I had seen them many times, those gleaming CNG buses gliding past my office on their steady run to and from Abakpa.
They moved with a certain quiet authority, a sign of something changing in the rhythm of our public transportation.
I often watched them from afar, curious but unhurried. Until the day I had to make a quick dash to Nsukka.
I set out in my car, mind fixed on the long road ahead, when just before Nowas Junction, one of the buses loomed into view.
It was making that familiar swing toward Abakpa. Something in me stirred, a nudge, a little travel itch, and without thinking too deeply about it, I followed.
At the terminal, I was guided to the public parking bay, where several private cars sat neatly arranged.
The scene looked almost like a small airport, with buses lined up, engines humming softly, passengers milling around with purpose. Everything moved with a calm, collected order.
Inside the ticketing point, I was introduced to the now-famous _Ije Card_. Five hundred naira (₦500) for a card that would permanently be mine, and just ₦1,200 for the trip to Nsukka.
I was told I could load only the fare or top up for future trips. The traveler in me chose the latter.
The attendants, security men, ticketing staff, drivers, all carried themselves with a level of courteous patience that felt most refreshing. They managed the varying temperaments of their passengers with practiced grace.
One of the ticketing staff, who later told me her name was Ngozi, took all the time in the world to take one old lady who apparently wasn’t in the best of moods, through the very brief protocol.
The bus filled up quickly. Some passengers opted to stand, preferring the convenience of catching this ride to waiting for the next.
The standing felt intentional too. Secure hand grips lined the ceiling, giving the bus the feel of a well planned transit system.
When we rolled out, the journey unfolded like a scenic documentary. The smoothness of the ride and the gentle hum of the air conditioning created the perfect frame for the scenery rushing past.
I found myself seeing familiar stretches of road in ways I never had from behind the wheel, elevated, unobstructed, almost cinematic. From my seat, the undulating Nike-Opi Agụ terrain stretched like a postcard being peeled open in slow motion.
Our driver kept a steady, safety conscious pace. A new trainee driver rode along, quietly absorbing the route.
Inside the bus, people who had nothing in common but their destination and their government provided comfort suddenly felt like a group of travellers sharing the luxury of a guided tour.
In less than an hour, Nsukka greeted us. The terminal was alive with activity, a sizeable crowd waiting, watching, relieved at the sight of our arrival.
Another bus meant another opportunity to travel quickly, safely, and comfortably. Exactly as the administration of Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mbah had envisioned, as a transportation system that put citizens first, not as an afterthought but as honoured passengers of a state on the rise.
