Traveling along the west-African corridors, I cannot help but wonder if the Nigerian government pays keen attention to the activities of some Custom and Immigration officers serving at the borders. Commendable as some of these activities may be, especially towards ensuring that visitors traveling to and from the country, comply with the rules and regulations required on the International frontiers; some activities however are questionable, hence calls for concern, serious investigations and redress.
The satirical dialogue below gives an analysis, with food for thought on these activities, from the point-of-view of the ordinary citizen, whose rights is in most cases violated.
The satirical dialogue below gives an analysis, with food for thought on these activities, from the point-of-view of the ordinary citizen, whose rights is in most cases violated.
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| July, 2016: Immigration check point around Badagry-Roundabout axis |
The dialogue below gives a satirical
analysis, with food for thought on these activities from the view point of an ordinary citizen whose rights is in most cases violated.
Femi: Long time no hear from you....did you travel?
Ajala: Yes I did...returned only last night...
Femi: (shakes hands with Ajala) Nah you dey enjoy, people dey
cry say no moni, you dey fly in and out the country.
Ajala: Fly keh...I went for work...by road...
Femi: All the
same nah the same destination with those that traveled by air you
arrived....nah still enjoyment nah...(paused)..by the way what did you
bring for us?
Ajala: I bring you "alafia"...(laughs)..with the way all
the security officials full road dey collect all
the collectibles....money...noddles...soft drinks...or they find something
to hold on you...I no bring anythingooo before them tag
am "exhibit".
Another friend, John walks in....shakes hands with Ajala and
Femi...
John: That's if you brought the so called "exhibit" and
they ceased it...(laughs)
Femi: So the things he mentioned now are
"exhibits"?
Ajala: My
guy....those people fit search your pause collect biscuits wey you
buy for your children...(laughs)...I dey tell you...seriously.
Femi: Don't
mind them...as if noddles and soft drinks are the smuggling of fake
currencies, weapons and other security concerns they are mandated to go
after...on a serious note...some of these guys on the road should be
called back for re-orientation.
John: Why?
Ajala: You dey ask why? its like your uncle works with
them...the way they go about harassing some of our international students at
some of these their check points is uncalled
for.....imagine harassing them for laptop possession....is it now an
offence for college students travel with their laptops?
John: What if there are sensitive
information on the so called laptops...and are these people really students?
Ajala: You talk like you just had your regular doze of drinks
this early morning already...Isn't it the duty of these officials to cross
check...verify and allow the real students go...not harass them
and in some cases request for "settlements" before they can be let
off the hook.
Femi: Settlement??? from
students???.....young people who still depend on their parents and
sponsor's stipends to survive, what seed are
these officials trying to sow in the mindset of these young ones whom
we are praying that they turn out different??
John: That's a 'no-no' then...you
are talking about "sowing seeds"...my concern is that people actually
involved in some questionable activities can get off the hook to
perpetrate crimes by "settlements"?
Ajala: I wonder...now you get what
I'm talking about....that is one of the things their carelessness and
corruption can cause the nation.
Femi: Some of them have turned to
"principalities" on the road...if you venture get into their
traps...woe betide you.
Ajala: Yet criminals go past them every
day....
John: Is this how we are expected
to promote a hassle free economic development through trade in West
Africa?...when they cease even legitimate goods and demand for settlements???
Femi: What about the "Yellow
card" issue?
John: What about that....its old gist nah...
Ajala: Its only
in Nija that Local governments, state and
the Federal government have their own version of vaccination cards.
You walk into a government office to make enquiries of how to
get a vaccination card...they ask you questions on what
you intend using it for...if your travelling?....and all
that...instead of directing you to where you can get the appropriate
card...they issue you theirs at a fee
Femi: ...(cuts in)...about
a whooping =N= 2,000
John: Yes...between
=N=2000 to 2,500...from the stock they have....some of which might be out
dated...
Ajala: ...Only for
you to innocently but confidently travel with it and get harassed by
the Immigration at the borders, who claim its no longer in use, then they hold
you to cough out =N=500 to clear yourself at that point, or another
=N=2000 to obtain the "original" card from them....
Femi: And in all these...the
ordinary citizen...bear the brunt of these unnecessary extortion???...For
goodness sake...Isn't it time the different levels and organs of
government starts working together for the sake of the MASSES?...
John: Hmmm...masses....you
make me laugh....who cares about your "masses"..all they care about
are schemes and means to extort you the more...to them you are not paying
enough... yet they provide nothing to show for all the money extorted....sorry
collected.
Femi: But who
takes the blame for all these? the public servants on duty, government
representatives or what?
John: All of
usoooo
Ajala: What do you
mean "all of us"...no be we them they exploit?
John: Because you
say nothing about it nah...them harass you..in some cases threaten
you...you comply...give in...walk free and keep quiet.
Femi: Its like
this abroad wey you dey travel go most times don dey blind you from the reality
on ground over here...who you wan go report to?
Ajala: Abiii...WHO
you wan go report to...the ogaatthetop wey send them message abi nah
WHO?
Femi: All the
report wey we don dey give siiincceeee.....watin don happin?
NOTHING.
Ajala: Even
sef...we dey answer "Giant of Africa...Giant of Africa"...if a first
timer enter our country at night from SEME....hmmm...you will almost run back..
John: That does
not mean we should give up...the situation is still redeemable.
Ajala: That is
our hope...what keeps us going in this country...HOPE for a better future...by
the way, have you noticed that its only bush lamps at security posts you will
be seeing??...no street lights..the road sef nah die.
John: But there
are constructing a rail road nah...maybe that is what is keeping them from up
lifting the road.
Femi: We know about the rail road....but
what about FUNCTIONAL temporary street lights from the Nigerian end
of Seme border all the way into Lagos huh?
John: You dey ask
me? ....please direct that question to the appropriate pipo....who
knows...maybe dem love darkness.
Ajala: I dey go my
house abeg...I tire....
John and Femi: Welcome back
all the same...
Femi: Thank God you returned intact...
Ajala: Walks away
with hand in pocket....whistles the second stanza of the old national
anthem:
"Oh God of all creation, grant this our one
request....Help us to build a NATION...where no man is
oppressed...And so with peace and plenty...
NIGERIA May be blessed".
Dialogue
copyright: Roving Informant Blog
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