Monday, March 31, 2008

What's in a Phrase

OK, so first thing is first: I know I have not added anything for a while, a lot has happened I just have been really busy. I have several things to post and will try to do so in the next few days.

This one is not for the faint of heart
(I have no pictures for this which is good, as you will understand later)

I had to go to Houston at the beginning of the month to shutdown an office my company had there (very hectic process) and when I came back Josie came back to Lagos on the same day, we were on different planes due to some booking issues so we arrived 10 hours apart. I came in on Saturday morning and Josie came in on Saturday night. Since Josie came in late she did not go to church the next morning, I was feeling pretty good so I got up and went. On the way to church that morning I saw a man who was stoned on the side of the road. Now if you read that the way I think you did you assumed that this man was high, that is not what I said. The man was laying in one lane of the road surrounded by reasonably large rocks. I'm not sure what the crime was, but the punishment was quite clear and very effective. The body was still there 5 hours later when I came home. I asked my driver and he said the body could be there for days (luckily he was gone by Monday). Crime is up quite a bit here right now so we are being very careful about when and where we go, I imagine this guy got caught stealing or something and punishment was administered immediately. I do however think that this punishment is at least a little less cruel than another common method. The mob grabs a tire places it around the offender, pinning his arms, they then douse him in petrol and you can guess the rest. Justice can be swift in this part of the world, especially when no court or police are involved.