ENTER WITH YOUR CHANGE
For the past 6 months, I've been using various forms of public transportation, including Danfo, Maruwa, and BRT, to commute between the mainland and the island for my internship. This experience has exposed me to both challenges and inspiration driven by the 'Stress of Lagos.' With that in mind, I'd like to share one of my recent artworks titled 'Enter With Your Change,' a phrase I've heard countless times from the drivers during my movements.
The drivers have a habit of checking their rearview mirrors to count the number of passengers and ensure that the money given to them is equivalent to the number of passengers.
The wires protruding from the stereo are a result of the need to improvise a charging port for themselves and passengers in urgent need of charging their mobile phones.
An interesting fact about these drivers is that each of them has a favorite Fuji artist whose songs, often mixed with hip-hop or Afrobeat elements, captivate their interest. This enthusiasm drives them to purchase stickers featuring their favorites and proudly display them throughout their buses. As for the random signs on the windshields, these are the work of self-proclaimed road task collectors, locally referred to as 'Agberos'. These markers signify that the driver has made their required payments.