In Togo, the Toyota Land Cruiser model, in the picture, has acquired the iconic status of the car of the oppressor or the regime.
When people see you in that kind of car they are fearful, on their guard, either avoid interaction or wear a submissive fake broad signal meaning ´don’t hurt me’.
Indeed, most of the powerful people of the regime drive that model of car.
The wife of one of the regime man use to go to market with her own modest car. One day however her car was broken and she has to use the car of her husband. Once she arrived at the market with the car of the oppressor, the market ladies became fearful, some altogether avoided her, some declined to sell her, and the easy and friendly interaction she used to enjoy instantly disappeared. You never know what these people could do to you.
After that repulsive experience in the market, she never went to market again with the oppressors car.
That Toyota car has acquired here the same horror inducing status like the British Land Rover colonial car or the SS nazi cars.
People who are not affiliated with the regime but want to convey fear and command authority buy the Toyota Land Cruiser car.
If a friend would visit you with that model of car, you are likely to be seen as someone to fear, someone to not mess with.
Do you also have such kind of oppressor car in your country?
Once Togo will be freed from the current oppressive regime, that model of car would go to the museum of oppression displayed for facilitating so much oppression.
