I was in Nigeria a few months back and right from the Murtala Mohd Intl Airport, Lagos, the difference was clear. No. I'm not talking about the physical appearance of the airport. As we queued up in the citizen section, two men farther down the queue hailed an airport security man. One of them spoke. "I'm a perm sec. and should not be on this queue." The second man took over and expanded on why they can't be expected to join the queue like that. The security man replied, "Dat one no be my problem. Your people suppose to arrange through protocol." He left and the men moved back to join the queue. Five minutes later, the same man came back and started talking with them in low tones and then he left with them. Our people and position. And power.
As if that wasn't enough, the cab that took me from the domestic wing of the airport in Abuja to Sharon Regency Hotel in Wuse was vocal in another direction. He threw insults at any driver who wasn't driving as fast as he thought they should. "Ole, you sure say that motor na your own!" "Abeg comot for road. Na trailer you dey drive?" And on and on he went.
Sometimes I wonder if the aggression our people exhibit is a natural way of letting off steam. Or, is the pressure of survival in Naija so much that people are going nuts? Or, is it just a way of life for some people and not for others?
The average Nigerian you meet on the street is cheerful and cordial so long as you no look for trouble. But if you make am vex, na then you go no say him be time bomb waiting to explode. E get too many things for him mind - NEPA, kerosene, children school fees, house rent, etc, etc, etc. (Sigh)
ReplyDeleteWe can be quite aggressive sometimes, but all in all, we're loving pple. I really find a lot of it funny.
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