2006年VOA标准英语-Venturing Onto Nigerian Capital's Roads Can Be

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
03 July 2006

Nigeria's teeming¹ population and crumbling² infrastructure³ are putting a lot of pressure on the country's roads, which are in disrepair and overcrowded. Venturing into traffic in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, can be treacherous⁴.

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Hundreds of motorists sit in their cars trapped in a regular traffic jam in Lagos  
  
Officials say road accidents are common in Nigeria, Africa's most populous⁵ nation. Roads are in poor condition, and so are many vehicles. And, people disregard speed limits and traffic rules.

Yakubu Attah, spokesman for the Federal Road Safety Corp, says driving in the West African nation has become a major hazard.

"We have very recalcitrant⁶ drivers - drivers who are uncomfortable, in quotes, 'of obeying traffic regulations.' We, therefore, call on other motorists to be cautious," he said. "They should employ what we call defensive⁷ driving techniques. They should look at the other driver as a mad man. If you don't do that, you're going to get [into an accident]."

Another striking feature of road traffic in Nigeria is the takeover of the often busy roads by cranky commercial motorcyclists, known as Okada riders.

The Okadas are the new kings of Nigerian roads, notorious for breaking every traffic rule and intimidating⁸ other road users. Inalegwu Onakwu is an Okada rider at the Wuse market in central Abuja.

"We Okadas, we are supposed to obey Road Safety [Corps], but we Okadas don't obey anybody, because some of us have strong heads [stubborn], and some of us have patient heads. For us Okadas, most of us have patience of mind, but some of us don't have patience," Onakwu said.

People walk between traffic in the Idumota area of Lagos  
  
Attah, the road safety official, says the authorities are exasperated⁹ with the Okada riders and would like to see them off the roads.

"Government remains¹⁰ sensitive to its citizens, and do not want them to imbibe¹¹ the use of commercial motorcycle operations to sustain them, because it's not sustaining them," he said. "We are losing prominent Nigerians, potential leaders maimed through road crashes, as a result of the negligent¹² and careless attitude of commercial motorcycle operators on Nigerian roads, popularly referred to as Okadas or Going."

Thousands of jobless youths are using the motorbikes to make a living. Riding an Okada is indeed a very dangerous business, as they compete for space on Nigeria's crowded roads, deal with extortion by officials and often a hostile and condescending¹³ public.

Onakwu says the government should do something urgently to ease the plight¹⁴ of Okada riders like him.

"Government can help us, to create jobs for us, because most of us, we are not happy to do this job," he said.

Despite the problems, residents say, Okadas are here to stay. They offer cheaper and more convenient modes of transportation, and a quick and easy form of employment in a country straining to create jobs.

1 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

2 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

5 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

6 recalcitrant   

adj.倔强的

参考例句：

• The University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstraters.这所大学把几个反抗性最强的示威者开除了。
• Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant animals.驴被认为是最倔强的牲畜。

7 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

8 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

9 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

11 imbibe   

v.喝，饮；吸入，吸收

参考例句：

• Plants imbibe nourishment usually through their leaves and roots.植物通常经过叶和根吸收养分。
• I always imbibe fresh air in the woods.我经常在树林里呼吸新鲜空气。

12 negligent   

adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的

参考例句：

• The committee heard that he had been negligent in his duty.委员会听说他玩忽职守。
• If the government is proved negligent,compensation will be payable.如果证明是政府的疏忽，就应支付赔偿。

13 condescending   

adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的

参考例句：

• He has a condescending attitude towards women. 他对女性总是居高临下。
• He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women. 和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态。

14 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。