Our streets are universities that do not go on strike. Lessons can be learned twenty four hours a day, and many professors in different fields are available. You will really be considered not a serious student if you cannot read or understand the character of Nigerians from their conduct on our roads, streets.
I have observed, over a period of time, certain behaviour patterns that led to their encapsulation in the title : big cars, women, and abuja plate numbers. Unless one is sick, one must for one reason or another be on the road for at least five days in a week. Depending on the city or town one lives in, being on the road can be a daily nightmare.
Where I live, there is apparently no regulation governing our conduct on the road. The state government set up an agency that collected stupendous fines from the lawless since they refused to be sanitised by the regulations. Let us give some examples. I think it was in 1972 that Nigerian authorities then converted us from driving on the left to driving on the right; in that majority of countries was on that pattern. More than forty years later, it is kind of normal to see someone on high speed, but on the left! Another: traffic lights were installed at intersections, so that there can be free flow of traffic even in the absence of traffic wardens. Two opposite lights are green and red. I am sure the reader knows that one directs you to move, the other directs you to stop. In our city they mean the same thing: GO! Because once a culprit approaches an intersection, and the light turns red, he or she insists on beating it, by accelerating. The ones following follow the leader.
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.There are many variants of this foolishness, but in many cases I observed, the cars being driven that way we’re big, and the drivers were women! The fairer see, you may retort. Big cars are symbols of prestige, wealth. Women are considered delicate creatures. There are Amazons of course, but they are not in the majority. I am sure the reader must have observed the production of ‘designer’ girls in the last thirty years or so, where they are as thin as rakes, with ultra soft tone. When they drive cars you expect to see them in micro minis, or some sleek and compact design. You don’t expect to see such a frail creature driving a bogus SUV.
I came to one conclusion: those big, bogus cars belong to the husbands of the women driving them. The abuja plate numbers mean the husbands are working in Abuja, while the multi – million naira car or SUV is kept at home away from prying eyes. It is thus likely that the car owners are amongst the robber barons may be employed by the federal government as civil servants. Ironically, even medium – sized cars, driven by males, once you see them denying you your right on the road, look up, and you will see they have Abuja number plates. You may conclude, (ba da yawu na ba) that since they deny you your right with regards to the national treasury, they will deny you your rights in whichever sphere of life you interest.
As I was mulling the thought of penning this article, a near providential example was shown to me. Two road users were ahead of me, one Mercedes C class, and a tricycle. The driver of the car was driving neck and neck with the tricyclist, hurling, (from the look of his face) invective at the tricyclist. He kept on at it, ignoring oncoming vehicles. Not done, when he saw that the tricyclist was going to turn a corner while he was going straight, he swerved car and shaved the side of the tricycle violently, trying to topple it. Before they sped off, I noticed the occupants of the car were young men, most probably in their late teens. You won’t believe it, the car had Abuja plate numbers!
Like fathers, like sons, like wives?
A family of oppressors!
