2 am, our door was opened and some girls and I were selected
and asked to move into the car, with no questions asked we went
outside and hoped for the worst.
We stood outside and some girls started crying, we were asked to
remove our clothes and those that refused were blessed with slaps
and kicks, I removed mine and my breasts were fondled; while praying
for him to stop, he slapped me and kicked me, he shouted at me in Arab
but couldn't understand not until he dragged me inside and said
somethings to our burga who told me he said I was stinking. The burga
later explained to us that was the reason he insisted we should
neither bath nor change clothes, I thanked my Chi and for once I was
grateful to my body odour, other ladies weren't lucky as they came
back the following day with tears, we left for Tripoli the following
day.
Tripoli is Libya capital, we arrived at early hours and headed to our
'Sponsors' house; The capital looked so empty except for occasional cars
and movement, we got to our sponsors house and were ushered in with
Joy and laughter, for once I was happy. We freshned up, changed
clothes, called our family in Nigeria and informed them of our
arrival, I looked at the 3 bedroom flats and it was filled with over 20 occupants,
the house wasn't the same with what I have been on facebook,
everywhere looked unkempt. While still daydreaming of my present locations, we were served with banku and pepper soup, I told my sponsor I am an ulcer patient and we have been starving for days, any pepperish thing will trigger
stomach pain, I would love to have Milk or anything without pepper, her
response was you dont reject food here, anything you see, you eat..
70% of Nigerians in Libya are SSCE holders, most people I came in
contact with are vulnerable in one way or the other, The Edos and the
Yorubas are the main tribes dominating the human trafficking business.
I woke up the following day with stomach upset, I was given milk and I
later took omeprazole. My burga informed me of My bill, these are her
exacts words 'Welcome to Libya, if you are not lazy you will make your
money, I will get you a job as a maid where you will earn 600 dinars
monthly, I will collect 8 months Salary from you and after you can
start saving,. I was confused because before I left Nigeria she told
me my expenses will cost 120,000 naira, why the sudden increase? After
all and sundry, she reduced it to 7 months Salary, a total of 4200
dinars.
Believe anything you see on Facebook at your own risk ; My burga
brought out different clothes and shoes, I did make-up and took lots
of pictures, she insisted I post them on facebook and tag friends and
family. Everyone kept liking the pictures and lots of congratulations
rolled in, Only if they knew it was hell on earth!!!
Abasi akan idiok mkpor
ReplyDeleteJust see the way they deceive young people, you mean after the whole suffer head they gave you new things to wear so that they can lure more people. Oh Lord help your children, what would make them seek greener pastures if this country was better. Now I understand why people even go there
DeleteOMG youth pressure is too much.
ReplyDeleteWhen you all refused to hear words and learn from people that is what you get.
Everyone using education as excuse to go to Libya una doh
Since Gadaffi died that place is hell fire.
I pity people tapping into things they don't know about.
Awon tappers see how they lure you people
O di egwu tales.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a great writer. I didn't just want it to end. Can't wait to read more from you.
ReplyDeleteYes, she is a great writer and should explore this further as a side hustle or a full-time career as a writer.
DeleteHummmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhh holding my head was the only thing did...omg
ReplyDeleteThis is the last take i'd read... 20yrs old without sense.
ReplyDeleteNa wa. It is well with you.
DeleteHaven't you seen 40 year olds quitting their jobs to relocate to the unknown?
Fake life, Fast lane, Free death
ReplyDeleteEhya. The last part really got me. So you mean you were really posting pics on fb and people were congratulating you and tapping into the anointing. Hmmm if only
ReplyDeleteAre you sure you did not like and tap?
DeleteNa wa o. Reason why I don't envy anyone on social media and nobody should envy me too. Can't wait for part 4.
ReplyDeleteSDK Cinemas.
Na wa. Even the one that eventually makes it to Italy, u need to see how they live there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to Italy (spent a total of one week there), I came across different Nigerians. Most of the men were beggars and the females prostitutes (I was told). Most really looked dirty and really black.
That's for those that are illegals or got there without having people in the country. You will have no choice but to ask yourself if embarking on such deadly trip was even worth it.
I also heard that it gets better after u must have spent a long time suffering there.
Once you leave your country, no where is easy until you find your way around.
DeleteWhat do you mean really black? And I hope you are not associating dirty with being black.
DeleteHmmmm
ReplyDeleteStella post comments na, na just news we de see, no comments on any
ReplyDeleteShe is in transit.
DeleteWow! I can imagine so many people who would have their lives because of what they see on social media.
ReplyDeletePls, dont stop writing this.
What the fourk!
ReplyDeleteMy heart broke when I read the line where most Nigerians in Libya are SSCE holders
Look at a country's human capital being under managed
Honestly this story is heartbreaking.I don't blame anyone that leaves Nigeria because life here can be difficult but please don't take the illegal route into another country cos it might become a living hell for you
ReplyDeleteSome girls have already vowed that this new year, they will travel abroad even if it is Niger republic to do runs. Hope you are learning.
ReplyDeleteThey never learn.
DeleteWhat saddens me about this Libya - Europe trip is that so many save up to or thereabout,yet suffer unnecessarily. Why not use that money and do something in Nigeria. And to those wicked family members that will never help but will gladly contribute for the Europe trip, God is watching o. See how people's children are killing themselves abeg
ReplyDelete🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
ReplyDeleteJesus....that last paragraph
ReplyDeleteEven after reading this, some people will still want to go to Libya through this route.
ReplyDeleteFor real, sm is deceptive.
Poster, it is well with you.
Jezz.. Sweetie what's the equivalent of 4200 dinars to naira?
ReplyDeleteOver 1m naira
Delete1m is what she collected 😳🙆🏿♀️. Some humans are very wicked.
DeleteI am the one that always write "fake" on those celeb posts and IG copied posts.
ReplyDeleteFake lives. many times I have been shut up but I don't care.
I write what I know, a lot of what you see on social media is hypocritical and silly.
But a lot of girls are deceived. It is so easy to deceive ladies; it started at Eden.
Na wa oh...
ReplyDeleteWow just 2Oyears and you have been through all this Hardship..dearie what a heart you gat.
ReplyDeleteThis story is intriguing by the day. I hope this poster wasn't used for prostitution
ReplyDeleteStella our comments havent been posted oh. Looks like you are in transit and blogging from a phone.
ReplyDeleteJeez.. I can’t deal with the series please.. how much can I pay to read all at once? Lol.
ReplyDeleteSigh! I wish people would see through Social media.. the happier people seem the more I feel they are masking something bad could be an insecurity, pain etc . My friends call me a hater but I am far from it, just in tune with reality a lot. Why don’t we see Zuckerberg trying hard for us to see he can afford a Feragamo? Or Otedola flashing his Buggati? I just believe real happiness is quiet.
The writer is one of the few that even made it that far. Nobody talks about the hundreds if not thousands who die in the desert on the way. The desert is even filled with demons, roaming spirits and strange creatures, to even decide to trek through the desert for days is a death wish in of itself.
ReplyDeleteTo live to tell a tale like this is a testimony. May we all make wise and empowering choices in 2019.
What a story! Social media 'life' is indeed not worth a penny to emulate for those who believe in what they see..
ReplyDeleteLove yourself first, focus, do your research on events, places, and people before you leap and most especially, don't be gullible.
Remember, not everything you see is gold some are white, black, and broken. Be wary and wise!
We should learn to make enquiries about things, be knowledgeable enough to process certain information(common sense) to avoid future locutions like, 'I wish', 'had I know', ' I shouldn't have ', 'if only I could'.. Yes! We could have, should have, if only we learned to pause and assimilate reality to save us from unwanted experiences.
Yes, life is all about experiencing and venturing into the world(it's alluring) but let's be careful in our pathway.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
#thoughts: New year, new beginning same process for most. Let's be kind to one another.
I wish everyone reading through a happy and adventurous new year!!
This is really disheartening, have heard so many storiedifferent about this trip to Libya, always scary. . Nice write up
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmmmm
ReplyDeletePoster, plz turn this real life experience into a novel and make money from it. You are a good writer.
ReplyDeleteSocial Media be deceiving people since 1990
ReplyDeletePoster. You write so well....
ReplyDeleteI hope people will learn from this and not believe evey thing they see on social media.
This should just be a book to cash out from!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing you've decided to put your story out there, i'm sure it will deter one or two persons.
ReplyDeleteI can assure you it won't.
DeleteSome are stubbornly stubborn; they won't listen.
LIBYA!!!
ReplyDeleteNow, one understands better why almost all Edo guys see women, even hardworking, intelligent, educated and honest women as prostitutes. They will embark, alongside their footsoldiers, on a smear campaign to "paint black" that which is good, bright and genuine. Indeed, a man's culture and upbringing really determines his mindset. Yeye Pippo.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how little you have, contentment is key.
ReplyDelete