I Am A Lagosian - Lekan Aminu

             

Garri, Indomie, Gala and Lacasera have saved more lifes than the Nigerian Red cross. A complete balanced diet for a proper Lasgididan of which I'm a number one fan. The unbeatable trio gradually captured our stomachs and became a Lagosians best food. What on earth will I have done without the GIGLaa.k.a Garri, Indomie, Gala and Lacasera? " Man must chop to survive."

Don't get me wrong, I am not a poor guy and I can cook...In fact don't try my cooking skills because I'm competing with YEMKEM's first class student. My daily meal is not my fault, it is what the giant of Nigeria has done to my life.

As they say;"No time to check time", that is the anthem of every Lagosian. First things first, no time for breakfast at all. If you mistakenly wait at home to eat breakfast, be prepared to eat query on your office desk too...courtesy, Lagos traffic...where two lanes magically become five. What type of Maths is that? Lagos Maths. So you see, automatically Gala and Lacasera will always be my friends. I dare not betray them every morning.

Hectic day at work as usual, all hands always on deck. No hand to use for lunch except my oga at the top stays on top of his bed at home doing.....shhhh....you know what or chasing contracts on the streets of Lagos which has become the daily prayer of my stomach so I can find a correct "Mama Put" to enter. Sweet Sensation, Tantalizers or KFC is just a waste of money. When I can eat correct eba or fufu in my international bukataria and my stomach will be thanking me, why enter Tantalizers that will give you big chicken and small food?

Unfortunately, it's all a dream, hunger can force beautiful imaginations into someone's head. My boss rarely misses office. We will all be in the office talking to clients because no salary for a lazy man. As a Lagosian, my brain and stomach think alike. There is just this unbreakable connection between them. My brain will be calculating how to finish my work and leave the office quickly to fill my stomach while my stomach will be telling my brain to hurry up.

Setting out for work 5a.m everyday and leaving 4p.m only to face every Lagosians nightmare...you guessed right; Traffic Jam! It is only in Lagos that you never see the cause of the hold up. The road just decides to punish us for riding on its toes.

Anyway, as usual it echoes..."gala gala gala" ..."cold Lacasera, pure water... (viju milk will always be the last) Viju milk". I even hear it in my dream every night. My stomach leaps for joy as usual.

Getting home after 8p.m which is the every day super story of many Lagosians. As a radical bachelor, I must put something in my stomach otherwise sleep won't come. What choice do I have?Always too tired to cook, so I always have a sure carton of "mama you do good o, you give me food to chop, you give me indomie." Indomie is my sure dinner. I still wonder why I have never won anything in their promo because I'm their regular customer. When the Indomie is getting too much in my system, my stomach goes on a riot so sometimes, I shut its mouth up with correct Ijebu garri...sweet without sugar.

Yoruba's don't carry last again. I eat a complete Lagos balance diet that is why the stress doesn't show on my body.

Lagos has compulsorily given me a food time table and I must obey. I'm sure there are others out there living my life, if you're one of them, keep your hustle alive and don't carry last!

I am a proud Nigerian and I am a sharp Lagosian.

By Aminu Lekan