“Go and buy our tickets”, Those where the words of my Father on a Monday morning at the Agbado train station. The 7 O’clock Ijoko to Apapa train was a bit late that particular morning, I think the reason was a faulty engine or something. 7:15 A.M, The train came marching into the stations with it’s loud horn blaring from a kilometer away till it stopped at the station. Low and Behold, The “SULTAN OF SOKOTO” with Engine number 2216 pulling a multi colour sections of coaches maybe 8 in number stopped just a few meters from the station. Little did I know, that would be the first of many commuting on the Nigerian Railway cooperation poorly runned, Mis-managed, offensive Train Rides which I would be discussing in this article relating my own personal account.
Most Commuters of the Trains are mostly Lower class to Middle Class people Market women, Office & Factory workers and students leaving in the Suburbs of Lagos and working or studying on the mainland or the islands of Lagos. Due to the heavy traffic on Lagos Roads, Many prefer commuting the trains because of it’s a preferable option to get to their destination faster but the conditions which they have to go trough just to commute the trains which they paid for is very terrible.
Firstly, The trains are too congested. Forget exaggeration, The number of people that commute the 7 O’clock train on a Monday morning is believed to be 5000+ human beings just from Ijoko, Ogun State to The ports of APAPA. A coach is expected to carry 50 sitting passengers but the N.R.C trains we commute has 50 sitting plus 70 standing. Trust me when I say there is no room for you to even stretch your hand talk less of changing your position. Every Available space including the toilet and closet is converted into space for passengers. It could be so stuffy and choking yet nobody will collapse.
The Railway Cooperation staffs are not helping matters. In the N.R.C, Corruption, Apathy, Negligence is the other of the day. The N.R.C will delay train schedules and still sell ticket to passengers without informing them on the change of schedule. Many a times, An Engine will brake down and the replacement engine to convey the stranded passengers to their destination will also brake down on the way. The train Conductors are very rough, Rude and corrupt. Yes, They are very corrupt. This men collect bribes from commuters who didn’t purchase their tickets. A regular train ticket costs #230but you can ride the trains for #200 or lesser or even free depending on your communication skills with the coach conductor.
I was once assaulted at the Ebutte Metta Railway station by a group of railway staff last year. You might be wandering why??, I will tell you the reason. I was fascinated by trains, I simply love trains and that particular day I went to the station to just watch the train go by and I was so excited to see 2 trains cross path at a junction that I took out my phone to take pictures of it. Little did I know, not far from where I was, a conductor was in a serious quarrel with a man who didn’t pay for his ride and in the process some illegal hand exchange took place. The next thing I Knew was a woman walked up to me and seized my phone, surprised at first, I voiced out why she would do that and she accused me of been a journalist. I wondered when it became a crime to be a journalist in my country, I was a First year student studying mass communication who likes trains and saw something fascinating and took pictures of it. To cut the long story Short, I was assaulted after insisting on not deleting the pictures because they thought it might implicate them. The funny part was I told them I was a minor but they still threatened with a hand cuff and a police cell. After realizing how stubborn I was, they took matters into their hands and forcefully collected the phone and wiped out the memory.
The N.R.C needs a shakedown, if not be privatized. The Negligence, corruption, and Assualts is at its peak. The trains are not Efficient as they ought to be, Forget about the single rail. I believe if it’s properly managed, it can still operate effectively and efficiently . This is just an Account from a Student, So many other in-human, Poor conditions and activities remain untold while commuting the trains. There is also the assault by thugs but I have never had such experience so I wouldn’t be discussing on that.
Every Day, Boarding the trains can be a journey trough hell, but what I discovered is that people are not happy about this but still persevere to go trough that experience on daily basis. There are many others who have experienced what I went trough. Some experienced even more but What ears is going to hear our cries????.
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