I no sure say I go fit do any order work pass dis my taxi driver work.
Shey na now I wan come change work wey I don dey do since before Biafra war?
Una kukuma sabi say, since I run comot for my village for Ogbomoso come learn mecho work for Lagos, na dis work I don dey do. Experience dey gan.
Na im make any passenger wey I carry, e must to like di way I drive, and dem no dey ever forgot me. Na today?
See like yesterday wey one oga like dat come our garage wey dey near Ikeja under bridge. As I jus see di man, I know one time say dis one na big oga.
Wen you see big man, you must to know, even if e wear ordinary trouser, shirt and rubber slippers. Nobody go tell you say dis one na big man, you go jus know one time.
Di oga say make I go drop am for Ikoyi, I say no wahala, na my work nau.
I tell am my price, e no jus begin price like some passenger wey go begin price like dose woman dem wey dey sell pepper for Agege market.
I open owner seat for di oga, e say no, e wan siddon with me for front.
Na so di oga jus enter front, me sef enter pilot seat. We don dey go Ikoyi be dat.
I ask am weda make I take IBB Bridge or Ikorodu Road go enter Western Avenue to Barracks, Stadium, Iponri, Costain to Island.
Di oga say sebi na me be Lagos taxi driver, make I take any way I know say we go reach Ikoyi quick, say im na Abuja e dey live, no be Lagos.
Na so I chuk head put for Alausa, enter 7-Up, Alapere den Oworonshoki.
As we jus wan climb IBB Bridge, na im my torch-light chinko phone begin ring.
I beg di oga make I park answer di call, e say no troublem at all.
Na so I clear comot for road and park. I look di number wey dey call, no name. I pick di call sha.
I say “Hello”, di person say “Hello”. Den, di person ask me “Na who be dis?” I tell am say sebi na im call me, why e come dey ask my name. But becos I no wan waste my passenger time, I tell di caller say my name na Oga MAT. Di person say “Wrong number” and cut.
Na so I start my guonguoro again, begin drive dey go for Ikoyi.
As we jus pass IBB Bridge enter Island, my passenger ask me, “You mean you are Oga MAT, the popular Lagos taxi driver?”
I jus smile, den I tell am say “By di grace of God”.
Di oga say, “Interesting. I always read your stories.”
I tell am, “Tank you oga”. My belle come sweet, no be small.
Di man tell me say im own name na Mallam Magu.
I look im face, head, belle, leg and everywia. I ask am “Oga, so na you be dis Magu wey everybody jus dey hala since last week?”
Dis time wey I ask am so, we don enter Ikoyi.
Di man say make I drive am dey go for Bourdillon. Na dat time I jus believe final say na Oga Magu I dey carry true, true.
Wen we reach Bourdillon, come see motor plenty like Bar Beach sand. Na for dat place Oga Magu say make I drop am.
I march break fiiaaam, off ignition to come down and open di door for Oga Magu. But e say make I no worry.
Oga Magu count my money pay me, den come dash me extra. E come down, close my guonguoro door, look me, smile and say,
“I am not that Magu you think. Look at my face very well.My own Magu is different. At least I am a free man. It’s my pleasure to meet you. Take care of yourself Oga MAT. Bye!”
Tori Olorun!
Make we jam again on Friday.
Tank you.
Tank you very much.
And tank you very, very much indeed.
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