New Slang: Yar’adua goes down in Nigerian folklore as the Fried Snail meat

Food, Lagos, Nigeria, Politics, situation report 3 Comments »

Yaradua Snail

Yar'adua Snail

Yar’Adua (fried snail meat). Remember Agbari Ojukwu (party cooking pot), Stove Abacha (Sawdust cooker), Ojuyobo (big-eyed fish named after Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos), Shagari (70’s long Mercedes Benz), Awolowo (100 Naira), Apoti FEDECO (Old commercial bus), Ekana Gowon (locally made finger candy), Keke Marwa (Tricycle) e.t.c.

Even if IBB managed to escape with the tag Maradona (the master “dribbler”) or OBJ with the most “handsome” man in the world, Yar’Adua earned a name that will forever be remembered in tales and discussions passed on from generation to generation as the “Snail” due to his slow, snail-paced response to the demands of the people and in implementing “workable” policies. Some even believe he is a snail crawling backwards (on reverse) or go-slow or 77 point-agenda.

A man drops by at mama-put for lunch and says: “Mama, please give me round-about, assorted, ojuyobo, cow-leg and one Yar’Adua.”
Mama bursts into tears amidst laughter “Oga, which one be Yar’Adua again o?”
The next man on the queue says “Mama, na the fried snail now, you don see anybody wey fast past snail? Abeg reserve the last Yar’Adua for me o!”

Next time you visit mama put or a cafeteria, be sure to have a taste of the scarce, expensive but “healthy” Yar’Adua, you can even make more money if you rear one.

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Floods return, Victoria Island is partially submerged in Rain water

Automobiles, Economy, Lagos, Nigeria, Transportation, driving, flood and drainage, situation report, traffic No Comments »

Floods return, Victoria Island is partially submerged in Rain water. Ajah, Onipanu, Palmgrove, Ketu, Orile and Apapa are sure to be floating boats right now.

Don’t get caught, you don’t wanna be pushing a dead car through the heavy flood with your pants raised up and the rain pouring on you. Or do you?

If you can’t stand traffic, get a flying car, if you can’t stand flood, get a flying boat or stay at home (or go back to your village). Thank you.

Car or Submarine?

Car or Submarine?

Aquatic cars top shopping (wish) list

Aquatic cars top shopping (wish) list

Take the BRT Man...

Take the BRT Man...

If you can't get an aquatic or a flying car, attach to a high one, Clearance is key!

If you can't get an aquatic or a flying car, attach to a high one, Clearance is key!

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C & I Leasing paints Lagos Red with Suzuki Hatchback Corporate Taxis (RedCab)

Automobiles, Lagos, Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, Places, Transportation, driving, jobs, situation report, traffic 2 Comments »
C&I Leasing's RedCar Corporate Taxi concept now concrete

C&I Leasing's RedCab Corporate Taxi concept now concrete

Having successfully pushed the same in Enugu and effectively kicked okadas out of the business area in the eastern city, C & I Leasing has finally deployed the much awaited 200 RedCab Corporate Taxis. The Red taxis however pose a serious threat to the typical Yellow with black striped taxis (oko asewo) and on the long run, okadas. The red taxis would also compete with the Corporate Cabs. Taking a close look at the drivers (male or female), they are suited up (meaning 247 A/C’s) with red ties. The cabs are labelled and I presume some tight communication network here or there.

C & I Leasing paints Lagos Red with Suzuki Hatchback Corporate Taxis (RedCab)

LagosMet Verdict: A very welcome development indeed. How they will cope with the crazy Lagos traffic and resistance (unforseen) from the old cabs remain to be seen.

Close up Shot RedCar Corporate Taxis - LagosMet.com

Close up Shot RedCab Corporate Taxis - LagosMet.com

Beautiful RedCars for the Red Light Districts

Beautiful RedCabs for the Red Light Districts

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Pictures: Fashola’s beautiful Lagos & Fuel is surplus again

Automobiles, Education, Lagos, Nigeria, Places, Structures, Transportation, driving, housing, situation report, traffic Comments Off
Law School, V.I.

Law School, V.I.

Random Pictures of Beautiful Lagos (See pictures below, click on thumbnails to enlarge)
Who ever thought, 2 years ago that Lagos would ever be more beautiful than Abuja? Well, it’s beginning to happen in our lifetime and it gets better and better. Many places have been beautified, Oshodi and Tejuosho Markets have been demolished and cars can now pass freely, saving Lagosians millions of Man-hours and cutting the pockets of touts and Area Chairmen in shreds. The BRT Terminals look so beautiful, the solar-powered street lights and traffic lights are cute and Lekki Road and Bar Beach (by HiTech) are out of this world (only in Nigeria, permit me to exaggerate a lil bit). Plenty of credit to Governor Fashola, we can imagine what Lagos would look like in 6 years. If you are out of the country, I’m sure you are seriously missing home by now (not to raise your hopes, we still have issues with security, fuel, flood, and mad traffic). Beautiful Lasgidi!

Fuel Everywhere
Finally there’s fuel everywhere, filling stations looking ever scanty. Shame to bad people right? (don’t start celebrating yet, it was like this on Saturday only to see long queues on Monday). Let’s hope this is permanent. AMEN!

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Pictures: Bank Robberies on the increase

Death, Nigeria, banking, security, situation report, violence 3 Comments »

Daylight Bank Robberies are now the order of the day as Niger Delta boys step up from kidnapping and demanding ransome to actually tapping from the source of the ransoms. Banks within and outside Lagos now open in fear as these ruthless guys come in armed and trigger happy. You may find the following pictures disgusting as they contain very violent scenes and blood. View at your discretion.

The bullet holes, violence, the blood splatter, the destruction and the psychological trauma of all who witnessed this. God help us. Name of bank and branch witheld.

Here The Punch has a January Bank Robbery report

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Fuel (Petrol) scarcity hits Lagos hard – Situation update

Automobiles, Economy, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Places, Transportation, driving, situation report, traffic 4 Comments »

Long queues resurface at filling stations

Long queues resurface at filling stations

Fuel (Petrol) scarcity hits Lagos hard:

UPDATE: Strike was called off on Tuesday, the 21st of April, 2009.

I feel like brushing whoever is responsible for this self-induced scarcity at this time when things are tight. The impact of the scarcity (long queues and more hold ups wherever there is a filling station) was first felt on Friday morning and it lasted throughout the evening even until 12:00am. Many gas stations refused to sell while multitudes queued with cars, bikes and jerry cans (kegs) hoping God would touch the hearts of the Oil Masters. More than half of Lagos depends on petrol-fueled generators and no one wants to spend the weekend in darkness, after having worked 4:00am to 9:00pm on weekdays. I came back from the office on Friday with my tank at R and red meaning no weekend trip for me until a miracle comes through. Yesterday, Saturday ws equally bad, but this morning, things seem to be a bit much better around Ilupeju but from radio reports, some areas have not smelled petrol since Thursday. It rained and drizzled a lot yesterday, but today, the sky looks great and you won’t be drenched queuing and fighting to fill your tanks. If someone “bashes” you, sorry, there’s nothing you can do about it, cos it happened in a “scuffle” – please take note!

I have a feeling churches will be emptier than last Sundays as people hold on to their hopeful slots at heavy, unfriendly, violent and uncompromising queues. Trust touts and black market guys, a litre is now 250 naira – that’s if you are lucky. If you can’t buy, simply join the queue and waste your whole day. I’m buying 60 litres and there aint no way in hell that I could ever be tempted to pay 15,000 naira. Lai lai, no be me. I’m a Lagosian.

You don't wanna be here, I bet.

You don't wanna be here, I bet.

Just in case you didn’t know, the scarcity will definitely affect schedules, i mean visiting, shopping, worship, and even tripping. But on a serious note, I did not see a single BRT bus held up, instead they were going their normal business, bullish as ever on their dedicated lanes. They aren’t affected so… I’m digging out my coins, piling them up for a possible trip to work thanks to Lagos BRT, and it’s so cold I don’t have to pay double to board the LAGBUS with Air Conditioner, i’ll join the old old shock absorber-less Tata Buses. Lasgidi babe!

===============================================

It was discovered that the fuel scarcity was due in part to two factors. LASTMA officials impounded about 50 fuel tankers for parking on the Apapa Wharf Road, a dirty operation which ended in vandalism, and demanded the payment of 150,000 naira per tanker. Also, NUPENG and the PPPRA demanded at least 50 billion naira to be paid into their account (an amount being owed them by the government for fuel subsidy) and payment was made by electronic means on Monday, the 20th of April, 2009. The Lagos State Government cleared their part on Tuesday and the issue was resolved.

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Tips: How to avoid, manage or repel a rapist, rape

Credit crunch, Economy, Education, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Relationships, recession, security, situation report No Comments »
If you can, please bite!

If you can, please bite!

LagosMet Tips: How to avoid, manage or repel a rapist, rape. RAPE, a topic no one wants share, remember, or report.

With no 911, rehab or respect, the present scare and scourge of HIV/AIDS, talkless of pregnancy, the last thing you want to come face to face with is the certainty of rape, or a rapists hands down your zippers. Thanks to Gov. Fashola, Oshodi is now a beauty to behold, even at night. Gone are the days when people who try to beat the early morning traffic on their way to work end up being raped in Oshodi even along the rail road. Things have changed now though. Stampedes, riots and curfews are sure fire ways to risk being raped and rapists are everywhere, in hostels, schools, parties, camps e.t.c. and they usually get away with it because no one dares to report.

Here in Lagos, there have been reports of fathers raping daughters (repeatedly), uncles deflowering nieces (forcefully), secondary teachers having their way with students and even gay rapes in male hostels. The after-effect of rape could be life-threatening sadness, darkness, depression and inability to trust. Some rape victims eventually commit suicide, some become very religious, while some refuse to settle down. Trust me, it’s recession, everyone’s cutting cost or getting laid off (not getting laid!) and you don’t want to add one rapist’s son to your payroll – rape is of no moral, spiritual, physical, social or even economic value. Its a stigma no one wants to live with. Have you been raped? You certainly don’t want a repeat. I feel for you, I don’t know how it feels but you must share your experiences sometime (on SecretZen, or Rubminds), with others, maybe, anonymously, and empty your mind just so you can move on.

The son of a rapist is what?

The son of a rapist is what?

As the rains approach, the weather becomes cold, there isn’t a better time than now to be wary of rapists. Please read and pass on:

Source: http://rubminds.com/forums/general-discussion/through-a-rapist’s-eyes-(no-joke)/

Long read but  worth it.. Pass it on to every female you know; you can even share this link.

A  group of rapists and date rapists in prison were  interviewed on what they look for in a potential  victim and here are some interesting  facts:

1) The  first thing men look for in a potential victim  is hairstyle. They  are most likely to go after a woman  with a  ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can  easily be grabbed .  They are also likely to go  after a  woman with long hair .  Women with short hair are not common  targets.

2) The  second thing men look for  is clothing.  They will look for women  who’s clothing is easy to remove  quickly.  Many of them carry scissors around specifically to  cut clothing.

3) They  also look  for women on their cell phone, searching  through their purse, or doing  other activities while  walking because  they are off-guard and can be easily  overpowered.

4) Men  are most likely to attack & rape in the early  morning, between 5:  00a.m. and 8:30a.m.

5) The  number one place women are abducted from/attacked  is grocery  store parking lots.  The number two: office  parking lots/garages. Number  three: public  restrooms.

6)  The thing about these men is that they  are looking  to grab a woman and quickly move her to another  location where  they don’t have to worry about getting  caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons  because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape  with a weapon is 15-20 years.

Cool If  you put  up any kind of a fight at  all, they  get discouraged because  it only takes a minute or two for them to realize  that going after you isn’t worth it because it will  be time-consuming.

9) These men said they  would not  pick on women who have  umbrellas,  or other similar objects  that can  be used from a  distance, in  their hands.

Keys  are NOT a  deterrent because  you have to get really close to the attacker to use  them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these  guys you’re not worth it.

10) Several defense  mechanisms he taught us are: If  someone is following behind  you on  a street or in a garage or with you in a n elevator  or stairwell, look  them in the face and ask them a  question,  like what  time is it?,  or make general small talk: ‘I can’t believe it is so  cold out here,’ ‘We’re in for a bad  winter.’ Now  you’ve seen their face and could identify them in a  line-up; you lose appeal as a  target.

http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/how-to-avoid-manage-repel-rapist-rape-tips/

11) If  someone is coming toward you, hold  out your hands in front of you and yell STOP! or  STAY BACK!Most of the rapists this man talked to  said they’d  leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she  would not be afraid to fight  back.  Again, they are looking for an EASY  target.

12) If you carry  pepper spray (this  instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it  with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY  and holding  it out will be a  deterrent.

13) If  someone grabs you,  you can’t beat them with strength but you can  by outsmarting  them.  If you are grabbed around the waist from  behind, pinch  the attacker either under  the Arm (between  the elbow and armpit) OR  in the upper inner thigh VERY  VERY HARD.  One woman in a class this guy taught told him she  used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to  date rape her and was so upset she broke through the  skin and tore out muscle strands – the guy needed  stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as  hard as you can stand it – it  hurts.

14) After  the initial hit, always GO  for the GROIN.  I know from a particularly unfortunate experience  that if you slap a guy’s parts it  is extremely painful.  You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make  him want to hurt you more, but the thing these  rapists told our instructor is that they want a  woman who will not cause a lot of  trouble. Start  causing trouble and he’s out of  there.

15) When  the guy puts his hands up to  you, grab  his first two fingers and bend them back as far as  possible with as much pressure pushing down on them  as possible. The instructor did it to me without  using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and  both knuckles cracked audibly.

16) Of course  the things we always hear still  apply. Always  be aware of your surroundings, take  someone with you if you can and if  you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with  your instincts!!!

You  may feel a little silly at the time, but you’d feel  much worse if the guy really was  trouble.

1.  Tip from Tae  Kwon Do :  The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If  you are close enough to use it, do!

2.  Learned this from a tourist guide  in New  Orleans :  If a robber asks for your wallet and/or  purse,DO  NOT HAND IT TO HIM.  Toss it away from you….chances are that he is more  interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and  he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN  LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER  DIRECTION!

3.  If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick  out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the  hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t  see you, but everybody else will. This has saved  lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into  their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc.,  and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a  list, etc.) DON’T  DO THIS! The  predator will be watching you, and this is the  perfect opportunity for him to get in on the  passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you  where to go. AS  SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND  LEAVE.

a. If someone is in the car with a gun  to your head DO  NOT DRIVE OFF,  repeat: DO  NOT DRIVE OFF!  Instead gun the engine and speed into anything,  wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the  person is in the back seat they will get the worst  of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.  It is better than having them find your body in a  remote location.

5  A few notes about getting into your car in a parking  lot or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look  around you, look into your car, at the passenger  side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you  are parked next to a big van, enter your car from  the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their  victims by pulling them into their vans while the  women are attempting to get into their  cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the  driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger  side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest  your car, you may want to walk back into the mall,  or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back  out.

IT  IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY . (And better  paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take  the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are  horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime  spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7.  If the predator has a gun and you are not under his  control, ALWAYS  RUN! The  predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in  100 times. And even then, it most  likely WILL  NOT be  a vital organ.RUN,  preferably in a zigzag  pattern!

8. As  women, we are always trying to be  sympathetic: STOP! It  may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial  killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who  ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting  women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often  asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his  vehicle, which is when he abducted his next  victim.
9.  Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her  friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night  before last, and she called the police because it  was late and she thought it was weird. The police  told her ‘Whatever  you do, DO NOT open the  door.’

The  lady then said that it sounded like the baby had  crawled near a window, and she was worried that it  would crawl to the street and get run over. The  policeman said, ‘We already have a unit on the way,  whatever you do, DO  NOT open the door.’ He  told her that they think a serial killer has a  baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of  their homes thinking that someone dropped off a  baby. He said they have not verified it, but have  had several calls by women saying that they hear  baby’s cries outside their doors when they’re home  alone at night.

Please  pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying  baby — This should be taken seriously because the  Crying Baby theory was mentioned  on America’s  Most Wanted this  past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer  in Louisiana .

I’d  like you to forward this to all the women you know.  It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by  lighting another candle. I was going to send this to  the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers,  wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to  pass it onto them, as well.

Source: http://rubminds.com/forums/general-discussion/through-a-rapist’s-eyes-(no-joke)/

Take away: Bobby Bishops song for Amy (a teenage rape victim)

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LagosMet Rainy Season: My do’s and don’ts for motorists and passengers

Automobiles, Economy, Education, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Places, Transportation, driving, flood and drainage, housing, situation report, traffic 11 Comments »

LagosMet Rainy Season: My do’s and don’ts for motorists and passengers.

I sincerely hope this is the final year Lagos would have to go without drainage. I don’t mean drainage in Ikeja or Lagos Island alone, I mean all over the state cos we all pay tax and this flood thingy is making the whole of Lagos look like

A lawyer's view of flooded Orile

A lawyer's view of flooded Orile

Governor Raji Fashola (Pol Party: Action Congress AC) has done nothing. The Governor has tried his best, we know the power issue is beyond him but he can do much better in terms of security and drainage.

(Kindly include the link to this page if you intend to copy and paste the contents of this page. Please quote the source: http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/lagosmet-rainy-season-my-dos-and-donts-for-motorists-and-passengers/)

I’d been yelling drainage since September last year when I stopped using my very low car, discarded it and got a higher one, a low-class 4 – wheeler (my papa no be politician). Now I can sing “because he lives… I can FACE tomorrow”. Tomorrow as in Lagos floods, nothing more to it. If I can swap minds with fellow readers, those with low cars, e.g. Old Accord, Mini, Bug, Picanto, QQ, I10, Celica, Legend and Previa, e.t.c. are already cursing their luck. Sorry, so goes the saying “save for the rainy day”. Now it’s raining, look outside your window, you see it drizzling, yeah, out there, it doesn’t reflect anything drizzling at all, it in fact paints the picture of the aftermath of a Tsunami. I’ve been avoiding blogging for some days now cos it takes me at least 4 hours to come up with something and I have a whole lot on my neck, I’m not so into coffee and this cold brings with it the lure of sleep… (you all are happy today’s a public holiday aint ya?). For this reason, I’ll keep facts, pictures and sturvs for some other time and go straight to the point. As usual, just my 2 cents, you don’t have to agree with me 100% but to those who have ears…

It’s Rainy Season, what do you do?

Your Umbrella or your life?

Your Umbrella or your life?

1. Buy an umbrella for the car, office, a friend and home.

2. If you haven’t raised your sport car, call your mechanic now

3. Don’t drive while it’s raining or less than 20 minutes after, it takes a while for highway floods to clear.

4. Don’t venture into roads you less frequently used (during the dry season) as floods make it difficult to differentiate pot holes from “gutters” and “canals”.

5. If you must drive while it’s drizzling or raining, turn your headlamps on and your emergency lamps too. Also, avoid depending on horns alone, while you honk, flass your full lights as well since most windows are wound up and A/Cs on in other to clear the windscreen of most cars. Some even tune up their radios for situation reports, coupled with the deafening sound of the rain and thunder outside, your horn alone is less than likely to pass the message across. Use your hazard lights and flash your full lights.

6. Avoid unnecessary overtaking. Everyone’s trying to avoid water clogged areas and also splashing water on pedestrians.

7. Trust your instincts, if it looks like your car won’t make it, then don’t take it. I mean don’t risk it, it’s never too late to turn back when your rear is clear. Once other cars join you there, you have little option than to be compelled to MOVE into the danger zone, and glory be to God if you (your car) survive. http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/lagosmet-rainy-season-my-dos-and-donts-for-motorists-and-passengers/

8. Avoid reversing unnecessarily, it is against the law to face oncoming traffic (one-way) but in this period, you just can’t help it. Better to face oncoming traffic than to do a reverse. It is very dangerous, especially due to poor visibility. Poor visibility contributes 85% to most road accidents when it’s raining as some people don’t even have wipers, some don’t have A/Cs to clear the fog on the windscreen, some are hydrophobic and they just ram into you, then you try to step out and realise you are in the middle of the River Niger, you need the back of a tout to make it to the other side where you would only be drowned halfway.

9. If you can, avoid service lanes and generally the lower ends of unlevelled roads as they hold more water. Service Lanes hold deadly pot holes (especially along Ikorodu road up to Ketu). If you are not driving an LR4, and you can do without service lanes, please do. Palmgrove, Onipanu, Ojota, Ajah and some places in Victoria Island are Bermudas Triangles you don’t want to find yourself in.

He that is "drowned" needs fear no "flood"

He that is "drowned" needs fear no "flood"

10. Follow the leader, and give him some distance. Taxis (yellow and black) know the bad places in Lagos, they know the roads like you know the buttons of your mobile phone. Follow someone who has a flood navigator (don’t follow okadas or LR4’s, follow car for car or SUV for SUV, not Trailer for Cooper).

11. Have some airtime on your phone.

12. Service your car, fix your horn, tyres, winders, heaters, A/C, fog lamps, trafficators, and everything fixable. Believe you me, no one will stop for you when it’s pouring heavily. When it’s pouring, you don’t see the police and that’s when men of the underworld rush out en-masse, you make their work easier for them when your car breaks down for any reason, even a flat tyre.

13. Don’t drive alone but avoid picking unknown persons up. When it rains, it is assumed that all cars have tinted glasses and no one can see someone pointing weapons at you right in your car, and even if they do, they look for an exit and drive off, leaving you to your fate. Be very careful. Lock your doors.

14. Drive slowly, you have no choice. Tyre skid, brakes fail and cars stop suddenly when it pours, so be prepared to gently apply (not slam) your brakes. Traffic is bound to be heavier than on normal days so leave home some 30 minutes earlier than usual, but not too early. In fact don’t leave home while it’s dark as floods will force you to drive slowly or even stop and that’s when “our friends” can make a run at you. You will also notice that colleagues get to work/meetings later than they used to.

15. Ensure you have a fair amount of gas (sorry, petrol) in your tank. Rain-induced traffic are 69% heavier.

http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/lagosmet-rainy-season-my-dos-and-donts-for-motorists-and-passengers/

As for Pedestrians, you know the rules already.

BIS under siege sometime ago

BIS under siege sometime ago

1. Umbrella

2. Nylon cover, shower caps, or raincoat, umbrellas can’t withstand strong winds.

3. Rain boots (keep a spare pair of shoes in the office and trouser/skirt too). Rubber shoes are on sale now (Max: 400 naira.). Sometimes NEPA/PHCN poles bow to the winds and live power cables/wires find their way into the stagnant waters creating death traps for innocent pedestrians. I’d say rubber boots are essentials.

4. Use the BRT (thank God LAGBUS have resumed operation), if you feel that friend’s rickety car might nor make it, or that your car is not in the best rain condition

5. Have airtime on your line, call your superior if traffic is hell.

6. Avoid carrying laptops and other bulky electronics that won’t fit in beneath the raincoat.

7. Keep yourself warm

8. Carry a 50cl bottle of water, to wash your feet when you reach your destination.

9. Don’t forget to pick your umbrella after leaving it out to dry…

10. Don’t walk in the path of motorists, especially in the clear paths as motorists desperately try to avoid water and have poorer visibility seeing through water clogged screens. You are more likely to get hit by a hit and run driver in this period. http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/lagosmet-rainy-season-my-dos-and-donts-for-motorists-and-passengers/

11. Do not back traffic; face on coming traffic and always be prepared to dive. Don’t cuss the driver or the governor when it does happen.

12. Relocate if you can, closer to the office or your business. As bus fares skyrocket (even BRT and LAGBUS increased fares), you will find it cheaper to stay closer to your source of income.

13. Take your leave. We usually have one or two 3-day non stop rain and 7-day non stop drizzling, I can’t think of a better time to take your leave than then. I just hate traffic.

14. Not a good time to pay friends a visit. In fact, Churches will see a decrease in the congregation size too. Do not promise to visit friends at this point in time, and don’t pay surprise visits as your hosts may be 3 hours away in traffic or trying to pull their car our of the canal.

15. Be careful where you put your legs into. Some stagnant waters house various pests and diseases, and some “small” waters can mask deep gutters and sharp objects. Do not be tempted to take off your shoes unless you know the road so well. It is always safer to turn back.

16. Finally, if you can’t “enter” the rain, then wait in a safe place, there is no shame in doing so, but it is sometimes dangerous. Watch where, who and for how long you do. My advice, don’t stay behind for too long, move as soon as the rain subsides.

Eh, 2 hours gone already! I got work to do guys, you can help with the ones I missed out on. I wish you all the best. You can send me pictures and stories of floods in your area and I will do well to post them here, of course with your name on it, if you don’t mind.

Safety first, no regrets. Happy Easter.

All rights reserved, Christino Xsi Penthome, 2009.

If you enjoyed reading this, please refer this page to a friend.

Link to this page: http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/04/lagosmet-rainy-season-my-dos-and-donts-for-motorists-and-passengers/

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Lagos: 1004 flats officially on sale, min: 45 million naira

Lagos, Nigeria, housing, real estate, traffic 9 Comments »

Buy while it's hot, no credit-crunching this!

Buy while it's hot, no credit-crunching this!

Lagos, Nigeria 1004 flats now on unit sales:

This is the biggest single transaction in the real estate business in Nigeria (07/04/2009).

Somewhere around Adetokunbo Ademola and Ozumba Mbadiwe, Lekki – Epe Expressway, the building UACN Property Development Company (UDPC) Plc purchased for a few billion naira will now sell for (HOW MUCH?) at least 60 billion naira! The building has been equipped with CCTV survillance cameras, electronic card access system, 4 swimming pools, lawn tennis and squash courts, 4 gymnasiums, 4 Generators, security patrol team, water fountains, panoramic lifts, club house and bar. Each apartment, fully funished has prepaid PHCN meter, microwave, a/c, washing machine and dryer.

LagosMet Rainy Season: My do’s and don’ts for motorists and passengers – How to survive the rainy season.

How much? Okay, it’s VERY cheap and affordable especially for salary earners, students and self-employed individuals (no be me talk am o). Each of the 2-bedroom apartments goes for 45m if the buyer is paying cash and 50m if payment is by installment. 3 and 4-bedroom apartments go for 65m and 85m respectiviely with 5% discount if it is a cash deal (jale jale). To all the alaroros, they are closing approximately 1 out of 10 enquiries (I mean 10 phone calls lead to 1 sure deal). Zenith and IBTC are the risk takers. There are only 42×2br flats, 84×3br maissionette, 34×4-storeyed of 8/4-br flats each, 8×4-storeyed blocks of 6×2-br maissonettes, 1×3-storeyed block of 6×2-br flats. If your calculator isn’t displaying 1004 total at the moment then you probably aren’t ICAN certified!

Is it worth it?

I can’t answer that, but logically, I think it is. The location (proximity to important places) makes it even more valuable than Lekki Phase 1 – VGC and beyond. In the heart of Victoria Island, with less traffic and more options (roads, clubs, hotels, work e.t.c.) I think it’s the best bargain anywhere on the Island. Former residents can bear me witness. Surrounding buildings include Civic Centre, Law School, Sweet Sensation, Cactus, BJay’s Hotel, Jazz Club e.t.c to mention a handful. If you can, then buy and rent it out.

ps: This is the biggest single transaction in the real estate business in Nigeria.

LagosMet: My problem, for aproximately 5,000 people in one huge compound, no medical facilities, no creche, no school just a bar and a night club? C’mon.

Trackback: Is your home crumbling? As buildings keep crumbling, the Lagos State Government has reacted by visiting suspected and reported buildings, marking them X and bringing them down to ground zero. If you suspect any such building, please report to the authorities (no toll-free 911, sorry!)

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Lagos Strike: BRT unlikely to be available this evening

Automobiles, Lagos, Life, Nigeria, Places, Transportation, driving, situation report, traffic 2 Comments »

Empty bus, no driver!

Empty bus, no driver!

Lagos Strike: BRT unlikely to be available this evening

NO BRT TONIGHT! Rumours are spreading that the roads will be blocked as the Bus Rapid Transit operators threaten strike. The impact is likely to be felt on the Island (CMS and Racecourse) as people proceed to Obalende and alternatives. You are therefore likely to see lots of heads stranded at “bus stops”. If you are without your car, you should do yourself a favour and “marry” someone who isn’t, at least for today.

If you drove to work, then try to help a fellow Lagosian.

I hate traffic so I’m as good as asleep till 10 p.m.

E go be.

UPDATE:

Some drivers eventually showed up helping to decongest the long queues at terminals. Hopefully the rumour should end there as many people have become acustomed to leaving their cars at home in favour of the BRT. Let’s see what the News has to say tonight regarding this.

Safe journey y’all.

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