Obalende vs CMS: The Journey to the most desired Work Hub in Lagos …

6 min readApr 1, 2024

There’s a sense of pride that comes when someone asks you ‘where do you work?’, you smile and answer, ‘on the Island.’ You know that smile; it’s the smile of someone who has accomplished something in life. And then the receiving party goes on to pity you and lament on how tiresome it must be to navigate the Island everyday. What a journey it must be. But for you, it’s a small price to pay, isn’t it? Let’s admit it, my fellow Island padi, we love the struggle.

I mean, if you told someone you worked at Onipanu or Amuwo Odofin, they wouldn’t take you serious. To them, you probably work in a pure water manufacturing company, not as the actual labour hand, maybe the accountant or QA.

I stopped saying I worked at Ikoyi at some point because I felt like my office was closer to Obalende than to Ikoyi. My colleagues denied this and made me see that we were under Eti Osa Local government which is saying Ikoyi.

There are two major ways to get to the Island if you’re coming from the Mainland. Mainland here being Yaba, Surulere, Bariga, Somolu, etc. Iyana Oworo people are in another planet, thank you.

I live on the real mainland. My house is located between two focal points — Yaba and Ojuelegba. I love the place I live so much. Infact, I started looking at houses on rent to secure a place for my husband and I. Please note that I am not even in a relationship yet. As hilarious as this may sound reading this, it’s more hilarious when you hear me talk about it. But then, I’m disobeying the commandment ‘take no thought for your life…’

Besides, I have a fear that God may want to impose on my comfort a little and take me somewhere else. Sigh, I don’t know God as I should. Like He’s a wicked God who enjoys suffering us.

A picture of St. Michael's Church at Obalende. Here we see the archangel Michael thrusting a spear through Satan provably depicting Revelation 12:7. Photocredit: Google

Where I live, it’s very easy to get to Yaba and Ojuelegba. Yaba provides the option of getting to Obalende, taking the Third mainland bridge through the Adekunle Bypass. This was my normal route. For 2 years, I used this route and became very familiar with the buses and their drivers. I also became familiar with my fellow Island buddies. On good days, we could get to Obalende in 10 - 15 minutes. On other days, the traffic on 3MB (third maintain bridge) would make us get to Obalende in roughly 25 — 30 minutes. Usually, I always listen to a message, read my bible, pray, meditate, or observe. For instance, I like the smell of the sea in the evening. When we’re speeding on the highway, I remember the song ‘Fast Car’ originally sung by Tracy Chapman. I like to see the waves overlapping and the boats with the fishermen casting their nets. I like the lights. Blinding lights (let me not mention the song that came to mind, haha).

You may find it weird but I observe people. I know, I know. One thing I am grateful for is how nobody tries to toast nobody. We have the morning prayers passengers, the Seyi Vibez passengers, early morning tonic devotional passengers, the ones who sleep, and then there’s me…watching, taking note of my surroundings. It’s helps me a lot. My mind subconsciously takes note of streets, buildings, billboards, etc. Occasionally, I may sit near a corporate guy who smells nice. Sometimes, I am tempted to compliment like ‘dang, brother, you smell nice’, but who born me to try it?

At Obalende, I search for Samson, the agbero in charge of the chain of buses going to Falomo. I board a bus and get to work, pretty uneventful.

Before I go further, I must explain the three types of Island workers in Lagos.

The Early Comers: these people can never come late to work. They live in places like Ikorodu, Oshodi, Mowe, Ikeja, Ogba, Iyana Paja, Abule Egba, Amuwo Odofin, Berger, Volks . Those far places. So they leave home by 4:30am, 5, and they ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS get to work early, unless there’s an unforseen mishap which is usually rare.
I love to struggle: this is my category. We live so close yet so far. It becomes far when you’re in the bus screaming at the driver who decided to take an unproductive shortcut by 7:30am. Someone taught me this hack to determine if I could get to work before 8; if we get to Adekunle by 7:20am, then there’s hope. We love the struggle of leaving the house between 6–7am, and the suspense that keeps us on the edge. Checking the time, calculating, screaming at the driver (I don’t do this, please).
The Gen Z workers: people who resume by 9am, 10am. They’re usually the mixed multitude with the Category 2 workers. The only difference is that they don’t struggle for buses because what do they have to lose? It’s people like them that you see gyming at Ifitness by 6am.

That being said, let’s talk about the Popular CMS, taking the Apongbon bridge Bypass from Ojuelegba.

I discovered this route last year when 3MB was closed down for repairs. The First two days were a breeze for me. I got to work on time. I enjoyed the sight and scenes. I was enthralled by the famous Kings College. Usually, I pick a random student I see and try to envision what he’s thinking about as he goes to school that day. We pass the popular high court at Igbosere (the court I always send my customers to sign their indemnity forms or do an affidavit), TBS — Tafewa Balewa Square for your church concerts and what have yous? And oh yes, the National Defence Headquarters (I wonder what they do there).

The Famous Kings College. I think it's the oldest school in Nigeria. Photo Credit: Google

I do not enjoy this route because I have to become a category 1 worker so I can get to work early. The traffic is thicker than 3MB’s traffic. But I admit that it can be hilarious watching people struggle for bus. I usually laugh under my breath after I also join in the struggle. It is the funniest thing you’ll see on a typical morning in Lagos.

There are people who are fully dressed, suited up, wigged up, shoed up. At the end of the day, it’s either they’ve lost one tooth after the tussle or their well polished shoe has been stained. Then there’s the no-stress dressers like me. We wear crocs, carry our shoes and wigs to work in our big bag with our lunch. Life’s easy.

What is the bane of this story?

Well, I remember one morning standing at CMS looking at the majestic First bank, UBA, Wema Bank, Union bank, the queues, the rush, the Ghanaian puff puff sellers (which is attractive to me), the novel sellers (I occasionally glance at them even though I know I can’t buy them), the lastma officials, the hausa men who sell vegetables, the bread sellers, the spice sellers (which reminds me of Motun and her DIYs), that majestic Anglican Cathedral with its beautiful architecture…