As
I stepped out of the office to pump my deflated tires, I drove down GRA road in
Ikeja to look for a vulcanizer that can help. I didn’t drive too long before I saw
one. I parked beside his make shift office just beside the road with the
knowledge that both of us are in danger of either a drunk driver ramming into
us or law enforcement officers barking on us for unlawful usage of government
road and wrongful parking.
I
saluted the elderly vulcanizer, explained or complained to him and his mien and
disposition was very calm. I love artisans that are elderly and experienced,
they come across as vastly experienced. He just went to the car, asked me to
bring my tools which I did. That was the last conversation we had till he
expunged the flattened tire from the car and started to work on it.
After
a few minutes, he noticed that I was uncomfortable because I had been standing
for about 20 minutes and was probably sighing (you know there’s a way you can
communicate without talking), so he offered me a seat. Well, I saw the seat
initially and didn’t bother sitting on it for several reasons; 1) wasn’t a safe
seat. Just like his kiosk or office or shack, it was a makeshift seat too. 2)
it could tear my trousers because of the edges it had.
So
I initially didn’t want to take the risk but since he offered and I didn’t want
to come across like an arrogant spoilt child, I decided to seat. (he must have
thought in his heart that I was proud if I didn’t sit I am sure about that). We
were silent for a bit while he worked on the tire and I thought of what next to
write on my blog when I get back to the office.
GBAM!
His friend came; a fellow vulcanizer like himself and this self-composed, well
behaved elderly man started talking like tap let loose. And that was when I got
interested in learning more from them. Of course words on the streets are as
important as it can be and all I could deduce from the conversations that
followed between both interlocutors made me realise that contrary to what my
friend Demola Olarewaju said over the weekend over the internet that Dame
Patience Jonathan connects more and better with the likes of the vulcanizers,
market women and poor citizens of this great nation.
This
is not in direct reply to our discussion but I couldn’t help but think that
despite the wide divide between the rich and the poor, literate and illiterate
in this country, I feel, and it’s just my own opinion that the elites (bourgeoisies)
still help to shape the thinking process of the peasants and poor on the
street.
They
both started off the conversation about their egbe, vulcanizer association and the many wrongs that the group
does to its members. The conversation went like this;
“I
am sick and tired of this association” said the first
“You
are not as tired as I am, that is why you would have discovered that I am not
as frequent as I used to be” said the other.
“Can
you imagine that I was told to go and bring #15, 000 (Fifteen thousand naira;
almost $100) just to come and reposes my machine because I didn’t collect
permit to work”, the first guy says again.
(I
guess that’s why he came with a customer’s tire to come and repair because his
own machine was abducted by people who were supposed to work for their interest)
“They
are so corrupt in that association” continued the first
“Yes
there are”, cuts in the elderly vulcanizer, “why do you think they fought lagbaja tooth and nail when he proposed
that GRA Vulcanizers should have a separate association? They know the pecks
they are enjoying. My machine was also abducted but I paid #10, 000 (ten
thousand naira; almost $80) and he told me that he was doing me huge favour”.
They
both sighed. They went on to discuss several other issues and when they started
talking about Nigeria, I knew I have to listen. You can imagine my amazement
when these two chaps started making jest of Mama Peace and her inability to
command good use of English; I was perplexed. These are guys who barely spoke a
piece of pidgin not to talk of English during their conversation (they needn’t anyways
because both of them are Yoruba but I also know they won’t be able to speak English
because they look like they won’t be able to; afojudi).
They
made jest of her and repulsed the idea that the number 1 man’s wife in the
country could disgrace herself and disgrace the country with her lack of
comportment and bad usage of the English language. I couldn’t help but laugh
and that was when they involved me in their discussion.
“abi egbon, is it not a big shame that
the first lady of Nigeria will be saying Goddio Goddio on national TV
disgracing all of us? The first interlocutor asked
“she
disgraced herself and her husband not me”, the elder vulcanizer injected his
opinion, “after all, all they ever do is steal our money, take it to start big
ventures and oppress us in this country” he continued, falling into that depressing
mood most of us get into when we size up the quantity of our wealth against the
quality of leadership.
The
conversation continued even as I drove off from the make shift office and the
elderly vulcanizer just as moored as when I parked and when I zoomed away. He was
bothered about the state of the nation, as seen and spoken to him by those who
fully comprehend the problems but his biggest problem of course was the poor
people like him who instead of safeguard his interest also take advantage of
the little power behest on them to oppress him.
To
him, I am sure, if Waheed (name assumed) who is as uneducated as he is could
use the little advantage of being their association leader to embezzle funds
and even oppress them, he sees the bigger picture from the small ones that
hurts his eyes.
I
didn’t take his final word and thoughts on the state of the nation and or his
association but all I see and deduce is that all he really wants is to be happy;
he wants to live in a country that he will be free to do his legal business,
where he won’t be oppressed by government, government officials and hoodlums
hiding under the oak of association. A country where the elites that shape the
words on the street can assure him that the people leading him are not as
uneducated as he is (or even worse) and where he can just be happy!
I
drove back to the office pondering on all these stuffs and trust me the
conversation keeps raging in my head!
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