It was as if commuters in the CMS-bound commuter bus this Tuesday morning, unanimously decided to create their own happiness despite the heart-rending news items bombarding them from all directions in the past couple of weeks as they laughed all the way to the final bus-stop.

Come, are we progressing or retrogressing? asked a perplexed Iyke, a commuter in the Apapa-bound bus as a young girl walked up to the commuter bus at Oshodi-Oke busstop hawking her wares which included potato chips.

“Gone are the days when teachers believed that their reward is in heaven. They want their reward here and now or they take it by force,” commented Bassey this Monday morning as the commuter bus crawled along with other vehicles in the early morning showers along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. “Why should their reward be in heaven when they work on earth? They have been deceived for so long but now, they know better having seen the way politicians spend our money,” replied Abe.

‘Ah! This life is full of ups and downs!” exclaimed Idowu in the Ikeja-bound commercial bus as he listened to the music of a popular female Igbo gospel artist coming from the sound system in the commuter bus.

‘There is a saying in Igbo that a well-travelled man is wiser than a grey-haired man. You don’t just sit in the comfort of your zone or state and believe all the trash about others. These guys are just playing politics, using us to make themselves relevant. Nigerians should be wise. The ordinary Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik or Ijaw man on the street does not give a hoot where his neighbour comes from because the two are going through the same deprivations,” said Ada.

“Are you preaching ethnicity again?” asked Gbenga as the debate in the Obalende-bound commercial bus raged on.

Truly speaking, we have a very, very long way to go as a people,” commented Iyke as the commuter bus glided through the surprisingly light traffic along the Oshodi – Oworonshoki road, en route to Obalende via Third Mainland Bridge. “Everything is just wrong! We are specialists in the copy and paste business, yet, we have not been able to copy the western world correctly.”

’WHY was the Senate against local government autonomy? The House of Representatives recognised the local government as a full tier of government, so why did the Senate choose to become a clog in the wheel of progress?” asked Idowu in the CMS-bound commuter bus.

‘We have really gone nuts in Nigeria,” sighed Mary this Monday morning in the Ikeja-bound commuter vehicle as the issue of child marriage was raised.

“What is wrong with these lecturers sef? Are they the only civil servants in Nigeria? Why would they continue to hold us to ransom with their incessant strike actions?” queried Dapo, really looking vexed. The traffic that had come to a stand-still this Friday evening along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway must have added to his annoyance.

Shebi when some people say most of these crises in Nigeria are being championed by foreigners, we shout them down. I think they are being vindicated somehow,” said Jane this Tuesday evening as the commuter bus made its way through traffic on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway occasioned by the weekly Aswani market.

Even in their anger and frustration, there is still a very high sense of humour noticeable amongst Nigerians. In the usual maddening Lagos traffic, one could hear both drivers and passengers raining abuses on one another, calling themselves some funny names in a manner of venting their anger.

I get sick to the pit of my stomach when I hear what Nigerians do in the name of religion,” said Mercy in the Oshodi-bound commuter bus as a radio presenter narrated how a couple was arrested for defrauding a man of over $13,000 and N500,000 in the name of delivering him from evil spirits. “This is sheer madness.”

What’s with some people anyway?” hissed Joshua, a commuter in the Apapa-bound bus as the bus crawled through the usual maddening traffic. Another commuter, Tayo had made a scathing remark on President Goodluck Jonathan’s government being rudderless. “I get really pissed off when people criticize for criticism sake.”

“It has never been this bad. Imagine a country where law enforcement agents are no longer safe, so what happens to the common man?” Luka asked, referring to the massacre of 103 policemen in Nasarawa State.