We are sure you must have
had one or two nasty
experiences where you
suddenly felt the need to use
the toilet while outside the
comfort of your house or lush
bathroom. Some people are
lucky enough to be in
a comfortable and neat
environment when this
happens.
Bottom line is, you are human
and this could happen to anyone.
The worst case scenario would
be for you to feel the need to
use the toilet while traveling in
a bus. Some Nigerians who know
there is no big deal about being
pressed may not be bothered by
it; but when you are running
stool while traveling, you would
definitely know it is no joke.
1. The fear
While you are looking for the
nearest place to ease yourself
and empty your bowel, there is
this fear of not having to mess
up yourself. As a Nigerian, you
would be thinking about the shit
not dropping in your pant; if it
does, you have just created
another unsettling situation.
You would have to deal with the
smell and having yourself
cleaned up from the mess.
2. Looking for a place to do it
While you are nursing the fear
of not soiling yourself up, you
would probably be looking for a
place to do it. Having to ask
everyone around you for the
nearest public toilet is
embarrassing to most people. If
it is a place you are not familiar
with, you have a lot of work to
do as this would destabilize you
the more.
3. When a putrid smell hits
your nose from the entrance
Finally, you were shown a public
toilet and you made your way
towards it. However, you had to
stop the moment you got to the
entrance and you were hit with
the strong putrid smell of urine.
At this point you are confused,
you have a tough decision to
make; whether to manage the
toilet while the strong smell of
urine stings your nose or to walk
away from there and find
another toilet. What were you
expecting by the way, that the
public toilet would be as neat as
your own toilet?
4. When you cannot use the
toilet without paying N20
Your decision to leave the other
toilet probably paid off as you
were able to find another public
toilet that could be managed.
The only problem with the new
public toilet is that there is a
mean porter at the entrance
who insists on you paying N20 or
N50. The sad part is you may
not be with your purse and if
you do, the change may not be
available for you to give the
porter.
5. When you finally made it
to the toilet
After being able to get through
the porter, you got to the toilet
and discovered it is not as neat
as you thought. But of course, it
is still better than the first one
you saw.
The toilet could have permanent
stains that toilet cleaner cannot
remove at once. The buzzing
flies around too could land on
your body and piss you off the
more. Since you are there
already, you are there.
6. The way you sit on the
toilet
Knowing fully well that using a
public toilet would put you at
risk of catching a toilet
infection, Nigerians know the
best way to use public toilets.
They suspend their butts while
making use of these toilets in
order to avoid catching an
infection or allowing the water
in the toilet bowl to
splash. Most Nigerians know
this well and would use the
toilet in this position even when
they want to pee.
7. When you worry about
people hearing the sound you
make
While you are in the toilet, you
may have to worry about the
poop sound you may be making
while using the toilet.
Sometimes you also worry about
soiling the whole place and
messing it up. Most times, the
public toilets are lined up near
each other, and there might be
other users in them.
8. When you don’t want water
to splash
When it is time for you to clean
up and you really do not want
the water to splash and touch
you. This is another part that
gives people headache. For
some people, having to step on
the wet ground of the public
toilet is enough; many people
stand on their toes while there.
9. When you don’t have
enough water to flush
Another thing that may happen
to you after using the toilet is
not having enough water to
flush if you are using a WC
toilet. At this point, some
people either cover the mess
and find their way while some
may try to clean it up.
10. That look people give
when you emerge from the
public toilet
Another thing that you may
have to deal with after using
the toilet is the weird way
people look at you as soon as you
leave the toilet. Your self-
esteem may be reduced if the
toilet is in a crowded place and
there are many eyes on you.
However, if you have a chain of
people waiting to use the toilet
too, ‘nothing do you’.
