₦airaland Forum

birdman: even if you are right, why would they? whats in it for China. I'm pretty sure they are not keen on losing the biggest consumers of their goods and risk re-awakening a sleeping industrial giant. This is just posturing

Nkanuzu: Road to Lagos Mega City! First it was BOLEKAJA, second it was MOLUE. Third (now) it is BRT! Who knows what d fourth generation of public transport will look like! To me, there is no much diff b/w BRT and molue in terms of excess loading/passengers' discomfort (#suffering and smilling by Fela). Govt shld pls wake up.

PHIPEX: I have been thinking that Molue was banned from these routes years ago.

naptu2: [size=14pt]MOLUE[/size]

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Molue (Bedford bus)

Molues took over when government banned the use of Bolekaja, for commercial passenger transport services. The molue is a large commercial passenger bus usually painted yellow and black. When bolekaja were banned, some transport operators replaced the wooden passenger cabins of their bolekaja with locally made metallic bus compartments. Thus the first molue buses were of the Bedford variety. However, with time the Mercedes Benz 911 flatbed truck, which had been fitted with locally made passenger compartments became the preferred brand for molue operators.

It is not clear what the origin of the term molue is. Some say that Molue is the corruption of “Maul Him”, a description given to the vehicle by the city’s elite who are piqued by the incessant manner the large bodied buses tear clothes and even flesh of passengers while either entering or disembarking as they reach their destinations. Others say No thanks to the recklessness of 'Danfo' buses (smaller commuter buses especially the Volkwagen types) conductors on the converted buses often admonished their drivers to 'Molue' (a corruption of the word remould) the smaller buses when they obstruct the larger ones. From that moment on the term 'Molue' became associated with the big bully nature of the 911 model of commercial vehicles in urban Lagos”.

Molue buses were a common sight on Lagos roads. They were the king of the roads. From Ojota to Ketu or Ikorodu and from there to Iddo, a major terminus made popular by the now comatose railway system, to Oyingbo, a bustling transportation haven to Oshodi, Costain, to Obalende, and from there to Apapa, then Orile, Iganmu to Mile 2 and further still to Okokomaiko, on the ever-busy Badagry highway and on the southern fringes of Iyana-Ipaja, Pen Cinema, Egbeda, to Idimu and Ijegun, and other emerging satellite towns of the state, such as Alimosho, the Lagos Molue at a time, captured the terrain, becoming an opium of the commuting masses.

These buses were so popular that they were even printed on postcards, greeting cards and favoured as the face of a developing city state of Lagos. Because it carries more passengers, fares on Molue are often times cheaper than the smaller commuter buses. The afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang about them in his song "Shuffering and Shmiling", singing that in a molue we had "44 sitting, 99 standing". The 1980s group, "Too Cool for Zero" also paid tribute to the king of the road in their song "Molue, Lagos City Transport".

From wherever you boarded them, a ride in a Molue was an admixture of fun and tears. There, you might be unlucky to have your pocket picked by one of the extremely smart street urchins regarded as area boys, who deliberately crowded the two entrances, making ingress and egress a headache to passengers.


There was no decency inside the Molue. After filling all the seats, the spill over passengers were made to hang on a rail in what was usually called ‘standing’ in the buses. Passengers were so tightly packed that they made nonsense of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s mimickery of their plight in the song, Suffering and Smiling.The air inside the Molue most times are stale, passengers have to cope with the body odours until fresh air permeates the vehicle. Most Molues don’t have windows and passengers have to sit on bare planks which are crudely welded to iron bars by local smithes. A ride inside Molue during the rain can spell disaster if a special outing is in view, as one may end up drenched.


Apart from the steering wheel, the dash boards of most Molues are often barren of any functioning gadgets, the drivers who are often boxed in with a wired mesh, could be found dripping with sweat as they battle with the steering wheel. With no view finder and side mirrors, the typical Molue driver relies on his mates, better known locally as bus conductors to marshal the roads, and these barks instructions to him intermittently.

"O wa legbe e o, (there is a vehicle by your side), Wole wa, (enter this side of the road), O nbo le (a passenger is dropping) or more lewd ones like; Wole pelu senji e o, (enter this bus with the correct fare), O loyun o ponmo o (this passenger, obviously a woman is pregnant and carrying a baby), are few of the jargons of the Molue conductor.
The driver is ever in a hurry. Apart from when it takes off from its major park, Molue never stops. Whether you are dropping off the vehicle or boarding, you have to develop a running feet, as you practically jump off, or rush in, on motion. This act which has become the archilles heels of many hapless commuters have somewhat become the defining mode of recognising who just migrated to Lagos and who is a resident.


The Molue could be a market too. Itinerant merchants often make a kill inside Molue, hawking all manners of wares from the usual drugs to the cure-all herbs that take care of a thousand ailments. Standing at one corner of the bus, the agent projects his voice by usually cupping his hands round his mouth, clears his/her throat and begins by assisting the passengers to call out the many bus stops along the routes, before leading the passengers into prayers which often he/she uses to hoodwink them before bringing out his or her wares. Molues are also a veritable ground for peripatetic preachers. Many young pastors used the Molue as sound bites, from where they work on their confidence to handle microphone and address larger audience in the Church. It could also be a leveler of sorts, a melting pot for the upcoming middle class usually in his razor sharp edged shirts and tie and their female counterpart in their skirt suits, mingling and struggling for space with the pepper retailers, and the mechanics in their grease-blackened aprons.

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Molue (Mercedes Benz 911).

Obiagelli: Abeg someone should convert this money to dollars na, the thing dey give me headache, is 600 billion not roughly 4 billion dollars? Abeg I no know book o

Obiagelli: CHOI WHERE IS MY CANE, in fact go and lneel down there.

Obiagelli: Omg, is this census for unborn children or every living organism

Dis Guy: Dont you know they have to invent every single machine that will be used, eveything wil be imported including those that will do the sums -specifically from Overseas, the result will be verified by UN,WHO,AU,EU,ECOWAS

Obiagelli: they are not just buying eggs, they are buying grains and chicken and that takes care of storage problems for the farmers as their is a ready market. The FG should adopt this model.

luvmijeje: Hmmm..., if WWW111 occurs, I hope by that time we have a smart, intelligent and diplomatic President. A President who sees joining the war as the last option. A President who is not easily controllable by the so-called 1st world countries. A President that's not trigger happy. Above all, a selfish President that think first of our interest.

[size=14pt]As FRSC inducts 51 Celebrity Special Corps Marshals.[/size]

Posted on Monday, March 25th, 2013


Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on recently inducted 51 celebrities as Special Corps Marshals. The nominees were selected from all facets of entertainments including Nollywood actors and actresses, pop artistes, comedians and designers.  Media people were not left out as television and radio presenters were also part of the inductees. There were also those from corporate organisations as well.

Delivering a lecture entitled “The role of Celebrity Special Marshal in ensuring safer roads in Nigeria,” Managing Director, THISDAY Newspapers, Marshal Eniola said one of the reasons they were chosen was to help reduce the rate of accidents in the country.

According to him, the inductees were saddled with the efforts to orientate all road users on what they should know in order to save lives and minimize auto mishaps on the roads.

The National Coordinator of Special Marshal unit, Sini Kwabe urged the newly inducted Marshals to make use of their various offices to save lives and make difference from how the roads are being used. He also appealed to them to avoid the mistake of past marshals who were unable to live up to the demands of their appointment.

The event which took place at A2W Event Centre in Ikeja saw the celebrities happy to be safety ambassadors. Among the inductees were: Halima Abubakar, Idowu Ogungbe, Jayone, Bayero Agabi, Deji Balogun, Steve Ayorinde, Adewale Ogunniran, Yemi Shodimu.

naptu2: August 7, 2003, Chaotic scenes as war-weary Liberians celebrate the return of the Nigerians
https://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/58746_472219892789_2658079_n.jpg

naptu2: Barnaby Philips was the BBC's Nigeria correspondent in the early 2000s/late '90s (I remember when President Obasanjo tongue lashed him during an edition of the Presidential Media Chat). He did a documentary in which he interviewed some Nigerians and Ghanaians who fought in the Second World War. I first heard that documentary in the late '90s/early 2000s. He is now an Al-Jazeera correspondent and he did this documentary for them. Enjoy "Burma Boy".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BREOezfAJSU

The enemy soldiers are not from Britain but from Africa. Because of their belief, they are not afraid to die, so even if their comrades have fallen they keep on advancing as if nothing had happened. It makes things rather difficult. They have an excellent physique and are very brave, so fighting against these soldiers is somewhat troublesome.

naptu2: [size=16pt]Nigerian armed forces[/size]

The Nigerian Army grew out of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary and the forces of the old Lagos Colony and Niger Coast Protectorate.

When in 1886, the Royal Niger Company received its charter, it organised its constabulary which at first consisted of five British and two African officers and about 400 rank and file, of whom more than half were Fantis (from the Gold Coast). In view of the critical situation that followed French encroachments on the territory of the Niger Company in 1894-1897, the British Government decided to raise a local force and Colonel (later Lord) Lugard was sent out to raise and command it.

By the beginning of 1900, the force had become a thoroughly well-organised and disciplined corps which was called the West African Frontier Force. In that year, the greater part of it under Colonel (later General) Sir William Wilcocks took a very prominent part in the Ashanti campaign.

At the end of 1901, all the colonial military forces in British West Africa were modelled on the same basis and constituted into the West African Frontier Force, each dependency being responsible for the maintenance of its own regiment or battalion. The Northern Nigeria Regiment consisted of two batteries and two battalions, to which was added a third Mounted Infantry Battalion. At the same time, the Lagos Constabulary became the Lagos Battalion and the Niger Coast Protectorate Force, with a portion of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary, became the Southern Niger Regiment.


On the amalgamation of Lagos and Southern Nigeria, the Lagos Battalion became the second battalion of the Southern Nigeria Regiment.

When the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated on January 1st, 1914 the two Regiments became one, which was designated the Nigeria Regiment.


[size=14pt]First World War[/size]

On the outbreak of war with Germany in August 1914, steps were immediately taken for the defence of Nigeria and for offensive action against the neighbouring German colony of The Cameroons. The Nigeria Regiment and Police were mobilised and volunteers from the European community were enrolled as members of the Nigeria Marine Contingent and the Nigeria Land Contingent.

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Colonial troops of the 1st Battalion, Nigerian Regiment, about to depart Kaduna for action in German Kamerun (1914). 

An early advance into German territory along the Benue and Cross Rivers met with failure, our troops in the north being driven back from Garua, a strongly defended position and in the south being similarly overpowered by superior forces at Nsanakang, after inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans.

However, a large expedition under Brigadier-General (later General) Sir Charles Dobell compelled Duala, the chief town of the Cameroons, to surrender unconditionally on September 27th 1914. The expedition consisted of African troops from all the British West African Colonies and French African troops. It included two battalions and a battery of the Nigeria Regiment and a large number of civilians were attached as temporary officers and non-commissioned officers. Ships of The Royal Navy and of the Nigeria Marine co-operated with the troops. After the fall of Duala, General Dobells troops secured both lines of the railway, but the heavy rains prevented a further advance till the end of 1915.

Early in 1915 Colonel (later Brigadier-General) Cunliffe. Commandant of the Nigeria Regiment, who had taken over command of the troops on the Nigerian border, had invaded Garua. He was assisted by French troops from the Chad district by a naval gun, the moral effect of which so affected the native garrison that the German commander was compelled to surrender on June 10th, 1915.

Leaving a small force to watch the German garrison at Mora, an almost impregnable mountain position, General Cunliffe then marched south to Banyo, where a powerful German force had deliberately prepared a very strong position on an extended hill feature similar in many ways to Mora Mountain. Cement had been freely used in the construction of fortifications, there was an ample water supply and the Germans had announced their intention of holding out there till the end of the war.

General Cunliffe advanced on the position under cover of darkness and at daybreak became heavily engaged at close quarters. The attack was pressed for two days and nights, but on the third night, under the cover of a heavy tornado, the larger part of the Germans succeeded in making their escape from the hill. However, a considerable number remained and surrendered at daybreak the next day. General Cunliffe continued on his way south to effect a junction with General Dobell’s troops and a simultaneous advance was made by another column from the Cross River.

Towards the end of 1915, a general advance was made on Yaunde, the new German Headquarters.

General Cunliffe’s troops from the north, General Dobell’s from the west and French and Belgium troops from the south-east converging on the town left the Germans no option but to evacuate it and it was entered by our troops on January 1st. 1916. The German troops retired towards Spanish Guinea and in spite of a close pursuit, succeeded in escaping into neutral territory, where they were disarmed. Mora, the last stronghold of the Germans, capitulated on February 18th, 1916 and the conquest of the Cameroons was completed.

In November 1916, a contingent from the Nigeria Regiment proceeded to East Africa under the command of Brigadier-General Cunliffe. It consisted of nearly 200 British and over 3,000 African and later 330 British and 3,000 more Africans were sent to reinforce the contingent. In addition to this, about 4,000 carriers were recruited in Nigeria for service in East Africa and a number of men were also recruited for service with the inland water transport in Mesopotamia. The Nigerian troops took part in some of the severest fighting in East Africa and they suffered heavy casualties, but their gallantry in action and the uncomplaining way in which they bore the hardships of a particularly arduous campaign won for them the highest praise. Over 80 decorations were awarded to the British and about the same number to the African ranks.

The contingent returned to Nigeria in March 1918 and received an enthusiastic welcome. After the return of the contingent from East Africa, it was reorganised as a brigade for further service abroad and was about to proceed to Palestine when the armistice was signed. The brigade was then demobilised and the regiment reduced to its normal size. In recognition of its services during the Great War, His Late Majesty, King George V of Britain awarded Colours to the Regiment, bearing the following honours: Ashanti 1873-1874, Ashanti 1900, Behobeho, Nyangao, East Africa 1916-1918, Duala, Garua, Banyo and Cameroons 1914-1916.

On March 14th, 1928, His Late Majesty King George V approved that the title of the forces be changed to the Royal West African Frontier Force.