A local name used to describe the diagonally located backseat occupant in relation to the driver’s seat in a car in Nigeria. Imperials, Royalties and affluent people from time have always ridden in the back seat as they were being chauffeured around; be it in a Horse drawn Carriage or a Ford Model T.
This transcended to the Auto Era and as with the time when the Horse Carts had just 1 Hp, the back seat of Luxury cars were actually the most comfortable place to seat these cars as no expense was spared to keep these high profile occupants happy and comfortable to their next destination (which might have been to witness a Firing squad ( Idi- Amin had a Mercedes Benz 600). Today, these luxury cars come equipped with everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The connecting Dot here is Luxury and Car. So in summary for it to qualify to be an ‘owner’s corner’ it must be a luxury car. For the singular reason that in every other car model, the back seat occupants are not considered to be Semi- god’s and their comfort is not really paramount when designing the car.
For several years I have had to watch and see Nigerians abuse this hallowed position. I have seen people claim owner’s corner in Toyota Hiace Buses. When I was in Primary school we had a neighbor who rode constantly in the owner’s corner of His Molue!!!!!!!!!!! All of this was bearable until I saw a marketer in 1 nonsense microfinance bank claiming owners Corner in a Kia Picanto!!!!!!!
I was Livid to say the least, and even without technical knowledge of cars, anyone could see that the back seat of a Picanto is CRAMPPED!!!!!!!!!!!! Afterwards just like the eyes of a newly deflowered teenager I began seeing even more violators of this sacred position. I saw 1 lady push all the way to the limit the front passenger seat just so she could be comfortable in the “owner’s corner” of a 2005 Toyota Corolla. Her P/A’s frontal’s was right all up squashing the Dashboard (I won’t even tell you the sex of her P/A), but I can tell you if the Human rights people saw it they’d make a case for her (P/A).
Why on earth would you risk the life of another for a freaking status symbol????? If you own anything less than a Luxury car: and by definition that is a Mercedes S class, its equivalent and above and have a driver don’t even get in the “owners corner” because its half as comfortable as the front passengers seat.
Please, please this covers all you Camry, Accord owners. Yes even if it was yesterday’s model, these cars are classified as Mid size cars. So do us all a favor and get back in front. Pleaseeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!
LWKMD!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePerson go begin think say beef fit dey in this write-up...however, points are noted and sensible...
ReplyDeleteThere could be a possibility that some of these mid-sized cars are drifting away from the mid-sized category to a more luxurious as a consequence of the brand level they've created for themselves. Thats the very reason why we have varying sizes of sedans made by these auto companies...and the difference in look and feel between these sedans and the traditional camries and accords are significant....
...while they may not necessary fall into the category of the traditional luxury cars as we know them (having blue blood is solely a factor of the progenitor effect except bequeted on one by necessity), they may not be too far from this realisation...
Atleast, in Nigeria, while we have the traditional Obas, the real blue bloods e.g. the Oba of Benin, we also have the likes of the "Esagba of Benin" e.g. Igbinedion, who is not a blue blood, but by his acquired status is not very far from such...
Henry.
@ Henry... Very analytical as usual.
ReplyDeleteHowever, i may forgive 1 for sitting in the back of a camry( the Current model is a fattened, beefed up elder brother of the original Camry) but in the back seat of a picanto?
No never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!