From time immemorial, the toilet has always had one clearly defined purpose; a place of convenience, where people go to empty their bowels; pee, defaecate, wash hands and sometimes have their bath, depending on the design.
It was more of a place people visit mainly to flush out whatever they needed to from their system and vacate almost immediately. In fact, due to the nature of the wastes that go through the toilet and the attendant smell, it is often located in the inner part of the house, where users can have an exclusive use without putting others in discomfort.
One thing that readily comes to mind when talking about toilet is defaecation and peeing, but in modern days, the toilet has become a place where people, both men and women, relax, read magazines, newspapers and novels, play, think, watch movies, log in to social media sites, read memo, especially in the private office toilet, continue a movie, cut nails, play games (like Candy Crush, puzzle and sudoku), send mails, operate phones, do online banking and surf the internet, especially with the advent of smartphones, among other things.
Findings showed that some of the reasons for this extra activity in the toilet include the assurance of privacy, absence of external distractions, noise or physical interference by others and it qualifies as a respectable place nobody would barge into as long as somebody was inside.
With the exclusive occupation the toilet offers per time, most people who spoke with Saturday PUNCH said these reasons compel them to spend more than the usual time in the toilet, oftentimes doing things that require concentration.
Some noted that while reading or doing other things of interest, they tend to forget to clean up and wash their hands. These days, the phone seems like a compulsory item to take to the toilet, as attested to by the respondents.
For other reasons not known to many, the toilet has become a place where creative things are done, as some go with their jotters, to take notes.
This is possibly the reason why popular comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, referred to his toilet as his “library”, saying he would always go to the toilet with his phone and mobile devices. He noted that even when he wasn’t pressed to pee or poop, he could take his mobile devices and go to the toilet to think and reflect on issues.
“That is why I don’t joke with my toilet because it is about the only place where I feel left alone and I wouldn’t expect anyone to barge into,” he explained.
Adeyinka, who could not help but laugh when asked about the things he does in his toilet apart from peeing and defaecating, said he had found out that he does his best work in the toilet, “so I make full use of it.
“Even when I wake up in the middle of the night, apart from the fact that I don’t want to disturb, I just grab my tablet and phone and go there to think and such move has always been productive and worthwhile. Also, there is a game on my iPad that keeps me busy and I do a lot of surfing there.”
While reliving his experience with our correspondent on the telephone, Adeyinka wondered why there is about no other place where he derives the much concentration and speed in thinking and planning like his toilet.
He continued, “I do all my thinking and my organisation in my toilet. I run a daily broadcast programme and I do the planning there. I send and reply mails there, and suffice to say I do my best work in the toilet.
“My toilet is my own library and that is why I make sure my toilets are always clean and comfortable. That is where I feel left alone; nobody will just come and barge into me there when I’m doing number two. Apart from going there to pee or do number two, I go there deliberately to read. Anytime I need to do things that need utmost concentration, I just go to the toilet. I hope it’s not weird.”
Just like Adeyinka, one area that Femi Adeosun, a lawyer, does not joke with in his house is his toilet. Adeosun, whose property sits atop two plots of land in
