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The way we are
JONAS ODOCHA
IN
this day and age the world map has shrunk significantly,
thanks to science and technology. In the same vein the world is gleefully
referred to as a global village. In essence, all continents and countries have
acquired the status of a goldfish, nowhere to hide and nothing to hide. It is
therefore extremely important for us to know that as a country, and a component
part of this global village, we in Nigeria are continuously under the watchful
eyes of the rest of the village.
In the very recent past, some events in
Nigeria of unrelated magnitude, as relayed in the international media, should
teach us that whatever happens here in Nigeria has the tendency to attract media
attention. However, the issue remains the impact this tends to have on our
collective national image, whether it is positive or negative. In whatever
direction this does go, it all reveals the way we are. No cosmetics or image
laundry will alter that mindset as perceived by the rest of the global society.
We all suddenly woke up to learn of a
missing ocean-going ship from our waters. As in journalistic parlance, it is not
that a dog bit a man but rather that a man bit the rear of a dog. It was a case
of disappearance of a ship detained under the directives of Mr. President and
C-in-C; a ship involved in daylight crude oil theft, which phenomenon has been
eroding our internal security and denying us of badly needed revenue.
Commentators in the world media still find it difficult to understand why such a
high profile, highly visible target merited a seemingly cursory security
beef-up. But that�s the way we are. We are even lucky that the NNPC management
could evacuate the stolen commodity in good time before this disappearance
drama. Otherwise it would have been a case of the thieves smiling away with the
ship and its cargo of crude, to the spot market, selling it off at the current
out-of-sight price. For us back home, we are only hearing of attempted
mouth-watering financial inducements for the release of the ship coupled with
buck-passing of security responsibilities. The international community is
surprised that real heads have not yet rolled while serious and structured
investigations are on-going. But that�s the way we are.
The other event to be mentioned here, of a
completely different but recurring nature in this clime, revolves around the
treatment meted to the female soccer stars, the Falcons. They answered the
national call to represent their country in South Africa, to play football
finals against a country we should all be glad to wallop, for both psychological
and political reasons. In that very familiar cliche, they came, they saw and
they conquered. What happened next? Their allowances could not be paid to them
in South Africa at the end of the competition and they therefore opted to stay
put in Jo�burg, until the NFA or the sponsoring ministry fulfilled their own
obligation to them. However, the Falcons did not check themselves into the
hotel, as their sponsors had that responsibility. Refusal to leave the hotel and
fly back to Nigeria meant exposing themselves to new conditions at the hotel.
Unfortunately for them, they were to be reminded by the hotel authorities that
hotel accommodation is not equivalent to UNHCR refugee camp. The sporting world
could not understand why a team that won an international competition would not
be celebrated, rather the officials and players, all of the same country and all
victorious, would rather engage in scenes in a hotel in a foreign land.
Meanwhile, the opposing team that lost and ended up as runners-up, had its own
members recognised and feted as they made for the shops in downtown Jo�burg,
enjoying themselves on their fat allowances delivered to them on the spot. Once
again, the officials and the ministry are passing the buck and very soon the
Falcons will have their wings clipped, laying the foundation to the demise of
female soccer in Nigeria. May this not be our portion. But that�s the way we
are.
The other event that happened here in our
blessed country, actually shook the world or rather rattled America. Crude oil
price suddenly crossed the fifty dollar mark, signifying an all-time high.
Nigeria, by itself is not OPEC but is in OPEC, but how come the country was
labelled by the international media and community as being responsible or rather
contributing to this crude oil price tremor. A group of riverine militants in
the oil prolific Niger Delta had threatened to flush out expatriate oil workers
in the region and terminate crude production in the Niger Delta. The world
caught cold and Nigeria was again in the news of the world. The situation was
salvaged by the dexterity of Mr. President and his genuine advises, and good
sense prevailed among the warring factions in that region. But who would have
believed that that subtle threat could impact so much on the world economy. Did
we realise that our God-given crude was such a weapon that could command world
attention, not only financially but also politically. Yet some Nigerians will
prefer to engage foreign crooks and the like to steal it or frustrate its
production. But that�s the way we are.
On the very local level, two other events
remind us all of the way we are. On a Saturday afternoon in Victoria Island,
Lagos a young lady holidaying in Nigeria was driving in the company of her
fellow UK student. They lost their bearing and the lady driver had veered into
the next street to ask for direction. A policeman suddenly jumped onto the
street to stop the car and was directly by the bonnet of her car. Quickly
swerving away to the right to avoid running over the policeman, she had hit an
on-coming �okada� man who was carrying a heavily pregnant woman. Sighting blood,
the lady and her friend rushed out of the car to attend to the accident victims
who had also shattered part of the car fenders. The policeman promptly informed
them that they were on a one-way street and failed to stop when he jumped onto
the road to stop them, leading to the accident. As they tried to carry the
pregnant woman into their car, the policeman was busy deflating the tyres to
their car, asking them to go and use a taxi, as their car must be impounded.
There are many questions that may be asked but must we degenerate to this level
of meanness in the handling or treatment of minor offences? But that�s the way
we are.
On national television the other night,
there was the spectacle of parading of policemen caught extorting money from
motorists along the highway. The issue of road blocks and presidential order for
their discontinuation continues to be ignored.
It was gladdening to hear the commissioner of police,
Lagos State, asking Nigerians not to offer bribes to policemen on check point
assignment. I doubt whether any private or commercial vehicle owner would
deliberately offer bribe to policemen without some degree of prompting. It is
the intimidation or rather gruesome manner of demand that forces motorists to
part with their squeezed N20 notes. Have we not been hearing of drivers and
conductors and even passengers who have died from gun shot wounds by policemen
who were not given the mandatory "toll fee." You need to feel free to travel
from the Asaba end of the Niger bridge to Port Harcourt or Enugu and you will
marvel at the level of effrontery in the demand and extortion by policemen on
the numerous road blocks. At times we are told that some of these are
unauthorised. But who are you to question these men, who are wearing official
police uniforms and you can also see their vehicles parked close by. The
question is, why so much emphasis on vehicles and vehicle papers? Must we
release policemen to man road blocks every inch of our highway? Yet when you
call for police assistance in course of a robbery or accident you are readily
informed that there is manpower shortage or vehicle shortage. Numerous citizens
have shouted themselves hoarse on this matter, especially what transporters and
motorists go through along the poorly maintained roads in the East of this
country. But then who cares? But that�s the way we are.
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