When it rains in Lagos, the city appears to run or function differently. This is why some Lagosians may be unhappy whenever it rains. But, they don’t have control over this.
As the centre of excellence, the people and government should take immediate action to cushion the effect or impact of the rain. In line with this, Jumia Travel, the leading online booking agency discusses the things that happen in Lagos when it rains.
The traffic doubles
Traffic has always been one of the highlights of any megacity. It should not surprise anyone that traffic is a problem in Lagos. A lot of man hours are wasted in traffic. Although, the government is making effort to ensure the free flow of traffic; it has so much work to do. You can only imagine the nature of the traffic when it rains. The traffic can be very bad. What many workers and employees do to cushion the effect on them is to leave work as early as possible.
The roads are flooded
The traffic doubles because the roads are flooded. This happens as a result of a poor drainage system. So, there is nowhere the rainwater will flow to than to stay on the road. The government has been opening up the drainages around the city but some Lagosians will still dump refuse inside to block it. Well, if you cannot drive home, you can book a hotel to spend your night.
No electricity
This may not be peculiar to Lagos alone. When it rains, it is an opportunity for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to hold on to power. Funny but true. However, in some cases, PHCN may not interrupt power no matter how heavy it rains. They are very unpredictable.
The heat disappears
This is the most obvious reason Lagosians want it to rain. Even if you use a generator, you will still switch it off at some point. The heat that follows every time power supply is seized can sometimes be unbearable. With the rain, the heat disappears and everywhere is cool and warm.
Danfo drivers become rational
Not only danfo drivers but every driver who uses the road at that moment drives carefully. You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you what will happen if you drive recklessly when it rains.
Adeniyi Ogunfowoke is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel.
