There exists certain laws in some countries that can only leave you raising your eyebrows in shock and curiosity as to what the lawmakers must have been thinking when they were making them. Though the laws may seem silly, ranging from what seems like an over-extension of personal principles to the the utterly ridiculous, they are deemed unlawful, and when flouted, can lead to arrest, or payment of fines. Laws like this make you understand why David Lynch, an American filmmaker once said “The whole world is wild at heart and weird on top”.
That being said, these are some of the laws you should take note of to save you from confusion, should you get arrested for the things the average Nigerian does every day without retribution, especially if you ever find yourself in any of these foreign countries. If you are part of team Japa like every average Nigerian, then this is definitely for you.
10. In Russia, it is unlawful to drive a dirty car and you could attract a hefty fine if you do. So whenever you are in Russia, ensure you make the car you want to drive as spotless as possible; Nigerian father's with male children must be smiling at this, leaving the male child grumbling.
9. In Thailand, you will be fined $600 if you spit chewing gum in public and in Singapore, you can be fined $100,000 or face up to 2 years in jail if caught chewing gum unless the chewing gum is bought from authorized medical personnel for dental or therapeutic purposes.
8. In Nairobi, Kenya, it is against the law to spit, blow or pick your nose in public. If you are caught doing any of these, you will be arrested on the spot.
7. In Switzerland, you will be guilty of causing noise pollution if you flush your toilet after 10pm. So whenever you are in that country, make sure you get your business done before 10pm.
6. In France, kissing is prohibited on trains but allowed on railway stations platform only if it is done before the train arrives. If you are travelling with someone you know you may feel the urge to kiss in public, you might want to avoid taking the train. Single pringles ( Like Mariam Babs) are smiling right now.
5. In China and Kerala, India, there is a two-child policy which grants couples the freedom to only have two children. This law was enforced to control population growth so if you are planning to move to these two places, know that you only have the liberty to have just two children. However, if you want a third child, get your coins ready because you have to pay money to the government for it, Elumelu and Dangote would have no problem having twenty children at this rate.
4. In Kenya and United Arab Emirates, it is illegal to use swear words and make offensive or rude gestures in public so hold your tongue if anyone angers you in public or face the risk of jail time or deportation. Those of you that drop f-bombs anyhow, better learn restraint now; imagine lasting only thirty minutes in Dubai, because you used a swear word at the airport.
3. In Thailand, it is legally required that everyone must wear their underwear when leaving the house so when in Thailand, remember that 'if you've got it, flaunt it' doesn't apply here.
2. In Singapore, it is illegal to connect to someone else’s wifi as this is considered hacking. Doing so can attract a $10,000 fine or three years in jail. This is considered normal in Nigeria especially student communities like OAU because everyone likes freebies. When next you want to connect to someone else’s wifi or you see that your phone has automatically connected to a stranger’s wifi, just remember that if you were in Singapore at that moment, you will be guilty of a crime.
1. In Milan, Italy, there is a law that requires people to smile at all times other than funerals or hospital visits. This is an ancient law that has been in existence for about two centuries in order to promote positivity amongst its residents and nobody has bothered to annul that decree. Hence whenever you are in the fashion capital of Italy, smile or else you are likely to be fined. Forget Portable and Olamide's advice on Zazoo, "ran jú" might just land you where you don't want.
At the end of the day, we realize some of this laws are not so bad, and countries like Nigeria might want to adopt some of them, especially the ones relating to hygiene and family planning. For the main time, we just might decide to contest for a law-making position and see if we can see any of those laws being made.
You know any other weird laws? Feel free to add in the comment section.
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