In the ever bubbly Lagos city, weekends are for ‘flexing’. This was the lifestyle before COVID19 spoiled the fun. Most times, the main activities were saved for night time. If you’re in doubt, take a stroll along a popular street in Lagos. That’s when the suya seller is available. He beckons to you to buy, giving you a piece to sample. It is after you have eaten the suya, you start questioning the source.
Loud music blared from the hotel down the street. The DJ is conversant with the latest music. He plays the hottest Nigerian musicians, if you can’t dance, you won’t know when you start singing along. The older generation is not left out as the DJ does well, playing blasts from the past too.
Those who live close to the hotel dread weekends. It’s noise everywhere, one can’t sleep in peace again. The music is non-stop till the early hours of the morning.
At the same Lagos party, teenage girls, who should be thinking of how to pass JAMB, dressed in skimpy wears by the corner wait to be approached by men.
Amid the loud music, a preacher walks by and deems it important to spread the gospel. To no avail, his preaching falls on ears. These people are here to have fun and not be reminded of hellfire. Meanwhile, Mama Nkechi is having a filled day as guests at the hotel come to her supermarket to patronise her. From bottled water to drinks to snacks, in their numbers, they troop in and out with items they bought. However, of all the things bought, condoms were fast selling. I don’t understand why myself.
Before we could say ‘Jack Robinson’, a drunk driver had run into another person’s car. After the damage had been done, the drunkard came to his senses. While they were trying to resolve the issue, a lady behind the crowd slapped another man. According to her, he tried molesting her.
All this happened in one night by the hotel. Yet some other people were making merry when there was pandemonium outside. Waiting patiently for the hotel to close so I could sleep in peace, I looked at the sky wondering where the moon was. It was nowhere.
Back to reality, strong winds started blowing, and afterward, it was heavy downpours. It was only the hotel decided to call it day. Now everywhere was quiet and calm, but it was a struggle with the waste accumulated from the weekend party. The hotel street was an eye-sore.