In Ghana, (and others parts of Africa, perhaps) every executive or wealthy man is a ‘big man’. And they do live up to their names. They are biiiigg (bloated actually, almost bursting at their seams, after purportedly choked-and still choking- on all that money).
It was a rather queer sight in the trotro* today. I was sandwhiched by two of such big men, literally squeezing the breath out of me with each spasm the trotro underwent as it rode the unnavigable pothole (read “manhole”) ridden coal tar. I was virtually wheezing through out the commute.
Two other big men were in this same trotro. I’ve never seen so many ‘big men’ in a trotro before (and I could tell from their two or more Samsung SVs or other high ended phones in their palms, the linen Friday wear and whiffs of their intoxicating exotic perfumes. Man, even the air they exuded reaked of it – money). Four ‘big men’ in a trotro? This is no coincidence. Too unnatural. Then it clicked.
Petrol!
Fuel shortage has driven them onto streets.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Sia!* They would have been in their ‘AC-ed’ cars right now with their long forgotten trotro experiences caged in oblivion. Sia!
A fight for a trotro seat, which is quite commonplace, would be a sight to behold though. 🙂

Trotro – Ghanaian public transport
Sia – Short for “Kwasia”. An insult meaning “fool” or “stupid”. Used in this sense (and in Ghanaian parlance) lightly for comedic effect.