So this is Christmas....

So, how was Christmas at your end? I spent the day at work and got back home at about 4p.m. Don't pity me o! I really don't mind especially as I do not ever have plans to do anything other than to spend the day in worship. This I can always do anywhere. For some years now, I have spent Christmas day and other public holidays at the office seeing as I am considered "essential staff". I get paid overtime so it's cool.

I did not drive to work on Xmas day and was a bit worried as to how I was going to go back home. You see, there were hardly any cabs on the road thanks to the extra looong queues at the petrol stations. You had to see it to believe it. I understand that a lot of people were unable to travel because of the fuel scarcity. Ikorodu road was littered with Area boys and other "business men" selling petrol at black market prices. 4 litres of petrol normally sells for N260 but was being sold for N2000. You buy at your peril as there is no way to tell on the spot if the fuel has not been adulterated with something other substance that may lead to a "knocked engine" or some other more damaging effect.

Then of course, the day after christmas, we were saddened by the news that there had been a pipeline explosion at Abule-Egba somewhere in the outskirts of Lagos. Some vandals had tapped into a pipeline. Others came along with basins, jerrycans and other containers and were scooping and carting away their goods when there was a spark and an explosion followed. At least 260 died. The injured ones did not go to hospital either because they could not afford it or because they wanted to avoid getting arrested on charges of vandalisation. I could do a whole post on what I think about this occurence, but I think not. There's too much to say and I hold a somewhat self-contradictory view that will be hard to express.

All in all, I still saw a lot of children and their parents, weighed down by their festive fineries, going to fast food restaurants and other places. I guess despite it all, some people still managed to have the Christmas of their dreams. After all, we are Nigerians, built with the ability to adjust to anything!