Naija Week 23

Howdy Y'All,

Another late entry - so sorry! As you know the country came to a stand still last week, nevertheless here goes!

Happy Reading!

1. Ha, I ventured to the market for the first time to try and buy some peppers - 'twas an experience. The tomatoes are usually numbered for sale; and you can be guaranteed that for every 5 tomatoes per sale, one was rotten! Should have just stuck to my good old fashioned tomato plum, which I had already sourced from a supermarket but didn't use after a friend gave me a rollocking for wanting to use 'artificial tomatoes' in Naija.

What I couldn't fathom was how I was going to get my mind past buying the tomatoes that seemed ladened with flies. Anyway I did!

2. Then I hit someone over the weekend and thought I killed her! Had to pass through some tight spot and didn't realise a girl had decided to squeeze past me, so my side mirror bruised her shoulder in the process. As this happened, my mirror fell out and so I didn't see anything else except for the thud I'd heard. Meanwhile, I had just yelled at the Okada man behind me for bumping me. He was carrying a couple of policemen. So as soon as this occurred, they asked me to park the car. Then I thought to myself - 'wi pe, mo ti da ran'! As I stepped out of the car, the policemen had gone, all they were concerned about was for me not to block the road. Anyway, my attention quickly turned to the girl who was crying, so I asked for the nearest hospital to take her. Her mum was at the scene by now and mentioned to take her to the chemist near the road instead. So I got them into the car, drove to the chemist, bought and paid for pain killers and relief cream. Thank God, it was just a bruise!

On narrating my experience later on to friends, I was told that I got away lucky, that people use accidents as a money making business in Naija, that some people will throw themselves infront of moving vehicles and milk you dry in the process of their 'recovery'!

3. Severe fuel scarcity hit yet again - the worst since I've been around. The country literally grounded to a halt. NLC was on strike too and so we had 3 workless days! Splendid!

Results were achieved eventually - VAT was dropped back to 5% from the 10% sudden increase and fuel dropped to N70 from N75. 10% and we dey complain - No be 17.5% we dey pay for jand?

People and businesses endured a lot of hardship during this period, still Nigerians managed not to go to work over the 3days but had enough fuel to attend 'afefeyeyes' over the weekend! And here was me worrying over the standstill - some parties no stand still o for the weekend! Na real wa!

4. Day 111 - I finally managed to do some petty cooking - 1st ever since arriving in Las Giddy and had to get up at 3.30am to re-heat the food to prevent it from spoiling since I'd been without electricity supply for days! Then, awoke and cooked some rice at 5.15am - had rice for brekkie! Oh God, I'm losing my poshness!

I tell you, I think this is one of the hardest to get accustomed to, living a life outside of constant electricity supply! It is just plain hard! Whilst I'm used to not having light, food preservation is a big issue. I had to eventually chuck out the bits and bobs I had bought and placed in the freezer due to no electricity supply!

5. Picture this - Bought a couple of fans! Na so, I conclude say Naija DIY different from jand DIY o. It took forever to get a hang of its assembly! Neither was there any DIY tools enclosed with the packaging!

6. Forgot to mention, I went to the bukka again - you know the one I had mentioned previously that I think my tummy was getting used to! Na so, me and my Oga wan chop poundo! Men, for the first time, I was privileged to see it being made and I was utterly disgusted, so much so that my tummy began to revolt just from the sight. I couldn't eat and didnt order any food, meanwhile I was starved beyond reasoning that day! I just knew eating the food will render me incapacitated for days! Thats it - don't think I can ever eat there again! My Oga chop sha and nothing do am!

7. Day 112 - Ditched the car at home and had to cross 10-highway lanes to board a cab! I was scared out of my socks! Forget pedestrian foot bridge! Non-existent!

8. Still on Day 112 - shortly after boarding the cab on my way to the office, I saw a swollen dead body by the way side. I was horrified, shocked and traumatised for the rest of the day. It turns out the body had been there for a few days. Another soul gone with no accountability!

9. I've gone without watching TV consistently for 5 weeks now! Now which of you can do without it for that long? So bad was the situation of me knowing what was happening in the country during the strike period that I had to be getting the news from the workman on the street, since he had a battery radio! This is what a lack of electricity supply does to you! Its all good sha.

I'm still here and trusting God that it will get better. Home Sweet Home!

Take care, take it easy and have a splendid week ahead.

God Bless!

Always and Always,

Lola (Real Life Content)