Beaten For Her Breast

On a bus to work with strangers at your side, you don't expect to be all nice and warm, or even allowed to have more body contacts than what you are already forced to have.

In Lagos State, south-West Nigeria, en route to work, folake(not real name) found herself in a sticky situation where the man sitting beside her was actually resting his head on her breast. 

Being nice and not wanting to sound rude folake woke the man and said please "Mr, could you stop resting your head on my chest?"  And instead of receiving an apology she received a slap.

She was surprised on his reaction and asked "what did I do?" at this time the psychotic sitting beside her was enraged and everyone inside the bus was pleading on her behalf.

Beaten for her rights
Getting to Obanlende, her destination, with hopes everything had died off she got off the bus just for the man she had cautioned of resting his head on her chest to come off, pulled his belt off the trouser loops and start flogging her.

Her pregnant friend tried to come to her aid only to be threatened to receive the same treatment if she weren't careful.

Nigerians being Nigerians
Nigerians gathered round the scene watching not bothering to do anything only making side comments and taking photos of the event.

When the Nigerian police finally arrived at the scene and separated the duo, the man was made to go without any punishment after beating another man's wife. 

The woman was asked why she did not keep quiet for peace to reign.

Aren't there rules set against such things in the society?

Beating a woman in public is one thing beating someone else's wife is insane.

Lawlessness is becoming a norm in a country where discipline was once inscribed the hearts of everyone. Who gets the blame? The government or the governed?  

Ginika Okoro