STATE OF THE NATION: Danfo incorporated

Dear Diary,

 

Living in Lagos,Nigeria has been a wonderful experience so far. I've learnt some monumental lessons that I can't trade for anything in the world. Survival skills, the hustlers carriage and pricing tactics are some of the intangible rewards of living in Lagos. Even though the noisy generators and owambe parties tend to constitute a nuisance in the state, over time you tend to develop thick skin to it all.

 

Today, I found myself in a danfo and I couldn't help but think about the transport system in Lagos. The transport system has evolved over the years from the era of molue and danfo to keke napep, okada, yellow cabs (Taxi), BRT's (Bus Rapid Transit) and the gradually improving train system. For any state to perform well, there has to be a stable judiciary system in place and that's why bans have been placed on different modes of transport in different parts of the state with dire consequences awaiting anyone found wanting.  The Danfo has been around for a long time and It is still a major form of transport for the average lagosian. Bus fares have been increased from time to time but that has not detered our love for le danfo. The yellow buses are not nicknamed danfo for nothing. Being a non-yoruba lagosian, I want to believe the yellow buses are called danfo because of the wear and tear they have undergone. These buses were originally used for corporate services but after they have become veterans at the mechanic shop due to repairs for many years, they are sold to these drivers at a much cheaper rate. Sometimes when they buy these buses they are without headlamps, side mirrors, seat belts and brakes!. Yes brakes! I was seated in one of such buses today.

 

The danfo I entered was nothing to write home about. The driver was shouting "ojuelegba... #50 bus" and innocent citizens apparently oblivious of the critical condition of the bus were boarding. We knew the danfo was a write off but it was the only affordable and available mode of transport to our destination. When the bus was full, the driver refused to move. Did I mention that he doubled as the conductor of the bus? He insisted on collecting the fares before moving. To get  the bus moving, he had to join two pieces of naked wire while telling the passenger on his right to put his seat belt on. The confused passenger after much searching finally found a black rope that was the supposed seat belt. The ride was a bumpy one as usual and so we were not bothered that the driver was moving much slower than a bicycle. After much persuation he increased his speed. It was not until he bumped into another vehicle that I understood the whole thing. The bus had no brakes!

 

The driver had been moving slowly and hitting pavements because the brakes were not working. In order for him to stop at a bus stop for a passenger to alight, he had to bump into a car for safety. I thought it was a mistake the first time but after he did it two more times, I was sure it was on purpose. The straw that broke the camel's back reared its head when he reached my bus stop. As big as the danfo was, he bumped into a keke napep because there was no other vehicle in sight. The driver of the keke napep took one look at the danfo driver and parked. He came down and started exchanging words with the driver. When curses started flying in the air, yours truly took to her heels. If there is anything I've learnt in Lagos, it is to avoid a fighting scene.

 

The danfo's are part and parcel of the Lagos scene just as owambe parties can never be over emphasised. We know that some of them are death traps in motion but while we board them, it is important that we look out for our safety. Yes, the seat belt is a rope but at least that rope can reduce the damages an accident may cause. If you are sitting by the door, insist on having the door closed before the bus moves.These are some of the safety measures you should accustom yourself with while in Lagos. Also, if you notice that the bus has no brakes or is in a very bad condition, its better for you not to board because your life has no duplicate.

 

As to what happened to the driver at the end of the day, I am not sure. One thing I do know is that he would still go and carry a new set of unknowing passengers in his death trap.Free advice; be on the look out and avoid him. Its better to be late than to be the Late.

 

 

Gracias.