Political Reform
So Nigeria is in a quagmire. It’s in a state of confusion of what it is, what it wants to be and how it hopes to get there. Previously what we wanted was the end of military rule and a return to democracy. We didn’t spend much time on what democracy means to us and what type of government structure will best suit us. Should we have accepted the Constitution handed to us by the military in 1999 as a perennially binding document to be the basis of an enduring democracy? Should we have clamoured for a clause within the Constitution that compelled the NASS to produce ‘our’ democratic Constitution, under a democratic government before the expiration of its first full term cycle? (more…)
“Nigeria On Auto Pilot, Let’s Rally To Save her!” ~ APC World Press Conference
Nigeria On Auto Pilot, Let’s Rally To Save her!
Being text of a World Press Conference addressed by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, in Lagos on May 11th 2014 on Boko Haram and Nigeria’s security situation
Good morning gentlemen!Today is Sunday May 11th 2014…..exactly 26 days after over 200 of our daughters in Chibok, Borno State, were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents. Twenty six days later, we neither know where they are nor are we any close to knowing it, going by available information. Yet, 11 more girls have been abducted in Warabe. (more…)
Governor Murtala Nyako, Boko Haram and Rest of us ~ Part 3
Concluding part started from Part 1 and Part 2
Part 3 – The Ugly
The Governor’s letter highlights some ugly realities. He is convinced that Boko Haram is the creation of the Jonathan-led administration as he called them “phantom” at some point. Unfortunately, I’ve heard a number of persons around me reiterate this view when their guards are down. My wife is about the most practical person I know in my life and she has taught me to always call something green when it is green. It is not emerald or turquoise but green (why she chose green, till this day I do not know). The simple lesson is this: DO NOT LIVE IN DENIAL. It always aggravates the problem. (more…)
Nagging Questions – For Nyanya, For Chibok……A Poem By Eghe Osadolor [@euphoria9ja]
Growing up in the North was fun;
People that spoke different from me were my friends and brothers.
In the East, I could not understand their language too
But I never had to watch my back around them; we were like family. (more…)
Governor Murtala Nyako, Boko Haram and Rest of us ~ Part 2
Continued from Part 1
Part II – The Bad
Gov. Nyako’s letter was written in bad taste; the intention was not to deal a decisive solution to the problem but to exacerbate an already bad situation. The letter is not about the thousands of lives that have been lost or about compensation for their families. Its not about finding the hundreds of girls who have been kidnapped for weeks nor is it about unmasking the militia men behind these attacks (since they are not Boko Haram, according to him). The intention is simply to warn everyone who cares to listen that the people in his state must be allowed to vote at the forthcoming elections. Every other argument being put forward is only to lend support to this one singular objective. (more…)
Governor Murtala Nyako, Boko Haram and Rest of us ~ Part 1
I just read Gov. Murtala Nyako’s (Adamawa state) letter to the Northern Governor’s forum. As a principle of life, I have come to realize that there are usually several sides to any discussion. For simplicity’s sake, I would classify these as good, bad and ugly. This first piece is about the good side of the letter. (more…)
Stain
This flash fiction was Othuke Ominiabohs’s entry for First Bank’s The Writer Competition. It is the story about a phenomenon that isn’t uncommon in Nigeria, in Africa. The issue of abuse of the girl child. I present to you this short story, titled STAIN. Enjoy (more…)
Raising Noble Sons: A Task for Our Generation.
Saturday, March 8, was International Day of the Woman. A day that has been set aside to celebrate women worldwide and cast the spotlight on issues that affect them.
Recently in Lagos, a young man was sentenced to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his wife. The murder was the aftermath of an issue of domestic violence, something that is rather prevalent in our part of the world. So many marriages have packed up in record time because of this, a man who does not see his wife as someone who should be handled with care, a man who sees a misunderstanding with his woman as a fight to the finish. (more…)
Stephen Keshi for CAF Presidency in 2018? – By Akintayo Ayo-Bamisaye
The thoughts around the next CAF president have been swirling round my head since the re-election of Isa Hayatou for another 5-year term in 2013. I will not go into the intrigues of how that election transpired or the events that led to it. The fact of the matter is that the man Isa Hayatou is firmly in the driver’s seat as far as African football is concerned. (more…)
ASUU’s Side of The Story
The back and forth, propaganda, truths and half truths that have trailed this particular instalment of the unending episodes of strikes by University lecturers continues.
The Government has dishonourably stuck to its gun not to honour an agreement it reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities in 2009, as captured by an MOU between both parties in 2012. (more…)
A Tale of A People In Search of The Light At The End of The Tunnel
This is a reproduction of a an “article” I wrote on twitter…I called it a twitter blog. Bonne lecture.
Open Letter to Mohammed Abubakar, Inspector General of Police, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dear Sir,
I am a scared citizen. (more…)
Weed: What if We Legalise It?
A while back, the social media space in Nigeria was jolted by the release of 2 “monster” tracks from Nollywood actress and bad mouth, Tonto Dikeh. The drops were so unnerving and received unpopular acclaim that they got up to 3 million downloads (according to gist). Tonto’s camp seem to see this as a confirmation of how successfully her fledgling musical career has taken off. (more…)
Lagos – The Money Maker vs. The Law Breaker
Dubai is one of the most beautiful and luxurious cities in the world. This is mostly due to its architectural masterpieces. A lot has been invested into making that paradise on the waste lands of Arabia what it is today. (more…)
State of The Union 3: Season of failures, lies, and sedition.
The olympics is over, in its wake it has left legends, world record shatterers and Team Nigeria.
While we were all glued to our TVs and Youtube, and while NBC left our American brethren back in time, things were happening in the motherland, things that will in no way escape this writer’s scrutiny.
Welcome to the State of the Union report.
London Calling
When D’Tigers qualified for an historic first appearance at the Olympics, and with Blessing Okagbare winning an inspiring Diamond meets final 100m race, Nigerians were in high spirits, with high hopes that we were going in for the killing at the 2012 Olympic games. We were very certain that the bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics, Chika Chukwumerije will shine like a thousand stars.
The Famous Team Nigeria of 2012 -See Their fine dresses, how much of the 2.2 bn naira went to making these?
Then the failures began.
One after the other, like a pack of cards, our Olympians faltered. There were clear signs of a poorly prepared band of revellers, who were in London to see the Queen (same Queen that made her entrance known to them by jumping out of an helicopter with no other person than the super hero of yon, James Bond…yeah, they could have fooled me!). Many made it to the final, only to come last or somewhere close to the back. Even Blessing Okagbare came last, leading to many Nigerians wondering if Warri’s claim to not carrying last is not questionable.
On social media, the Minister of Sport and his tenders were engaged in many firefights with distraught Nigerians who couldn’t understand why a Jamboree with a claimed price tag of 2.2 billion naira of taxpayers money couldn’t even at least fetch us a Bronze medal, a medal valued at less than $5!
Ok, I will not look back in anger, but I will ask that, like many of the other countries that went for the Olympics, we should start preparations right now for Rio 2016. We can’t afford to go to that particular event and disgrace ourselves in front of a stadium filled with some of the world’s prettiest women. I hope someone is listening.
And Asari Dokubo Is Still Walking Free
In the heady days of military rule, merely uttering the possibility of you and your guys going to war against any part of Nigeria normally gets the NSO (as they were known then) or the SSS(as they are known now) on your case. They normally duly round up anyone who has ever taken a loan from you, ever given you a loan, or ever said good morning to you. That is after they must have sent you and your gang of braggers to Bama jail, a prison surrounded by a lake filled with angry, malnousrished reptiles. I digress.
Alhaji Asari Dokubo – I wonder what he is saying now
After making the kinds of seditious comments he made last week, Asari Dokubo is still s free man. Says alot about how scared our dear President is, to the point that he now relies on ex-militants and warlords to help him bark.
I can’t wait for 2015. Enough said.
LASTMA, Who Really Killed Your Guy?
On Friday the 10th of August, Mrs. Yinka Johnson, a mother of 3 (including a 2 month old infant), and banker was accused of driving against traffic in the Ajah area of Lagos. Operatives of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency, in their usual very efficient manner, swung into action to apprehend, most likely their first under the new traffic laws, the culprit.
They might stop Jumping in front of moving vehicles now.
By the time the dust of this apprehension settled, a LASTMA operative lay on the asphalt struggling to hang on to his life. He failed, as he was Dead on Arrival at the hospital. This automatically turned a simple traffic offence into one of the, potentially, most high profile cases of murder between the Government and a citizen. Mrs. Yinka Johnson has been accused of murder, for running over the LASTMA operative while trying to make good her escape.
Now, many questions than answers have been raised about this very queer incident. Eyewitness reports have severally insisted that the dead man was run over by a commercial vehicle, known in local parlance as “Danfo”. There are even pictures going around which show a towing vehicle parked in front of a stationary SUV said to be the vehicle that Mrs. Johnson was accused of committing murder with, at the location of the said crime. So where then does the story of her running into Ikota Estate and getting protection from the security guards come in? What does LASTMA stand to achieve by pinning a crime as grevious as murder on another person? Has it occured to LASTMA that if eventually Mrs. Johnson is found innocent the Agency will end up in calumny? Calumny that even the State Government will not hesitate to sacrifice the LASTMA agents involved in this for?
It is my sincere hope that the Police does its job properly on this, and come out with the truth without fear or favour at the end of the day. The nation watches as this drama unfolds, and observers are also keenly observing.
In Conclusion
God bless Nigeria and also bless educated grown men like the American Farooq Al Amin that you don’t just go on TMZ and give s response like “I am not Nigerian, I am from Atlanta, my Dad is the one from there” to a trick question by a gang of bored journalist who are sitting behind cubicles waiting for the next “dende” to make a fool of.
Update [3:15pm, 14th August, 2012]
Murder charge against Mrs. Yinka Johnson will not be pursued by the Police after overwhelming evidence show she isn’t guilty of the death of the LASTMA operative.
The Solemnity of a United Nigeria.
Where there is unity there is always victory. – Publilius Syrus
The now so fashionable call for the division of Nigeria by a section of the country, attributed by them to the upsurge of bombing and gun attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist group on the North, is in my opinion a validation that jumping on the bandwagon is way more dangerous than rumor mongering.
All over the place, mostly on Social media, the misconception and “maldirection” of opinions has become most evident. Many have caught on with the “Nigeria must break up” mantra without actually understanding why or making an attempt to actually figure out if there is really any meat behind the clamor.
Let us now make a sincere attempt to analyze the activities of Boko Haram in the North, in relation to the cry for secession. Let us also look into recent history to see the things that led to break ups in countries like Sudan/ South Sudan and India/ Pakistan. These are some of the countries that many of the proponents of the division have being pointing at to back their claims.
The Boko Haram terrorist group has, from their very first national appearance in 2009, kept their operations solely in the Northern part of Nigeria. Even in their reincarnation as a blood thirsty band of arsonists and marauders, they have hit only locations in the core North and Abuja. They have consistently hit government and religious institutions (both Muslim and Christian). Over 80% of their victims have been Northerners, members of the armed forces and security agencies. Many say they have targeted Southerners living in the North particularly. That is not true as there is no evidence to back that.
So why then are certain people asking that Nigeria be divide and broken up along North/South lines because of Boko Haram’s activities. Are these people making these demands because they don’t want what is befalling the North right now to swing to them when Boko Haram somehow runs out of Northern targets? Or these people are making these division demands because Boko Haram has offered them an opportunity to push their agenda in the face of the confusion, panic, and fear that the new wave of terrorism has brought upon our land?
I am yet to see the connection between Boko Haram’s insurgency in the North and the threat to Nigeria’s unity. A country can’t just break up because a group of people have gone up in arms against the nation as a unit.
Let us look at examples of countries that have split in recent history and see if their circumstances have any semblance with ours.
Sudan/ Southern Sudan
In January 2011, Sudan held a referendum in which people of the Southern voted overwhelmingly for separation. The reasons for this popular breakup were solely due to the difference in religious beliefs and bullying. The people of the South are predominantly Christians or Traditionalists, but successive governments controlled by the North of Sudan, due to their control of the military and population, decided to enforce Sharia Law on the whole nation. This led to a Southern rebellion which culminated in the negotiated split. Let me emphasis, an attempt by the North of Sudan to force religion down the throat of the South led to a need to split, so that the Muslims in the North can have their way with Sharia and other Sudanese in the South can have their secularity. There was a clear case of oppression here. That is not the case in Nigeria.
India/ Pakistan
Once again, religion plays up ugly here. India and Pakistan became 2 separate countries because the Muslims of Pakistan and the Hindus of India just couldn’t stand each other in the long run. The Hindus went their way and the Muslims kept their own peace. The division was done cleanly, Muslims separate, Hindus separate. Is that possible in Nigeria? Are the Muslims of Southern extraction (we even have Igbos who are Muslim) a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria? Is the vast majority of the Muslims from the North (minus Boko Haram) a threat to Nigeria? My humble answer is a resounding No!
The foregone raises a few questions as to the motives and expected outcomes of the ongoing murmur for a Nigerian breakup:
- Does a lack of development and an overwhelming prevalence of systemic corruption a result of the country existing along North/South lines?
- Is this call for a breakup along North/ South lines a first step towards Nigeria breaking up into fiefdoms and tiny pieces? The South-South is already making veiled threats of seceding too.
- Can anyone really point at a direct correlation between Boko Haram’s activities and a threat to Nigeria’s Unity, considering the fact that Boko Haram has not taken their dastardly acts beyond the North of Nigeria and hasn’t particularly stated that they are out to kill non-Northerners?
- Shouldn’t we rather than ask for a break up of Nigeria show sympathy to the masses of the North who have somewhat become used to bereavement in the face of the activities of a group that says it is fighting the Islamic cause but has being killing adherents of the religion, both the congregation and the clergy?
- Shouldn’t we instead hold the government of the day responsible for the sudden insecurity of lives and property, for the sudden realization that our lives and reputation as a people have been changed from how we used to know it?
- Now that MEND, a South-South armed group, has come back to the business of terrorism, should another section of the country begin to ask that whatever is left of Nigeria break away from the Niger Delta?
Questions upon questions that we, as an educated, enlightened, and unbigoted people, should ask ourselves and provide answers to. Nigeria is stronger as a unit, where all the constituent ethnic groups come together and chart a course that will lead us all to a common good. We have all intermarried, we have forged solid friendships that have stood the test of time, we do business with each other, neither religion nor tribe has come in our way even now. We shouldn’t allow subtle calls from elements of discord cloud our God given abilities to make sound, informed judgments, we shouldn’t allow these elements to hoodwink us into believing our neighbors have plans to destroy us, we shouldn’t allow politicians, who have continued to collectively sodomize us push us any further into turning Xenophobes. We shouldn’t let the antics of a few who have been trying to play on our emotions and sentiments defeat our humanity. It isn’t a case of friction between Northerners and Southerners, but a war between us the people and the few who have continued to do everything within their Political and Financial powers to keep us subjected to them. We shouldn’t be conduits for their whims; we shouldn’t be a voice to their evil plots. We owe this to ourselves and our unborn children.
May God help us all.
What if Biafra Had Succeeded?
The demise of the Ikemba of Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegu Ojukwu, once again gives us the opportunity to reflect on the Biafran fight for independence which led to the Nigerian Civil War. A war that led to deaths the number of which no one can really say precisely, though we have figures between running 100,000 and 2,000,000.
That war was fought and lost, but I will like to try and figure out what things could have looked like if the rag tag army of Biafra had prevailed and Gen. Philip Effiong read a victory speech and not that of surrender.
War broke out because of the lingering sense of insecurity and a feeling of not being wanted that the Igbos felt after the many riots in the North that led to truck and train-loads of bodies being shipped back to the East. The Igbos felt it was time to hit it out on their own in a country of their own where they will be full entitled citizens.
In all of these, the main aggrieved party (at least as largely captured by historians) were the members of the Igbo speaking tribes of Eastern Nigeria. I can’t remember any accounts of the other tribes that existed in the old Eastern Region getting the treatment the Igbos got. Some of these minority tribes (let me call them that) are those that now form what is known in present day Nigeria as the Niger Delta. This was where the wealth of Nigeria then (and even now) was situated. This I also suspect was why Nigeria fought so hard to make sure Biafra didn’t come to fruition. This was where we hard the oilfields.
If the agitation for self actualisation and independence by Biafra had happened in the present day, I have a strong feeling it would have succeeded, look at South Sudan, and to a small extent Benghazi in Libya (before Ghaddafi’s elimination). If Biafra had succeeded, what in the long run would have become the fate of this new country? Let me guess.
- The minority tribes, especially the Niger Delta, might have remained minority and they probably may have still been subjected to the degradation they are having to grapple with today due to oil exploration and exploitation
- The core Igbos might probably have felt they were more entitled because they were the ones who suffered originally from the hands of the North, and they were the valiant ones who spearheaded the war and lost more people. Other regions might have become marginalized.
- Biafra might not have been any different from what Nigeria is today, the powerful ethnic groups subjecting the less powerful ones. In the end, the minority groups might have began agitations for more recognition, and respect, just like we have in present day Nigeria.
- Considering accounts from books written about the war, Major General Alex Madiebo’s story for example, Biafra might probably have become mis-governed and mismanaged, probably governed by an iron fist by a leader who might eventually have become a despot, another sit tight African leader.
On the flip side, Could Biafra have become a glowing example of prosperity? A country so successful at commerce and industry, a rich country in black Africa, that former masters like Nigeria might have come to it to borrow shamelessly? The exploits of Aba, Onitsha, Ariria and ASPAMDA in Lagos come to mind. The genetic (I think) make up of the average Igbo person to go into commerce and Industry might probably have made Biafra an African Tiger ( in the same light as the Asian Tigers). Biafra might probably have developed to the point where they make friends with successful countries like the United Arab Emirates, and most likely have turned Tinapa into a Dubai, or at least a Sun City like in South Africa.
But we will never know….or let me just say we might never know.
Odimegu Ojukwu and the Igbo nation took a bold step of courage, an attribute that has become alien to us as a people in the face of unrelenting tyranny from the ruling class (at least since June 12, 1993). I, at this point, join the millions, who believe in justice, equity, and fair play, in mourning the death of this iconic Nigerian. May his soul rest in peace….finally.
Mementos of a Marauding Messiah
The Government of Nigeria is it at again. The Central Bank is talking about an impending devaluation of our already valueless currency.Tthe dollar is already revving up to fly from it’s hitherto steady exchange rate of under 160 naira. The energy sector has once again been thrown into a head spin by the plans and utterances of The President and elements in his government. Another season of confusion, despondence, and pain is about to descend up us. Be ready for fuel queues to reappear.
Devaluation of the Naira
What is the purpose of devaluing a currency? A currency is devalued so that it becomes more enticing for countries importing goods and services from the country with the devalued currency to buy more because the cost of those goods are cheaper. It also means the country with the devalued currency buys from abroad at a higher price. Let us apply the above to Nigeria. We don’t have a production culture that is anywhere close to what will make us gain plenty foreign exchange from exportation. We are not a production economy, we stand to gain almost nothing from devaluation and there is nothing apart from oil to buy from us. Considering the fact that we import almost everything, from cars to refined petroleum products, to even the things people in our Government utter, devaluation simply means we will have to pay more to live. This brings a question to mind. Why is the Government in such a hurry to “remove” petroleum subsidy and devalue the Naira? Why not wait for electricity to become uninterrupted and the rail system become a reality, so that industries can kick into life and create more jobs and at the same time create an avenue for us to begin to export, albeit cheaply? Wouldn’t that be what a wise nation led by a wise President will do? Infrastructure that will make us benefit from structural adjustment is not yet in place, but economic decisions that are supposed to happen after it are already been fabricated. A case of putting the cart before the horse.
Removal of Oil Subsidy
When the government grudgingly announced the increased minimum wage, far-seeing people and skeptics of the sincerity of the government of the day quickly sensed that they will sooner come back with a counter announcement that will empty the pockets of the masses of the extra coins salary increase has given to them. In Nigeria, as I have come to realize, “removal of oil subsidy”, a term that has been in play since the days of the evil genius himself, IBB, simply means “increase in pump price of refined petroleum products”. This circus has been played out severally since 1988. Now the GEJ government is gearing to take its place in this ignoble act of milking its masses.
It is a well known fact that any slight increase in the cost of petroleum products will have a ripple effect across the economy, the cost of every good and service will move in the direction of an increase, and the so called palliative (in the form of an increased minimum wage) to a high cost of living will immediately come to nought. There is also the comment by the respected Economist, Professor Sam Aluko who maintained that there was no oil subsidy to be removed in reality, just a government trying to deceive its people.
Proponents of the subsidy removal claim it will encourage private investors to come in and build refineries. How much will it cost this government to build a refinery, and in so doing etch it’s name in gold in the history of Nigeria? According to an article by Dr. Mobolaji E. Aluko in 2003, it will cost $500 million USD to build a 100,000 bpd refinery (this was when it was still $1= 125 naira), and according to Saudi Aramco, it will cost $4 billion USD to build a 400,000 bpd refinery. In the short term, the government of Nigeria can build small capacity refineries while the higher capacity ones are built over a longer period of time. It is an investment that the government need not see as a favour to us.
The House of Assembly can easily make allowance for building such in the budget over time. My question is thus, what stops the Federal Government of Nigeria from building new refineries? Considering the fact the oil is the mainstay of our economy, isn’t it an issue of National security that the Government is willing to hand custody of the mechanics of this mainstay to private hands? What if an enemy force infiltrates them and grounds the economy, and ground us? This might seem far-fetched, but very possible. Some others have pointed out that fuel goes for much higher overseas. This is the same propaganda BS we have been listening to since someone discovered the miracle of “oil subsidy removal”. What if petrol goes for the equivalent of 350 naira in the UK? Is the UK in the top 5 of OPEC oil exporting nations? Why should a country that is blessed with a mineral resource that other countries shed blood to get have to suffer in the midst of plenty? Why should Nigerians buy petroleum products at global rates? Is this what is obtainable in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, or Libya? (Since we are doing a global comparison). Below is a table showing how much in Naira Petrol costs in the top 4 OPEC member nations (Nigeria sits at number 5):
| S/N | Country | Price per Litre of Petrol (Naira) |
|
Saudi Arabia | 25.00 |
|
Iran | 15.00 |
|
United Arab Emirate | 72.00 |
|
Kuwait | 34.00 |
Source: Daily News Global
The table above shows that other top OPEC exporting nations have deemed it fit for their citizens to benefit from the resources of their land. With the impending increase that will come out of the “removal of subsidy”, Nigeria will shoot close to what it costs in countries that depend on the likes of OPEC for their supply, we might begin to buy Petrol at close to 250 naira per litre. Don’t even talk of diesel, that might become only purchasable with a vial of human blood. If eventually this private investors/ players are brought in, who would they be? Fronts and allies of the Government, who are after nothing but raping us and raping our commonwealth in a bid to enrich themselves even further. It isn’t shrouded in secrecy why successive governments have refused to make the refineries work, or build new ones. We hear of Nigerians owning refineries in other lands. These are the same people who buy, or bunker our crude illegally, take them overseas to their own refineries, and then sell the refined products back to us at global prices. Looks like they are not content with what they are currently getting – they are back to blackmail us in other to get more.
In Conclusion
The Government of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan continues to exhibit a lack of vision, control, focus, and insincerity to the people that queued up in the blazing sun to vote him in, to the innocent bloods that were shed during and after the elections. It is putting the interests of global financial forces (the IMF and World Bank) and local charlatans above the interests of its immediate constituency, the masses of Nigeria. Many voted GEJ because they thought he was one of them, that he understands the hardship of being the downtrodden, that he will never do anything to plunge them into unnecessary hardship while also overseeing the task of developing infrastructure, making electricity constant, and providing jobs. This isn’t what is happening, in my opinion, we instead are faced with an innocent looking marauding messiah who keeps leaving us signs of how bad he will get, armed with an army of sycophants and propagandists.
We should all put aside our political leanings and face the reality that is before us. The fact that someone is a sycophant of the Government of the day does not mean he will buy fuel, food, or electricity at a cheaper price than the man who isn’t a supporter, we all buy from the same markets. I don’t know of any special subvention, or aid that the Government is giving to supporters of any political party to make them cope better than the rest of the nation, we are all in this mess together. We haven’t found our messiah yet, and the journey in search of the promised land, like that of the Israelites in the desert, continues. Either we get weak and drop dead or not, we must get there.
ABSU Gang-Rape: Why Havent More Women Risen To the Occassion?
“You people should just kill me”
Those were the words of despair that escaped the lungs of the victim, as 5 guys, purported to be students of Abia State University, Uturu, took turns at sexually abusing her. Many have seen the video, it has gone viral on the internet, and the shame of this poor lady will be preserved on the world wide web for posterity.
A section of society has shown disgust at the incidence, true, but the shocking part of this whole saga has been the role played by women.
One would have expected an outburst of immense proportions from the female folks, both private citizens and those in government. Many actually did, I applaud this…but I expected more.
At the height of the release of the video, many people sent emails to Hon. Abike Dabiri, the famous TV journalist, and now member of the Nigerian House of Assembly. Emails to both her personal yahoo address and national assembly address where sent, passionately asking her to take up the matter as a female member of parliament. Up until the time of writing this article, not one comment, either from her, or her official spokesperson has been seen. The closest to such from her was Chief Dele Momodu reporting he spoke to her, and she has said the girl should make herself available so she can speak to her. I didn’t know Hon. Abike Dabiri had guidance counselling as part of her skills. The naivety of that request is appalling, as she showed she could not see into what a victim of rape possibly goes through, the shame, the stigma, the psychological defeat and damage. How did our dear Honourable expect this girl to crawl out of wherever she is nursing the violation of her pride and come to her willingly? I am burnt, and disappointed. Worse still, no other female member of the Nigerian National Assembly or Federal Executive Council has come out to say diddly squat, even when the matter had become an issue almost everyone that has access to the Internet and newspapers now knows about? Is it that these women don’t have daughters at home, or they have also concluded that the victim “wakaed anyhow” so deserves what has come upon her? Is this also because she isn’t the daughter of a Perm Sec, A minister, or the President? Because she is the unknown daughter of Mr. Nobody? Some unaccounted for girl living probably in the rural village surrounding ABSU?
It is disheartening that the female lawmakers, and the female Ministers , who now make up 35% of the government have not even moved a limb. One would expect that by now a joint press conference would have been held, where they all would ask the IG to leave no stone unturned until those 5 criminals are brought to justice. This is a sad commentary on our nation, and on womanhood.
Take as another example, the social media network, Twitter. Various comments have been made about this matter, vehemently condemning the despicable acts of these shameless men, and some also hailing the men as heroes…..I felt disgust at those.
One would have expected the female members of the social network to be the ones making the loudest noise, and asking for justice, with all of them in unison kicking against this ignoble act and asking that the authorities protect their rights more to forestall against a reoccurence. That wasn’t the case here. Some girls actually went as far as asking why people are making a fool of themselves and making uneccessary noise. Others were of the opinion that rape is nothing new, and that any girl that got raped should suck it in and watch where she goes next time. Dear Lord have mercy!
How on God’s green earth will women ever get the respect they deserve when other women don’t see anything wrong in the continual dragging of their pride in the mud. How will women get empowered if they continually get sabotaged by their kind?
One thing I want these class of women to remember is this, it might have been that girl in ABSU’s turn on August 16th, but it could be any other person’s turn tomorrow, and once it is done, it is done, you will never be the same again!
To all the people who have taken this as a crusade, I say well done, to the Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, I say thank you very much Sir for your efforts so far.
I will not forget the Governor of Abia State. God sees your heart, and will in his time give you a just reward for the way you have concluded your investigation into this dastardly act. I am very sure you were methodical, swift, and just…..it took you less than 48 hours of nothing to give us a feedback many of us knew you were capable of.
And to the victims of rape all over Nigeria, I feel your pain, though I dare not imagine the extent of humiliation, shame, and the feeling of aloneness you have had to endure, but stay strong, and keep your head up. Not every man is a knave,many of use are noble and honest men who believe in the sanctity of respect to womanhood. Many of us have your back.
I only wish NGOs set up to protect the rights of women will rise up to the occasion, earn those grants, go and seek out these abused women, and get them justice.
To you the Abia 5, your time will come. You will answer for your acts here on earth. I so wish this particular act, which you televised, will be the revolution that will end the menace of rape in our motherland.
God help us.
So That Boko Haram Does Not Prevail Over Us
This evening I got a blackberry messenger broadcast. It was a message written after the fallouts of the latest terrorist attack on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by the extremist Islamic group, Boko Haram. On Friday, 26th August, 2011, the UN House in Abuja was struck by a suicide bomb attack. It shocked the whole nation as it was unexpected that a diplomatic institution will be a target of the group.
The content of the broadcast message got me a bit furious. The author of the broadcast claimed that the United States was behind Boko Haram. That it was part of their ploy to set the Christians of Nigeria against the Muslims who are predominantly from the North. According to the author’s theory, Boko Haram was just a name meant to make Christians feel they are under attack, then retaliate against Muslims, which will in turn lead to Nigeria getting destroyed while the United State will swoop in and take our oil.
Hogwash!
If you ask me, I believe this is the propaganda arm of the terrorist group attempting to infiltrate our thoughts and plant in us a distraction from trying to find a solution to their menace. I am a Christian and I will state here what I think about the situation we have found ourselves in.
The terrorist group, Boko Haram, has attacked Maiduguri, which is inhabited mostly by Muslims and Northerners, almost exclusively. Police stations, places of relaxation, and any structure that catches their fancy up North have been attacked. Northern politicians and Islamic religious leaders who have not aligned with them have been attacked, assassinated, or threatened. They have threatened to eliminate Northern Governors, two of whom have had to swallow their pride and apologise (I believe that should be some kind of embarrassment to the Federal Government). The only attacks outside the core North are the bomb attacks on the Federal Capital territory. Nigerians of different religions, tribes, and languages have been killed, or maimed in these attacks. How then did the author of this broadcast message come to the conclusion that the United States through Boko Haram was trying to pitch Muslims against Christians?
We need to remain focused and demand that our government and security agencies do more to bring this terrorism from Boko Haram under control, instead of falling for, and helping to propagate falsehood and fear. There is no similarity between what is happening in Libya, or what has happened in Iraq and what is happening in Nigeria. The closest comparison will be Pakistan or India. The United States will not invade Nigeria because a terrorist group is wrecking havoc here, instead they will go after the terrorist group if it attacks it’s interest in Nigeria. We have seen them do that in Pakistan. The US has not and will not go after the government of Pakistan nor the government or people of Nigeria. The problem here is Boko Haram, and they are our common big headache!
If the government of Nigeria doesn’t think it has what it takes to check Boko Haram, and decides to ask for help from the USA or any other country who have plenty experience in issues of this nature, then they should very well do it.
We need to be vigilant here and not allow seeds of discord to be sown within us. The Boko Haram issue is not a matter of Muslims against Christians or North against South. In fairness, Muslims and Northerners have been at the receiving end of Boko Haram attacks. Boko Haram is at war with Nigeria, at war with all of us. We still don’t know what they really want, why they are carrying out these attacks (the issue of wiping out Western Education is already negated by their means of attack which are all western, and the issue of entrenching sharia law all across Nigeria leaves one with the question of why then did they attack the UN) or who is sponsoring them. Hopefully the government will rise to the occasion and help us with answers.
To those asking for Nigeria to split because of these attacks, mostly educated and supposedly knowledgeable, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Reckless comments will take us nowhere. We stand a better chance together.
To the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, this is the time to do something much more pragmatic. Boko Haram is not kidding around, and they are getting more and more sophisticated with each attack. Who knows where they will strike next? Who knows how wide they will expand their attacks going forward? If by now the IG has not been forced to resign, then there is cause for us to be scared. We need reassurances of our safety, we need to see decisive action, we need to see our intelligence community doing more. Abuja is no more as safe as it used to be, and we seem helpless to it. I wonder where next, and who next. This doesn’t feel good at all.
The Nigerian Jungle Justice System
I remember about 5 years ago on Channels TV in Lagos. It was an amateur video of a boy, being beaten with all manner of things, dragged on the asphalt, by men old enough to be his daddy or brother. At one point a certain guy came forward and smashed a cement block on his head, the blood sprouted from the broken head. The boy passed out. His assailants beat him back to life almost immediately. They even interviewed him. What was his crime? He was accused of kidnapping a baby. There and then, as we watched on TV, the leader of the mob decided his fate. He was going to die. He will be burnt alive. They put a tyre round his neck, and sprinkled him with gasoline. They set him ablaze. His scream of “Jesus don’t leave me” as he died still haunts me till this day. I have tears in my eyes as I write this. He was just about 10 or 11 years old.
Recently again, I came across a video on Facebook. This was of a much older guy this time. His crime was that he stole jewelry in a market in Lagos. He was much stronger, he withstood all the beating with all kind of weapons, the footage even showed a man run forward and stab him. Then a voice in the background said “them go burn you now”. And yes he got roasted right there on video, like a common animal.
The 2 videos lasted about 20 minutes each, and they both happened in plain sight. The mob always seems to have a free hand to run amok while administering their barbaric justice. The police never shows up.
I have one question though. Is it that the Nigerian Government is silently in support of summary executions? Is it that Jungle Justice is silently a part of the Nigerian Judicial system? How does a crowd of common people have free reign to descend on someone they have accused of a crime, beat him for so long, drag him all over the place, and cause a lot of commotion and the law enforcement agencies still look away as if nothing is happening? Has human life become so worthless in our country that all that is needed to extinguish one is a mere accusation by a gang of low life barbarians of stealing bread? Do we know how many innocent people have been murdered this way? How can you take laws into your own hands and decide that a man, a kid, or woman who has been accused of petty stealing gets death? And the Government still doesn’t see any reason to take concrete action.
I have news for the mobsters; the fact that you can successfully lynch someone and the Police didn’t come to the scene should make you very scared. You oversee an attack by a mob armed with only sticks, a few tyres and a keg of petrol, which lasts one hour; the Police didn’t show up, what then will happen if robbers, armed to the teeth, come to your house? Yes, the same Police will not show up. So if you feel victorious that you have snuffed out another criminal without recourse to the rule of law, just pray karma doesn’t have a gift for you. There will be no Police to save your back when that time comes.
Jungle justice is an indictment on the Government of Nigeria, the Police, and our conscience as a people. Some of us are mere animals dressed in jeans and singlet.
We need help in Nigeria, we need reforms, and if the Government sincerely has not silently approved mob action/ jungle justice, a law needs to be enacted that outlaws such barbaric acts. Very stiff penalties which should include the kind extended to murderers should be applicable to offenders. We are in the 21st century, we need to begin to act as people who have evolved from animals, and whosoever refuses to abide by acceptable acts expected of humans should then be put away by constituted law.
God help us.
Nigerian Hospitals and The Death of The Nigerian Spirit
These subjects have been eating away at me for the past 2 weeks, it keeps blowing hot and cold in my mind, but the events of the last 2 days have just made it impossible for me not to get this off my chest.
National Hospital Abuja : Hospital or Guillotine?
I have had conversations with people about their experiences with Nigerian hospitals, how they have lost loved ones to the sheer non-nonchalance of Hospital authorities, Doctors and nurses. I shall recount a few of the stories I have heard:
Zainab’s aunt got involved in a road accident, and fell unconscious immediately. Good samaritans (the few left, I shall get to this in a bit) who came to her rescue rushed her to General Hospital Abuja Emergency wing . The authorities of the hospital refused to take in the patient, nor administer potentially life saving first aid treatment until a deposit is made by the people who brought her in. The victim was left at the entrance of the Hospital, on the bare floor. The Good Samaritans managed to contact her family, who rushed down and quickly mobilized to take her to another hospital. Getting an ambulance was a big challenge, and when they finally got one it developed a fault on the way. The victim gave up the ghost right there in the ambulance, many hours after the accident later.
My colleague’s brother, TJ, and his friends were coming from an evening out and ran into a stationary truck, just outside Ceedi Plaza, in Abuja. Him and the other occupants of the vehicle were rushed to the National Hospital. My colleague’s brother was still breathing as at when they arrived at the emergency wing of the hospital. The hospital authorities refused to take the victims in, or administer first aid until a Police report is produced. My colleague’s brother, a promising young man in his 30s, died right there, unattended at the hospital.
Yesterday we got news that Shedrack, a promising football talent, who works for us, and who is scheduled to travel out of the country in a few months to the Middle East to play football, had been knocked down by a hit and run vehicle that veered unto the pedestrian path where he was walking. For 4 hours, Shedrack was lying unconscious in the gutter, with people gathered around looking at his still, badly battered body. They neither attempted to bring him out and rush him to the hospital, nor call the authorities, probably for fear of what the hospitals will subject them to. In the end, someone, probably God sent, called the police who came and found that the victim was still alive. They took him ,with half of his head broken, and the whole of his back opened up, to the Abuja National Hospital.
These 3 real life stories point to a simple fact – The Nigerian Health system is dead along with it the Nigerian spirit.
Abuja National Hospital is supposed to be the flagship of the Nigerian health system, it is supposed to be equipped with state of the art equipment, and staffed by the best medical personnel in Nigeria. If the National Hospital is this poor, what does that say of the hospitals in the smaller towns and cities that dot the landscape of Nigeria?
It beats me how even Doctors who swore to the Hippocratic oath, part of which reads thus;
In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing ……
can stand by and watch an accident victim brought to the emergency room die,slowly, or violently, in pain, pain that can’t be imagined by anyone alive. Isn’t an emergency room supposed to be a place where the wounded and dying come to and are given a chance, even if it is a slim one, at survival. That is not what we have now, we have a place where someone gets brought to just to have the smell of methylated spirit and chloroform as the last earthly smell he or she will perceive. Why should a hospital insist on a Police report or a deposit before attending to an accident victim at the “Emergency” wing of a hospital? Why for God’s sake? How can a hospital turn a blind eye and watch a man or woman, who could have survived if quick medical attention was brought his or her way, bleed to death? Is that what hospitals were made for, is that how bad things have become in our country? Why not save the life, even if it is that of a criminal, and then call in the Police? I can remember that even the Police have come out to deny that they demand that Hospitals ask for a report before treating even a gunshot victim. There is a God in heaven, and I hope he can forgive all of these.
The attitude of the hospitals has eventually eroded the spirit of humanity that we used to be known for as Nigerians. Who wants to help an accident victim to the hospital and get into the “high jump” that the Hospital or the Police will put them through? Why bother rushing Shedrack to the Hospital and be made to cough out whatever deposit they ask for? who wants to live for the rest of their lives with the horror of watching a victim die, slowly, painfully, just because they could not cough out the deposit?
The Hospitals are dead, the Nigerian spirit is dead. We are at the mercy of our God and good fortune. It doesn’t matter if one is very rich or very poor, when accidents happen family might not be able to get there on time to rush one to the kind of hospital good money can pay for. The moments after an accident leaves one at the mercy of the humane spirit of the eyewitnesses to the incidence. These days that spirit doesn’t live with us anymore.
May God continue to protect us.
State of The Union
“And the winner is, Miss Taraba!!”
A massive hush, hisses, eyes wide open, disbelief…..and joy by a few followed.
Welcome to my State of The Union report.
The last 100 hours have thrown up more issues in our nations daily life than the last one week put together. The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria paegent farce, the report by 234Next that the former Minister of Petroleum (and she is seriously angling to return to that plum post) didnt undergo the compulsory National Youth Service, and the issue of Islamic Banks. We have more than enough to occupy us in this nation. More shocking things are bound to come our way….soon.
MBGN 2011
Since Agbani Darego won Miss World in 2001, Nigerian girls (those so inclined) have found a new belief in their ability to get into the limelight and probably get that benefits that comes with such recognition . The reasons for this are not far fetched, past beauty queens have been known to rise close to the pinnacle of politics, Linda Ikpeazu and Bianca Ojukwu are very quick examples. This year’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria event drew a lot of attention, maybe more than editions of recent times, no thanks to social media.
On the night, many of us stayed glued to our TVs waiting for SilverBird to beam it live as they had sang all week. Then the event kicked off. Beautiful ladies of various heights, colours, accents and sizes catwalked (though some breakdanced) across the stage and our screens. Everyone was rooting for their favourite. I must mention something here, before the event kicked off, I got information that the winner had already been picked from a “pre-judgement”. Ok, so it was going to be a scripted, choreographed event, but at least let us see how the arrangement will go.
The contestants got thinned down from 34 to 15, and then to 5. It was very noticeable that it was a regional spread. Quota system had rared its ugly head again(even though the contestants weren’t from the states they represented, that is the norm anyway). We had Miss Lagos, Miss Enugu, Miss Taraba, Miss Bayelsa, and Miss Gombe.
Then the questions segment began.
Michelle Dede(one of the presenters):”Miss Taraba, what does winning the MBGN title mean to you?”
Miss Taraba: -________________- (crowd erupts in disbelief and the presenter had to calm them down so that whatever Miss T says will be audible)
Michelle Dede: let me ask you again, What does winning the MBGN mean to you?”
Miss Taraba: awragdsutdgatews##$%@#$&%$%$sewhatameanis%$#@#%%^
Oh Lord!!!…..ok, at that point we all felt Miss Taraba had decided for herself, she was out of the running. Beauty alone doesnt do it, confidence plays a big part. Zero over hundred right there.
The presenter continued to the rest of the contestants, they sailed through it, Miss Lagos and Miss Bayelsa gave a good account. Then it was time to name the winners.
The 5th position was mentioned, and voila!, it wasnt Miss Taraba….wow! how can? That got me suspicious and I quickly tweeted this:
The other runner-up positions were announced and guess what, Miss Taraba was neck to neck with Miss Bayelsa . Then Mr. Guy Murray Bruce, VP, Silverbirds Group, proceeded to make the announcement –
“Miss Bayelsa takes the first runner-up position, and Miss Taraba becomes The Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2011”
Miss Taraba - Sylvia Nduka
Shuoooooo!!!
And that was how the most scandalous MBGNs in recent times went down, as of this morning, some papers were rife with stories that have helped to fuel the scandal even more, like this one from Compass Newpapers:
The judges also complained that the name that was announced was not that of the person they had picked as the winner.
Judges Kick, As Most Beautiful Girl In Nigeria Emerges
Well, let us see how this goes for the credibility of the pageant, and that of the Silverbird’s Group. Moving on.
Mrs. Deziani Allison-Madueke Did Not Participate in NYSC
The guys at 234Next are known for their penchant for swimming with the sharks. We saw a lot of these during the hey days of the “cabal” when the late President of Nigeria, Musa Yar Adua’s health was an issue.
This morning, they broke this news:
I was expecting this news to generate praise for Next’s piece of journalism and outrage at a public figure breaking a law as heated as the one setting up the NYSC. Instead, some people practically began to attack the newspaper and anyone who said anything that looked like not seeing Mrs. Madueke as a saint under persecution. Take a look at this tweet from @MissBukonla in response to a comment made out of despondence by @Ebuka:
This raises a very important issue. The biggest problem with Nigeria isnt lawlessness or corruption, but the hypocrisy of the people. We tend to scream when we have nothing to gain, and turn a blind eye when we directly or indirectly have something at stake in any issue of breaking of the law. The ongoing trial of Dimeji Bankole is a glowing example.
If in fact Deziani Madueke didn’t take part in the NYSC as reported, and the Senate goes ahead to ratify her nomination, then the slow and painful death of the NYSC scheme has began, fed by the same people who are supposed to protect the law and its application. It also would add another feather to our caps as a nation where laws are meant to be broken by the well placed. We shall wait and see how this plays out.
Islamic Banking In Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria has finally made good its plan to licence Islamic banks in Nigeria. It has also placed a capital bottom-line of 10bn naira on it. In my opinion this is a welcome development, considering what the gains accruable from the bank are. According to how the Islamic Bank operates, loans can be taken and paid back at zero interest. This will in no small way help people who are entitled to such loans to have access to credit to start business and not crumble under the heavy interest rates that conventional banks demand.
The twist to this is the condemnation of this by the Christian Association of Nigeria. I find that a bit silly. Should CAN be condemning this or they should go ahead and set up a Christian Bank system that will emulate what the Islamic Bank does? How on God’s green earth does setting up an Islamic Bank mean a ploy to turn Nigeria into an Islamic nation or disunite us? CAN’s priorities are obviously out of tune with reality. Not that I expect any church to go down the noble road of setting up a Christian Bank, there is no way that will happen when the Pastors, especially in the Pentecostal fold are busy buying private jets and amassing mind blowing wealth….mind blowing enough to get a mention on Forbes. Even the bible supports interest free lending (thanks for pointing this out to me Kelvin), Psalm 15 vs 1-5 says this (pay special attention to verse 5):
1. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hills 2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbours 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Christians should pay attention to what their leaders are doing to them, and not let them use jingoistic ploys to shroud their reasoning. There are a lot of poor people in the church, waiting patiently for their prayers to be answered and for all their tithes and offerings to translate into money to set up businesses and benefit from the prosperity that the Pastors have promised. CAN, and the churches with very rich Pastors should be the answer to these prayers and take a cue from what Islam has done. Set up Christian Banks and give interest free loans to the lowly in the congregation. Shikena.
This ends my State of the Union report.
Telecommunications Services In Nigeria – A Call For Help!!
In 2001 when the first set of mobile licences where given out by the NCC, our joys knew no bounds, we felt like finally nought-nine-nought was no longer the exclusive preserve of the rich and the dubious. We all bought handsets and sims at very exorbitant prices, still we jubilated and “called on our Gizms”. The 3 networks, then, grew their infrastructure little by little, and made money like never before. It was all good. Everybody seemed to be happy.
Fast forward to 2011, and the services rendered by the networks (who have now been joined by others) have sunk to depths so low that one begins to wonder if the event of 2001 was even progress at all. Quality of service, be it voice, data, or even customer service is abysmal. Let me take the self acclaimed one time “best connection”, and now “everywhere you go” network as an example.
In the last 2 months, MTN Nigeria services have become so bad that most of the time your handset gets reduced to a glorified timepiece and probably an item of jewelry (if you use an expensive phone). You make a call, and the person on the other side won’t hear you. You attempt many more times but still you get the same “hello, hello” from the other side. You drop the call in frustration and the person on the other end calls you back. Voila! you can both hear each other (and maybe a 3rd voice that belongs to a stranger speaking in a strange tongue) but the call doesn’t even last 120 seconds and you get a disconnection tone. Your call has been dropped by the network. You then attempt to send a common text message. For this one you have to attempt a resend like 5 times before the 160 characters gets sent. You simply die inside and consider flushing your phone down the loo. I can go on and on….and on.
What of the Blackberry Internet Service for blackberry smartphone users? That looks like it has morphed into a corporate scam. MTN came dangling carrots, they reduced the tariff from 5000 naira a month to three thousand naira a month. We were all so happy we held hands and sang kumbaya in elation as if it was kwanza (even though that price is still higher than what is obtainable in the US and UK, I digress…). Little did we know we had run into a trap. A trap of the poorest services ever, the nail bitting, frustrating type. For like 3 weeks running, I have only managed to use my browser at night (if I am able to even use it at all), I can’t use my social media apps conveniently because the network will simply not work. It takes ages for an IM to drop, if you use it in an emergency…well lets just say God help you. This was very evident during the last elections as citizen reporters couldn’t send reports from the polling units on their smartphones without extended periods of service outage. It felt like MTN (and indeed the other networks) was trying to sabotage the process of carrying out our civic duties.
What could be the reason for this seemingly surrender by MTN to shameful levels of service? I spoke to some telecommunications engineers handling some of MTN’s switches, and what they told me confirmed my fears and the fears of many that MTN’s network could no longer cope with the influx of subscribers who had fallen for all their enticing promos like lower BIS tariffs and “magic number. Instead of finding a very quick solution to this by fixing the messed up network, my sources revealed , MTN is busy trading blames with their 3rd party vendors on who is killing it. All of these to the detriment of the fee paying customers. What happened to the age-long mantra “The customer is king”? We obviously are now the slaves. We recharge our phones hoping to get service, but we end up enabling our “masters” to launder money to South Africa.
That reminds me, we have a regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. Two of NCC’s roles are as below:
The protection and promotion of the interests of consumers against unfair practices including but not limited to matters relating to tariffs and charges for and the availability and quality of communications services, equipment and facilities.
The development and monitoring of performance standards and indices relating to the quality of telephone and other communications services and facilities supplied to consumers in Nigeria having regard to the best international performance indicators.
Has the NCC lived up to the above with regards to the quality of service, monitoring of standards of communications services in Nigeria? It is a resounding “NO” across the length and breadth of Nigeria. This makes me suspicious of the NCC as an agency of government, a regulator. I think the exit of Engineer Ndukwe might have left the NCC to succumb to the Nigerian factor. The NCC is not carrying out one of the most cardinal reasons why it was set up – ensuring that customers get a good deal. Come on, we pay a lot of money to get service from the Telcos. Can the NCC please look up?
I have chosen to make MTN the example of what way below average, terrible, and criminal services look like because they without doubt have the largest subscriber base in Nigeria, they also pride themselves in having the largest and best network in Nigeria. If this is what the largest and the best can provide for us, and the NCC, the industry watchdog, is either busy lapping up honey or has simply decided to go to bed with who they are supposed to watch, then what do we expect from the smaller networks? Well, the answer isn’t rocket science – horrendous service. That in actual fact is what we are getting from Glo, Airtel, and Etisalat. The NCC is slowly turning to another money guzzling, poorly performing government entity. It is shameful. I am livid with anger!
Hopefully, with the way the last elections went, the incoming government will see the need to be accountable and responsive to the electorate who voted them in with a lot of faith, maybe, just maybe, this government will ask NCC to give account of its stewardship so far vis-à-vis the current service insult that the likes of MTN are throwing in our faces, in the faces of customers who do not mind spending their hand earned money to get quality service.
PS: my fastlink internet connection from MTN broke 5 times between when I began to write this article and when I typed this last full-stop.
A Monk's Words 