Parks in different parts of Lagos are always busy round-the-clock. They convey passengers and travellers to the North, South, East and West of Nigeria. These parks offer many people a miniaturized peek into the Lagos hustle, where you find the good, the bad and the ugly.
Although it is quite fascinating to have a first-hand experience of park shenanigans, you will have to be self-conscious when you find yourself in such an ambience. If you are a first time visitor to a Lagos park, Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking portal unveil the many kinds of people you will find at these parks dotted around the centre of excellence.
The roving reporter
The roving reporter does not report for any news agency but if you want to get current information about happenings at the park, they will gladly volunteer themselves.Their daily survival is knitted around the park. They are also wanderers who have little or nothing to do but to be nuisance and puck nose in other people’s businesses. Of course, they are very popular which means it is not difficult to find them.
The exhibitionist
At the park, you find people displaying and selling all sorts of items. From alcoholic beverages to local gins, fairly used clothes, mama put, perfumes, electronics, and other wares. The park is where they make their daily income. You have to be careful with the type of goods you purchase at the park to ensure that is original.
The early bird
The early birds are the travelers. They are leaving Lagos for various parts of Nigeria. The buses leave very early so that they will arrive at their destination as early as possible. This will forestall any delay. The rule for any transport business is leave early, arrive early and vice versa. So, do not be astonished if you find a handful of people at the park!
The sit-down and look
This type of people are idle. They simply want to feel among as they participate in discussions, intervene in arguments and adjudicate park dispute. They take pride in being called the boss and they actually are. If you are harassed or mishandled, walk up to the sit-down and look, who alternatively is referred to as chairman and make a report. In fact, if you forgot your phone in a cab or misplaced your luggage, just make a report and if they find it, it will be returned to you. Of course, theft is totally condemned because if anyone is caught, they are appropriately dealt with. Ironically, it is the same parks that theft is prevalent.
The conductor
The conductor does not conduct an orchestra but stands on the highway, fiercely and voraciously spiriting for travelers. Immediately he sights a car or bus, he assumes that any one of the passengers is traveling if he sights a luggage in the boot, he then sprints like Usain Bolt to the boot to pick your luggage even though you did not authorize him to do so. Many travellers have lost their luggage due to the over-zealousness of these conductors. If you are visiting the park for the first time, you will be dazed and shocked by the desperation of these conductors. So, when you arrive at the park, hold on tight to your luggage, keep a straight facade and ensure that you have a particular transport company you want to board.
| Ogunfowoke Adeniyi |
