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| Credit:Dailytrust |
I have been in Lagos for six months, so I was
already feeling like a proper “Omo Eko” as the people of Lagos are called.
already feeling like a proper “Omo Eko” as the people of Lagos are called.
Now,
I look back and recall how in my first few weeks in Lagos, I used to wonder what
sort of bizarre exhaustion would make anybody sleep in a Molue bus, which was
the dominant means of transport in this overpopulated city.
I look back and recall how in my first few weeks in Lagos, I used to wonder what
sort of bizarre exhaustion would make anybody sleep in a Molue bus, which was
the dominant means of transport in this overpopulated city.
But
now I know better. I am now one of those who fall asleep in a Molue. I have had to wake up at 4.30am in my cousins
house in Akute, in neighbouring Ogun State to get to Victoria Island to hand out
my CVs. This is a journey that will
normally not take an hour, but in traffic prone Lagos, you could spend four to
five hours making that journey to the Island and the same time going back home.
I have done these continuously in the last 10 days in a bid to break out of the
overcrowded Nigerian job market, as I
drop my CVs in all the companies that will accept it on the Island where many
of the companies and 95% of Nigerian banks have their Head Offices.
now I know better. I am now one of those who fall asleep in a Molue. I have had to wake up at 4.30am in my cousins
house in Akute, in neighbouring Ogun State to get to Victoria Island to hand out
my CVs. This is a journey that will
normally not take an hour, but in traffic prone Lagos, you could spend four to
five hours making that journey to the Island and the same time going back home.
I have done these continuously in the last 10 days in a bid to break out of the
overcrowded Nigerian job market, as I
drop my CVs in all the companies that will accept it on the Island where many
of the companies and 95% of Nigerian banks have their Head Offices.
Over
the period, I mastered the art and science of boarding a Molue in Lagos. A
significant part of the learning process is knowing that Molue fares are not
fixed. It changes based on weather, time and even season. You also have to get
used to the language of Molue and respond accordingly especially when asked “Owo
Da!”
the period, I mastered the art and science of boarding a Molue in Lagos. A
significant part of the learning process is knowing that Molue fares are not
fixed. It changes based on weather, time and even season. You also have to get
used to the language of Molue and respond accordingly especially when asked “Owo
Da!”
There
is also the science of buying from street hawkers while in a Molue, and this is
what my tale is about. On my way back from one of my job search trips to the
Island, to the popular and densely populated Oshodi, which was my first stop, I
slept for most part of the ride.
is also the science of buying from street hawkers while in a Molue, and this is
what my tale is about. On my way back from one of my job search trips to the
Island, to the popular and densely populated Oshodi, which was my first stop, I
slept for most part of the ride.
I
say most part, because some good hearted Nigerian, half way through the journey,
decided I had slept too long and it won’t be fair for me to go past my bus
stop. I actually smiled when he tapped me and asked in Pidgin English “Madam na
Yana Oworo be dis oh, where you dey go?” With a fixed smile, I responded
“Oshodi” but in my head, I was hurling a thousand insults at him for waking me
up from my sweet sleep. Now, I would not be able to go back to sleep again.
say most part, because some good hearted Nigerian, half way through the journey,
decided I had slept too long and it won’t be fair for me to go past my bus
stop. I actually smiled when he tapped me and asked in Pidgin English “Madam na
Yana Oworo be dis oh, where you dey go?” With a fixed smile, I responded
“Oshodi” but in my head, I was hurling a thousand insults at him for waking me
up from my sweet sleep. Now, I would not be able to go back to sleep again.
So
it was in annoyance that I endured the ride to Oshodi to get the bus that will
take me to Akute. There were just a few buses heading to my next stop, quite a
few compared to the waiting crowd. When you have few buses at a bus stop
compared to passengers, which is usually the norm during rush hours, you adopt
what in Lagos is called “Ben Johnson.” It simply means that you have to be
ready to do a 100m dash in order to get into a bus.
it was in annoyance that I endured the ride to Oshodi to get the bus that will
take me to Akute. There were just a few buses heading to my next stop, quite a
few compared to the waiting crowd. When you have few buses at a bus stop
compared to passengers, which is usually the norm during rush hours, you adopt
what in Lagos is called “Ben Johnson.” It simply means that you have to be
ready to do a 100m dash in order to get into a bus.
I finally got into one and sat by a lady who
looked like she had a day straight from hell, I noticed the mood, so I made a
point to keep to myself all through the ride because I was in no better frame
of mind.
looked like she had a day straight from hell, I noticed the mood, so I made a
point to keep to myself all through the ride because I was in no better frame
of mind.
In
Lagos, Molue’s usually do not stop, they keep moving slowly while passengers
struggle to jump in and pick up speed as the bus gets filled. And so as the
Molue I was in performed the same routine, the lady beside me decided she
needed a soft drink, probably to wash off the day’s stress. She yelled to the
hawker closest to the molue “Madam give me one Lacasera and bring 100 naira
change!” because she had 200 naira with her and the drink cost a hundred.
Lagos, Molue’s usually do not stop, they keep moving slowly while passengers
struggle to jump in and pick up speed as the bus gets filled. And so as the
Molue I was in performed the same routine, the lady beside me decided she
needed a soft drink, probably to wash off the day’s stress. She yelled to the
hawker closest to the molue “Madam give me one Lacasera and bring 100 naira
change!” because she had 200 naira with her and the drink cost a hundred.
The
hawker ran after the Molue, and handed over the bottle of drink, the lady
accepted and held out the 200 naira note “give me 100 naira” she repeated. Usually
in Lagos, you do not give a hawker the money for his item until you get your
product and whatever “Change” you are due. If you hand over the cash before
getting your change, the street hawker will most likely walk away with the
“Change.”
hawker ran after the Molue, and handed over the bottle of drink, the lady
accepted and held out the 200 naira note “give me 100 naira” she repeated. Usually
in Lagos, you do not give a hawker the money for his item until you get your
product and whatever “Change” you are due. If you hand over the cash before
getting your change, the street hawker will most likely walk away with the
“Change.”
So
as my lady in distress held onto his 200 naira asking for his Change, the
hawker ran after the Molue trying to hand over the 100 naira change and also
trying to grab the 200 naira from the lady. At this point, the Molue was already getting
filled to capacity and was beginning to pick up speed.
as my lady in distress held onto his 200 naira asking for his Change, the
hawker ran after the Molue trying to hand over the 100 naira change and also
trying to grab the 200 naira from the lady. At this point, the Molue was already getting
filled to capacity and was beginning to pick up speed.
The
hawker on realizing the Molue was gaining speed held on to the offered end of
the 200 naira note, while at the same time running after the molue with her
wares on her head, but not relinquishing the 100 naira change as is the
practice and screaming “give me my money na, efu mi owo!” while the lady beside
me held on to the other end screaming “give me my 100 naira change!!”
hawker on realizing the Molue was gaining speed held on to the offered end of
the 200 naira note, while at the same time running after the molue with her
wares on her head, but not relinquishing the 100 naira change as is the
practice and screaming “give me my money na, efu mi owo!” while the lady beside
me held on to the other end screaming “give me my 100 naira change!!”
Then
it happened. The Molue seem to jerk forward at faster speed and the dragged 200
naira note tore into two halves, a half with the seller and the other half with
the buyer. But the Molue just sped on as if nothing has happened, while
everyone in the molue that had been passively listening and watching the exchange,
including me, let out a unified “Ahhhhh!”
it happened. The Molue seem to jerk forward at faster speed and the dragged 200
naira note tore into two halves, a half with the seller and the other half with
the buyer. But the Molue just sped on as if nothing has happened, while
everyone in the molue that had been passively listening and watching the exchange,
including me, let out a unified “Ahhhhh!”
No
one said anything more, including me. I
was waiting for someone to maybe ask the driver to stop and see if the issue
can be resolved but everyone just looked away.
one said anything more, including me. I
was waiting for someone to maybe ask the driver to stop and see if the issue
can be resolved but everyone just looked away.
I
looked at the lady beside me. She was looking worse than when we started out on
the trip. She stared at what was left of her 200 naira note in one hand and the
bottle of drink in the other.
looked at the lady beside me. She was looking worse than when we started out on
the trip. She stared at what was left of her 200 naira note in one hand and the
bottle of drink in the other.
She
let out a sigh that seemed to come from deep within her soul, angrily opened
the bottle of drink and took a long swallow. By the time she was done, she had
tears in her eyes. Or maybe I thought I saw tears. It was quite dark at that
point and I couldn’t tell for sure. I desperately prayed for her, that the torn
200 naira was not the last money she had on her or else.
let out a sigh that seemed to come from deep within her soul, angrily opened
the bottle of drink and took a long swallow. By the time she was done, she had
tears in her eyes. Or maybe I thought I saw tears. It was quite dark at that
point and I couldn’t tell for sure. I desperately prayed for her, that the torn
200 naira was not the last money she had on her or else.
Molue
conductors do not take kindly to passenger’s who are not able to respond
appropriately when they ask the question “Owo da?”
conductors do not take kindly to passenger’s who are not able to respond
appropriately when they ask the question “Owo da?”
Amadin
Cynthia Uyiosa.
Cynthia Uyiosa.
