IT was a sunny day. Bright and warm; a day good for outdoor activities. From an event in Alimoso, which is often touted as Nigeria’s largest local government, we rushed down to Obafemi Awolowo Way in Ikeja, where another event was underway – the opening of a block of beautiful offices.
Speeches over, it was time to inspect the building – a befitting testimony to the power of creative financing and good architecture. We moved from the expansive car park to the main door of the four-storey building. We got set to go upstairs, using the brand-new, glittering elevator.
I’m always wary of using elevators since I got stuck in one in the United States. I had seen technicians working on it and was satisfied that all was well with it, but less than one minute after we moved, it went quiet and remained so for a few minutes before it jerked back to life, and we moved on. What a relief! “Don’t worry; this one is new and, of course, it has been well tested,” said the former Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs.
Aramide Adeyoye, a frontline engineer with an incredible passion for her job. I believed her. Chief of Staff Tayo Ayinde, Mrs.
Adeyoye and I went into the elevator. We were joined by a gentleman whose identity I really didn’t know. The door closed.
Then, the unexpected (?) happened. The elevator would not move. We were stuck.
“This is what I was saying. I don’t like elevators,” I grumbled. In no time, I started to sweat.
“Calm down. Just calm dow.