– Lagosians are known for being smart people but sometimes, they learn the hard way
– Surviving in Lagos requires learning from people and sometimes learning first hand
– First hand experience might be bitter but it pays a lot
There is a lot to learn in Lagos and for some people; this lesson comes the hard way. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been in Lagos all your life or you just moved in. there is a lot to learn in the city and while some might learn from other people’s error, others serve as a deterrent to other with their first-hand knowledge.
Here are some lessons Lagosians sometimes learn the hard way
Jumping out of a moving vehicle
Everyone in Lagos knows it’s dangerous to jump out of a moving vehicle but you’ll be surprised to still see people tumble out of a Danfo because the vehicle want to stop in a farther bus stop and they want to get out quickly. Perhaps because they see conductors do it with ease, they think its child play. They probably forget there is need to take a little jog when you jump out of a moving vehicle. By the time they realize, they are already biting dust.
Paying before collecting item in a commercial vehicle
If you are in a commercial bus, it’s a rule to collect your item and your change before you hand over the money. Lagosians sometimes fall victim of losing their money when the bus that was supposed to be stuck in traffic speeds off just as they handed over money to a seller in traffic. Don’t even try begging the driver as he won’t stop. If the money happens to be the only one the passenger has, there is going to be trouble.
Using an ATM machine everyone has ignored
So you get to a bank and there is a queue at the ATM point. You notice that there is another machine that no one seems to be interested in. Instead of finding out why it is not being used, you walk gallantly to it and stick your card into it. You enter the amount you need and wait while the machine makes a funny noise and then stops. That’s when you’ll realize that you should have found out what was wrong with the machine. If it is on a weekend, your chances of retrieving your card automatically drop to zero.
Dressing in a white outfit when you don’t have a car
Lagosians perhaps out of forgetfulness go for white outfit when using commercial vehicles. You can be certain that the colour would have changed by the time the person returns home. How do you expect the person to survive the interior of a Danfo without rubbing against the dirty seats? Walking in some streets in Lagos is akin to walking through a dirt land as the dust raised by vehicles wills likely settle on pedestrians. That white outfit is likely going to turn to brown.
Waiting for food that is almost ready
If you walk into a restaurant in Lagos, forget the ‘Food Is Ready’ sign in front. If you ask for a particular type of food and you are told the food is almost ready, don’t hesitate to order for another one. If you make the mistake of waiting for the food to get ready, you are in for a long wait and by the time you realize what is happening, it might have been a wait too long.
People will gatecrash your party
Except your party is a very exclusive one where people have to check their name in log book before they can be confirmed to enter, you should make provision for double the number of invitation cards you sent out. If you invited 100 guests, make sure you have food for 200 if you don’t want the original guests to go home unhappy. If you fail to do so, trust Lagosians to make a scene from it.
Waiting for a BRT bus
There is nothing wrong in waiting for a BRT in Lagos if you don’t mind whatever time the bus arrives. Any Lagosian going for a job interview or an important meeting runs the risk of getting there late if he waits for the BRT. Even if you are lucky once, you can’t afford to ride your luck too far. It’s reasonable to go for other commercial vehicles but not wait for the arrival of a BRT. If not, you might be forced to learn the hard way.
Carry cash
Nigeria is promoting the cashless policy. That’s fine except that if you are in Lagos, you must carry cash all the time. POS in shopping centers cannot be trust 100 per cent so your cash must be ready to bail you out if your card fails. If not you my probably return the things you’ve purchased. Hopefully, you won’t have eaten out of it.
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