Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year with new possibilities, new opportunities, new...you fill in the blanks with your own New Year aspirations and hopes.
While I ponder on the general thrust of this blog for 2008, I would like to put forward an assertion which I have struggled to validate up until now. I state rather painfully that Lagos is generally safer than London (this by implication means that I am a Nigerian living in the UK).
I spent the recent Christmas holidays visiting family in Lagos. To say that the bedlam and cacophony of Lagos had frayed my nerves is an understatement. Holiday and festivities over, I eventually arrived at Heathrow airport after flying through multiple time zones eagerly looking forward to a warm shower and some much needed sleep.
Alas, I discovered, at the end of my journey, that I had been separated from my personal effects by the members of the 'Light Fingered Brigade' (aka pick pockets)! This happened somewhere between Paddington and my house. I was too shocked to even feel sorry for myself. Being hit twice in one year is no joke. The first incident occurred while taking pictures at a friend's wedding in October. When I discovered that my pockets had been picked, I thought to myself, "How in the world could this happen to a street wise Lagos boy!" Anyhow, I went through the process of cancelling cards and so on. This second incident was even more painful...cash and cards were involved this time! It is ironic that when travelling to Lagos, I decided against carrying cash and instead used one of the money transfer services. I wonder why I didn't do the same while returning to London!
You see, my assertion is that in Lagos, one is generally on a permanent state of alert. Once you step out of your house, your brain automatically switches to defensive mode. You are sensitive to your personal effects; when boarding public transport, you look out for crazy 'danfo' and 'okada' drivers (both forms of transportation in Lagos); when driving or walking, you avoid area boys aka social miscreants (and hope they avoid you), lock doors and wind up windows and generally stay away from the usual trouble spots.
On the other hand, in London, one is lulled into a false sense of security by the alert security services, hundreds of CCTVs and other security gadgetry. Invariably, your mental defenses become relaxed. I have discovered (and painfully so) that this could be your undoing. You see, generally the 'brigade' boys are everywhere...on the tube, buses, trains. Their members don't look deprived or hungry. In fact, don't be so trusting of that nicely dressed gentleman reading a newspaper next to you or that middle aged lady with a shopping bag also waiting for the bus. A few days ago, a young foreign student withdrew her monthly rent from an ATM and by the time she reached her house, her purse had been stolen. My house mate, who was on his way to Belgium for his wedding, arrived Brussels to discover that his hard earned savings had vanished. The poor chap had to source for emergency funds to prosecute the ceremony. Thankfully his bride understood his financially diminished position. I could provide several more examples but I shall leave the reader to arrive at their own conclusion on this matter.
Cosmopolitan cities are generally not safe havens anywhere in the world so whether you are in Lagos, Kuala Lumpur or Washington, you are expected to maintain a personal sense of security. It is rather sad that I have been re-enlightened by my personal experiences with the wonderful 'brigade boys'!
The elders say that where there is life there is hope so while I reflect on the past year, I look forward to better and bigger things in 2008. Happy New Year!
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1 comment:
Bia, Igotalk...aren't you done reflecting yet? Oya update now. Your pocket musta been deep sha; you were hit twice in a year. Take it as evidence of good living, lol.
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