NIGERIA - CLUELESS AT LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NIGERIA  -  CLUELESS AT LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The announcement reverberated in the cabin. The BOAC flight from Rome would be landing at Lagos International Airport within twenty minutes. Rekha sat there with trepidation. She had begun the long journey two days ago from Trivandrum. She was alone. She was traveling to join her husband who had left for Nigeria two weeks after their marriage. It took six months to obtain the documents for travel.

She had flown from Trivandrum to Bombay and had boarded the flight to Rome. She had never been abroad and she had rarely traveled alone even within India. She found it a blessing that her baggage was booked for Lagos. She could switch flights with ease. The food served during the flights was not ethnic. It was  not to her liking either.

Rekha hoped Roy, her husband would be waiting for her at Lagos Airport. She knew Roy was employed at a place 500 KM from Lagos. The year was 1972. Access through telephone was non existent. Letters through post conveyed news across. Brief messages could be sent through telegraph. Roy’s father had sent a telegram to him that Rekha was on her way to join him. Though telegrams reached destinations quickly, the place where Roy was employed had no telegraph office. The telegram reached the telegraph office 100 KM from the destination. The onward journey for the telegram was through the postman who visited Roy’s place twice a week. The message reached Roy on the afternoon of the date of arrival of Rekha at Lagos.

Roy knew Rekha would be helpless at Lagos if he was not there to receive her.  He found himself in a helpless situation. He did the best he could. He rushed to Lagos.

Rekha had to resolve a major issue at the baggage claim area. Her baggage had not reached Lagos. The airline apologized profusely and promised to restore her baggage to her without delay.  She found to her dismay that Roy was not on hand to receive her. She did not know what to do. Fortunately a family ( they did not know each other before) who had traveled from Trivandrum to Lagos along with her extended a helping hand and offered to drop her at her husband’s place.  Their destination was 200 KM from Roy’s place. Since there was nothing else she could do she joined the family and they had set off for Roy’s place.

Roy reached the airport in the evening. Rekha was not there. He was clueless. The passenger manifest confirmed Rekha's arrival at the airport. Roy waited there for some time. He did not dare to send a message to his people at Kerala that Rekha was missing at the airport. It would have scared them out of their wits. As he went on enquiring at the airport someone recollected that Rekha had joined a family who had promised to drop her at her destination. Roy drove back to his place at a furious pace.

The family who had  offered to drop Rekha at Roy’s place found the house locked. There were no neighbours. They left a message there and took Rekha along with them to their house.

Roy on his return found the message. It had set his mind at rest. He did not waste a moment. He drove all the way to the good Samaritan’s place and finally the husband and wife were together.

The missing baggage travelled all over the world and it was restored to Rekha after four months. Rekha had a harrowing time as  the baggage contained all her dresses.