A COMMUTER DIARY

URINATING IN PUBLIC PLACES

The rainy season is here bringing along its advantages and disadvantages. One of its advantages being the coolness of the atmosphere, and the latent tranquility it exudes despite the hustle and bustle of the city. The disadvantage is that it causes more traffic and in a way bring into limelight the bad roads and streets in the state. It has really revealed that a lot still needs to be done in the state, not all roads are repaired and the ones repaired are being damaged by reckless drivers. Anyway, I was on my way home from work one evening when I encountered something very bizarre.

My favorite spot in the bus is the window side either by the left wing or right, or he back seat or middle, as long there is a window I’m comfortable. From there I can watch the city at anytime of the day especially the evenings; the hawkers with their wares bellowing at their customers, the hasty mother running home to prepare dinner for the family, the tired father who can’t wait to get home to be pampered as he tries to maneuver traffic, the single lady returning home for a nice date, the rich boss who is booming with smiles over a new contract, the young graduate who hopes to be called for a job interview and above all, you enjoy the drama of the traffic wardens and the policemen as they try to control traffic from the impatient drivers as well as collect tips from the conductors.

However, this evening we were in a heavy traffic, unlike before, commuters would have alighted and complete the remaining journey on foot, but due to the weather everyone sat down comfortably.
I was enjoying the evening breeze when all of a sudden I saw a young man came out from his blue Mercedes at the other lane, walked to the front of his car and…
At first, I thought his car broke down but when I saw him unzip his trouser and pee at the back of the molue bus in front of him I knew this was very crazy. I stared at him gob smacked at such display, I had to call the attention of the commuter by my side to watch him, he said to me nonchalantly that the guy was pressed that what was I expecting him to do. You have to agree with me that was absolutely crazy.

In Lagos, you will find a mélange of bohemian attitude. The sign ’do not urinate here’ is not a rarity on our streets and roads. I am sure it was due to the cavalier attitude of people who abuse the environment with their urine that the sign was created. I know that when pressed the organs don’t take commands from the brain anymore, they operate on their own, but there are other times it can be controlled. The male species have this insouciant attitude about urinating anywhere .I don’t know if that could be attributed to the shape of their organ because the way they display that thing blatantly could be appalling ‘The female species also practice this act even though their excretory organ is a little complicated.

At the garages and parks, you will be choked to death by the repulsive smell of urine especially at Oyingbo Park at Oyingbo bus stop. Sometimes, commuters are forced to inhale this pungent pong as the buses are lined at the back of the polluted area. Most times the bus drivers and conductors are provided with toilet facilities in the garage and park, but they nonchalantly chose to urinate at the back of the buses. Some passers by and hawkers do engage in this detestable act. At Ojota garage, it is difficult to breathe in fresh air as the drainages are filled with faeces of humans. How can one deliberately defecate in the drainage? Should the blame be placed on touts and destitute who have no place to stay.

The government should seriously look at this environment pollution as it is not only detrimental to the environment but also to its inhabitants. More toilet facilities should be made available on the streets and major roads for easy access when needed urgently.

Also there should be officials to supervise the effective implementation of this act. Any person caught violating the law should be punished either by giving out tickets or taking them to court.

It is high time we made our environment a habitable place and stop polluting it without impunity. If the environment is not inhabitable, we will face a lot of epidemic, which will result to a high mortality rate in the society. We should all endeavour to keep our environment clean and caution those who pollute the environs, because it is everyone’s duty to give Lagos state a serene ambience.