Emergency

Nigerians have a reputation among the expats for being slow to work. Whether it is actually showing up to do the job, the amount of time it takes to do it, or the quality of the work once the job is complete, it never seems to meet the "American standard." There is one exception to this rule, however...emergencies.

It seems as though an emergency is an emergency no matter where you are in the world (or at least in African and the United States based on my experience). The first time I noticed this was after returning home late only to find on our bathroom floor 2 inches of water that was quickly gaining ground toward our bedroom. Our water heater was leaking. It was 10 pm on a weekend, and wouldn't you know...we had a repair man there in 10 minutes, the water heater was repaired in 30, and there was no sign that water had been on the floor by the time he left.

Now, if this had been a planned project to, let's say, replace an old water heater that still worked, we would have had anywhere from 3 to 5 guys assess the situation...then assess it again. We'd plan for a day and time for the replacement and they'd show up 4 hours late if at all. The repair would then be rescheduled for a time when I could devoted the entire day for the repair, in anticipation of late arrival or missing parts. The project would start, a part would be found missing, then hours (or days) later the workmen would return with the part and complete the project.

Just a couple days ago, we had another "emergency" on a much grander scale...our kitchen caught fire while we were out of the house. By the time we returned, guards were already investigating the situation, fans were being brought in to clear the smoke, and windows were opened for ventilation. The next day, we had unsolicited workmen and supervisors coming to assess the situation and by noon they were removing the damaged chimney and cleaning soot off the walls. Fast, and friendly, service!

So what I've taken from these various experiences is to have patience with projects and be prepared for the long-term time commitment; but if you really need a new stove fast, burning down your kitchen is a good strategy!