The things I see in Apapa traffic
Oh Apapa! Wondering when the complaints about Apapa will end. Yes the road linking to the port is being fixed but I worry about the heavy containers and tankers that ply the route. Though a separate lane has been made for cars to pass but can you imagine how our hearts beat when we drive by those heavy containers? Wobbling carelessly without anything holding it down? While driving, once you have the opportunity to drive away from it, you speed quickly like you are being chased by a robber only to meet another container in front. This time, you can’t drive quickly for too long because the gridlock in front of you is 9 months pregnant. So you are caught in between coming down to save your life and allowing the container pass or you stay in your car and pray nothing happens. This certainly happens consistently until you arrive at your destination. Let’s just say that if you missed your prayer time in the morning, you will fervently and compulsorily make up for it in Apapa gridlock.
For some reasons, people suddenly realise they are skilled in driving when on Apapa road, everyone struggling to overtake or avoid the tankers and containers, not wanting another car to come to their front “All of us wan reach house safe, me sef dey avoid trailer, no vex I no fit allow you pass” a driver said to a female driver who was trying to drive in front of him to avoid another trailer wobbling by her side. So I let her pass, I guess the driver behind her felt Christmas came early and Kemi was being Santa so he followed speedily but alas, his James Bond skills didn’t work, someone was faster and it certainly wasn’t him. I honestly do not have a problem allowing people drive in front of me, just ask, even if it’s the wave of hands to plead for space like the Danfo drivers do (quite annoying though) but just ask.
Back at the ranch, my daily Apapa experiences going to work is enough to start a series, I am here wondering like Alice in wonderland when the roads will be free, pot holes filled, containers and tanker drivers shown other routes and also ensuring they comply to following it, when people will hear Apapa and will want to come visit without fear of the unknown on the road. Talking about fear of the unknown, it includes robbery. The hoodlums love the idea of gridlocks so that they can carry out their impish acts and leave their victim in confusion. In this confused state, the victim can’t drive forward, can’t go back, being robbed and left with nothing, other drivers watching in horror and ‘minding their business’ while praying their cars are not the next, the list goes on.
I was on my way to work over the weekend and I thought it would be at least a bit free but I guess the wannabe ‘movie’ was merely existing in my head, and my wishful thinking disappeared when I got into the unforeseen gridlock (Yes, unforeseen… I wasn’t expecting it, it’s weekend for God sake!). I had to find my way around it, luckily for me; it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
Oh, before I forget, I have to give you this gist. So while waiting for the gridlock to ease out, the second car after the one right in front of me, a Benz (can’t remember the class now), the driver came down to check his tyre, he was a young boy with spiky hair but I couldn’t see the others in the car. As he came down to check his tyre, immediately he bent down, his T-shirt moved a bit and behold a black and silver pistol. By the time he rushed to cover it, the people behind him in the other car had seen it. There were about 4 people in the car. I could tell they were arguing about what they saw, pointing fingers and alerting the others in the car on what they just saw. In the midst of all that, the guy with the pistol looked towards their direction and perhaps because they were caught unawares and didn’t know what to do; they all suddenly began to wave at him like they knew him before. I could tell it was a wave of fear, so he waved back, got into his car and you could tell he couldn’t wait to drive off.
Initially, the sudden and jittery wave was funny to me but as the gridlock took time to ease off, it was no longer funny…my mind began to wonder, “I hope he doesn’t get angry because he is in a hurry, hope he doesn’t try anything silly because he realised his gun was seen” I thought to myself…thankfully, the gridlock eased off…guess who sped off like a speed of light? Well, you know who…(Wasn’t me!). The things I see in Apapa traffic…hmn..God protect us o!
Kemi Ajumobi