OKADA -1 JOHN - 0

Okay, so I really wasn't trying to invent a new sport, just play a game of life here in Nigeria, crossing the road. Now while I am sure there must be some around, at least in the cities, the last traffic signal pedestrian crossing I saw was in Seattle. (Yes, I know they exist in Paris, but I didn't go to Paris, just the airport) To cross here, you wait for a gap in traffic and bolt across. Damn it quit laughing, I can too "bolt".

So I know there are a lot of questions, I will try to work through them.

Why did John try to cross the road?

Well, I had already been waiting for transport for 30 minutes, and when my driver showed up I was in no mood for him to make the 3KM drive it would have taken to get tot he other side of the road. I do not have pictures yet, but you have to understand that some of the medians here would stop an Abrams tank. So I figured I would bolt across. (you are still laughing aren't you? Damn it)

What is an Okada?

Now to be honest, I am not totally sure of the correct syntax here. Okada are small motorcycles, but it is also a service. It is like ther difference between a car and a taxi. I am thinking that in pure form the okada is a motorcycle taxi, but at least for the expats, it has come to mean a small motorcycle, regardless of whether it is for rent or not. (now there is a question, are any of them not for rent? this is Nigeria) Here are some pictures:



Here is a herd of them parked outside the Gate to my office. I think these are mostly personal. But not all.



This one belongs to my neighbor Evan. I know it is not for rent. We will discuss the girl later. Notice the nice protective frame, most Okada come with these and it will be part of the story later.

What happened?

Well, I was waiting to cross the road. Two Okada were coming about 40 meters apart. Now Okada usually travel about a meter away from the edge of the road, because depending on how wide the road is several vehicles could be making multiple lanes (we will talk about driving in Nigeria later) let's just say it is "flexible". So when the first one went by I BOLTED to the middle of the road. Now here is the part that confuses me, I turned to check on the second Okada and instead of being at the edge of the road he was coming right at me. Now I am dumb sometimes, but not stupid, so I knew that is was time to get the hell out of there, I turned, started to run, and that nice bit of framework I mentioned earlier hit me so hard I flipped in the air, and one of the brackets gave me a nice gash. Once airbourne is was all about physics. Fat man flys up, fat man comes down. My right arm took the brunt of the blow, but fortunately my head was there to absorb some impact. As my friend Frank pointed out "it saved me from damaging something I need". It has been awhile since I have been knocked out, it still isn't fun.

Let me introduce Godwin.



Godwin is my driver. An intelligent passionate man, we communicate on some things and do not understand each other on others. In simple terms he saved my ass. Found a crew, got me loaded up in the truck, and got the always compliant John in the clinic within minutes. He is a good man. Thing is he is not a special example. He is what I am coming to know Nigerians to be. Good people. No one would have done this for me in the US, too worried about being part of the legal hassle. The US has a lot to learn from Nigeria.