GOD KEEP US FROM DROPPING CONTAINERS

My car was right behind the tanker and next to this container
vehicle pictured here..Pic shot on my Blackberry

Since I arrived in Nigeria (under a year) I have seen over 50 dropped container related accidents and as you can imagine they are never a good sight to behold and as a result I have been reduced to a very fearful citizen, overly weary of Container vehicles. My driver is under strict instructions never to be next to one. The horrible scenes just playback in my mind and I just start screaming like a child so he knows to avoid at all costs but last week friday, we were stuck in traffic and somehow I found one right next to us. His lane was moving faster than ours so again I was filled with fear but resorted to prayer to try to calm myself down and of course for protection.

I suddenly realised that the Petrol tanker vehicle right infront of my car  had broken down blocking everyone else from getting past as two cars had been parked along the road as well. The next thing the sky ripped and it started to rain like crazy. Thunder, lighting, the lot! I've have always been scared of thunder and lighting and all factors considered my panic level became uncontrollable..
My mind started to race and I was particularly concerned as when it rains in Nigeria, already bad conditions become worse and  the already bad roads quickly get flooded and even more cars break down as they fall into ditches. If the container vehicle next to me were to fall in a pothole it could fall right on my car..'Have mercy oh Lord' I thought.
And as if that wasn't bad enough that it was next to me the Container vehicle driver then decided to perform a stunt that baffled everyone by trying to squeeze past the broken down tanker on a rather tight angle right next to a solid pavement. Oh Lord! If the vehicle suddenly hit or climbed the pavement it would no doubt jolt the vehicle and the container. This time around I wasn't the only one that screamed. My driver screamed and ran out of the car to safety. I also ran out of the car into the rain. Better wet and alive than dry and dead, I thought

Another dropped container accident.. Two days after my escape from a crazed Container vehicle driver

What really shocked me is that the Container vehicle driver didn't even care about our concerns, he just kept moving like a possessed mad man even as everyone screamed at him until his container got stuck on the broken down Petrol tanker who then raised the alarm that the vehicle could catch fire if the metals kept rubbing against each other resulting in a spark..


But just as I was catching my breath in the rain, thunder and light struck  and before I could think I ran back into the car...I started praying loudly for God to save me this time begging for the tanker not to catch fire cos if it did I wouldn't have a chance with the amount of fuel in the tanker..Boy was I scared! My car was right next to the tanker and container - Talk about 'being caught between the devil and deep sea..'

God heard me. My quick thinking driver and driver of cars behind us braved the thunder and lighting (unlike me) and pushed the two cars parked on the road to free up some space for my car and others behind us to get away from the scene as quickly as possible and as we drove away I looked back at the scene..thanking God over and over as if it all could easily have gone wrong!!I was so stressed out that I stabbed work, turned around and went straight home!!!

Two days after, I noticed another Container vehicle that had overturned, dropping on an Okada Rider and his passenger. It was reported that the passenger escaped while the Okada rider lost both legs...apparently the driver of the Container vehicle fell into a pothole resulting in the sad incident.

Hmmmm! Which way Nigeria?
How many people need to die in Nigeria before something is done about our bad roads ????
Regulations and laws must be put in place regarding operations of Container vehicles on local roads. You will be shocked at how rampant these incidents are..!!!
It is just ridiculous that people have to face this type of risk daily but hey it's Nigeria..I guess its too much to ask that the health and safety of citizens should be prioritised...right?

We have a long way to go in Nigeria..May God help us!

In the meantime, I will continue trust Him to keep us all safe from dropping Containers IJN. I'm also keeping the praise up singing...Come and join me sing Halleluyah o...Jehovah Jireh has done me well..

Life is sweet and it's great to be ALIVE!

Have a blessed and safe day peeps!
Much love..
B.