Fantastic things happen in this Lagos, and I have experienced a few. Here is the story of how a police officer dashed me money at a checkpoint.
One fateful evening, a few months ago, I was driving along Toyin street in Ikeja on my way home. Just before the Allen-Toyin-Opebi junction, a team of police officers were stopping vehicles.
I got to the spot and wound down. The middle-aged officer attending to me greeted me and asked if there was anything for the boys. I returned his greeting and replied that “country hard” and told him “Not today”. He replied with some empathy and said that he understood and that there are times like that.
Surprise. Here was a pleasant police man who was touched by our infirmities. Was this Jesus Christ disguised as a Naija police man? While I was still checking to be sure I wasn’t having a supernatural encounter, he said, “I can give you out of the little I have here.”
Wait! What?! What did I just hear? So I smiled and said that I would collect if he gave me o. Like play, like play, he pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and handed me a ₦200 note. Jesus of Toyin Street was definitely at work.
I collected the money and thanked him. He said it was no trouble, that today it was him who had to share and that another time it would be me that had to share. Then he wished me a good night and waved me on.
This is a true story. I had a beautiful smile plastered on my face for the rest of my drive home. Strange things do happen in this world.