In psycho-analysis it is believed that all people have subconscious mind which are formed by enshrined experiences; positive or negative. This could result in damaged worldview or pervasive perceptions.
This may be hidden until we venture outside our familiar environment. 2010 was it for me, it was my first trip to Ghana, I had to drive myself to the airport, the best thing to do when you are late for your flight to avoid nagging whoever was driving you through Lagos traffic!
I got to the airport in good time but not without communicating to a white couple that they were in Lagos, Nigeria, on the Zebra crossing at the airport, they confidently stepped on the crossing, assured that they have the right of way, but not with a passenger trying to avoid the airline excuses of : “we have closed the counter”.
If you have had such experience you know how bad it can be. I sped past the couple, matched the brake at departure and jump out of the car with my luggage, the car of course became the business of the person who rode with me to the airport. I was heading to Accra for a conference.
After the rowdy protocol of a loud but disgusting Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos, in about fifty minutes I was on ground the Kotoko International Airport, a relatively modest airport compared to MMA, but far more efficient in service delivery!
A cab was on hand as I stepped out of the Airport. Locating an hotel close to the venue of my conference was not a challenge. I was in town for IMPACT which of course is one of the biggest annual events in the nation of Ghana.
I was brought to the front of a massive exquisite hotel building, desirable until I alighted from my taxi, look around like we do in Nigeria and there was no sign post stating 24/7 power supply nor a standby generator in sight. What will happen when “NEPA” takes the light, was the first thing that crossed my mind. I walked up to the front desk and enquired if their standby generator was at the back of the building as I could see none at the front.
The young man at the desk looked up and instead of answering my question, simply asked me another question; Sir, he said, are you a Nigerian? I felt offended, and “hala” like who he thought I was, a Nigerian! what has being a Nigerian got to do with the question I asked you? He was however courteous, apologized but not without affirming, this is Ghana and you won’t need a generator in our hotels to enjoy your stay!
You mean light does not go off? He responded, once in a while, they do off it for repairs but you will be given a 24 hour notice before they do and the power can never be off for more than 15 minutes! Amazing! Ghana, I screamed and headed for the room he allocated to me.
The evening came and it was time for the opening event of the conference, so I took a cab from my hotel to the conference center.
Mid way to my destination the cab driver stopped by the traffic light, it wasn’t a Junction and there was just no reason to stop for a Nigerian mind, so I asked him why he stopped, he told me the traffic light, so I asked what the traffic light was doing there since it was not a Junction, he then called my attention to the Zebra crossing, I said, but, there was nobody at the crossing. The driver looked back as if to check for a tribal mark. He then asked, are you a Nigerian?
Ghana is leaving nothing to chance at ensuring traffic order to enforce the right of ways of pedestrians at zebra crossings. Lights are installed to stop motorists, please, don’t ask me the Nigerian question; “who did this to us?” Ours is a nation of 200 million people finding excuses, looking for who is responsible for our self inflicted afflictions!
Our perspectives and worldview are damaged by the service delivery system and culture of hustle that has become part of our life. We easily and unconsciously give ourselves away as Nigerians once in an environment demanding order of us, even in the West Africa sub region we stand out as disorderly people.
One of the factors responsible is ineffective service delivery, power and traffic conduct was it for me back in 2010, while much has changed in my traffic conduct courtesy of Lagos State Traffic Management and traffic radio, but power supply have grown worse, making animals out of humans. Let me share my current experience.
The sector upon which the hope of our industrialisation hangs is the power sector. But unfortunately the rot therein has kept dreams stucked to our nights, we are still living in hope of day break in our power sector!
Sometimes mid July 2021, I was away from my family on one of my many outings, I got a call from home that our prepaid meter was about falling of from the wall where it was installed and consequently there was no supply to the building.
I gave instructions expected of a noble Nigerian, hoping IKEDEC will reciprocate my nobility. “Don’t get any unauthorized person(s) to tamper with IKEDEC property, which that meter is, go to their office and lodge complaints”. My son did and we were expectant, but the Salah holiday came and my entire family took an holiday, 2 weeks gone with no visit from IKEDEC officials. Nothing spoil we thought.
On Sunday the 7th of August my son was back at IKEDEC, Olayiwola office, New Oko-Oba, this time, he was given a register to fill which he did and was promised that their team will visit later that day, if they show up for work, because it was a Sunday. In this age and times, power in Nigeria is still observing Sabbath, while power is on duty to ensure a successful Sabbath in Israel!
The experiences of Nigerians in diaspora is not different, though away from Nigeria, the Naija spirit has refused to let them live in the Spirit of their new found nations, according to Aghenu, a Nigerian-American who has been living in the US for over 30 years.
He narrated his ordeal at the Nigerian Embassy in America where he had gone to have his Nigerian passport done, more than 10 officials of the embassy went to the mosque for Jumat prayer during official hours, and practically shut down the embassy. It seems the God of Jews and Arabs is actually a Nigerian!
Back to our IKEDEC experience, Sunday gone and nothing done, my son was back there on Monday morning, met a woman who told him the team did not show up on Sunday but they will visit us that day! Tuesday, and same story. Wednesday 11th August, was the day of enough is enough, I followed my Son to their office at Olayiwola, did the Naija stuff and got attention!
The woman he (my son) met before led us to one Chucks, the head of station I presume, who told us nothing can be done until a complaint number is generated. Off we went on a journey to another office from which SR number will be generated, an embarrassing bureaucacy!
I am still lost to why a complaint section to generate numbers is not located within that same office? After traveling down, we still had to journey home to bring papers and bills to the person on the system to work with when the meter was registered and issued in my name!
I am neither an IT expert or a savvy, but, I know that with a punching of my name, the system should bring out other details! Nevertheless, travel back home we must, for their system ineffectiveness!
The SR, 2656682, was generated anyway and was sent to Chucks, day after days we waited and nothing was done. He won’t pick my calls nor reply my messages!
I thought to myself, this is Nigeria, if you make noise and nothing is done then you call the oga you know at the top, I pulled a call but it achieved next to nothing! My Oga at the top was under EKODEC!
Then came the 18th day of August, we were having our bedroom prayer devotion, myself and my wife, frustrated beyond comprehension my wife turned an electricity issue that is within the ambit of IKEDEC to solve, over to God!
Are you still wondering why Nigerians are religious and call on God on matters that doesn’t concern Him? That’s what we are left with, when systems fail, we are forced to daily substitute God to take over human duty, reason the sick prefers healing homes to hospitals, the failure of our President is generating an SR, “Street Repeats”! May Nigeria succeed!
Who says God does not answer prayers anyway? Same day on my way to Èkìtì my phone bipped and it was a call from IKEDEC! Praise God!
He promised to come that day, but nothing was heard, following morning, he called to find out if I was home. Someone was home yesterday and you didn’t show up, must I be personally home before you can fix the problem?
They eventually came, but there was no light, they fixed the stuff but there was no way to ascertain if it was OK.
They left and power supply came and my premises still remained the only one without light in the entire neighborhood!
By now we were advised to go to IKEDEC Jankara. My son was there and the routine of Olayiwola was repeated. We are coming today, sorry it will be tomorrow, now I understand why my son openly chooses my wife’s 50th birthday to tell me I was on my own on the drive for a better and greater Nigeria! In his words, “Daddy, the Nigeria of your dream for me is somewhere in Canada, and I will get there”. In my family travails, Nigerian demography is captured, my wife representing the God crowd for human duty, myself representing those who still believe against hope in a better and greater country and my son, the 70 percent unemployed work force, capable of turning things around who are already frustrated by greedy political elites! Unfortunately, they are the generation to whom the future belongs. It will be lost if they won’t rise and fight for it!
On the 6th of September the generation fighting for a better nation followed the generation that wouldn’t fight, Daddy and Son arrived IKEDEC Jankara Ijaiye and I pulled the Nigerian stunt, got attention and was face to face with the business manager who promptly directed the security man to take us to a certain officer with the mandate that the problem must be solved that day! The officer to whom we were directed showed no concern, but for the security man, who brought another officer by name Sunday.
He affirmed the mandate of his Business Manager and showed up that day, but there was no light in the area.
I am still confused on why those who are responsible for our power supply have no information regarding when we have it or not. He improvised with our generator and established that the fault is with the card reader of the meter, we still do not have light as IKEDEC says there is no card reader!
ANGER, someone said is the deepest form of compassion. Stripped of violent reaction, it’s the purest form of care. You don’t get angry with/about something you don’t care about. Anger turns to indifference once the care is gone. Are you a Nigerian? Do you still care about this country?
If you do, then my appeal is to you; in hope and bond of a better and greater Nigeria to please volunteer to join me on Monday 20th September 2021, by 8AM, as I planned to relocate my family to IKEDEC Jankara office until my supply is restored!
Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi, the BID, Bold, Inspiring and Dynamic, revivalist and revolutionist can be reached on
FB: Bolaji Akinyemi
bolajiakinyemi66@gmail.com
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