India, Nigeria: Alike, yet different

India and Nigeria as similar in several ways yet also different, our reporter observed during a recent visit to Mumbai the capital of Maharashtra in India.  Everywhere across Mumbai our reporter visited recently, there were elements about everyday life to remind her of home and how so similar the metropolitan city is Nigeria’s metropolitan cities, […]

India and Nigeria as similar in several ways yet also different, our reporter observed during a recent visit to Mumbai the capital of Maharashtra in India. 

Everywhere across Mumbai our reporter visited recently, there were elements about everyday life to remind her of home and how so similar the metropolitan city is Nigeria’s metropolitan cities, Abuja and Lagos. But there were also elements that make the difference glaring as expected from countries on different continents.

A view of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, departure lounge

Haggling experience 
On arrival at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, which was formerly  Sahar International Airport, at the taxi/car park lounge one will notice a deficit of vehicles that do not commensurate with the number of people exiting the airport. After trying unsuccessfully to get a cab for about two hours  because the hotel I was to lodge at had no airport shuttle, I noticed an E-metered taxi stand  and made enquiries and to my uttermost surprise I was told that the taxi drivers are on strike which was expected to last  three days ‘Oh my God! please not in India too’ was my reaction.
In Nigeria where petrol price hike or scarcity is often the cause for taxi strike, I asked if there was fuel scarcity and fortunately I was told that the strike had to do with the Unions.
I deduced if they were on strike then there would be private car owners just like in Nigeria who wanted to make quick buck from the situation. On getting one, the scene that followed could be re-enacted at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja or Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos without any change in the script and characters, just the actors.
The person who told me he had a taxi later turned out to be a ‘taxi conductor’ who gets paid a certain commission for getting a passenger. Secondly since I was clearly a foreigner because of skin colour and the fare was inflated by about 900 percent. Lucky for me, I had inquired about the estimated fare to my location, but having that knowledge still did not help me. I still had to pay three times the normal fare despite the back and forth haggling which took another 30 minutes.
Of course I later learnt that in Mumbai you are expected to haggle even in some of the shops that have price tags on the items irrespective of whether you are a foreigner or not.

India B.E.S.T mass transit buses that are similar to Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Abuja Urban Mass transit popularly referred to as El-Rufai.

The transport system
One thing expected from a country with a population above a billion is to have a good and alternative transportation system which was evident in Mumbai as aside from the yellow iconic taxis, there were rickshaws, long buses, mini buses, Mumbai sub urban railway, the Mumbai monorail, bicycles and an astounding number of motorcycles which are not used for commercial purposes.
In Lagos there is the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) in Abuja the Urban Mass popularly referred to as El-rufai buses as Mumbai has its own version which is referred to as Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). They make several rounds overflowing with passengers during rush hours.
Then there is the tricycle which they call ‘auto,’ meaning auto rickshaw which Nigerians call ‘Keke Marwa’ or ‘Keke NAPEP.’ In Mumbai, autos seem to have access to more places whereas in Nigeria their routes are strictly restricted. The Mumbai’s tricycles are all metered therefore a passenger is expected to pay according to the distance or time spent even though a handful of the drivers echo, ‘meter, bad!’ But if you decline to board, the meter miraculously starts working.
There are lots of motorcycles in Mumbai which look more like a power-bikes as against those obtainable in Nigeria. In Nigeria they are mostly used for commercial transport system in sub-urban and rural regions or satellites town of urban cities with the driver or passenger more often than not wearing a helmet. In Mumbai such bikes abound in the metropolis with the driver always wearing a helmet and the passengers rarely wearing one.

In Mumbai all roads, pavements, lanes streets are tiled

Roads and power Supply
The roads in Mumbai whether for vehicles, pavements, street roads or lines are all paved and tiled in addition the power supply was stable as not once was there an outage during our reporter’s stay.

The people
Just like in Nigeria giving monetary tips in India is more in practice and almost a right. It is not uncommon for you to hear ‘and now you have something for me’ after getting a delivery or service. Even some drivers expect a tip after a passenger has paid his fare.
Curiously a good percentage of the locals on the street, who are friendly or probably curious (because when you stop to ask one person for direction a number of people gravitate towards you), do not seem able to speak English but actually read English. More often than not when I spoke, I got a blank stare then a rush of words in the local dialects with hand gestures asking for the paper where the address is written.
A keen observer would notice in Nigeria that aside from special events, it is mostly older people who wear traditional African clothing as younger ones prefer Western attires. Such is the case in Mumbai as it is often the older people who are clad in traditional clothing while the younger ones are clothed Western style and have an affinity for carrying back packs.
India has the executive, legislative and judicial arm of government just like in Nigeria, similarly despite having Abuja as capital and India, New Delhi as its capital they both have an unofficial financial capital which is Lagos for Nigeria and Maharashtra, Mumbai for India. Even with over a billion people India is still not the most populous Asian country as it places second behind China. Nigeria with about 150, million people is the most populous country in Africa.

The food
Food in India is generally classified into vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes which do not apply in Nigeria. The cuisines for each classification are vast as there are many dishes or options to choose from with accompanying appetizers and desserts. 
At a restaurant in Mumbai it took me more time to place an order than to finish the meal as the menu had five sections with more than six options and in each section you are expected to make about two choices, you are even provided with a pencil and eraser to tick.
Their dishes are also famous for their curries and chai-tea. The street food culture is apparent in the several stalls and movable kiosks spotted with food vendors doling out foods they prepare in before the buyer. The street food varies depending on the region. In Maharashtra some of them are vada paav, sabudana vada, panipuri, vada brown sada and gola.

Trying on the traditional Indian saree while being assisted by two shop attendants

The market
One thing you notice in Mumbai is that shops do not open at the break of dawn until late into the morning at about 10 to 11 am and remain open till late into the night. This as our reporter was told is because it was a tourists’ town.
The markets consist of large malls, open street market where sellers build stalls attached to the malls and other specialized markets like the spice market. There are also those who display their wares in bowls or trays on busy roads. This is a sight common to Nigeria. 
There is also the hawking when there is heavy traffic just like one can see in Nigeria.
Once you enter a shop irrespective of the size after the enthusiastic welcome next comes the questioning session to size-up the customer. The first thing they want to know is the country you are from, then your profession, the hotel you are and duration of your stay. This is followed by the reason you are in India. The last question is ‘what is your name?’ 
The number of sales attendant in some shops can be overwhelming as I counted over fifteen in one apparel shop. If one as much as glances at an item, an attendant instantly brings it to you for a closer perusal and before you object to a colour another has an alternative for you. 
And they do these with the skills of expert salesmanship without ever loosing the friendly smiles they flash at you.
One thing that stands out is that aside from the fact that several of the standard shops accept different kinds of e-payment they also accept a wide number of currencies, but interestingly, not only the Indian rupees.