Just like I took a Rickshaw in Mumbai many years ago, taking in the sights and ambience of a city where the population is literally in your face. People everywhere you turn, massive bulks of people bumping into you, running into you and trying to avoid you. The sheer number of people hits you between the eyes and you understand straight away how India is the world’s most populated country in the world after China, standing at over 1.370 billion people as at October 2019.
In a Rickshaw, breezing through the inner streets of Mumbai, the colourful spices assail your nostrils and visually pleasing. Ochre, orange, yellow, pink, brown, caramel coffee. Curry, thyme, coriander, chili and saffron. The heady feeling as I zipped past everyone in my royal Rickshaw is best imagined.
But in Lagos last week, I suddenly began to feel like a tourist, that exhilarating feeling of adventure and curiosity that all tourists feel in a buzzing city that is new to them. But Lagos is not new to me, I lived in Lagos for six years in the early 90’s and I still shuttle between Lagos and Abuja at least twice a quarter. But I had not been in a while and suddenly Lagos has the hue of a new city in my mind’s eye. I was also bored to say the least and had arrived Lagos 24 hours before the business that called me to the city.
I had rested as I had hoped to and voila, I felt the urge to explore the tricycle named after Brigadier General Buba Marwa, who during his tenure introduced it in Lagos to beat the bizarre traffic situation. The unique quality of the Marwa or keke as it is known in Abuja is that it meanders through city streets, cutting through traffic and taking you to hinterland addresses that cars cannot access.
This quality in addition to its low cost endears the tricycle to those in the medium and lower rung of the society who find it a cheaper and less complicated form of transport and a quicker way to get to their destinations. The other quality is that in most parts of Nigeria, the Marwa driver has a devil may care attitude and can be quite reckless. When all is said and done, do they slice through traffic or what. Like a mutated yellow snake, they slither their way through traffic, in a hurry to drop off a passenger and continue its quick paced adrenalin filled journey.
Read also: Learning from Bangladesh’s fabrics industry
So, like I was saying, Gloria, a truly divine lady in Lagos presented the opportunity to feed my adventurous spirit. She invited me to the heart of broad street where she was going to show me an interesting fabric shop, stocked to the nines. I am a sucker for fabrics and have quite an impressive collection from all over the world. So, my ears perked and I was sold. If the fabrics are exquisite and creative, then I am had and with nothing else to engage me at the time. I was game. I am also excellent at retail therapy so I wondered through the fabric piles, the rows and rows of enchanting fabrics and when I have had my fill two hours later, I sit and watch other women do the same thing. I was ready to go, happy as a button and clutching a five-yard piece that was irresistible.
Then we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of broad street where there is an insane method of walking past, by shoving and pushing and yelling inanities. Our driver had parked far away and we were both out of phone batteries. Gloria, bless her good heart then suggested we hop into a Marwa if I did not mind to navigate the street which at 5.30 pm was becoming a little uncomfortable.
This quality in addition to its low cost endears the tricycle to those in the medium and lower rung of the society who find it a cheaper and less complicated form of transport and a quicker way to get to their destinations. The other quality is that in most parts of Nigeria, the Marwa driver has a devil may care attitude and can be quite reckless.
Related News
Presto! Well I had given it a thought earlier in the day. Take a Marwa but then to where? And all those around me may have discouraged me. So, here is me and Gloria. And there was a need. And into the Marwa we hopped shoving our bag of fabrics into its box-like boot and struggling to sit well in the backseat with a fellow passenger. Yes, it was hilarious, yes, my eyes stung a little bit but once we started the journey, it was interesting, people breezing past you and the tar rising to meet you as we snaked our way through broad street.
Read also: Lagos blue line rail project – Setting the record straight
Was it scary? Not really. More fun, than scary. Was it enjoyable? Very much so. Was the driver kind? Who? Oh, we are just numbers to him and once one hops in, the next one hops out. All he knows is “Owa oh!” – language for there is someone who wants to drop off. He is certainly not going to offer you coffee and trust me, he does not care for your name or your life’s challenges. He is dealing with his. It is mechanical routine work and he just goes over his dedicated route again and again.
Here are some tips for taking the Marwa. Be ready to share sweat with the man sitting next to you. If you are squeamish about sitting too close to someone, do not take the Marwa. If you are afraid of speed in an open vehicle, this is not for you. Learn the language fast because if you say, I will drop here instead of “Oh wa oh,” the Marwa driver will zip past your destination. English is not the official language in the Marwa, even pidgin may have to be re-interpreted to the driver by a kind passenger. Embark quickly and disembark speedily lest your leg is caught between the Marwa tire and the road. You always must have your wits about you. Travel light, carry a strap on bag and be aware. And always have the exact change.
It was fun and for me, it was worth it. Of course, we got to our destination safely. But it is the tourist’s bug and really if you are scared of a lot of things, speed, people, open spaces, road meandering, jumping on and off a near moving tricycle, don’t do it. Lol
So, I took the Rickshaw in Mumbai and the Marwa in Lagos. Then I hopped into the tramp in Hong Kong and the Matatu in Nairobi but then those are tales for another day.
You took the Marwa? People looked at me like I was crazy. Yeah, it’s like bungee jumping but I do not like heights. I am fifty-seven in a week or so. I love life, adventure and travel. Not dangerous risks but pleasurable adventures. Taking the Marwa is what some people have to do every day. So, I took it and why not. I may or may not do it again but I thought it was naff and It was an incredible ride. Done and dusted!
EUGENIA ABU
