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Warri to Lagos, passing chaos alongside the road. Through the marks of civilization, wooden frames empty, others filled with various dallies of cheap Chinese junk, together sheltered with the tatters of canvas stretched overhead. They're empty, so empty it's worth mentioning again: They're empty, derelict, dry like a Mojave ghost-town with their rotting planks of siding. <br />

Murtala Mohammed

Camron Karsten
2006-02-18 20:07:49

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Warri to Lagos, passing chaos alongside the road. Through the marks of civilization, wooden frames empty, others filled with various dallies of cheap Chinese junk, together sheltered with the tatters of canvas stretched overhead. They're empty, so empty it's worth mentioning again: They're empty, derelict, dry like a Mojave ghost-town with their rotting planks of siding.

Further, deeper into society; structure-free, a ranting behavior. Markets line the uneven curbs, congregating near potholes a foot and a half deep. Traffic slows to an imbalanced creep. One tire falls in, a jolt, a sway; the whole cabin lilting, rocking back and forth as the others follow. The location of the squatters and stalls are strategic.

Joseph Mojume supplied the cultural facts. "They use to be indoors, all the goods of the merchants within shops. But the shoppers couldn't see. No electricity, no lights. Kerosene lamps weren't enough."

This resulted in an exodus of supplies; food and junk moving outdoors to line the streets. Fruits and breads, fried dough and cassava collecting dust, dirt, exhaust, the scent of diesel, bacteria and waste.

"Do they leave them out at night?" asked Kendra Thornbury. Her eyes stared with the rest of the pairs, both inside and outside the bus.

No Road! No Road!Ours saw the stacks of Fanta and Coca-Cola, the bottles of Eva water, cartons of eggs under the afternoon heat, and the hangers of secondhand clothing lines.

"No," Jo informed. "Each day the merchants pack out, then pack in. It's a lifestyle."

Traffic caught us in a standstill. Ahead, workers in jumpsuits and hard hats attempted to prepare the roadway. Earthmovers weaved around blaring horns like a worm around a swarm of ants. We watched the Motor Parks load, unload, load, and sit--waiting for the inevitable hours until full. Cars were parked on the sides of the road; an empty petroleum can atop ...