Thursdays in the social media world are about throwbacks. Contents with the acronym TBT floods social media on this day of the week.
TBT stands for Throwback Thursday in this sense. It is the name of a weekly social media posting trend and hashtag game that people from all over the world use online to share and look back fondly on some of their favorite memories. This can relate to anything that happened in the past. Nigerians are not left out in this fever of #tbt therefore, we would be looking at five automobiles that were very popular on Nigerian roads in the past.
See also: Nigerian Traditional Dressing – Throwback Styles
Before the arrival of posh cars such as Range Rover, Hummer jeep and the rest, there have been cars that Nigerians used their hard-earned money to buy. These cars were seen frequently on the roads back in the days. Even though there are new models of these automobiles, when you look back, it’s as if they will stay on the roads forever but that’s not the case.
Here are five of the popular automobiles on Nigerian roads. They are listed in no particular order:
This is one of the classic cars that was made in the early days. Manufactured in Germany by the Volkswagen company, Beetle was one popular vehicle that also found its way to Nigeria. Different models were produced from 1950-1979 and now there is an upgrade to the series of models.
This vehicle, which takes the form of a beetle insect was the ride for the rich. It is a vehicle that stands the test of the rough and bad Nigerian roads. Some Nigerians refer to it as ‘tortoise’ because of its features.
This Paris-made automobile is one of the most widely used automobiles in Nigeria since the turn of independence. Different models of this vehicle were frequently seen on Nigerian roads among which were Peugeot 406, 504, 505 and so on.
In 1969, the then military government of General Yakubu Gowon made sure the automobile company has a manufacturing branch in Kaduna, Nigeria which was known as Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN). This vehicle was made for Nigerian roads. It is also the official car of top government officials back then. You’re definitely on top of your game if you own a Peugeot car in those days.
This is yet another German machine that is popular not only in Nigeria but worldwide. Mercedes is all about class and Nigerians are not left out in the use of this car, especially the rich and wealthy.
One of the popular models on Nigerian roads back then is the Mercedes C230 class and the Mercedes V-boot. Mercedes Benz was for the ‘made men’ in Nigeria, especially in the early 90s. New models of this brand are still in vogue even the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari can’t stay out of class by using a Mercedes-Maybach S560 as his official car.
Another German collection on this list is the BMW series. It was nicknamed ‘Be My Wife’ by Nigerians as they try to coin a meaning to the brand name BMW.
With a powerfully built engine, this car was frequently seen on Nigerian roads especially in the new century (the 2000s). It is a break from the norm as Mercedes and Peugeot are the most used then. The 1975 BMW 2002 model is one simple but classic automobiles you would see from Lagos to Jos, and every parts of the country.
A product of the Jaguar Land Rover Company, Land Rover was one of the top-four wheel drives on Nigerian roads. It is one of the first sets of jeeps you would see in this part of the world.
The Land Rover Defender model is a popular model that is used especially by the army. It is a very good vehicle for driving through the Nigerian rough roads. Land Rover is now being displaced by Range Rover and other classic jeeps from various automobile manufacturers even though it is not extinct.
Which of these do you use those days? You can add your favorite collection back in the days if your taste differs. Thanks for taking the time to read this piece.