Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Whatchamacallit



So I am a little pissy right now and that will reflect in my post.

Let’s start with your friendly neighborhood police. My friend’s car got snatched. A less than 6 month old 2008 Toyota Camry. When he reported at the police station in the vicinity they asked for a mobilization fee so that they could “buy fuel “to go to other police stations and inform them to look out for his car. He paid N25, 000 (approximately $215). This of course was apart from the other “fees” he had to pay. An example is when another friend’s car was stolen and he had to pay about N5, 000 to have his police report photocopied, and also paid the person that was going to make the copies an additional N500. It does not stop there. Yet another friend whose car was found by the police had to cough up N50, 000 to retrieve said car. And that was not even a new car. For new cars manufactured between 2007-2008, the police will tell you that “if we find this your car…..” as a hint to what your bill will be. So, you get robbed and when you report to the police, you get robbed again. As if the first robbery was not traumatic enough. Police na your friend. I couldn’t even make this stuff up if I tried.

I feel like screaming at the drivers in my office. They come to work in the morning, drop off their various employers and congregate in a common room where they watch DSTV until it is either time to run an errand or time to go home. At the end of the work day, they probably go home flop down on a sofa and declare how tired they are after a “hard” day at work while their wives that run around getting dinner together and the children settled down for the night. Tomorrow, same thing. 5 years later, they move from driver to Senior driver and life is okay. 25 years later, they retire as drivers that have a good knowledge of DSTV and their program schedules. I know I am just drinking someone else’s Panadol on this one. I just really feel like yanking them off those seats and getting them to do something with their lives. Self development, somebody!!!
I have a new colleague who shares my “office” space. He smokes and smells smoky all the time. My poor nose.

The BRT buses are running now and so far so good, the initiative seems to have taken some cars off the road. However, it would appear that the drivers of these buses are far from professionals and drive as roughly as Molue and Danfo drivers. I have seen with my own two eyes as they climb over those thingamabobs that are used to section the road on Western Avenue(I can’t remember the name- culvert?). On 2 different occasions they have also almost run me off the road. And today one was driving half on it's designated lane and half on the "civilian" lane. LAMATA, please o!! before there is a bad story to be told.

A blogger found out who I was and I felt violated. I am really a private person and I was just trying to do a good deed when I contacted him. I thought of quitting my blog. I feel better about it now although a mail I sent asking not to be “outed” has not been responded to.

Finally, some good news: Gbemi reached needy people in Rwanda and Nigeria. I also know for a fact that she has done more than she has written about. I am totally proud and in awe of her doggedness. Not everyone will put their money where their mouth is.

27 comments:

  1. I can't believe the police would do such a shitty thing. It's really crazy. I feel u on watching those lazy drivers waste their lives. They are drivers but they have no drive. Wow, where did that come from? I'm good.

    Seriously though, i feel u.

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  2. Tell that person who outed u that he better keep his mouth shut or he'll answer to me. Trust me, he'll be properly threatened after hearing that.

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  3. lol @ sting's 'drivers with no drive'.
    How are you hon, apart from the daily frustration of naija life?

    The blog outing thing worries me too oh. Did you find out how they got your I.D? Do you know the person's own I.D.?

    Someone contacted me recently about their dissertation on naija bloggers. I was apprehensive though I def want to be involved. I gave my full consent with some reservations cos I want to remain anonymous. The outing thing is a real concern for those of us who wish to be private. The only way to deal with it is to support each other and ostracise any blogger who outs another.

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  4. police-thief....didnt you notice the two words rhyme????..........

    on drivers....how them wan develop?no b money dem go take develop and with their battalion at home to feed,how them go get enuff to self develop???....

    well if blogger lets u outta the closet-guess u can do same...i dont think said blogger will rat on u though...pple with private blogs do so for a reason........

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  5. police is not ur friend in naija...i have my own share of experiences with them...

    i hope u are feeling better on all counts..

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  6. Hmm..A lot of venting going on here...

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  7. when i went home in 2005 i experience police creativity at its worst. i was in a cab with my friend and on our way to silverbird. suddenly we reached a checkpoint. the police officers stopped us and asked for ID which of cos i didnt have[why do i have to carry ID anyway?] i was detained in a bus and if not for the intervention of my friend who threatened to call naval guys i would have been locked up in a cell for 'wondering and moving without ID'. crazy place!

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  8. Oh my!! Pele about the police "Creativity" (@ Last King of Scotland too!) and the BRT almost running you off the road. I still can't wait to come to Lagos (next month) and see with my own 2 korokoro eyes!

    Pele about being outted o. I doubt this person will out you further, but just in case, it's not the end of the world, you would just have to create another blog and start afresh, and of course, contact the rest of us to let us know where you've moved to!

    As for your office mate, start spraying air freshner around him and hopefully he'll get the hint!

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  9. The Nigerian police is not your friendooo, a former colleague lost his car, and each time he went to the police station, they asked him if he had any news?.Who should have the news?

    Sorry about the outing.

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  10. those police men are thieves men!!! sorry abt the outing o!!!i can imagine how u feel!thank goodness u didnt stop blogging!

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  11. chick u've been tagged o..pls check my blog for more details

    btw this is the second time I am tagging you and i don't think you responded to the first one ;)

    pls indulge me this time. thank u :)

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  12. i nor understand o, shebi it is even written in the constitution dat, the police is ur friend, or has it being amended, lol!!! my sistah nor worry, e go betta-AMEN

    *hope u r doing gr8t?*

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  13. I think I know who the blogger is. He has outed several others on blogville. He will not reply your mail because he is a coward and one of the biggest pretenders in blogville.Pity the ladies still can't figure that out.

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  14. Thats Naija for you. But I guess your friends were probably too gullible. My girl's new car was stolen after 4 months and she did not pay a dime. But then again, the car has not been found. Maybe because we did not pay?
    As for being exposed? Sod it. All it means is that you have to temper your posts, or change your address altogether.

    We should in some way contribute to the community in some way. Gbemi's post inspired me. Why do we have to wait for people outside Nigeria to help us. We are here and we can help!

    P.S. I tagged you on my last post.

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  15. Oh Yes 9ja police, my car was once stolen, d police found it, but they stole my spear tire, battery and radio. At least my car was found.

    Don't feel violated my dear, lets pray u won't be outed.

    lovely week.

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  16. Police in nigeria is a joke...they are the first to run away when there is sound of a gun shot...

    after the robbers go, they come back yelling "where are they?" Under the car you bloody goat...

    couldn't remember the road seperation thingy either..lol..so much for education...

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  17. Thank you for putting this up

    Nigeria is growing in leaps and bounds but we better solve the police issue or else, we will just be paddling fast but not moving at all

    Nice blog!

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  18. Hey, its now been 4 weeks since your last post.
    C'mon girl....update.

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  19. In ref to the police talk, not so hard to believe...quite sad!

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  20. as per naija police and car thefts...i have experienced it first hand! They definitely aren't our friends!!!

    And yes BRT almost ran me off the civilian lane once while driving. They're an uncultured lot!!! lol

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  21. i always wondered why we needed so many drivers in nigeria. some sort of status symbol, i suppose

    so you've been discovered. not to worry, i dont think your friend will out you even if he did not respond to your email, perhaps he is simply one of those people who 'owe' emails (pun intended). lol

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  22. The BRT bus drivers and Danfo/Molue drivers are one and the same jare. But serious, this police people are crap oh…

    Police is your enemy.

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  23. Girl, what's up with you lately? Pls update.

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