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The Spirit of Christmas


   I took a drive through the streets of Lagos with my mom last week Saturday. Everything and everyone I saw reminded me of how Nigerians were, are and will be.The roads were still terrible, the weather hot and the aura of the community still the same. The Okada riders continuously rode the streets despite warnings of impending ban, the PHCN was yet to release power to the people and prices sky rocketed as was the norm at the end of every year. But what baffled me were the people I saw. Even at Christmas time, they still had the purposeful stride to succeed. Each diligent step explained their drive to beat the odds and make ends meet despite the fact that the year is practically over. The belief that all wasn't lost was evident on their faces, and they all wanted to accomplish something before the year completely ran out.     

    Just before I got to my destination, I noticed the cars ahead had slowed down considerably. A couple of youths in the community had mounted a road block. They did this in order to secure their "Christmas bonus" from those who rode their streets. The pedestrians weren't spared either; they had to "settle" before they crossed. Though a lot of people didn't pay, some others indulged them. My mom was warmly greeted by them. They knew her well considering she rode the route frequently. A few of them walked up to her side and I picked up a few slangs like:
"Maami (mother)" "Alaye mama (Cash madam)" "Olori (leader)" "Jeun loo (chop dey go)" E ye ran fun awon boys" (settle the boys)". Smiling, she gave their leader (a tall muscular guy who was about twenty six years, but looked forty due to his incessant smoking of marijuana) ₦500, and was allowed to pass amid shouts of "E lenu gan (your word is law, whatever you say goes)" "Ori yin wa n be, Ori yin foka sibe".  They raised their hands to the air stamping their two feet as a form of respect saying "Twale Owo meji loke fun eyan kan (two hands up for one person/you alone)". A few offered prayers for my mom and our family, while the rest assumed the post of traffic warden and tried to clear the road. 
    
Those jobless youths had discovered a way to extort money from commuters for their personal needs. It was all in the spirit of Christmas.

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