In today's episode of "do as I say, don't do as I do", I came across a scene that annoyed me yet got me pondering on why Nigerians humans behave irrationally sometimes. The fact that others are doing things WRONGLY or deliberately flaunting laws does not mean you can or should as well. If we continue with the shebi-others-are-doing-it-and-getting-away-with-it attitude, we would end up self-desctructing someday soon. You are a human being with common sense so use it rather than act like a cattle being herded as the cattle rearer pleases.
I encountered a bit of traffic on my way home and suddenly heard a very loud police escort siren blasting rudely behind me. I wondered if they expected us to carry our cars on our heads and move out of the way so that themselves and whomever it was they were seeing off could pass by. First of all, I think people who make silly and rude siren noises when there is traffic have small penises need to be checked mentally but this isn't nearly about them. There was a G-wagon in front of the police escort van and they chose to form a third-lane and drive ON the sidewalk rather than join either of the two legit lanes they had to ply on.
As usual, many other cattle people who were not part of the convoy seized the opportunity and followed suit, regardless of the simple fact that they were endangering passersby and other road users. What's the rush to get home at the end of the day's job if you knew you could potentially end another person's life or career and maybe yours too?
I asked my cabbie to let the escorted and the escort through but no other cars since we all want to be mad na. Next thing I knew, some random car which had pull up next to mine, behind the convoy began berating the vehicle in front of me for obstructing his path. You see, the car in front of mine had allowed the escorted, the escort and a couple of cattle other cars through till he got fed up and blocked the rest off by driving party on his lane and on the side lane since we all want to be mad together na.
Unfortunately for Mr. hoity-toity-law-breaker beside me, his car wasn't let through and that annoyed him enough to rant against the driver. As a law abiding citizen trying to get people to do the right things always, and seeing as he was getting almost desperate enough to scratch the car I was in, I decided to roll down my glass and warn school him a bit.
I asked him if he realised he was driving ON a sidewalk and NOT on the road as he should be, but he retorted that others were as well and he was NOW trying to do right by getting on the road ahead of the rest of us. (Rolling my eyes mentally at this point, yeah right). I told him he should never had followed the escorted and the escort in the first place.
Then I realised his passenger, who was cringing at the embarrassment, was heavily pregnant!!!! Who endangers a pregnant woman AND her baby just to get ahead in line???? I was more disgusted than annoyed at his point and I told him off for not at least CONSIDERING the innocent unborn child before acting in such a manner.
Now, if at this point, you are wondering what the big deal is in what I have just narrated, then YOU are a HUGE part of humanity Nigeria's problems. Traffic laws are meant to protect and save lives, NOT to be broken and thus do the exact opposite. A few minutes of delay could be the difference between doing the right thing and getting home peaceful and in one piece albeit a little later AND maiming or killing someone else thus setting off a chain of destiny shift within the victim's family and beyond.
ALWAYS do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Cheers.
