Hello everyone and welcome to my blog at this hour. It is boldly written at petrol stations/gas stations that there should be no smoking within the premises. This important message is also mostly passed across to everyone at the gas station through a graphic representation of a cigarette in a red circle and a line over it, which simply means it's dangerous🚭. Well, sit back, relax and enjoy all that I have packaged for your reading pleasure.
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The essence of the graphic representation of the "no smoking" symbol and other precautionary symbols at gas stations is not for aesthetics purpose or to beautify the environment. It is to pass a strong message across to everyone about the risk of setting the whole station and every single person ablaze. This is the reason why motorists are also advised to switch off their engine before buying fuel to prevent a potential fire outbreak.
The reason for saying all this is an unbelievable incident that occurred on my way to work this morning at about 7:30am. Surprisingly, it is not even at a gas station. It is one of the so-called people who take advantage of fuel scarcity to sell fuel at expensive prices to stranded motorists on the highway. These form of trade is popularly known as "Black Market". Back in the days, black market use to be something that people do not have the boldness to do but nowadays they do this business in the open and no one seems to be bothered.
Let me take some moment to explain what fuel black market means for the sake of those who live outside Nigeria or even within who do not really understand how it works. So, there are people who take advantage of any fuel scarcity to purchase fuel inside gallons/jerrycans in large quantities. The gas stations sell these fuel to them mostly at night in high prices, way more than the normal pump price. In light of this, in order to make their profit, these black market business people will equally increase their price too. For instance a 10 liters fuel that is sold at N1,650 is being sold between N3000 - N5000. What a big way to extort people!
Back to the crux of the matter, as we driving by our driver spotted one of these boys selling black market fuel with cigarettes in his hands, his mouth and nose full with smoke. He called the attention of everyone in the cab to it and he quickly find a good spot to park his car so as to go call him to order. His action is more deadly because there are more than 10 different people selling this highly flammable substance standing close to each other. Any fire outbreak from one person will attract the other in no time.
What makes it more surprising is that there are some of his colleagues close to him and they see him smoking near fuel and they didn't deem it fit to call him to order. Well, may be they are ignorant as well. Or may be foolish? 🙄
This was how my driver was able to prevent a fire outbreak today. Hopefully he won't repeat the same thing when we left.
All contents are originally written by me, @williams-owb
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Williams Oluseyi is a Linguist by discipline from one Africa's Most Prestigious Citadel of Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University. He developed interest for blogging at very early stage which motivated him to study English Language in College. He is a prolific writer, an inquisitive and judicious reader, to say the least. To get his daily bread, he is currently working in a Logistics company in Nigeria.
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Those who don't care about the rules don't care about the rules. It's a little odd they don't do any risk analysis math though. Their profits are probably small compared to the cost of hospital visits or death.
It's so sad.
Exactly! There profit can not be compared to the amount they will spend on hospitals bill, that's if they survive it
@tipu curate
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