Nigeria needs help

Today was all forms of weird.  We need serious help in this country.

I left my house after 10am today because of the environmental sanitation.  I went to my friends house to pick up the cake I had ordered for my brother's birthday. I couldn't sleep for the better part of the night and my friend on the other hand went for a vigil and went home to start baking. So neither of us had had sleep.

We left the house, stopped at a supermarket to pick up a few things for my mum. I didn't get  what i wanted so we had to go to another one, then went on our way to deliver the cake and just visit. We had reached Big Treat  round about at Ogba and that's where trouble started.
The traffic light was amber and we were so engrossed in our gist  that 3 police officers jumped us and surrounded the car. It was at that point the light turned red. Three of them wanted to enter the car but we refused and only a police women entered and asked us to keep moving.  At a point, the other police officers took a keke marwa and joined us. I think they assumed their colleague was greedy and wanted to be sure they would get their cut. The 1st police woman opened the door for the other lady and asked us to keep moving forward to their station. At some point, they asked us to pull over and started telling us all sorts of things about how if we go to their station, they will detain us and we would have to pay for demurage and all sorts of funk.  My friend at that point was like lets go, I was still trying to be diplomatic as I knew it was *fine bara* that was worrying them.

Suddenly,  a black Nissan pulls up beside us and is trying to block us. The back windows were tinted, but I could make out a policeman at the back seat. We keep moving and the car keeps up at the same pace. Next thing, the  women ask us to speed up that it was their bosses car and that if they caught up with us, they would "ton" (tow) the car and all sorts of crap. I just asked my friend to speed up. My intention was to keep driving till they would beg us to just drop them off. Unfortunately,  the traffic and bad roads wouldn't have made that an option.
We make a u-turn at the FRSC junction and park at that filling station and the 1st police woman now says we should do what we want to do. I just hiss, reach into my bag, pull out N2, 500 from my wallet and give the ugly black woman who snatches it from my hand. By then my friend has killed me with her eyes and proceeds to shred me with her words. I just tell her to keep driving. We are both visibly angry at this stage, she at me for giving the money and me at the greed and level of corruption exhibited by the "uniform" that has sworn to protect us.

The black Nissan pulls up beside us again and the driver comes down and chastises the women. He tells them that they are women like us and they were just being unduly wicked and he says he is an ex-police officer. He reprimands them and says that in this day where officers are getting booted for little corrupt acts, that they are not afraid that someone somewhere has them on camera. We jejely thank this good Samaritan and begin our waka. As we made to pull out of the station the 1st greedy woman comes to the passenger side to attempt to talk to us. My friend was so mad that she almost crushes her. I had to laugh at the way she flew out of our way. The 2nd woman stops us again and surprisingly hands me back my money. I am shocked beyond words (hmn, maybe she has jazzed it) and refuse to reach out to collect it. She hands it over to my friend who tells the woman that she should give it back to the person who gave it to her. She then presses it into my hands and they both walk away. I sha covered the money with the blood of Jesus and put it  back in my purse, I cant shout. :)
Anyway, we stop to thank the good Samaritan again and move on. Its really rare to find people in this country who will stop to help you out without strings attached.

I pray for Nigeria.  We need help, and we are the only ones who can help ourselves.
Change begins with us. I am totally ashamed that I found myself trying to bribe someone, but in my defence which is really no excuse,  I had had just 2 hours of sleep and my day needed to be good.

Have you had any bad experience with the "uniform"? How was it resolved?  Please share it with us.

P.s.- have you nominated my blog for the best personal blog? Ahan, what are you waiting for na... hurry ooo. Just visit this link http://nigerianblogawards.com/register2013.php and nominate the blog (www.writeventuresofemaleecious.blogspot.com) in number 17 category. 

Xoxo