Lagos the city that never sleeps. Every Monday morning, people are on the move, rushing from one place to another. Some with the determination of “Ha! I must beat the traffic and get to work early.” As early as 6 a.m., some are already selling puff-puff.
Sometimes, I wonder if the streets of Lagos ever rest.
“Oga must not get to work before me.”
“Ha! I must get to the market early before the customers arrive.”
But the funny thing is, not everyone is out for honest hustle. Some wicked ones are thinking, “I must get there on time so I can snatch their bags and other valuables.”
“I must get there on time so I can snatch their bags and other valuables.”
Lagos is a massive city, filled with that “I must make money” spirit. Here, everything sells. People make money, either by hook or by crook.
One of the most entertaining things about Lagos is the relationship between bus conductors and passengers. Sometimes, passengers pray and sing together inside the bus, united by a common spirit. They don’t know each other, yet they do the craziest things together. Lagosians are loving people. They stand for the truth.
One incident I will never forget inspired my spirit for change.
On that fateful day, I was moving from Agboju to Oshodi. The fare was normally 50, sometimes 100 naira. But this bus driver decided he was going to collect 150. I didn’t say anything at first because I had already seen him insult an elderly woman, telling her to get down if she couldn’t pay. She did. I didn’t.
When it was time to pay, I was the second person he collected money from. I gave him 100 naira and told him that was the amount I would pay. He refused. The next person did the same, and then the next.
The driver, now furious, stopped the bus and threatened to take us back. The passengers said, “No problem.”
Then the conductor turned to me and said, “Why have you decided to spoil market for me?”
I got angry too. I questioned his conscience. He sighed and asked, “Do you know how much agbero collects from us? Not to mention the men in black uniform?”
I replied, “If that’s the case, why don’t you go on strike too? My lecturers are on strike over allowance issues.”
Still refusing to move forward or backward, the driver finally agreed to collect 100 naira from everybody, but he swore I must leave his bus. That was when the women in the bus shouted, “Never!”
One woman even attacked a man in the bus because he was against me, despite the fact that he had paid 150 naira and collected his 50 naira change.
I will never forget that inspiring day.
Lagos will always be the city of hustlers.
Eko o ni baje o!
