IT was more than a war of words! What started off as a mere accusation soon degenerated into a fistfight, a series of slaps, and raining of abuses on a passenger.
This happened yesterday, Thursday, November 10, 2022, close to the Idowu-Egba junction, along the Isheri-LASU Road, at about 15 minutes past 7 pm. Alimoshotoday's correspondent reports how it all played out.
A bus loaded passengers to full capacity from Egbeda to Iyana-Iba. However, the bus went bad a few minutes after the Powerline bus stop. As is usually the case in Lagos and other cities, conductors would prefer reloading passengers to other buses, instead of making a part refund.
So this particular man, whom we would address as Festus, was transferred to another bus by the conductor, with our correspondent. The bus hadn't moved for 10 seconds before Festus raised an alarm that a passenger, an elderly man who was already seated had stolen his #10,000; the elderly man was shocked.
Festus immediately ordered the bus to stop, while other passengers were convincing Festus to check well before accusing the baba of theft, but he refused and held the elderly man.
The Yorubas are known to respect their elders. As such, Festus was told to let go of the Baba's cloth. Passengers got down from the bus and a search was conducted, only to find the 'missing' money just by Festus' leg.
However, instead of apologising, he still accused the elderly man of stealing the money and later dropping it on the floor. This angered the baba who rose up and gave Festus a slap. Other passengers followed and beat Festus inside the bus, while others dragged him down, tearing the bag he carried, containing food items.
After this, the bus then resumed the journey, with Festus raining curses on his 'abusers,' accusing them of being one. The matter dominated conversations in the mainly male-dominated, Yoruba-speaking bus.
They collectively apologised to the Baba who got off at Igando, though still in shock over what happened.
