The adventures of a Molue rider
Passengers rushing to catch MolueTransportation has always been an important part of life in Lagos. It is so important that it
has been a major issue; a source of headache and concern to many which has affected the daily life of every resident of the 'center of excellence'. Basically bus travel is the major form of transportation within the city of Lagos. As Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos is one of Africa's biggest cities with over 10 million inhabitants and it is famous for its squalid traffic congestion and distinctive long yellow commercial buses.
There are about 1,000 long yellow buses popularly called molue in Lagos according to a research carried out years back but this figure cannot be ascertained now as there are many unregistered buses plying the streets of Lagos.
Traveling on these buses can be a nightmare to even the die-hard commuter. But in spite of the hazards of the journey, the molue is one of the places one can watch free cinema and get adventure in Lagos.
Inside the molue, the number of people hanging or standing far exceeds the number of people sitting down; a popular phrase by molue users in Lagos is; 44 sitting, 99 standing because they always take more than the required 44 passengers the bus can comfortably accommodate. Traveling in the molue is a constant journey of stopping and starting-the seats are uncomfortable, the horns are constantly loud and blaring, it is usually hot and over stuffy while different odors permeates the entire space within the lo9ng bus and the buses accelerate aggressively.
However, the fares are cheap though they tend to increase drastically during petrol shortages, riots, during rainfall or even on the whim of a bus driver. It is common for bus conductors who usually hang out from the doors, to use one hand to lift a running passenger onto a moving molue as the buses neither makes good attempts at stopping to pick pr drop passengers. Many are squashed inside and those without seats are packed into the aisle or allowed to hang from the doorway.
Most of these molue buses cannot pass the road worthiness test, in fact, it is difficult to see a road worthy molue in Lagos and the passengers are usually at the mercy of hazy, alcohol-fuelled or temporarily insane drivers.
The bodyworks are battered, tyres are bald and wire ridden and they emit plumes of thick and black smoke from sometimes dangling and noisy silencers. The bus drivers seldom obey traffic rules and most passengers consider the buses as death traps but cannot avoid it because the fares are cheaper than the smaller and more comfortable buses. The number of accident cases involving molues has made commuters label the buses as moving morgues, deadly contraptions or flying coffins.
An on air personality once described the molue as an interesting contraption, mostly locally assembled from cannibalized truck parts with the bright yellow colour always belying the dank darkness inside where sweating humanity swears, dreams, sleeps, fight, preach and sell all forms of remedies for every form of infirmity.
Molue drivers are terrible drivers. Their driving is fast paced and hurry is the name of the game. Most drive carelessly and are impatient because the delays caused by the traffic jams usually reduce the number of trips they make and consequently, the money they make.
Aside the inconvenience associated with molue rides and the buggy dance associated with each trip, petty thefts, pick-pocketing and occasional muggings are also common. In spit of this ugly aspect of the molue trip, there is always fun and entertainment on the delicacy. There is no molue trip without its highlights; buying and selling, trading abuses, preaching the gospel, fights and all forms of dramas.
Common scenarios are many. One can just hear a female voice pipe up from any corner accusing a fellow passenger of touching her breasts or her bum. Females standing are especially susceptible to this.
Praise God ... praise god! A passenger holding a bible in one hand and Christian pamphlets in the other may suddenly yell, assaulting the ears of the other passengers. Sometimes this Christianly command is answered by a few religious people or other passengers searching for something to take their minds off their present discomfort in the bus.
A ride in a molue also affords one the opportunity to experience the sales gimmicks of vendors, wit of aspiring comedians or the patronizing monologue or one sided telephone conversations of con artist looking for potential threats. Goods of various types are sold and before the bus reaches its destination, a few passengers exchange their money for goods.
This entertainment has compensated for the many hardships experienced in the long buses. Lagos commuters have over time come to accept their buses with a love-hate relationship. Though the trip is fraught with different dangers, some people cannot do without them. “I so much love the drama I watch every time I enter a molue that I make sure that I take a trip at least once in a week and I happily overlook the discomfort. In fact, that is where I learnt all the street languages.” Gbonjubola Phillips told Lagos Magazine.
"The Molue enables me to catch up with the latest gossips around town; inside it, you hear the best sports commentary, political analysis and financial predictions without payment. Also, you hear gist about celebrities and their scandals. I love the molue so much that I still prefer it to the comfort of Fashola’s long buses. In that one, you just sit like Alakowe’s and mind your business. No fights or abuses, the difference is just clear." Akanni Lukman said.
The next time you need adventure in Lagos, take a molue trip.
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