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  Thanks Sid. I was waiting for your take on this; with your experience of Nigeria, I knew you'd put it all into some perspective. Dontcha just hate religious bigotry, or indeed bigotry of any kind?
  
  The only input I can offer on Nigeria is the advice given to Foreign Office staff in the early 80s at their induction courses before being posted to Lagos (the old capital) or to the FCO consulate at Port Harcourt - I'm not sure if either office is still open, but in those days both were classed as 'Hard Postings' - which put them on a par with Russia, China and the Falkland Islands. The reason was culture and a curious anomaly in the law in which parties found guilty of causing death through dangerous or reckless driving were held financially responsible for the family of the victim. In the late 70s and early 80s this led to a spate of desperate parents pushing children in front of cars being driven by white men in the knowledge that they would be made to pay for the loss of their child. At Port Harcourt this was especially the case, as white people employed there were usually employees of Shell or BP - in other words, Oil rich and therefore loaded....... Probably more Wild West than the old Wild West itself, but desperate times drew desperate measures. The advice given to FCO employees at that time was 'If you hit a pedestrian in your car, don't stop under any circumstances.' Ye Gods.

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