*cue ominous music*
It’s been said that traffic in Lagos is an evil entity (not unlike the Nothingness from The Never Ending Story) that has enveloped the entire state and won’t let go until it has sucked the youth and happiness out of every single one of the state’s inhabitants.
*record scratch*
We’re the ones that said this. That doesn’t mean it’s not true, though.
Yes, there is seemingly traffic everywhere you look in Lagos. But there are some areas that, due to bad roads or other factors, have it worse than others. These are five of those areas, so you know where to avoid.
1) Apapa Road
An explanation for why the traffic on this road is so terrible is that it’s the only major road linking to Apapa. The traffic gets to biblical proportions whenever the tanker drivers abandon their designated parking lot and decide to park on the bridge. Throw rain in the mix and the road becomes a suitable arena for a titan mud wrestling match.
2) Oshodi
See ehn, Apapa Oworonshoki express road has always been one kind. The only you could comfortably pass that road before was from midnight, but this is isn’t even the case anymore because of that wildly unnecessary bus station the government has been building there for over two years.
3) Third Mainland Bridge
The insane thing here is that people get up as early as 4 AM to beat the traffic on this bridge (mostly made up of people who live on the mainland and work on the Island) but still end up stuck on the bridge for no less than an hour every day. Returning at the close of business (4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM) isn’t any better.
4) Ikorodu Road
The fact that it’s the only road linking central Lagos to Ikorodu (an area on the outskirts of Lagos with relatively cheap housing) means that tons of vehicles ply that road every day, leading to a seemingly neverending traffic jam.
5) Ojuelegba
Ojuelegba is a mess. There are commercial buses and motorcycles parked everywhere, leaving very little space for private cars and even humans to move. It’s no wonder Wizkid got out.
Look, Lagos traffic might be actively trying to kill you like you’re in your own Final Destination sequel; but unlike the people in those movies, you don’t have to let it win. Live the stress-free baby boy/girl life you’ve always wanted by using Gokada, the bike-hailing service, to avoid traffic.
