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In case you missed it, Nigerians are now required to walk around with a valid means of identification to avoid being apprehended by the Nigerian military as suspects of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, ethnic militia, or any other criminal activity in the country.
Apparently, this “Operation Positive Identification (OPI)” by the Nigerian military has been happening in the North-East for awhile now and it will be implemented nationwide from November 1 to December 23.
So if you’ve been living la vida loca in Nigeria without a documentation to show you exist, you now have about a week’s notice to go get a valid ID card.
Because, yes, Nigeria is like that.
Possible Effect On Citizens?
This military operation was supposed to have commenced on October 7th but it was rescheduled, in order to give the military ample time to prepare. Yet, I’m pretty sure many people are not ready to be accosted by military personnel at anytime.
We all know the force needs no excuse to harass citizens but they’ve been given a perfect one with this development.
Considering SARS remains a constant pain in the neck, one that even the Vice President’s interference couldn’t get rid of, is it any wonder that we should be wary about this?
How Effective Will It Be?
According to a report by Premium Times, only 19% of Nigerians have national identity cards; we mustn’t forget that many people who register have to wait for YEARS to actually get the permanent ID. There are even more people without a voters card, drivers license, international passports or any other ID. Does this mean people who don’t have ID cards are engaging in criminal activities?
Isn’t it proper for thorough investigations to be carried out instead of arresting someone on a whim with no evidence in sight because they have no ID’s?
Can we take a second to realise that the actual (suspected) criminals will actually have proper means of identification? Think of Evans and Hamisu Wadume and then you have your answer.
Also, isn’t this operation a tad bit inconsiderate to Nigerians? Yes, we know its said to be in the interest of everyone, to rid society of terrorists. But, isn’t there a better way to do this, without infringing on citizens right to freedom of movement?
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1. Why Did The Ministry of Finance Get A Fancy New Name?
Someone in the federal government will not rest until every single ministry of Nigeria grows up, marries and adopts a multi-hyphenated last name. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Development, The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning etc. Newly wedded and making the rounds as a blushing bride is the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
While I have long since given up on finding reasons as to why the government does its government things, the motives behind the ministry re-naming were offered, so I guess we have to talk about it now. Groan.
So… what’s up with the name?
On October 23rd, President Buhari, acting on the advice of the Minister of Communications – Isa Patanmi, approved the re-naming of the nations Communications Ministry (I bet your last ₦500, you had no idea who the minister of communications was). This approval was communicated in a statement to that effect.
According to the statement (and I’m quoting here), Mr Patanmi will now “properly position and empower the ministry to fulfil his digital economy objectives.” Anyone else feel a little chill at that ‘his’ personalisation? Just me? Okurr.
But what even is a digital economy?
Nobody knows, but it’s provocative.
The way I see it, the digital economy comprises any economic activity requiring electronic/digital measures to be fulfilled. So that’s everything from Instagram vendors, to heavyweight technology companies, to perhaps even the banking sector. Did the Minister of Communications just take a huge chunk out of the Minister of Finance’s role? And y’all said he suggested this to the president? Hm.
2. Simon Achuba, you have 10 seconds to leave the Kogi State Government House.
Wait, wait, make that 5. Your replacement’s already here. Note to self: do not ever cross your boss, ever. Especially when he’s a petty MF like the Kogi State Governor – Yahaya Bello.
Before we get into the why of the impeachment of Simon Achuba, former deputy governor of Kogi State, let’s take a look at some of the things he alleges the executive and legislative arms of Kogi State have done to him since his removal:
They allegedly caused policemen to mount a barricade at the entrance of his home.
They allegedly caused the electricity supply to be cut off from his home
They also allegedly disconnected and disconnected the power generating set in his home … all within hours of his impeachment as deputy-governor.
Now what exactly caused the rift between governor and deputy governor is cause for some speculation, but this figure is the amount Achaba alleged was owed to him by Governor Yahaya Bello.
The sum represents unpaid salaries, travel allowances, hotel bills, pledges and outstanding monthly impresses, all of which had been allegedly withheld from the deputy guv since 2017. (Let’s pretend to not notice a government official allegedly racked up almost a billion in travel allowances and salaries over the course of two years).
The office of the deputy-first lady (?) had also stopped receiving payment alongside her husband. Petty what?
In July 2019, Achuba brought a legal action against Bello to enforce the payment of the sum allegedly owed to him. He also sprinkled allegations of financial misappropriation, non-performance and other crimes against the governor into the mix. Our guy also alleged that the governor attempted to assassinate him? Man, what was happening in that state house?
Gbas, meet gbos.
In August, the Kogi State House of Assembly expressed displeasure at Achuba’s conduct against the government of Kogi State. They accused him of criminal indulgence, financial misappropriation and non-performance. So they raised a petition against him, supported by a certain Governor Bello, who encouraged the house to look into the allegations against his deputy, ahead of a possible impeachment.
To decide on the petition, a seven-man panel was raised to investigate the allegations and they essentially found the Kogi deputy governor not-guilty. Guess who didn’t give AF anyway and called for his impeachment? Just guess.
Simon Achuba was officially impeached from office on October 18th. By the 21st, a new deputy was sworn in – Mr Edward David Onoja.
Just to finally burst your heads with this Kogi issue, Onoja was sworn in by the Chief Justice of Kogi State- Justice Nadir Ajana. The same guy that ordered that a panel be set up to investigate the allegations against Simon Achuba. The same panel that found Achuba not- guilty of the allegations that were laid against him.
When I tell you I’m tired…
3. Boy, if you don’t fix that budget.
On October 21st, the Senate rejected the ₦23 billion budget presented by the Minister of the Niger Delta – Godswill Akpabio. Their reason? It was designed to fail.
That’s very
See, what had happened was — the proposed budget listed a ton of new projects to embark on to transform the Niger Delta or whatever, the only problem is, the big ND is littered with just as many uncompleted and abandoned projects. Also, the Senate was none too pleased that the ministry failed to contact the necessary stakeholders in the Niger Delta before drawing up the budget.
The first time I heard about the country Grenada was during a now-forgotten Miss World pageant. I haven’t had any real reason to pay any mind to the country since, until very recently when something I was researching had me put Grenada through Google images.
I shouldn’t have.
The image results made me want to pack Nigeria inside Bagco Super sack and just forget it in Ghana’s backyard forever.
Anyway, bitterness to the side, today’s abroad life subject – Hamid, has been living in Grenada for the past two years. We caught up with him to find how life in paradise feels like.
How does it feel waking up every morning and knowing this view is only a few miles away from you?
I won’t lie, this level of ifakanbale (rest of mind) is unmatched! I lived in Lagos before I went to England for my A-levels and undergrad and now Grenada, so I’ve been a bit removed from regular Nigerian craziness for a little bit. But you see this Grenada’s calmness, 10/10 would highly recommend. Down to the people, nobody has stress in this country, they take their time with everything.
*Jealousy levels start to rise”.
So for those of us that didn’t watch Miss World growing up, where is Grenada?
Grenada is an island country made up of the Island of Grenada and some smaller Islands. Off the top of my head, I can name two – Grenada and Carriacou. It’s around the Caribbean Sea, so everything’s just soft.
Even though ‘Sanwo-olu’s face was annoying me’ is a good enough reason to move these days, why are you currently living in Grenada?
School. I’m currently studying medicine at St. George’s University.
Just BTW, how long does it take to get from say Lagos to Grenada?
This question! So ideally, Lagos to Grenada should be about eleven hours, but there are no direct flights, so it always ends up taking so much longer.
More than half a day on a plane for medical school? When LUTH is just here? (Just want everyone to know we spent a full minute laughing at this.)
Let’s be serious here, plis dear. So when I say it takes more than 11 hours, here’s what happened when I made my first trip to Grenada. Let’s say I left Lagos on a Sunday, I didn’t get to Grenada until Wednesday.
Say what?
Here’s what happened.
In an ideal world, to get from Lagos to Grenada, you can either go from Lagos to London or Lagos to America, then get a direct flight to Grenada. So I was leaving from the US, and the thing with flying is, if you don’t book on time, flights get really expensive, so I was going to take a connecting flight when I landed Atlanta, to go to New York, then Frankfurt, then Barbados before getting on a final plane to Grenada.
*Jealousy levels reduce a little bit*
See, if my plan went that way, wouldn’t I have been happy? After having a layover of about five hours, I got introduced to what I like to call the Carribean Connecting flight culture (Hamid™).
What’s the Carribean Connecting Flight Culture?
Basically, if you have a connecting flight from the Carribeans, the rule is that your flight is going to be delayed, just take it like that. The exception is that it won’t. And if that isn’t bad enough, because they mostly use small planes, if you’re travelling with two boxes, just know one isn’t leaving the airport with you, like they’ll actually ask you which bag you’ll prefer to have with you when you leave the airport. I picked the one with my clothes because the drip is forever and well, I didn’t want to stink up the place wearing the same clothes over and over. Didn’t get my other box until days after.
Ah.
Ah indeed. So when I got to Barbados, my flight was delayed. When the plane finally arrived, it was meant to go to two places – Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, with Grenada being the first destination. Ask me the only country it ended up going to, just ask.
Oh no.
Oh no indeed. During the trip, the pilot just announced that they’d only be going to Trinidad, it was like film trick. Four hours at the Trinidadian airport and plenty KFC food vouchers after , courtesy the airline company — we finally, finally got to Grenada.
A patient king, I stan.
Before we go on, I’d like to go back to the studying in LUTH question.
Sure thing.
I’ve had the opportunity to shadow Nigerian doctors and I have to say, they should probably practice with capes attached to their coats because they are doing truly remarkable work with so little resources. Nigerian hospitals are painfully under-funded, the doctors here are just trying to make the best out of a system that is continuously failing them. So, if you are in anyway blessed to have the opportunity to study in a country and a system that works, I will always suggest you take that route.
I hear that. So for someone looking to get a visa to Grenada, how will they go about it?
Um, well have your documents first of all, academic records, passport, all of that. Then write a letter to the Grenadian customs maybe a month before. You really don’t need a visa to come to Grenada. I don’t think you —
MY PEOPLE DID YOU HEAR THAT?
Haha. Well at the time I arrived here. Like even my passport just has stamps on it, I didn’t have to apply for a visa. There’s a form to fill when you arrive, and some fees to pay, but I think that’s about it.
Okay. #Grenada2020 let’s see what’s up.
Let’s take it back 2 years when you first arrived. What were the first three things you liked about Grenada that made you go, ‘Lagos, e go be’?
Hmm. Definitely the sunsets. They are honestly the most beautiful, beautiful things. My phone is filled with pictures of them. Because my school is right by the coast, I get views of the most beautiful sunsets in this life.
One lie, you didn’t lie about these sunsets.
Haha. After the sunsets, definitely the beaches! See, these Grenadian beaches are good for your health. Throw on your swim gear, head to the beach, any bad mood is cured.
*Stares at summer body. Summer body stares back*
Like this one beach – Grand Anse. It was voted one of the best beaches in the world. Then maybe after that, just being here to study medicine, that would be my third.
*Jealousy levels dangerously spike*
Now that you’ve been here two years, what are the coolest spots to visit?
Let me see. Definitely Junction. It’s a bar and grill. It turns to a club at night. They play soca music and afrobeats.
Naija to the world!
You say that now, but really all they’ve been doing for two years is playing ‘If’ and ‘Fall’ by Davido. They only started playing ‘Come Closer’ this year and they even cut Wizkid’s part out.
LOL. What?
Yes oh. Then maybe The Dodgy Duck and Umbrella, which are restaurant-type establishments. I’m not one to go to clubs, mostly because their audiences are very em… white. Can’t really be giving them Zanku to Taylor Swift you know.
Indeed you cannot. So you’re pretty much living in Heaven while we’re here struggling with Road Safety. We can’t have that. What’s the inside gist on the worst parts of living in Grenada?
Let’s see. Shipping costs! Oh my God, it is so expensive to ship anything here. Say you get an iPhone for $1000, just know you’re going to spend like $500 clearing it.
What did you say?!
No joke. Then electronics are unreasonably expensive here. Just smuggle them in if you can. And lastly, they drive like crazy people here. Which is extra scary because the roads are very narrow and hilly so it’s just hard to reconcile with the jeje lifestyle everyone lives. Like they literally rush everywhere, just to get to their destinations and resume their quiet lives. Blows my mind.
*Jealousy levels return to a respectable level*
But how’s schooling there?
Pretty good. There’s a healthy mix of people. A lot of Canadians, Americans, some Batswana on scholarship from their government. Of course a lot of Nigerian students are here as well, so that’s always a plus. Facilitators too, which are like lecturers, but for study groups. A lot of them are Nigerian.
How come so many people are moving to an island country for medical school?
The thing about St. George University is, it’s a US accredited school. Of all non-US schools, it has about the highest success rate of providing a pathway for doctors looking to practice in the US and also the UK.
Got it. And how are classes?
Pretty intense.I am currently in Term five, which is pretty much the final lap before I take one of the biggest exams of my life in February, which will determine if I can have my residency in the US. So I’ve been through Term 1-4 here, where we learnt the foundation of medicine and anatomy. Oh something cool happened this week actually.
Tell me!
I worked in orthopaedics this week, and I took patient history, which is important because our school usually brings in standardised patients, meaning people without symptoms, learning props almost. So working on real-life patients was a real thrill.
Okay, I’m about to put you on the spot here, just helping you prep for that big exam. What do you do when a person is choking?
Check to see if the area is safe to approach, then ask them to cough. After that, look in their mouth to see what’s obstructing the airway. If you can see it, ask them to cough, if they can’t, finger sweep, try to get it out.
Ew.
Be ew-ing there. Be careful you don’t push it further back in. If not, go behind them, make a fist, put it infront of them above their belly button, take the other hand behind that, then do an in and up motion to try to get them to bring up the object blocking their airway. All of this if they’re conscious. ..there’s a whole other procedure where they’re not.
Doctor Doctor!
Haha. Awa niyen!
So what’s the plan after Grenada?
I’m looking to go to the US for my residency. I have more family there, so it’d be nice to be closer to them. I’ll do my clinical rotations there, take the Step 2 exams, and use that to apply for residency programme in whatever specialty I’m looking towards. I’m currently considering internal medicine or neurology. We’ll see.
I have to say, this doesn’t sound like green passport energy. Perchance sir, what is the colour of your booklet?
It’s greener than green. Doctors just have a high demand over there, plus I have visiting history to the US and clearly I’m coming for school, so it isn’t very likely that my visa will be denied.
From your mouth to God’s ears, all the best Doc!
Thanks!
Want more Abroad Life? Check in every Friday at 9 A.M. (WAT) for a new episode. Until then, read every story of the series here.
Traffic offenders are a menace on Lagos roads, oftentimes ignoring traffic rules at the detriment of other road users. Mostly, the offenders are okada riders and commercial bus drivers; sometimes even individuals, who should obviously know better, opt for the dare devil disregard of these laws as well.
However, as we all know, everyday for the thief and one day for the owner, which is why 37 traffic offenders were apprehended and sentenced to 25- 100 hours of community service, forfeiture of their vehicles to Lagos state government and about N15,000 to N20,000 fine.
But, now I’ve got questions:
What kind of community service will they be doing exactly?
Do we actually HAVE community service in Nigeria?
Will they sweep the streets or clear drainages? Ha, inside this rain and flood, hope water no go carry them go o.
It’s been speculated that they might take care of the elderlies. But, how will this be done? Where are the elders, which elders? Will they wash their clothes, bathe them, or what?
Considering that the last time such occured, the offenders were just told to clear bushes and waste in areas at Alausa and that was that, is community service an effective punishment that will actually curb further traffic offences? Because we all know that these Lagos danfo drivers and okada riders ti ya weyrey gan o.
‘Here ye, hear ye, the sovereign nation Nigeria is neck-deep in 190 million litres of faeces”
Excuse my vocabulary, I just happened to stumble upon an image that flung me headfirst, back into the middle-ages. Now what image could have the power to do that? You might ask, well here it is:
Do ye see we have a big-ass problem in this country?
Pictured above is the First lady of Enugu State – Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, giving very, very unnecessary commentary on a child washing his hands with a device that looks like it stumbled fresh out of the 1800s.
I have four major problems with this picture and all of them have the ‘Ugwuanyi’ surname. Now I am not one to hate on other people’s wealth or the blessings life throws their way, blah blah. But is my good sis really wearing an Apple watch to launch a crude tippy tap for school children?
Out of the ₦5.52 billion budget set out for education in Enugu’s 2019 budget, was this really the best thing Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi could give students in the age of iPads and Virtual Reality learning?
Did she really need armed police present for the launching of a medieval handwashing system for school children?
If this is the kind of project the first lady’s foundation – Ugo’s Touch of Life is proud to be seen launching, complete with press, — is this country not in soup like this?
What’s so upsetting about these tippy taps is, they’re so easy to make, even children can construct them, and this is not an exaggeration. If the government is looking to be involved in the welfare and improvement of the lives of children (as they absolutely should be) can they please do something more reflective of the 21st century we currently live in?
When I think of London, I think of structurally lullabies on structurally unsound bridges, the London underground and the really cool London Eye.
The subject of this week’s #AbroadLife probably thinks the same with a little allowance for assignments and group projects. Tolu moved to London for her masters in September, she’s telling us all about the move and how much she had to spend to make it. Spoiler alert: not a dime of her money.
It’s about that time to re-ignite visa lottery prayers. On a scale of 1 – 10, how much better is living in London compared to Nigeria?
Ah, that scale might break oh. The funny thing is, when I was moving here, I had been told all sorts about London being just like Lagos that moved abroad —
Oop, someone took ‘Small London’ a little too literally.
Haha maybe. But it might be because I live in Central London, which is a pretty posh part, everything is so calm. People are so willing to help — when you ask — like genuinely happy. But on the flip side, they take minding their business a little too seriously here. I mean, you could literally be dying on the floor and they’ll just walk around you to get to their destination, so that’s weird compared to ‘neighbours come and see o’, that I’ve been used to in Nigeria.
Interesting. So in today’s class, we’ll be learning what we need to make the move from Nigeria to The UK for school. What’s your first lesson, Professor?
Come correct with your clothes! I cannot stress this enough. When I was moving here, I don’t know where my head was at, I thought it was Nigerian hot girl summer all year round. I really brought all of my skimpy-skimpy. When that cold hit? Hmm.
Just make sure to check ahead what weather the UK is experiencing at the time, because you honestly won’t be able to function if you don’t dress appropriately.
Clothes, got it! But before we move ahead, where was your head at when you were leaving Nigeria? Till we meet again at the feet of the Lord or I’ll be back?
Oh, I could come back, it’s not something I would write off.
I see. We’ll pray about this potential fumbling of the bag in a minute. What did you need to get a student visa to study in the UK?
Just the usual. I had my TOEFL results from two years ago, IELTS,original academic documents, my visa, passport. Like, you don’t need to carry hand luggage to apply for the visa.
And how long did it take?
Let’s see, I got a scholarship in July and had to be in school for September, so I had about three months to prepare right? But the Nigerian government was funding my scholarship —
Please hold, I think this line is breaking. I almost thought I heard the Nigerian government was funding your scholarship.
LOL, but it was.
Please use all your chest to explain this thing.
So I applied for this PTDF scholarship back in 2018 and I got accepted in July this year. The government allows you pick a school of your choice, any school at all and they fund it. I jejely picked the most expensive school for my masters in the UK – Imperial College —
Enjoy that national cake, sis!
Abi oh. So the government paid for everything. They even give us allawee of about a thousand pounds every month. But to the visa application, there were a few delays, so I ended up having to apply within a week, paid for priority visa on let’s say I applied for the visa on a Wednesday, after 5 working days I got it, the next day I was on my way to the UK.
Okay, catching flights! What was the most stressful part of the application process?
If I’m being honest, nothing really. The government handled everything for us, down to the tuberculosis test requirement. They were funding about 200 people for their Masters and I doubt anyone of us got rejected. On the off chance that they did get rejected, the government would handle the re-application process.
This same government? Hm. So what was getting ready for your move in just a week like?
A week? Try a day. I wasn’t sure when the visa would be approved, so I just kind of went about my life after I applied. When I got confirmation a week after, you should have seen my friend and I, who also got the scholarship, hustling to buy pepper, ogbono and elubo in the market. I had like a number of hours to say goodbye to friends and family, it was hectic, but we move.
I can’t even imagine the drama the day you were leaving.
See. So I didn’t tell my dad anything about my visa application or scholarship until the very last minute because he’s the type that just wants me home and around him. I sha told him the day I was leaving that I just sharply wanted to reach London —
Energy.
Haha. He was so mad when I did, but that was like the most dramatic thing that happened though.
And how was it when you first landed in London?
See, you won’t believe the stress. You know it took me like a day to get sorted for my move, so there wasn’t enough time to properly plan my accommodation. When I landed in London I was meant to stay at my uncle’s friend’s home until I had sorted myself out. But here’s what happened. I landed Heathrow with my 56 kg bags and wanted to enter a cab to the house. They said cab was 120 Pounds oh, a whole 56k.
Say whet?
That’s how I started lugging my bodyweight around London. Decided to get accommodation somewhere around my school, so I got opened eye, got into a train that cost like 6 Pounds headed there. But Google Map had other plans for me. For some reason, since I moved here, it always directs me to go in the opposite direction of where I’m meant to.So if it says left, I’m really meant to go right. That’s how I spent like hours with my load, looking for somewhere that was literally 5 minutes away from the train station.
International hugs from over here. But how has settling in school been?
It’s been very interesting. Maybe more interesting because I am literally the only black girl in my class. Like not even any mixed-race people, the next gradient after me is full white. And there are about 70-75 people in my class.
Why do you think that is?
Well because the college is so expensive. If you’re not from money or on a scholarship like me, chances are access to the school are limited. And there just aren’t very many scholarship options around.
Upsetting, but understandable. How has attending Imperial College been so far?
Very, very interesting. I’m looking at it from all sorts of angles. Yes, it’s the top school for science and technology in the UK, but it’s also an incredibly prestigious school with a truly notable alumni. You’re also attending school with children of some of the most high-placed members of society, so while yes, academia is important, I’m also focusing on building a strong network from within the school.
That’s the spirit! Tolu rise, don’t waste Nigeria’s money!
LOL. Plus it’s actually a really great school, like the value for money is there. Companies come here to recruit, so you don’t even need to stress about life after school. I’ve been to about two or three job fairs already.
Get it girl. So this is random. What’s the nicest thing a stranger has done for you while living in London and Nigeria?
Hmm. In London, when I first arrived and was lugging my suitcase about, I was going up and downstairs, carrying load, just sweating and trying to find my boundaries. A very kind, kind Muslim man who couldn’t speak English and only told me ‘Bismillah’, helped me carry my load own the stairs. I almost cried, I was so thankful. And in Nigeria, well…
That I’m still trying to remember anything just goes to show sha.
It be like that. Any tips on student living while in the UK?
Clothes, again! I can’t stress this enough, don’t let your case be one of had thy know. Come prepared.
Try not to eat out too much. Your friends will want to pop to the Italian place, then the Mexican place after class, before you know it, you’re spending 40 Pounds a week on food that doesn’t even slap. No pepper, nothing.
LOL. Lord!
True though. Limit eating out to once a week. Get an Oyster card for transport, and always, always ask if there’s a student discount. Like I got a student discount at the Nigerian market when I was buying palm oil the other day, I don’t play at all. Then know how to split your time, it’ll save you a lot of heartache.
Got it! Now back to your plan to maybe return to Nigeria.
Tolu on a makeshift swing attached to a neem tree in Borno State. Image courtesy Sustyvibes.com
See, let me be clear. It depends on opportunity. I worked in Borno for a year in the IDP camps and I loved being able to help. If I can get a decent paying job in that field, I’ll take it. But if Dollars or Pounds call my name around this side, then, yes, I’ll remain.
Okay good. Just checking!
Want more Abroad Life? Check in every Friday at 9 A.M. (WAT) for a new episode. Until then, read every story of the series here.
Flying Officer Kafayat Sanni and first female helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile were inducted alongside 13 other fighter pilots at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday, after their training in the United States and South Africa.
Nigerian Fighter Pilot Needed to Train in US Air Force?
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated that the first female fighter pilot was trained at the US Air Force after a training course at 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna.
Doesn’t this beg the question of why she couldn’t be fully trained in Nigeria?
Well, considering that Nigeria is yet to have a national air carrier and had to wait for the philanthropy of Air Peace during the evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa recently, I’m not so surprised that we don’t have a school that can fully train our NAF officials.
Slow Move by NAF?
Why are we just getting these female pilot in 55 YEARS, 4 years shy of when Nigeria gained independence? Aren’t female pilots recruited in the Air Force constantly?
Are interested females made aware that they can join the Air Force if they desire or are their efforts frustrated?
Furthermore, as much as this feat is to be lauded, can we consider the fact that numerous commercial airlines have female pilots–most of whom are under 24 years old.
Meanwhile our Air Force is being praised for having only six female pilots, spread across, Intelligence, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Transport Aircrafts and now–Combat. In other words, one to each department?
Nonetheless, we greatly applaud, these women for achieving something like this in a male dominated force, big ups to them!
If you were looking forward to the nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a great excuse to lazy around for an indefinite time then you are going to be so disappointed.
These decisions happened yesterday, when Labour was supposed to be prepping their we-no-go-gree-o stance; but are we surprised that the strike was called off? No, we expected it.
The President of the United Labour Congress (ULC), Joe Ajaero, seemed to have foreseen this as well, which probably led to his statement about how the so called strike was dead on arrival because the “critical sectors that would make the strike to be successful were left out of the decision”.
I couldn’t agree more, considering that many a strike, prior to this, have been called off in order to engage in talks, yet nothing worthwhile is achieved. Oh well, this one remains to be seen.
Although, isn’t the NLC’s bark fast becoming louder than its bites?
To get a better understanding of Nigerian life, we started a series called ‘Compatriots’, detailing the everyday life of the average Nigerian. As a weekly column, a new instalment will drop every Tuesday, exploring some other aspect of the Nigerian landscape.
This week, a young woman shares with us, her history of abuse in the hands of a maid brought in to care for her home. This experience marred her childhood and perhaps life for good.
When I was three going on four, I was the size of a kitten somehow cursed with the curiosity of 9 cats. What I lacked in centimetres, I made up for in the sheer volume of questions I produced: what was holding the sky up? Did she swallow her baby? How come you get to tell me what to do? I had an excess of inquiries and a minimum of tact. Proportions which served me right until it came time to question why the maid, under whose care I was carefully placed, was just as carefully inserting appendages slick with Vaseline, into parts of me I was warned were not for outside viewing.
I never once queried her directive that no one be told of our ‘games’. And while 3, going on 4-year old me knew it was weird, it never crossed my lips to question why she only seemed to play these ‘games’ when no one else was around.
Illustration by Celia Jacobs.
It’s funny how guarded parents are when it comes to interactions between their children and known family and acquaintances. Show me a Nigerian child who wasn’t warned via eye movements alone to avoid an Uncle’s gifts or that aunt’s embrace and I’ll show you a miracle. Yet somehow, when it comes to near-strangers, these same guard rails are shifted to the side, to make for easier access to unsuspecting children — picking them from school, making their meals, sharing their rooms.
From what I recall, *Gladis was a Benenoise national given to torrents of rapid French when her limited English couldn’t pass a message across. She was to look after my two older siblings and I (all yet to reach adolescence), and keep our house in order, to ease the load off our civil-servant parents. A perfect stranger, I imagine her presence in our home was made possible through the greasing of some palms and the wringing of others — family and friends sad to see her go.
Perhaps as punishment for separation from her family, Gladys thought to ruin mine, starting with the smallest member she could literally get her hands on – me. And while time and the sheer will to forget have taken the worst of my memories of abuse from me, some experiences linger – being made to sit astride her while she appeared to playfully bounce me — movements which was anything but innocent. Inappropriate touching while she undressed me fresh from primary school, sometimes making me play the games on her instead.
Illustration by Celia Jacobs.
But perhaps her most wicked act was stealing the innocence of my childhood. At 3, I was Incapable of computing hundreds tens and units, but already I was fluent in the well language of excuses and silence that are usual markers of abuse victims. I’m not too sure how long I was a mark for her, a year, perhaps more. But it has been decades and decades since I’ve had the torment of seeing her face and yet, I still hold on to that silence.
How many government officials does it take to make much-needed road repairs on the Ibeju-Lekki axis?
Let’s see – add one decorative state governor plus a ceremonial local government chairman and an ineffective state house representative, and those roads just might be fixed right around the time our Lord and Saviour Master Jesus might be coming into town.
Thankfully, (even though this absolutely should not be the responsibility of the people) we have individuals like Ore Solana, the founder of Ibeju Lekki Connect, working to make good roads are one less hassle the people residing around said area, have to worry about.
Ore Solana – Founder Ibeju Lekki Connect
What is Ibeju Lekki Connect?
According to its website, Ibeju Lekki Connect (IBLC) aims to create an enabling environment for residents and individuals in the Eti-Osa-Ajah-Ibeju-Lekki-Epe surroundings. The company was created by Solana, who, fed up with having to shuttle between the mainland and her home in Awoyaya, thought up an easy way to connect residents and businesses alike within the area.
But, as we all know, Nigeria is one big whack-a-mole of problems. Where initially, the agenda of IBLC was linking residents, it soon morphed into banding together to save the occupants from the hellish traffic in the area, particularly Sangotedo.
Just how bad is the Ibeju-Lekki Traffic?
Woke up at 4am, left home at 5:30 and I'm just getting to work at 8:20. Wondering from where to where? Ajah to Lekki phase 1. Lagos tufiakwa gi😩😩😩
The everyday trauma on Ado-Badore road. Weather coming or going. One at Spineys supermarket by NNPC station, the other from Akins to Okera nla and the last one is at Ajah market. They need URGENT attention please.
Hello my Eti-Osa-Ajah-ibeju-Lekki-Epe neighbours, join the conversation this morning @1035fmradio1 kindly tweet photos of the bad spots in your neighbourhood and also share your traffic & flooding experience(s) with @1035fmradio1. Time is 9a.m, the focus this a.m is on our roads
2. Making collaborative efforts to end the traffic.
Hello Eti-Osa-Ajah-ibeju-Lekki-Epe residents. It is okay to come out en Masse to show your support. Rotary club Abijo, Estate association chair persons, members of ibejulekkiconnect and other neighbours are here! The plan is to extend to awoyaya, Abijo, Bogije, Elemoro. Come o pic.twitter.com/qx647abhUF
If this isn’t the ultimate, fine, I’ll do it to the government, then we don’t know what is.
Ibeju-Lekki Connect has working plans to co-ordinate road-repair projects on its own. Again, absolutely should not be their responsibility — but we’re rooting for them and here’s hoping they can provide a lasting solution while the traffic menace, while the government points and kills or whatever.
