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On our not-so-expressway

I counted 7 churches, 1 mosque and 3 major accidents in 2 minutes of traveling on Lagos-Ibadan expressway. They weren't the fender-bumper type of accidents. They were the car on fire, bonnet removed, and tiny-car dragged by a huge truck and wrecked beyond repair types. 

So I started thinking: Do our leaders travel these routes too? Or do they fly everywhere in their private jets? Do the citizens in charge of these road-building and maintenance contracts not hear anything in the churches and mosques services that keep us up at night? Really-no one should have to hit those sizes of potholes at expressway speed. 

We almost had an accident too. We had a flat tire, and not only was it flat, we could see how much air the tire was losing in real time because the car was fancy like that. A roadside mechanic charged us to fix it, but our dashboard warning let us know that it was back deflating within seconds. So we pretty much had our hearts in our mouths the entire trip.  Then out of nowhere, we entered this gaping hole in the road and the brakes couldn't help to completely counter the nosedive the car was taking. After a few seconds of maneuvering, we ended up on the side of the road with our flat tire even flatter. But hey we got home safely. That counts for the most points. 

I'm here wondering if instead of flooding an orphanage with more rice than they care to eat this Christmas, we should start as go-fund-me page for our inter-city express roads in Nigeria. If our records were publicly accessible, I'd be able to back my inkling that not a day passes without the loss of at least one life on these roads. Now, imagine how terrible things get during Christmas when everyone wants to go to  the village. 

I really want to add this to the sins of our failed government, (yeah maybe I will). But what has that helped us achieve so far? We voted Buhari for change and look how he has decided to recycle failed past officials to be his new ministers. I don't fully understand this so I can't judge it yet, but why the same old people who didn't yield great results?

This is the part where our people would add "may God help us". I'm sure He will, He gave us brains and hands. Let's get thinking and working for real change. 

Till next time!
Fopsy

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