Lagos from a visitor's view by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

A close friend #Divine Patr***, from #Kaduna, came to Lagos recently. Her 5-day visit gave me a different view of #Lagos... While I won't define Lagos from another man's view, it is good to see, once in a while, from others'.

Sadly, I got carried away with laughter so much I forgot to turn on my audio recorder but never mind, I have a perfect photographic recall of the whole affair.

On her way home, #Divine Patr*** was opportune to see a train plying Ikeja-Yaba axis. It was around 6pm, rush hour; when many workers are struggling to get home. The sight of human bodies on every available space around/on the train stunned her.

Her exact words were, "How can men pack themselves on train like Sardine"?

For many of us, we've seen this sight many times and it doesn't count for anything again . Now, we are somewhat blind to this gory sight...

Yesterday, I read Lee Abbamonte's piece about Lagos in his 'Worst Places to Live', though grossly exaggerated, scene like this will give foreigners nothing but nightmares about Nigeria.



If a fellow Nigerian visiting Lagos can be this scared about her own country, what do you expect an American to think of? Time travel to Medieval Period?

Getting home, #Divine head straight for the First Aid box, removed a cotton bud to clean her ear (among other things)... Why? NOISE!!!

From Taxi Driver who will not keep mute to Conductor calling on commuters, to Driver... "the whole state is ONE BIG SUPERNOVA OF PANDEMONIUM" She said. A Mosque three streets away became her most complained issue, "Is there a competition going on or something" (This was after several
twist and turn on the sofa.

Enjoying my favourite WIDEST VIDEO on #SonyMax, the whole environment was as silent as the deepest sea to me so I responded casually, "Where. What competition?"

"Every minute is filled with noise! AM FROM #KADUNA and this is the first time am witnessing this! The other day too... Haba!!!"

In truth, the religious noise in #Lagos alone is enough to get us all deaf before we turn age Sixty.

No wonder Lagosians #fool themselves that other states are 'too quite' for their liking.

Suffering and smiling!

In Lagos, you either leave your home before dawn or face the wrath of #Lagos traffic. #Divine was forewarned about this but she took it lightly. On a particular day, she call me around 4pm.

Divine: Am on my way home
Me: Fine by me

Divine: But the traffic is a bit heavy
Me: Oh! That's Lagos for you. So, where are you?

Divine: Lekki (And I reside on the Mainland) ***Now if you know Lagos very well what will be your response/advice to this JJC?

I told Divine to 'jejeli' head back to where dey come from, have a nice evening and come back the next day but she declined, sighting one reason or two why she must sleep at home... that was around 4:30pm!!! She stepped in 11:05pm and I spent another 1 hour listening to another round of why Lagos is a bad City to reside.

Not long ago, I was on my way to Port Harcourt for a programme. I want to go 'prepared' so, I have some items I know are essential but as I heard for boarding, a custom officer approached to inform my naïve
self that I can't go aboard with my 'essential' goodies. She pointed to a basket filled with some items, apparently from others who can't carry along their unholy items, and mildly declare that I need to get
rid of my stuffs. A gentle man behind me interrupt midway, "why not ask him to check them in?"

Apparently, all their 'seized' items are for personal use of these hungry custom officer. Rather than inform passengers on how to properly go about their stuffs, they stylishly coarse them to part with it.
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Either we are spore by hunger or drive by the need to make quick money, Nigerians of all age are doing unhuman act to survive and anyone who point this out is fussed at as enemy.