How I met the humble musician - Fati Lafiagi

As much as I love driving and would not mind traveling with my personal care, Nigerian roads are not ones you'll enjoy, as your regular cars are likely to get damaged easily compared to commercial vehicles already used to the strains of the road. Here in Nigeria, traveling alone can be very boring, but it's a good vibe when you travel in the company of friends or opt for public transport. Usually, the longer the journey, the better the chances of meeting and interacting with strangers who may become friends.

The year was 2020, and I worked as a medical officer in a distant location from where I resided. The journey was 2 hours, and the route was not frequently taken. I often went to the community every Tuesday morning, where I would stay till the weekend before reverting to the urban city. One of the passengers beside me was unusually jovial, as the driver sounded excited to interact with her. About thirty minutes into the journey, the driver stopped over at a market because some of the passengers wanted to pick up an item or two. She equally used the opportunity to pick up some things, and the driver of the vehicle disclosed the identity of the lady who fortunately sat beside me.

IMAGE CREDIT IS MINE WITH FATI LAFIAGI

I'm of the Nupe tribe (here in Nigeria) and a patriotic individual at that. There's this favorite song of my brother's, and voila... Here was the musician right beside me. I was excited as much as I was surprised. Immediately after she returned, I started a conversation and applauded her fame and preference in my house. She was humble and friendly; the rest of the journey was from one topic to another, which included other passengers in the vehicle. The advantage I had was that I sat right beside her. I got to know she preferred public transport, and the roads to such communities are ones that easily spoil any private car. I used to think such musicians hardly visited home or their villages, but here's one that stayed close to her roots. Her music promotes our culture and tradition; she sings using Nupe language, and perhaps one reason she goes home is in addition to visiting her family. She is popularly called "Fati Lafiagi," and her songs are found on YouTube . And yes, our culture is one that uses the buttocks to dance, which she did very well. She convinced me it was easy to manipulate my buttocks and to dance, even though I doubt my stiff waist can adapt.

We exchanged contacts, and I was excited to disclose them to my family, whom I met. I felt glad to have met a celebrity who humbled herself as a friendly individual. It's been almost four years since we met, and I saw her last, but we are still on speaking terms. She's one interesting friend I met, thanks to traveling.

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