Ever thought of what the official (unofficial technically) colours of Lagos is? It is the ubiquitous yellow with the black stripe!The reasons why you cannot miss this combination is because it is the colours that have been adopted by Lagos State commercial vehicle operators (Buses, taxis and tricycles). You will notice that as you move away from Lagos state and across other states in Nigeria, they have their own adopted colour scheme.
What is Danfo ?
The Danfo is the iconic yellow with black stripe colour buses that is the go-to means of transportation for millions of Lagosians. Personally, I cannot imagine the face of Lagos State transportation network without them since there is next to none existent other means of commuting within the city – rail or boats.
If you want to experience the everyday life of a Lagosian then the Danfo is your best bet! Each ride comes with its peculiar sets of challenges. From the drama of the conductor not having a change to the unprofessional driving skills of the driver or passengers battling it out amongst themselves.
The tales after each ride are always worth sharing.
Quick Tips
Always haggle the fare
Make sure you always bargain the fare the driver’s mate will mention to you at the first instance. Erm…. Try reducing it by either N50 or N100. Never take anything at the face value in Lagos, especially with the commercial bus drivers.
Keep smaller denominations handy
There seems to be a shortage of N100 (One hundred Naira) and they are all in a sorry state for a currency note. The N50 (fifty Naira ) notes too are also in short supply when you are dealing with the conductors. To prevent the situation where you’d be asking for your change until you get to your destination, then keep a smaller note.
Your eyes will never be tired of seeing and your ears never full of hearing
Like I said earlier, expect to hear insider information from government offices and expect someone to be reading your phone chats with you. Not to scare, expect to see a street fight also originating from the bus too.
Security
Pay close attention to your personal belongings as you board the bus if you do not want to get stranded on your journey. Board empty buses with others from a bus stop and look for the route markings on the bus. There are stories you would not want me to type out
What has your Lagos State Danfo experience been like? How would you rethink the Lagos Danfo
I will leave you with a hit track on Danfo Driver
For more readings on Danfo: https://sassyfunke.com/the-travails-of-the-danfo-bus-passenger/
IG picture credit : https://www.instagram.com/p/BaOhsyzgcBU/?taken-by=olorunsegunolorunfemi
