Iju Road. This phrase conjures discordant sounds of engines, the blaring of car horns at a demonic pitch, and the long line of vehicles from three different directions ( Ajuwon- Akute axis, Agege – Abule-Egba axis, and the College Road and Pen-cinema area) as they inch their ways towards the chaotic Fagba intersection manned by the police and LASTMA officials. Expectedly, amidst this jam, there are street hawkers flashing their wares at the impatient commuters. There are commercial buses poking out from one side, hunting for space on the other side of the same lane. A clutter of Okada and Keke (tricycles) stationed at one corner of the road waiting for passengers. At intervals, waves of dust rise from the dirty blacktop to assault your face. An ugly jumble of objects that will make your skin crawl glare at you from muddy drainages on both sides of the road.
Pedestrians gingerly pick their ways to avoid being knocked off by careless Okada riders or falling off the slabs into the muddy drainage. On both sides of the road, there are schools, on one side is a public school and on the other side is a new Catholic Mission school with an imposing structure. There are beggars sitting on the slabs of the drainage in front of the new Catholic College. Students from the public school in their unstable hilarity are waiting to cross the street. On the wall of the public school, there are variety of campaign posters projecting political candidates beaming with fake smiles. Across this busy road from the public school, there are shops with variety of businesses trying to out-do each other with signs advertising their products. And here I am, sitting in my car, pondering whether to hit the road or not, to plunge into this traffic or go back home. Iju Road is a street mugged by chaos; a microcosm of the busy and boundless fancy that defines Lagos.
