Four Lanes Into One: A Long Sunday Crawl Toward Benin City

December 21st – Another Long Day on the Road

Good day. December 21st. Today was more of the same on the road. In theory, there are four lanes of traffic here, and sometimes even six. In reality, large sections are under construction, making progress slow and unpredictable. There are good stretches and bad stretches, and you never quite know which one is coming next.

Traffic Chaos Toward Benin City

As I made my way toward Benin City, things started to slow down to a crawl in the early afternoon. On my side alone, there were three lanes of traffic, plus a fourth lane on the opposite side that was also heading in my direction. You constantly have to expect cars coming toward you on what should be your side of the road. It becomes a continuous game of acceleration and braking.

Add to that the potholes — appearing exactly where you wish they wouldn’t — and slow driving becomes the safest option. This was all happening on a Sunday, and there were loads of big trucks everywhere. For hours, traffic moved one or two lorry lengths at a time, then stopped again. On and on it went, with no one really knowing what was causing it.

The Bottleneck Explained

Eventually, the reason became clear. Far ahead, there was a paving project that reduced everything down to a single drivable lane. Four lanes of traffic were being funneled into one, with workers metering a few cars from each lane at a time. That explained the endless waiting and the feeling of going nowhere for most of the day.

Stopping for the Night in Okorpon

I had hoped to make it past Benin City, but that wasn’t going to happen. As it started getting dark, I reached a place called Okorpon. There’s always that debate — whether to push on or stop for the night — but I got lucky and found a small hotel right in town.

It was basic, but perfectly fine for 15,000 naira. With the exchange rate around 780 naira to the dollar, that comes out to roughly $20–25. You don’t get much, but you do get a place to sleep, and sometimes that’s all you really need.

Roadside Life and a Human Connection

Whenever traffic slows to a standstill, people appear, walking between cars with goods balanced on their heads. Most of the time it’s food, water, or drinks — even in the middle of nowhere. That’s just how things work here.

The day ended on a good note. I ended up talking with Ella, a young woman helping out at her mother’s food place. She told me she was studying business administration at school. Moments like that make the long, intense days more enjoyable. You almost forget you’re in Nigeria — it could be anywhere — because the people are genuinely kind most of the way.