The Adventure of Their Lives

When news of the Bola Tinubu administration's supplemental budget from November of last year leaked out, many Nigerians and observers of Nigerian politics reacted with a mixture of incredulity and outrage that the nation's roughly 460 lawmakers would receive imported sport utility vehicles (SUVs) at a cost of more than $150,000 apiece. When asked to defend the expenses at a time when most Nigerians were having difficulty making ends meet, a few lawmakers pointed to "the ability of the SUVs to withstand the poor road conditions in Nigeria" and claimed, ironically, that the cars were necessary for them to perform their daily jobs.
It says a lot when it mentions bad road conditions. The condition of Nigeria's roadways has come to represent the nation's infrastructure crisis over time, serving as a grim reminder of the unbreakable link between crumbling roads and, from a political and financial standpoint, choosing the wrong path. In the 1990s, as the nation's highway system deteriorated, more Nigerians adopted SUVs made to withstand rough terrain, particularly because of their increased ground clearance. The need to repair and improve poorly maintained roads gradually gave way to growing social pressure to possess and drive an SUV as a status symbol of "arrival." The Mercedes Benz was eventually dethroned by the SUV as the "king of the road," with owners being able to brag that "My Mercedes is bigger than yours."
The SUV replaces the Mercedes Benz, an indication of even more profound shifts in societal mores. The first is the recognition of poor infrastructure, malfunctioning roads, and general deterioration as unavoidable societal realities. The all-purpose SUV is the physical representation of an ascending cultural harshness, a mechanical encapsulation of deteriorating relationships in towns increasingly losing their social coherence, if the Mercedes Benz was for silky roads in kinder days. Furthermore, the analogy doesn't end there. In keeping with the previous assessment, the SUV and the Mercedes Benz serve as counterpuntal allusions to very distinct historical periods.
Positioned at the pivotal point where social and physical mobility converge, the SUV also eloquently embodies a certain brand of Nigerian machismo. This essential role of male success must be understood in the context of the crisis of [male] becoming, a persistent societal opportunity freeze that has significantly increased the pressure on young men to find employment, start a family, and "make something" of their life. If owning a car is a means to declare that one has at last "become somebody," then an SUV is the ultimate symbol of distinction, unquestionably proving that the owner has broken with the "oppressed" and is now officially a member of the "oppressor" class. For the middle-aged "Aristo" who is anxious to sign.
One cannot overstate the advantages SUV ownership has for society. First of all, the SUV provides unmatched defense against the ugliness of daily life in urban Nigeria, including annoying "Area Boys" and other miscreants in society as well as intimidating police officers. God is the one driving the all-powerful Prado from a lofty position. The owner of an SUV is frequently given the benefit of the doubt at the checkpoint, when Nigeria's many class contrasts are sadly brought to light. This treatment of SUV owners is exclusive to them and does not apply to drivers or owners of less imposing vehicles. This conveys a very clear message: the quality of your wheels is often strongly tied to the level of social deference you receive.

It is scarcely unexpected that the SUV is also a source of spiritual longing given the influence of religion on society in the nation. If testimonials from churches are any indication, the SUV is the ultimate request for those pleading for "divine favor" and the indisputable evidence of the concept for those who have already benefited from it. The SUV serves as a medium of exchange between pastors and their flocks inside the church. It is what a grateful parish offers to its pastor as a thank you, and what pastors give back to a few parishioners in exchange.