Who still remembers when the standard tine for running Lagos -Benin was 4hours plus? Whether, 504 or Volvo or Datsun?

While buses took 6 hours (coaster); 7 hours Mercedes-Benz O 309 Mannheim 100 luxurious bus, 12 hours.

Santana and 505 made it in 3hours.

To me, Vboot and 190 were the first cars to run Lagos-Benin in 2hrs .

Benz 200 (flatboot) was close but it made it in 2 hours and some minutes after. I know the Fuel gulping slowed its reach and most flatboots were heading to the East so, Onitsha people na im go get the record.

So, was this your experience?

StillDtruth:
Who still remembers when the standard tine for running Lagos -Benin was 4hours plus? Whether, 504 or Volvo or Datsun?

While buses took 6 hours (coaster); 7 hours Mercedes-Benz O 309 Mannheim 100 luxurious bus, 12 hours.

Santana and 505 made it in 3hours.

To me, Vboot and 190 were the first cars to run Lagos-Benin in 2hrs .

Benz 200 (flatboot) was close but it made it in 2 hours and some minutes after. I know the Fuel gulping slowed its reach and most flatboots were heading to the East so, Onitsha people na im go get the record.

So, was this your experience?

Oga stop lying, never a time when any car made Lagos-Benin in 2 hours.

rtdCivilservant:

Oga stop lying, never a time when any car made Lagos-Benin in 2 hours.

Indomie Z will always show themselves. All because checkpoint full your eyes you cannot therefore imagine that you could travel from Lagos to Onitsha and meet only 3 checkpoints.

And if you are a retrd civil servant, then you retired with your 504, which takes 4 hours to get to Benin as it cannot run 160 km/h without sounding like the engineer would tear. So its manageable speed is 140km/h

Hmmm...

2 hrs... Not even 3?

Oga the most hours was 4hours oh. I remember my elder bro baby benz leaving lag 6am and reaching bypass 10am.

brain54:
Hmmm...

2 hrs... Not even 3?

If not for checkpoints, i believe Corrolla and Camry and co would have answered you.

dangoteinlaw:
Oga the most hours was 4hours oh. I remember my elder bro baby benz leaving lag 6am and reaching bypass 10am.

See bypass no dey then. And the finish line was Precious Palm Royal Hotel.(hope this is correct but this is how i remember that palm tree place on the left when coming from Lagos) And baby benz (190) was my first to make it. Left Lagos 9: that is started moving from mile 2 at 9am and was at Oluku junction (pprh) at 11:.am

I remember it because i love speed and so i loved the record but i hated it because, i entered my much hated school too early.

My normal time to enter school is always around 2:pm but that baby benz beast caused me sweet pain and happy sadness. So ill never forget it.

Second time was with Vboot and i had to stop the driver from making it by pissing long pissing.

brain54:

It will take 2 hours and 18 minutes...

Driving a STEADY 140 KILOMETERS per hour. No check points nor slowing down due to bad roads and traffic or whatever reason to cover the distance between Lagos and Benin.

How possible is that?

If you said 3 hrs it would be more realistic... Without bad roads, traffic, checks etc.

Note the distance between these 2 cities is 322 kilometers!

See return leg where there is no checkpoint and time it.

Even with my 2000 Chrysler T&C i ran from bypass to Ore in one hour.

Maybe i'll try it oneday (don't think so sha) just to say, i told you.

brain54:

Oga I don't believe you...

You even passed through Benin township wey hold up dey worry that period and still made it in 2 hrs?

This your story sound somehow!

I did not say Benin City (township) i said Benin and Benin starts from that PPRoyal Hotel.

So, you don't need to believe me (but you just reminded me of the shock and nostalgia i gave my school mates when i entered school at some minutes after 11. ) and i don't need you to believe me.

Its just sweet memories and remembrance and a trip to the past when vehicles were slow.

Oga don't mind me...

Was calculating something else(distance from Lagos to warri)

Lagos to benin Is possible in 2hrs... Lagos to warri is about 4/5 hrs...and na wetin my mind being dey calculate.

That's why I was even asking if you passed the township.

You are right... If you cover Lagos to benin in 2 hrs it would not sound strange or surprising to me!

And this is where the rise of our favourite Travel bus, the Toyota Hiace started from (Remind me of Peugeot J5 that was the second nigger who ran Benin Lagos in 3hrs )

So, memory lane correct me if i.am wrong but, there were only 3 buses who run Lagos/Benin back then to wit Edegbe No 1, Iyare motors and G.E.M (Goddy Edosa Motors)

And Edegbe mostly had Nissan and Toyota Coaster buses. Iyare, my first choice had coaster, luxurious and that Benz bus Mannheim 100 buses,

And oneday, the powers that be said no more cars taking me to school but i should go by public transport.

And God loving me so, uncle Hiace was standing there in Iyare, looking all green and yellow and me looking at it with anger and hatred, wondering why not Bendel Line (indomie Z would never know this after all those ones have 504 station wagon and station wagons is a car so it must be faster than a bus, me thinks!

That was when i heard, its price was N120 or N150 i am not sure but i think it was N120 then it moves to N150, then N200. So, it was N120 and that was pricey at that time. (Indome, can never believe that it was N120 to Benin.

I think the others were around N80 or so, but, thank God, the powers that be did not think to punish me like that!

Then the journey started and oooh another sweetest day of my life, and i.smiled from the begining to the end as i watched the bus gap everybody on the road! cutting left and right peep peep, fiam, e don gap you loss.

O what a sweet trip. My Iyare guy gap everybody for road save a few cars. In my mind, i think only 4 or 5 cars gapped us.

And that was the begining of my travelling with only Hiace. The Hiace gapped the Nissan Urvan which was GEM's and Edegbe's own, so.i try to avoid them and will always pay to enter the Hiace.

. I think it was only Iyare who had the Hiace then, especially as the bus had too much lip (bumper) and looked ugly/angry while the others were fine and in our snall minds then, fine meant fast, so you can imagine the pleasure that this mean looking thing was gapping everybody on the road!

It was after this, that one by one transporters started buying it

Then Uncle J5 came to add to my pleasure and need for speed.

brain54:
Oga don't mind me...

Was calculating something else(distance from Lagos to warri)

Lagos to benin Is possible in 2hrs... Lagos to warri is about 4/5 hrs...and na wetin my mind being dey calculate.

That's why I was even asking if you passed the township.

You are right... If you cover Lagos to benin in 2 hrs it would not sound strange or surprising to me!

Ah! Lagos to Warri. My first. You never forget your first.

This was my firstest interstate travel after i started driving and it was unplanned oh!

Wife, then fiancee, needed to be in wafi, but Lagos just cancelled environmental and people were not sure, so no bus and we were headed to check Jibowu, when it occurred to me that God and answered my prayers for interstate travel. And instead of going to Jibowu, i headed to toll gate and bye bye Lagos!

That was were i learnt that Tokunbo cars are called belgium in Benin and entered warri at 7pm since i no gree settle police.

And that was with my personal first, Audi80!

Ogbeni, did you ever drive 2hrs Lagos-Benin?

Yes or No?

Abeg dey tell lies small small na

You can't make Benin to Lagos in 2hrs by road, from Benin bypass to Ore is 1hr already at most 45-50 mins if you are super fast.
@Op, even the years you mentioned, the roads where not good then, how come you made that journey in 2hrs.
Even now when the road is a bit better between Edo & Ondo axis, but the police & others forces road block you go jam go even frustrate your journey.

When roads were good, no check points and toll gates were still in existence...Lagos to ibadan, toll gate to toll gate, Datsun Bluebird with an average speed of 120km/h - 140km/h...55mins!

It was very fast then, but anything less than 3hrs is a bit an exaggeration. I did the trip countless times with my dad in the late 80s on Passat and later 505. There were several active toll-gates and even Mobile police checkpoints.
More over travelling was great joy then, who did that in a mad haste? With all the several fruits, palmy and bushmeat stops littered along ore? Except you were a 505 ambulance

dgitrader:
It was very fast then, but anything less than 3hrs is a bit an exaggeration. I did the trip countless times with my dad in the late 80s on Passat and later 505. There were several active toll-gates and even Mobile police checkpoints.
More over travelling was great joy then, who did that in a mad haste? With all the several fruits, palmy and bushmeat stops littered along ore? Except you were a 505 ambulance

You just confirmed what the OP said. 505 makes it in 3 hours, but the Benz he was specific about made it in 2!
I've done that trip in recent years During the End SARS. No checkpoints at cruise speed and I made it in 3 hours.
Most people don't know the joys of traveling due to multiple checkpoints on our road.

Ancestors full nairaland like this

StillDtruth:
Who still remembers when the standard tine for running Lagos -Benin was 4hours plus? Whether, 504 or Volvo or Datsun?

While buses took 6 hours (coaster); 7 hours Mercedes-Benz O 309 Mannheim 100 luxurious bus, 12 hours.

Santana and 505 made it in 3hours.

To me, Vboot and 190 were the first cars to run Lagos-Benin in 2hrs...

Take it easy sir.

Lagos to Benin is 318km. What you are saying right now is, you drove NON-STOP from Lagos to Benin at exactly 160KM/H!!! And did not stop for anything!

You did not stop to pee, did not dodge any pothole, did not stop for gas, did not stop to buy rice and suya at Ore

You drove a high powered vehicle that does 0-60 in 3 seconds and immediately you put the gear in Drive (or 1), you were on 160KM/H, straight from your house to Benin!

Haba bros!

You did not pass through any streets in Lagos... your house is directly on Otedola bridge or after Mowe... there was Zero Police presence... for two hours straight at 160KM/H!

lol! This weekend go long.

StillDtruth:


See bypass no dey then. And the finish line was Precious Palm Royal Hotel.(hope this is correct but this is how i remember that palm tree place on the left when coming from Lagos) And baby benz (190) was my first to make it. Left Lagos 9: that is started moving from mile 2 at 9am and was at Oluku junction (pprh) at 11:.am

I remember it because i love speed and so i loved the record but i hated it because, i entered my much hated school too early.

My normal time to enter school is always around 2:pm but that baby benz beast caused me sweet pain and happy sadness. So ill never forget it.

Second time was with Vboot and i had to stop the driver from making it by pissing long pissing.

Taking risks that could have ended ur life...that was reckless

TheGreatIYANU:



Take it easy sir.

Lagos to Benin is 318km. What you are saying right now is you drove NON-STOP from Lagos to Benin at exactly 160KM/H!!! And did not stop for anything!

You did not stop to pee, did not dodge any pothole, did not stop for gas, did not stop to buy rice and suya at Ore ... you drove a high powered vehicle that does 0-60 in 3 seconds and immediately you put the gear in Drive (or 1), you were on 160KM/H, straight from you house to Benin!

Haba bros!

You did not pass through any streets in Lagos... your house is directly on Otedola bridge or after Mowe... there was Zero Police presence... for two hours straight at 160KM/H!

lol! This weekend go long.

I agree with u.... the road is not a formular 1 circuit

With all the bad roads in those days, I don't think what you are saying now where possible. Na Jonathan fix the road

In4matic:

You just confirmed what the OP said. 505 makes it in 3 hours, but the Benz he was specific about made it in 2!
I've done that trip in recent years During the End SARS. No checkpoints at cruise speed and I made it in 3 hours.
Most people don't know the joys of traveling due to multiple checkpoints on our road.

Leave matter! There were toll-gates and mobile police stops along the road! And everyone then stops at different points to refill, trade, or enjoy one or two things along the trip! Even if u were an ambulance carrying corpse, you can't do Lagos Benin in 2hrs. There were even bad portions on the road as of then too. Even if it were Lamborghini, u can't fly in any Nigerian interstate roads in southern Nigeria then due to the nature and seasons. Let us face the facts! Road wey bolekaja trucks dey fall steady wey back then? Haba!

Beverlyjean:


I agree with u.... the road is not a formular 1 circuit

I wonder!

I would say 3hrs but not 2hrs..I remember telling a friend Lagos to Ibadan was 45mins and he said I was lying 😂😂..I started driving at the age of 14 and by 18 I drove to Ibadan in 45mins..

brain54:
Oga don't mind me...

Was calculating something else(distance from Lagos to warri)

Lagos to benin Is possible in 2hrs... Lagos to warri is about 4/5 hrs...and na wetin my mind being dey calculate.

That's why I was even asking if you passed the township.

You are right... If you cover Lagos to benin in 2 hrs it would not sound strange or surprising to me!

It was never possible to travel from Lagos to Benin in two hours with such regular cars on the bad roads. Even with lesser “highway patrol” officers, no one could drive that super fast.

You’d first get to Shagamu which too twenty minutes on the two lane road. Next to Ijebu ode in 30 minutes. Next to Ore in one hour. Next to Okada in 30 minutes and the last leg into Benin city in 20 minutes. With fast cars and speed living drivers, it was a minimum of 3 hours and half. Do not forget that bad roads, especially at Ogun state end, have been there for over forty years.

It was much more pleasurable travelling on that road, when there were no herdsmen. You could drive happily at night, except for armed robbers too. Those were the military days and early days of the OBJ government. The rest is history, as politicians used that road to amass wealth with endless contracts.

StillDtruth:
Who still remembers when the standard tine for running Lagos -Benin was 4hours plus? Whether, 504 or Volvo or Datsun?

While buses took 6 hours (coaster); 7 hours Mercedes-Benz O 309 Mannheim 100 luxurious bus, 12 hours.

Santana and 505 made it in 3hours.

To me, Vboot and 190 were the first cars to run Lagos-Benin in 2hrs .

Benz 200 (flatboot) was close but it made it in 2 hours and some minutes after. I know the Fuel gulping slowed its reach and most flatboots were heading to the East so, Onitsha people na im go get the record.

So, was this your experience?

I am only familiar with the Peugeot 504 and 505 evolution era where Ibadan to Lagos was done in 1 hour. I also remember how the V-boot bounce was popular back then. Volvos were known for the unique loud engine noise and the Datsun was a popular Ibadan taxi (Brown and yellow).

Of course, the luxurious buses were always on top speed and flash you to shift lanes when coming.

To add after reading some comments:
People tend to estimate the travel time not from their houses but from when they see "Goodbye to Lagos" or "Welcome to Ibadan" sign post.

I also forgot to include the freakish J5 accidents back then.

hmm...2 hrs... Not even 3?

ElevationD:


It was never possible to travel from Lagos to Benin in two hours with such regular cars on the bad roads. Even with lesser “highway patrol” officers, no one could drive that super fast.

You’d first get to Shagamu which too twenty minutes on the two lane road. Next to Ijebu ode in 30 minutes. Next to Ore in one hour. Next to Okada in 30 minutes and the last leg into Benin city in 20 minutes. With fast cars and speed living drivers, it was a minimum of 3 hours and half. Do not forget that bad roads, especially at Ogun state end, have been there for over forty years.

It was much more pleasurable travelling on that road, when there were no herdsmen. You could drive happily at night, except for armed robbers too. Those were the military days and early days of the OBJ government. The rest is history, as politicians used that road to amass wealth with endless contracts.

I think 2hrs and a few minutes on top is highly possible...

The last time I did that route from berger in Lagos to warri,it took the driver 4hrs and 20 minutes. Although it was those hummer busses and we traveled at night with the road being very free. I don't know how fast he was driving because I didn't check the speed gauge. But we arrived in that time when I calculated.

I usually estimate that benin takes half of the journey. Plus or minus.

2 hrs and a few minutes is okay very normal. 2hrs on the dot wouldn't shock me for a very fast driver.

All things being equal with a good car and clear road o!

StillDtruth:
Who still remembers when the standard tine for running Lagos -Benin was 4hours plus? Whether, 504 or Volvo or Datsun?

While buses took 6 hours (coaster); 7 hours Mercedes-Benz O 309 Mannheim 100 luxurious bus, 12 hours.

Santana and 505 made it in 3hours.


To me, Vboot and 190 were the first cars to run Lagos-Benin in 2hrs .

Benz 200 (flatboot) was close but it made it in 2 hours and some minutes after. I know the Fuel gulping slowed its reach and most flatboots were heading to the East so, Onitsha people na im go get the record.

So, was this your experience?

Hope you now use flight.