Being Detained...

Well its official...I am now a hardcore Lagos chic....for I was detained by lasman (they are road safety officials who really can cheat the law and rules but still fine or detain you!...NAIJA!) 

So the stories goes like this....I was on my way to KETU (the other branch of the ABBEY SCHOOLS that I teach at and was being driven by one of the bus drivers from the GRA branch (confused yet?) Anyway, we followed the way we usually do and suddenly the bus stopped and a man (not dressed in any lasman uniform) is standing in front of the bus. The bus driver steps out (for all you Nigerians..you all know this is a bad move) and didn't lock the doors behind him. So then the man comes and jumps in the from seat of the bus (as I always sit in the back) and then my driver jumps in and I can tell that they are arguing...but in Yoruba, so of course I can't understand. So I jump in the conversation since I start to feel annoyed and pissed b/c I am thinking its some area boy or something...and say "excuse me...can you tell me what is going on here?" So he tells me that we went down a one way and we have to pay a fine and has to take us in to pay it. 

Now, since we have followed this road every time we come to KETU...we have (and I HAVE) never seen this one way sign...and that's just what they do sometimes, they take the sign down, or they put it in one hidden corner so no one sees it but then they stop and fine people! This is the reason that its smart to keep your doors locked so that they can't jump in your vehicle and you can sometimes dodge them...especially if they aren't carrying a board with nails used to stop you from driving off...b/c if you try they throw it in front of your tires...and this guy didn't have anything! So he starts taking us (leading me driver with directions) to the office where we are to collect our fine and pay...and I am trying to talk to him telling him that he should please cover his eyes and pretend that he didn't see us drive that way (meanwhile as we are driving he now directs us down a one way...and we again are breaking the "law"...so really in my mind I am thinking...so but THIS is OK!?" And I am asking what it is he wants...saying let me dash him some money etc. So we are arguing and we stop the bus b/c I am determined to get off of this ridiculous fine...and so he calls his boss who then comes on an okada and so since this guy in our bus has stopped listening to me and ignoring me as I argue...I jump out of the bus and begin to talk to his boss...So I am sure that people were amused to see this "oyibo" (white) little female arguing in the street with a lasman official...!

So we get to the office and while our fine is being written up and the keys snatched from my driver I am arguing with the Lasmanofficial and asking him how much money he wants from us and try to only dash N500 (around $5)..but alas...he pretends that in Nigeria there is no such thing as ignorance to offenses and I sort of laugh...

So in the end we were detained and we were supposed to pay a fine of N10,000 ($100) we were able to bribe them to let us pay N2000 ($20)...

So next time these officials see me...and I see them...I'm going to be prepared!