Thought we were going to Jada, Ended up in Ganye to Buy Honey

Goat Droppings on my porch.

After breakfast of cereal and coffee and cleaning the goat poop off of the front porch (some goats found my front porch a nice place during last night's rain. From the amount of poop I think there were a couple hundred goats!), I went over to say good bye to the people that were at the Easter Camp for the Deaf. They were having their last program (Hidden Realities), to be followed by breakfast (tea and bread). After the program I told them that I was happy to met with them and made new friends. The I had a cup of tea with Ruth and Pastor Raimi. Pastor Raimi is the pastor at the Christian Mission for the Deaf Church in Lagos. He had been preaching here each night usually after a local hearing pastor has spoken through an interpreter.

We were talking about getting copies of the pictures I had taken when Ruth said she and Pastor Raimi were going to Jada to see the school Ruth used to teach at. I said I would like to see the school also. So they said come along. The also talked about the Pastor wanting some honey before he went back to Lagos. I did not put the two together. Ruth speaks pretty good and lip reads as well. Her Hausa is much better than her English. She was 15 when she lost her hearing.

We headed over to get on Adamawa Sunshine Express. Fairly nice van (they call them buses here). It had four rows of seats behind the driver and two beside him. We had lots of room only 3 people per row and the driver's helper. Pastor Raimi was fascinated with the cattle and was asking Ruth lots of questions. They do not have cattle herds in Lagos. It is a huge urban center. Seeing people fetch water from wells and pumps seemed to interest him also. I do not think he has spent much time on the farm.

We got to Jada and stopped at the market where a few people got out. Ruth pointed to the school. I asked if we were going to get out and walk over to it? I knew the bus was headed on down to Ganye. She said no. It is a holiday there is no one there.  Now I am confused as to why are are making this trip. I had assumed we would be able to go in even though I knew it was a holiday. The would have security guards at least. We headed down to Ganye.

Pastor Raimi arriving at Ganye Honey Market

As we continued south, I pointed out Dashen Bible College I have visited several times. Ruth reminded me that she had graduated from there in 1987.

Ruth inspecting bags of honey

We arrived in Ganye and got on motorcycles and headed through town to a compound. I found out this was the Ganye honey market. If I had known that they wanted to buy honey I would not have come along. When the white man shows up all the prices rise. If you are going shopping for a car for your kid you do not show up in a new BMW, if you want a good deal. If you want to buy something in Nigeria at a good price do not show up with a White Man. They wanted 7000 naira for 20 liters of honey. We tasted some and I thought it was weak. Then they took us out to some large sacks and opened them up. Inside were large plastic sacks filled with honey. The first bag we stuck everyone's finger into was really sweet honey. The next bag was not as sweet. They started talking price it was way high. I told the Pastor the it was the White Man Price. He said Ruth had just said the same thing. They decided to go to another part of the compound. I went over by that gate and sat in the shade of a shelter by the Mosque and they went to honey sellers who had not seen me. They found some honey at a better price but it was not as good and sweet as the first bag of honey.

I napped under the shelter by the Mosque and watched as the Call to Prayer was blasted out of the loudspeakers. The older men showed up first at the Mosque and slowly the younger men made their way their. After the call to prayers was over Ruth and Pastor Raimi came back and told me that they now have come down to 5500 Naira for each 20 liter jug of honey. But will take 15,500 for three. This is just over $100 for 60 liters of honey. Actually, not a bad price. $1.70 per liter.

This is wild honey. It is dark and has bits of honeycomb and beeswax in it. Also a slight smokey flavor as they burn the tree the beehive is in to harvest the honey. They gave him a bonus of an extra 5 liter jug. We got back on motorcyles with the 20 liter jug in front of the driver and headed back to the place near the Ganye Cathedral where there were now 2 Sunshine Express buses sitting. Since I knew I had increased the price of the honey I paid all our fairs back (mistake #2). Then I went across the street where I was a light on and a freezer to buy some cold Malta and water for us. In the store I saw a volt meter, solder and other tool of the trade of an electronics repairman. The owner was also a repairman. We talked a bit about electronics repair and I headed back across the street and he continued his rice and chicken meal I had interrupted.


We waited and waited and waited some more. There were more than enough people to fill one of the buses. Then a small car arrived and people piled in. We amused ourselves watching a large lady trying to get in the front seat with one other large person already in there. Finally, she gave up and a smaller lady got in. Then they said they were ready for us. We got up as headed for the buses. But they said no. We were getting into a little car and since it was a private car we had to pay for luggage (White man pricing) another 100 Naira per container of honey. We said fine and gave them the 300 Naira for the honey. Then got into the back seat cheek to cheek and shoulder to shoulder. This was a small car. A thin lady with a baby got in the front seat and then the large lady got in beside her. The thin lady was now on a thin cushion between the two bucket seats. Now another man came up and said 4 people in the back seat and a young man got in the other side. I was now seating on the doors armrest and so was the young man. We protested and said we cannot fit 4 people in the back. We said we have already paid 400 Naira each for Adamawa Sunshine we want to ride in those buses. They said Sunshine is not going back to Yola. If we wanted to go to Yola. 500 Naira each, 100 Naira for each jug of honey, and 4 people in the back seat. We gave them another 300 Naira but said only 3 in the back seat. The head man of the area finally said ok.

If you have ever driven around Nigerian Highways you have seen drivers in a hurry to get to Heaven and take all his passengers with him. Usually, they are cars for hire with young men as the drivers and people and packages stuffed in everywhere. This was that car. Potholes were targets to hit at 130 kilometers per hour (80mph). NASCAR tactics in a car with no suspension. Drafting 5 feet behind the slower car until you do not see any oncoming traffic. Usually, because you are on a curve and you could not see them anyways. The horn blowing at anything that moves or does not move. We made the trip from Ganye to Yola in less time than I have every made it and we stopped for fuel.

Many time we have prayed before journey. This was a time that I believe a higher power was watching out for us. For most Nigerians that take public transit it is just the way it is.

We did have to slow down a couple time. The military had a checkpoint on both sides of Jada. The first check point the soldier wearing American BDU (battledress uniform) only stuck his hand in the driver window to get his payment from the driver. The military check points I had been through recently north of Yola had been professional. They had asked where we were going and looked through our vehicle. They did not ask for money. They were there doing their job due to the election related violence. This was not professional. Their only purpose was to take money from the driver. He never looked inside the car. Just a open hand. A man with a gun demanding money. I shame for all Nigerian soldiers. On the other side of Jada the soldier at least made it look like he was inspecting us as he stuck his hand through the window. We had three suspicious jerry cans in plain sight (honey). But they did not look in the back or ask us what was in them.

As we got to the Yola city gate the Police had a check point. This I thought is good. The day before an election. The Police Officer leaned over and looked in. Then he looked at the luggage and saw the three jerry cans of honey. We told him they were honey. He motioned the driver to pull over for inspection. I thought this is good. This is what should be done for good security in a time like this. Then the driver started forcing naira into the officer hand and he waved us through. So much for security.

In all it was an interesting day.