Lagos, the city where Lunacy is Normalized
Eko Oni Baje?
For every year you spend on the streets of Lagos, you loose touch with normal. Nothing is actually normal here. - OgoOluwa©2020
Recharge Card
Recharge Card
Your nose cover
Aunty buy your nose cover (I still find this name weird)
Eggroll and doughnut here
Fresh Egg Roll and doughnut here
My brother My sisters
Buy my handiwork
Bottle water
Mineral here
Hot Ofada Rice here
Aunty Your size dey (I didn't even ask)
This is the sound of Lagos
Every corner has a taste of being locked up in a room with men and women who just can't stop shouting, coupled with the sound of a distant broken generator, pepper blender, sound from a vehicle's exhausted engine and someone hitting the vehicle with a stick like it's an animal he's trying to awaken. It can drive anyone crazy. What is most crazy is how the sound draws you into this abyss till you forget what 'not-Lagos' tastes like. You become so accustomed to the noise that it begins to sound like music in your ears.
I'm presently leaving Lagos for the first time in about 6 months, which is the longest I've been in this city of chaos in almost five years. Five years break from the shuffle of a playlist of the premium 'Sounds From Lagos'. As we cross the border , I can almost feel the warm hands of Ogun state pulling me into it's quiet bosom.
'Everybody is mad' is a popular saying on these streets and it's true. The bus driver, the uber driver, the road officials, the traders, the beggars, the passengers, the bank official, the conductor, we are all insane! (Don't give me that 'I'm not insane in Jesus Name' look).
You know I'm right. Because where is the sanity in a tanker filled with highly inflammable fuel struggling in the same lane with a bus overloaded with human beings and luggage.How can a bike be struggling between two trucks that have containers loosely strapped to their rear. Is that normal?
Or is it the constant paralysis of the road. One time you are moving at speed jamming to Fireboy’s 'Like I do' and the next you are parked between two road hawkers, face in palm. One selling Gala, the other water. Provision for the imminent hunger. Only to move ahead and find no logical explanation for the hold up. I meannnn
You cannot afford calmness if you don't have the money for it. If you don't have a private jet to fly you around, a personal source of power and other luxuries of life, you can't escape the lunacy. It's everywhere!
How do you want to alight from a bus with poise? Or price banana on the road with sprii sprii English. Or do you think the conductor will give you your change if you don’t remind him with a shout every five minutes? You wouldn’t even dare wearing heels when you have buses to struggle for (a.k.a fly). Have you even seen the Gear in that bus?
Like I said, It. Is. Everywhere
Regardless , Lagos is home to all opportunities (except sleeping in when you have somewhere serious to be). Lagos has a crib for basically every skill you can think of. Explains why everyone is here. This city houses the heart beat of this Nation;it never stops moving.
It took a long time to get used to darkness and stillness after 9.00pm in Ogun State. At first, I thought there was a problem. Did somebody die? I still am not absolutely accustomed to it because you never actually unlearn 'Lagos'.
You’ll still long for her like a newborn taken from his mother. Is it how you can find all the amusements you want by taking a stroll. Or how every street seems to have an unofficial D.J. Is it the mind blowing and heartwarming events that sit permanently on the laps of this city. The festivals, carnivals, the exhibitions, the meet ups, the conferences, the shows. They crawl up into your memory bank and leave a deep longing. They have this weird ability to overshadow the lunacy for a moment. Sometimes they come with the lunacy. On some days they replace it with deep contentment.
Lagos is the one place to start up that wild bucket list. A canopy walk? Check out Lekki Conservation Centre (which is the longest in Africa😌) You want to swim in soulful art at its best? Check out Nike Art Gallery. Terra Culture,MUSON centre, JAZZHOLE, Bogobiri, the multiple malls and beaches and a host of other places this article cannot accommodate.
These justify why we are never quiet. Everyone is trying to catch up with the never ending expansion of the glee in this City while trying to ensure they don't die of hunger while at it and also, fulfill their dream (whatever it is).
