I don’t care who you are sir, please wait your turn!

Today, while on the queue at the Lekki Toll for almost 15minutes my friend indirectly tagged me a liar because she couldn't understand/believe how my car could be number 4 on the queue for 12 minutes.

I wasn’t lying, I was actually on the same spot for 15minutes because some people didn’t see the need to queue at the back but decided to jump the queue as if the rest of us of on that queue didn’t have important places to go.

There are more and more impatient Lagosians surfacing, people who cannot join or form a proper queue. Some of these people actually look very responsible in nice cars but deliberately refuse to remember the reason the queuing system was invented.

I learnt how to queue early in life right from primary school when we had to stand in line at the assembly ground and file in a single line to our classrooms, in secondary school when we had to queue to do every single thing such as; walk to school from the boarding house, buy snacks during break and meals during lunch. This is why when I went to school in the UK I didn't have any issues with the queuing system at all. In fact I loved it because it eliminated chaos and one is certain that at some point it will be ones turn. This is probably how the phrase “taking turns” came about.

It disturbs me a lot when people act as though they cannot understand the purpose behind queuing. They want good service but are not ready to put themselves in the position to receive it. Why should one be on a queue and other people try to cheat their way through by jumping the queue. This can be very very annoying. If you want good quality service, you should get yourself ready to accept it by doing your own part.

I was on the queue at Barcelos to buy a loaf of hot bread , then came a man frowning and stylishly walking to the front and next thing I heard were people shouting " Oga (in this context, a gentleman in which one is not so acquainted with), can't you see there is a queue?" I mean, why embarrass yourself?

At the cinema on Tuesday, while we were on the queue waiting to buy a movie ticket, a lady just walked her way to the front ignoring the queue totally. I remember hearing somebody say to the cashier “excuse me please can you attend to those on the queue first?".. I can write a book on different scenarios of people jumping queues and yes! on several occasions I have joined to either give them a “don’t even try it” look or just sarcastically say “there is a queue please”. It annoys me.

I heard some people complaining the other day that Nigerians are sometimes treated as goats, but I am sorry I think at times we put ourselves in that position by not adhering to simple rules.

Do we need to be flogged with koboko (whip) before we can obey rules?

I don't know if other people feel the way that I do about this queuing issue? What are your views on people who jump queues and how do you usually react?

Arabica my love, why hast thou deserted me?

My heart broke for real the day that i learnt my favourite cafe Arabica was closing down. it was one of the saddest news I heard that year. I almost cried!

Arabica was a beautiful cafe in GRA, Lagos right on top of Barcelos, it had comfy chairs and a very large window that i sat next to and watched whatever went on outside. Sitting there sometimes made me feel like l was in a different world.

Arabica was a home away from home, a place where you could relax when you wanted a break from the stress associated with life. It was just a pleasant and peaceful place to sit and meditate.

My favourite thing on the menu was their club sandwich, Oh Lord! it was amazing, amazing is actually an understatement, i ate it with so much passion and compassion and I simply forgot all my sorrows and worries.

I stopped there for tea, to chill, to sit, to think, to relax and

a few times I managed to doze off on their wonderful sofa.

God bless the owner of Arabica! That small cafe brought so much light to my life and a lot of ideas and thoughts were birthed there.

It was my special lounge, I used to invite people over for a cuppa, a chat or even just to look.
I had Arabica friends, people that whenever I saw there, we said hello and smiled though we never crossed paths except during Arabica visits. I guess its not surprising that their faces are still stuck in my head.

The waitresses were amazing and beautiful people. They always welcomed customers with a smile and didnt mind or act funny when we ordered just water but sat in the cafe for several hours without buying any other thing. They knew most of our names, they were nice people.

This was why I was very shocked when I heard the cafe was closing down. "Why Arabica!?"

A place that brought so much joy and peace to ones heart and soul should never have the right to close down!

No explanations no consolations just words from neighbouring shops explaining that the shop was closed and would not be opend again. what a heartbreak!!

Lister Hospital... The hospital that listens

Lister hospital is a small hospital at Adeniyi Jones, a sort of place you would call "a small friendly family hospital". I love this hospital so much because of their passionate and caring attitude. The hospital is a very good example of a service organization with good customer service. Right from the security guy at the gate to the receptionist, nurses who take your vitals to the doctor himself.

Here is a blue print of one my visits to the hospital

On getting to the hospital that morning the security helped us find a parking space , greeted me very warmly and asked after my parents with a big smile. I entered into the hospital and was welcomed with a warm smile from the receptionist (though i wasn't feeling well I had no choice but to return the smile".

The receptionist invited me to take a seat in front of her asked after my entire family then went to got our family hospital file, not wanting to ask for my name, she asked if I was my sister and I told her my name, she apologized and quickly opened the file and took it to the nurse.I brought out a book while waiting; another nurse walked into the reception and greeted everyone waiting warmly and familiarly. I looked up and she recognized me and greeted me too asking after my parents, she assured me that it would soon be my turn to take my vitals.

A few minutes later I was called into the room where my vitals were taken (i wasn't very familiar with the nurses who took my vitals but they were still very nice to me). I was treated with respect and dignity right until I went in to see the doctor. Like always, the doctor was very kind and compassionate though I wasn’t in the best of health, I managed to smile a couple of times. I left the office, got my drugs, paid my bill and went outside with a cheerful farewell. On getting outside, the security helped us with the traffic and I just couldn’t leave without giving him a tip. He prayed that God blessed me and I said a good “Amen” to that.

I left thinking of the benefits a business can derive from having staff who possess wonderful attitude and a good customer service background. Though this lovely hospital does not have a unit where ultrasounds are done but has a relationship with another center(where scans etc are done) but that does not discourage me from going there. i love this hospital because I always feel at home and comfortable while I am there. most times i don't mind being referred to another center to get an ultrasound done.

Nandos Lagos Dozing Away?

I am a huge fan of Nandos (UK). I love their chicken, corn, garlic bread, their perinaise and the restaurant as a whole. Since the day I started a relationship with Nandos (UK) I have fallen in love with it over and over again and the love hasn’t failed, though sometimes I would have to wait several minutes to get a free table at the restaurant even that never affected my relationship with Nandos. This was why when Nandos opened in Lagos, Nigeria I was over the moon. Unfortunately, there was something about the Nandos in Lagos that wasn’t right, though I couldn’t place my finger on what it was, it was certain that the Nandos in the UK was far better than the one over here. I don’t know if it had something to do with the food being too expensive or the chicken served being too skinny, something wasn’t right and it wasn’t only me that noticed this because soon after they opened they started losing customers and the restaurants became scanty and scantier as we the customers were being served with not too fresh bun(I don’t want to call it stale). One day I saw metal chains on the front door of the branch that I visited the most, it was locked up for a long time until it finally closed down. Whenever I remember that branch I always wonder what happened there. Another branch closed down, then another branch.
About a month ago, I went to the cinema and was too early for my movie so I decided to give Nando’s a try. I walked in, ordered my food and was about to find myself a seat but everywhere was dirty and all the tables that were vacant still had used plates, cups and tissues on them. The cleaner saw me looking confused because I didn’t know where exactly I was to sit, he decided to wipe a table clean for me, I sat down and was irritated by the sight of the somewhat wet table in front of me in disgust I got up and went to another table. The same cleaner again came to wipe the table, this time it was manageable not clean but manageable (I still couldn’t stand it, I got some tissue and wiped it clean myself. I caught the cleaner looking at me with the corner of his eyes but i didn't really care). A few minutes later my brother brought to my attention that the same cleaner was the waiter, so at that branch and at the time we were there, the guy who was cleaning the table worked as the cleaner and waiter. As he cleared a table, he hurried to bring a customer’s order and before he could clean another table another customer’s order needed to be served. At a point, the man looked very exhausted. it was ridiculous that he was doing all that work by himself, no wonder the place was filthy.
I left the place not knowing what to think… is this a way to cut down on cost or are they trying to cut down on customers?