NigeriaPlus » Travel

Weather and Disposition

John Ukah — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:07:22 +0000

In every nationality group, people differ from individual to individual. But it is possible, however, to mention certain characteristic which in general describes the common disposition among the people of a country or region. Such prevalent attitude and practice is why others often suffer culture shock when they move between geographic regions or locations.

Having just arrived Nigeria from South Africa, my thoughts are probably the flight of fancy of a jet lagged imagination but I’m thinking that the weather influences the social rules and customs of nationalities more than we acknowledge. How warm and inviting the people are, service in hotels and restaurants, hostile or friendly reception at the airports or other gateways, are largely influenced by the cool, humid or crappy nature of the weather. Which is why timing of visits can be critical.

My remarks are generalizations and there are many cultures within nationalities whose values and behavior differ significantly. Within this context, the often observed and commented aloofness of the British, for instance, may have something to do with their unpredictable weather. That chilling coldness might be weather induced and not intended to be rude behaviour. My remarks are based on personal experience rather than any scientific research. I’m seriously considering, from my travels, that there is a correlation between the weather of a region or country and the prevalent moods, emotions and culture of the people. The weather, clearly and greatly, influences the optimism, expectations, social and economic activities of a region. Could the weather report or forecast then indicate what mood we will also find the people? This could prove to be a useful advance warning tool before one goes visiting and could improve cross-cultural communication and interactions. It could also improve empathy where cultural differences arise.

Some unusual cultures may also be better understood. Why did the Eskimos (Greenland) give out their wives to male guests for their entertainment during visits (wife-lending) and engage in spouse exchange? Legend has it that if a guest was offered the host’s wife, it was usually implicit that the host would have access to the guest’s wife at some point in the future (wife-sharing). Could it be a weather induced need to provide additional warmth or according to some accounts, the act was a ritual supposedly to achieve good weather and hunting conditions? Weather connections again?

The northern region of Nigeria has an arid climate with a harsh topography. Desert encroachment is a real threat and an ongoing challenge. You will observe, generally speaking of course, that the often tall and beautiful inhabitants of northern Nigeria appear more austere in their lifestyle and resistant to embracing other influences and cultures than their southern Nigerian counterparts. The Boko Haram sect has taken this resistance to the extreme in recent times, with their unacceptable violent and bloody agitation. They have made their stand known in no uncertain terms.

Friendliness, just like the dress sense and the diet of a people seems to reflect their topography and the warmth, unpredictability or serenity of their weather. Bright sunny days engender happy moods and warm feelings.

Temperatures in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa are usually fairly mild due to the city’s high altitude. I arrived in the Rainbow nation at about 5.45am on a South African Airways flight. The throng of passengers milled around the airport counters indicated for those with African passports for clearance. The reception we received, not surprisingly, was as chilly as the weather. The immigration officers acted contemptuously and we were treated like slimy earthworms that had crawled out of rotten crevices. They yawned unhappily from being awake at break of dawn to do their jobs. We were also yawning because we were tired from the long flight. But this common yawning ground earned us no points. It brought no bonding and cut no ice with our hosts. They seemed irritable and ordered us about from one queue to another. Unceremoniously, the officers behind the counters will suddenly close shop after attending to a person or two and take a walk around the airport. The walk might have been to keep warm but was interpreted differently by the visitors judging from the growing frustration etched on our faces.

We kept moving from one unwelcome counter to another until we were eventually cleared to enter the country.

Right from the point of entry into Johannesburg, one encounters a city full of diverse cultures, people and sights. A heaving metropolis of undulating valleys, range of hills and well-defined swinging hips – moving, it seemed, from one swinging attraction to another. Gradually the eyes grow accustomed to the everyday reality of the hills and valleys and constantly rolling backsides of the South African women.

But was their cold reception and hostile attitude weather influenced? I’ve been to Johannesburg a number of times and I often get this chilly reception at some point of my stay. Either at the sprawling shopping malls, hotels or at the airport. It might be argued that the weather has nothing to do with people radiating a positive or negative spirit or energy. It may even be suggested that my experiences could have arisen from the baggage that comes with carrying the Nigerian green passport (our reputation), or perhaps my disarming and charming looks or lack of it – depending on the beholder (my identity), or my personal disposition (attitude) or even my reading of deeper meanings into simple human behaviour that sometimes may swing like a yoyo based on factors other than weather.

But the differences in weather and the impact on attitude is better appreciated when our reception on arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, is contrasted with that of the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The city of Lagos is densely populated and often has an oppressive heat. Lagosians often appear harried – possibly running from the heat. There is a palpable air of frenzy and the pace of life seems rushed almost causing dizziness. It is sometimes chaotic, induced in all likelihood by the sweltering condition. The airport officials are often friendly but almost in your face and you sense they are sometimes just a tad too friendly, possibly they want something? Yes, they usually won’t mind “something”. You hear expressions like:

“Oga, anything for weekend?”

“Madam, anything for the boys?”

“Your boys are here, sir. We’re the ones securing this place!”

We arrived at the Lagos international airport at about 8.40pm and to my embarrassment and utter confusion, we were advised that a ramp (the movable staircase for entering or leaving the cabin door of the airplane) could not be found! Perhaps the oppressive heat affects the brain and creates such disorderliness and chaos? Just like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Direct Data Capture machines, the ramp had simply disappeared from the airport. Bizarre things certainly happen in the oppressive heat. We waited on board the plane for what appeared like eternity before a makeshift ramp that didn’t quite align with the door was arranged for us to disembark. Can one conclusively say then that nice weather breeds nice people? The weather, our disposition, missing ramps and well-defined rolling hips – is there some correlation? Of course, one can’t rule out individual exceptions whatever the weather brings.

Perhaps I should just quarantine my travel thoughts which possibly are impacted by jet lag and the sudden changes in weather?

Anthony J. D’Angelo however advises that, “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”

The Car Horn is not a Toy: by John Ukah

NigeriaPlus — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:09:30 +0000

Have you observed while waiting – like the good citizen you are – for the traffic lights to turn green at some roundabout or junction, that some wise guy usually keeps hooting his car horn behind you? Is this possibly a sign that his car horn works? Or is this a case of an adult compensating with the car horn for some deprived childhood toy? It certainly couldn’t be that this impatient Nigerian wants you to beat the traffic lights?

Strange as it may sound, to some car horn loving Nigerians, those car horns that we constantly hoot as force of habit or at every slight irritation on the road are not actually toys. The horn is a device on an automobile for making a warning noise especially where danger is perceived.

This realisation may come as a rude awakening. I do appreciate that some of us may have grown up as children deprived of toys and envied others who had those attractive toys that we desired. But we’re now adults and it will amount to over compensating, if we consciously or subconsciously decide to make up for this childhood loss by playing with the car horn while driving.

This distracting, annoying but seemingly pleasurable action constitutes noise pollution. There is enough pollution going on without adding this often unnecessary nuisance. We pollute the air with the exhaust fumes from our cars and dangerous fumes from power generating sets. We pollute the atmosphere with noise from water pumping machines and generators – a necessary evil in view of our epileptic national power supply. Our parties are often noisy and we block the roads with our rented plastic chairs, canopies and play loud music from the turntables or the popular live bands.

We pollute the atmosphere with industrial wastes, resulting in ground water pollution and acid rain. We pollute the air and the ecosystem by gas flaring and oil spills in the Niger Delta region. We pollute the atmosphere with the noise from the loudspeakers mounted on the rooftops of mosques, churches and the record stores, and those break-of-dawn foot evangelists with their megaphones who appear to be crouching directly by your window with their repentance sermons and seem to completely ignore where their freedom ends and where your rights begin.

Apart from permanent hearing loss, these pollutions have other health implications such as unhealthy air, stress, insomnia and affect our quality of work and life. The “Big Oga” or “Madam” after – arguably – a hard day’s work gets to the gates of his house and starts hooting his car horn for the gateman to open the gates leading to his/her fortress. Meanwhile, the poor gateman has diarrhea and is using the restroom.

The entire neighbourhood is plunged into a cacophony of noise as the Big Man keeps his hand steady on the car horn until the poor gateman, sweating and with his trousers bunched around his knees, runs out of the toilet – business unfinished or still ongoing – to open the gate. I’m sure we can work out more ingenious and effective ways of alerting the gateman that we’re approaching the house with our big cars without alerting, at the same time, the entire neighbourhood and robbers – for that matter – of our arrival.

The list of noise pollutants in our noise-loving society is endless. But we can do away, at least, with the unnecessary hooting of car horns. For those who were deprived of toys to play with as children, and are now compensating as adults with their car horns, my advice is to buy those missed toys for your own children or children around you. The sheer pleasure of watching them play with these toys and the gratitude on their young, innocent faces will compensate for your loss and deprived childhood. For the reggae music lovers, I know that Bob Nesta Marley in his song, “Punky Reggae Party”, avowed that it takes a joyful noise to make the world go round. But that joyful noise he referred to wasn’t the car horn.

I’ve a theory that some Nigerians do not use the turn signal often because it doesn’t make much noise. We’re a loud people and have evolved a relentless noisy environment. Have you observed some Nigerians greeting themselves in public places such as the airport? They become the cynosure of all eyes. They sometimes scream dementedly and supposedly in delight and slap themselves vigorously as if to cause bodily harm. My advice to car manufacturers for the Nigerian market is to provide some sound to the turn indicator so that more people can use it correctly and with pleasure. It may just be a whistling sound.

A Certain ‘Cross Country’ Ride: by Jude Egbas

NigeriaPlus — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:50:04 +0000

Sometimes, in the midst of the hoopla rendered forth by disgruntled air passengers venting their spleen on the poor service delivery of our airlines, it is easy to overlook the deplorable services commuters are subjected to almost on a daily basis by Road Transporters on equally deplorable road surfaces spanning the entire geographical region called Nigeria. Ninety five per cent of Nigerians still make the journey across states by road.

On the 5^th of September, 2010, I added to that percentage. I was allotted seat Number 6 on the ‘Cross Country’ bus headed for Calabar from Lagos that morning. I travel by road as much as I do by air out of Lagos. Mindful of the long and tortuous trip ahead, I had packed a stack of newspapers for my reading delight which included ‘The Economist’, ‘The Guardian’, a couple of soft sells and a book on America’s Barack Obama. Add to this a phone full of songs downloaded from the internet and I was ready to go.

Except that ‘Cross Country’ wasn’t. We got on board our bus at the Yaba Terminal of the Transport Company at about 7:30 am for a journey billed for 6:30am. An hour behind schedule and pretty cool by Nigerian time keeping standards, did I hear you say? Not so fast, reader. For as we meandered through Lagos traffic to hit the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, it turned out our trip had never begun. If anything, the tall gentleman adorned in his organisation’s suit and who was in charge of ferrying us safely down South had other ideas.

Tucked somewhere beneath files in its Yaba head office must be a list of the organisation’s do’s and don’ts. One of them forbids Chauffeurs of ‘Cross Country’ picking up passengers along the way. This is a clause in the ‘Cross Country’ contract which made me dump a certain ‘The Young Shall Grow’ Motors ( once my preferred road trip transporter and one which has become everything you hate in a transport service company) where passengers and their luggage are sandwiched into buses befitting a mortuary.

But our ‘pilot’ ( as they all like to call themselves) was a ‘smart’ man. Making quick bucks illegally in Nigeria is the norm rather than the exception. So, he would begin his ‘pick and drop’ service since there were plenty of empty seats from Lagos owing to insufficient passengers. Passengers who dared to confront him were asked to “ call office” if they could muster the guts. It was a routine he would perform every kilometre travelled until he had a full bus load of people and luggage. The money of course, won’t be going to the coffers of ‘head office’. ‘Na so Driver dey take chop’, he announced to his dissidents in smattering English, his greying hairline glistening in the September sunshine.

Some of us collectively heaved a sigh of relief as he engaged the gears now with some venom, happy to know he would now set about the task of taking us to our destination. But we were dead wrong. Our driver, it turned out, was a chronic and chain smoker. Pity us we didn’t heed the warnings from his darkened lips and blood shot eyes. He stopped now and again to ‘light up’ behind the bus, his furrowed brow and calloused palms telling the story of a man who should be anywhere but behind the wheels; entrusted with the lives of so many people every day. But we were stuck with him now. And his employers, I reasoned, must be happy to keep a blazing and mobile chimney on their payroll.

Now and again, he threw tantrums at passengers, hollering at anyone who questioned his pathetic and lousy driving. We got to Calabar some four hours behind schedule in the dark of the night, only too glad to know we made it to ‘Paradise City’ alive.

The return journey to Lagos was just as bad. Well, blame me for patronizing ‘Cross Country’ again if you would, but I couldn’t find a better transporter who would hand me a sausage and a drink before departure and make sure I stay fully air-conditioned for the duration of the trip. So, here I was, on the 15^th of same month, my intended bride having fouled up what would have been a lovely vacation; sitting in a bus labelled ‘Cross Country’.

Well, it was a smooth journey until we got to Umuahia in Abia state where the driver ( more polite than the greying one), begged us not to report to ‘head office’ as he ‘loaded’ his bus to the brim. He was better on the wheels and smoked no cigarettes. As we approached Benin, another bus headed for Ibadan and belonging to the ‘Cross Country’ fleet developed some fault. It was a rare day when about eight ‘Cross Country’ vehicles were headed for Lagos because the Lagos parking lot ( as we were told) was almost empty.

Our bus made its way into a gasoline station in Benin alongside several other Transporters and we were ‘off loaded’. The journey to Lagos was no longer going to happen in his bus, our driver told us brusquely, because another bus had picked up a knock. So, he would take the passengers from the ‘ailing’ bus to Ibadan, while all Lagos passengers would have to make do with cramming themselves into some of the other Cross Country buses headed for Lagos.

No one complained as my fellow passengers obeyed the instruction and were driven away. I stood there in the blazing sun, shouting my guts out and stranded. None of the other buses wanted a passenger armed with a 200kg sack of cassava flour ( gari). That was my sin. ‘No space’, ‘No space’, ‘abeg carry your load shift’ one driver after another yelled at me as I carried my sack all by myself, pleading for a seat on a trip and luggage I had paid for in full.

The last driver to leave the gasoline station took one hard look at me and my gari after a bitter exchange that lasted all of one hour as his passengers helped themselves in a dingy and unkempt diner inside, and accepted to take me to Lagos. By this time, I was completely spent, my sweat glands having been stretched to their limit. I needed the gari for my large family back in Lagos who was eagerly expecting same, so I had to guard it jealously with my life as other passengers ate to their hearts’ content inside. I didn’t have a meal until we got to Lagos at about 10pm.

Plus, the roads are hell! As much as I would love to blame the transporters for the poor quality of their services, I would want the Federal Government to take one hard look at federal roads ( oh, the Benin- Ore road, please!!!!!!) and begin work before my ink dries up. As one of the drivers said to me as traffic kept us rooted to one spot for hours ; “ dis one na small. Una neva see anytin. Dis Christmas wey dey come, people go sleep for dis road for 3 days and robbers go make moni. Na so e dey always happen’. Nigeria at 50? Hello!!!!!!

Responsible, Confident and Safe Driving: by Adewale Akande

NigeriaPlus — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:30:32 +0000

Driving is a serious responsibility with physical and mental abilities impacting on the driving activities of a driver. It is more than moving a vehicle and knowing how to use the accelerator, brake pedals and steering. Driving is at best when you have knowledge and required skills to drive competently in accordance with those rules and regulations guiding the public roads. A safe and responsible driver have responsibility which makes him a good citizen. Driving is a learned skill acquired with much practice. It is also more important to drive with due regards for safety and convenience of other road users.

Driving entails concentration, calmness, and with consideration and respect for others. And at the same time, a driver should ensure proper and total control of his vehicle at all times. That means a driver must not allow anything to take their attention from the road, therefore good anticipation and concentration will help to prevent these usual incident becoming accidents on our roads. The safety of others depends on you when you are on the wheel. Moreover, a good and responsible driver will always remember that the three most vulnerable elements at the road junctions and roundabouts are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. T

hese people have to be recognised and respected. They should be given priority in all ramifications; in zebra crossings (pedestrians crossings),foot paths or sidewalk or pavement, junctions and roundabouts. That is why concentration and good judgement at all times are parts of requirement needed to qualify a person as a responsible and good driver. More importantly, a driver must meet the minimum age requirement and hold appropriate driving licence and basic insurance for the vehicle being driving on public roads.

The practice of issuing driving licence to people without meeting the standard driving test and practical training is nothing less than giving out licence to kill. This is common almost all developing countries of Africa, Asia and South America. Some people will receive their driving licence without able to distinguish between a clutch and brake pedals. There is no probability that anyone that got his licence in such manner will not have an accident (let ‘s pray to be minor) which can cause a devastating set-back to family of the accident victims.

An estimated of 1.17 million deaths occur each year worldwide due to road accidents. The majority of these deaths, about 70 percent occur in developing countries. Over 10 million people are crippled or injured each year. Meanwhile, a safe and responsible driver have responsibility in obeying and minding the rules of the road, risk perception, hazard awareness, eco-driving (frequent check-up or maintenance of their vehicle for safety and reduction of air pollution) and good driving behaviour. The first important safety guide for a driver is good condition of the vehicle in question.

As we know that not only human errors or condition of the roads can lead to accident, equipment failure can also be responsible. Frequent or regular maintenance or “check-up” of your vehicle can prevent it from endangering lives. The vehicle engine, Brakes, Seat Belts, Headlights, Tyres (including spare-tyres), Wipers, Indicators, Steering-wheel, Speedometer etc should be in good conditions. With all these in order, you have already passed an important part of safety driving. Low seat belts wearing rates in developing have significantly contribute to automobile accidents and serious injuries. Seat belts will reduce the forces your body experiences in a crash. It keeps you from flying through the dashboard and windscreen in a sudden stop or crash.

A responsible driver must put on his seat belt before moving his vehicle and must ensure that other passengers including children wear the correct, and approved restraint appropriate to their size and weight. You should not risk your life and that of other with bad, loosed, fragile or fake seat belts. A properly worn seat belt protect the mother and the unborn baby in any unforeseen crashes. Alcohol, drug and tobacco are another negative elements that cannot be “mix-up” with driving.

These two elements are driving enemies and they should be avoided with much seriousness. Never drink alcohol when you have a plan to drive and never offer an alcoholic drink to someone else who is intending to drive. It is more advisable to arrange for somebody to pick you up or you go with public transport if you must drink in a party. The result of an accident through drinking touch many people, it is not just only those physically involved, but many relations, families, friends, ambitions and careers can be ruined in a split of second.

Have you ever seen any human being on earth who has never been affected by accident either directly or indirectly? That is why it is collective responsibility of every living souls to participate and involve in this mission to eradicate or reduce the ever increasing volumes of accidents worldwide. Nearly one-third of teen drivers who were killed in motor vehicle accidents had been drinking according to recent world research. Alcohol affect your judgement and abilities while driving, it slows your reaction to obstacles on the roadway and it reduces coordination and total control of the vehicle apart from given a false sense of confidence. Alcohol relaxes you and increase your chances of falling asleep on the wheel. Alcohol level rises quickly on empty stomach and intensity or tolerance effects of alcohol differs and depends on a range of factors such as age, weight, gender, metabolism, current stress level, quantity of alcohol and whether the person have eaten recently.

The effect of alcohol manifest its maximum point in human body one hour after the last cup of beer. So you have to take a long sound sleep after an hangover of alcoholic drinks before handling a steering. A driver should not drive under the influence of drugs or medicine which is banned and very dangerous risk to serious accident. In essence, you should not drug drive, that is “don’t drug drive”. Some prescribed drugs you bought on chemist or pharmacy shops like sedative and analgesics (pain relievers) can result to drowsiness, blurred vision and tranquillisers like cough syrup, cold tablets and sleeping tablets can reduce driving ability. You must not take medication less than an hour before driving.

Smoking on its part cause distractions while driving, produces smoke that irritates to the eyes and can easily lead to drowsiness in few minutes as you start smoking. Over-Speeding and Gamble Over-taking are another negative elements that a good and responsible driver should be avoided in all ramifications. It is forbidden to overtake when you don’t have the best view of the road ahead or when in doubt. Drivers are prohibited to overtake on pedestrian crossing and railway or metro crossings respectively.

Speed kills. Over-speeding have sent many people to grave beyond. It is basic fact without embarking on any research that “the faster you drive on the road, the more likely you are to crash”. Driving is transportation and not competition or race among drivers like Schumacher, Hamilton, Alonso, Button etc. The higher the speed of a vehicle, the longer the braking distance. Besides, stopping distance are doubled on wet roads. Driver should always obey the speed limits for road and for his vehicle. Driving a vehicle without a functioning speedometer should be taken as serious traffic offence in African and Asia countries.

So, it is better to late to your destination (if you cannot leave earlier) than to be the late. Two-Second-Gap-Rule (TSGR) is another factor that can make a driver safe and responsible on the road way. There is a dictum which says; “Only a fool break the two-second-gap-rule” This is a safety margin that all drivers should allow as a safe separation distance between you and the vehicle in front. This have to be doubled (four-second-gap-rule) on wet roads or when its rainy. It never safe when driving too close to vehicle in front. It gives time to react. This is one of the best safe driving principles. Telephone is an important use of communication especially in emergency period or while away from home or office, but it should be avoided while on steering. Using of mobile or any other hand-held telephones are prohibited while driving throughout the world. It is now a serious traffic offence to be communicating or sending or reading messages with your mobile phone while driving on public roads. It is better and more appropriate to pull over to a save place to receive or make a call. Obeying all traffic rules and regulations is another important requirement to be a safe and responsible driver.

Most accidents occur because some drivers fail to recognise, respect and obey some important traffic signs and road markings. All drivers must always stop at the STOP sign even if there is no vehicle coming from either sides. Red traffic triangles usually give you a warning. Red circles traffic sign tells you what you must not do. Blue rectangle traffic signs usually gives you information and Circular traffic sign with blue background tells you what you must do. Road markings are also very important as traffic road signs. Solid white lines on the road means do not cross. Broken white lines means that your vehicle can cross and triangle lines on the road junction also give you instructions such as to stop or give way.

Meanwhile, yellow lines road marking are used to make some form of waiting restriction. There are two types; double yellow lines mark length of the road, where there is no waiting at any time. Single yellow line indicates a shorter period of restriction such as a day time. Besides, all drivers should obey and pay special attention to all supplementary signals and personal assigned to regulate traffic by traffic authority or road under construction which all signs have a yellow background. Meanwhile, a responsible driver should always slow-down and give way to pedestrians on zebra crossings and when turning to a new street road and people are crossing. Driver should recognise that children and old mummies and daddies on the road. They always find it difficult to judge the speed at which a vehicle is approaching because as they are getting older, their sight, hearing and reaction times may not be as sharp as they were used to be in the “good old days”.

Children on their own part tend to focus on one thing at a time and as they are small in size which makes it difficult for drivers to see them. Avoid driving in poor weather such as wind blowing, night travelling and heavy-rainfall because, when it comes to vision, human eyes takes a long time to adjust to changing light. Driving a passenger vehicle with a capacity of more than twelve passengers should have a first-aid kit, a spare tyre and at least one fire extinguisher and emergency exit doors and windows. It is very important to have periodical eyes test that ensure your eyes have not deteriorated especially when you need glasses to read vehicle number plates. Finally, a responsible, confident and safe driver have responsibility in obeying and minding the rules of the road, risk perception, hazard awareness, eco-driving (frequent “check-up” or maintenance of their vehicle for safety and reduction of air pollution) and good driving behaviour.

And most importantly, you should have total control of yourself, the vehicle and your immediate environment to ensure a safe and responsible driving habit. It is definitely not a joking matter as there is no replacement for a life lost or permanent disability due to road accidents. Always remember that a minute patience or endurance with other road user can safe a life.

Written by: Adewale T Akande Author and Road traffic safety consultant. www.globaleduven.com

Lekki-Epe ExpresswayToll Palaver: by Olusegun Fakoya

NigeriaPlus — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:05:17 +0000

Lekki-Epe Expressway Toll

The raging controversy over the erection and collection of tolls on the yet-to-be completed Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State, Nigeria is a classic example of the consequences of dearth of communication between the government and the governed. The imperative of communication has been brought to the fore by the rejection of the idea of toll payment by the residents of the area covered by the expressway.

While the purpose of this write-up is not to look at the merit or demerit of the proposed expressway (and in sincerity, the whole contract issue relating to this road raises a lot of questions), the importance of respect to the citizenry on the part of those fortunate enough to be in government is a virtue that should be strenuously cultivated.

The Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos State covers areas that include both the high brow and the relatively impoverished parts of the state. It includes the wealthy, the intelligentsia and the struggling masses of Nigerians. In reality, the bulk of the population of these areas actually consist of the struggling masses – the subsistence farmers, the fisher men, labourers and what have you. The axis might appear affluent around the Eti-Osa portion perhaps up to and including Sangotedo and Ajah, but a trip to the Epe end would tell a different story. I had lived around this area and had travelled this road extensively.

While the efforts of the Lagos State government in ensuring that segments of the state partake in industrial and economic development is commendable, yet the lack of adequate information, consultation and engagement of the people before the project was embarked upon was a great error. Gone are the days when governments in the country, in their wisdom, could unilaterally impose a conceived idea (no matter how well conceived) on the people without consultation. A successful idea has many stakeholders to contend with. While the decision to single out that area of Lagos for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) remains curious, the key issue involves the length of time granted to the concessionaire (Lekki Concession Company Limited, LCC), the content of the agreement between the Lagos State Government and LCC, the rate of construction of the proposed road and the haste with the implementation of toll collection by LCC.

The idea of Public Private Partnership is universally acclaimed and practiced. However, for a Third World country like Nigeria, special efforts should be made by governments to ensure that its citizens are not subjected to undue exploitation. Experience has shown that government control and regulation of such projects when completed is practically non-existent. A 49.5 kilometre of road was awarded at billions of Naira by Lagos State government in its wisdom and for whatever reason to a consortium of questionable composition. This project was awarded in April 2006 and as at now, only less than 5% of the road had been completed. Yet, the concessionaire (LCC) is extremely keen to start toll collection with a test run completed on August 10. The issue of the slow rate of progress of work is one of the issues affected residents are concerned about. Not only this, the haste at implementing toll collection by LCC also brings a vital question to the fore.

The idea of Public Private Partnership is to provide a social amenity without undue financial strain on the part of government. The idea is to free scarce resources which can then be utilised in other areas of development. However, a situation where a 49.5 km stretch of road is only about 5% completed with imminent toll collection is worrying. The main question here is this: was it part of the agreement between the concessionaire and the government that money raised from such toll collections would be used in financing the remaining parts of the road? The other issue is the length of time granted the concessionaire to operate the road before transfer to the government. Thirty years is no child play. The other questions are: would the suffering residents of this area be subjected to three decades of exploitation by an obviously influential and powerful concessionaire before heaving a sigh of relief? Would they have to pay toll for almost three decades? At what point would toll collection stop?

The other area of concern is government seeming lack of respect for the inhabitants of the proposed road. There is a worrying government apathy and reluctance to address pertinent issues raised by the people of the affected area. The people’s complaints centred amongst others on lack of communication and engagement on the part of government, the financial impact of double toll payment on a segment of the corridor, the reluctance of the government to provide an alternative non-tolled corridor and the seeming insensitivity of LCC to the people’s rejection of the idea of multiple tolling. Merely appealing to the people to accept an intolerable idea as being done by Governor Fashola is just not the solution.

There is no doubt that a lesson would have been learnt by the Lagos State government from this whole imbroglio. It is apt for the government to accept its mistakes and make urgently required amends. The best the government can do is to return to the drawing board and make efforts to reach out to the people in effecting a panacea to the issues at stake. Ignoring or simply using the paraphernalia of governance to impose an unpopular policy or idea would negatively harm the legacies of the incumbent governor. There should be clear guidelines on when toll collection should start and for how long within the 30 year period of the agreement with LCC. Giving LCC power to operate unfettered would only impoverish the citizens tremendously. Are there control machineries in place? What is the rationale in collecting tolls on a road that is only 5% completed? If premature toll collection is to finance the rest of the road, then why is the agreement with LCC fixed at 30 years? What does it cost the government to review the location, and in fact, the reduction in the number of tolling points on the road?

Governments in Nigeria would achieve a lot if they could understand that participatory democracy does not end with mere election to public offices. It entails the process of consultation and dialogue with the people on issues with direct relevance to them and also issues that could affect their financial wellbeing. It is built on the principle of respect to the people as its origin is basically the people’s power. The Lagos State government, by initiating and executing this controversial project, failed in its basic contract with the people, that of carrying them along in its policies and programmes. Lagosians (nay, Nigerians) are not monkeys that any government could just impose any programme it deemed fit upon. The process of governance should not be too remote from the people. This has been the style in Nigeria and it calls for a serious review and change. The proposed road on the Lekki-Epe corridor is meant to be used by the people and not donkeys or cows. As such, the people have a right of say over what they rightly or wrongly perceived as its inherent injustices. It is equally imperative for a responsible government to show a listening ear.

Dr Olusegun Fakoya

The state of our roads

Nkemjika Joseph Okoye — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:39:12 +0000

Death traps masquerading as roads

Unlike what most farmers cherish because of its good work on the soil and subsequent large production of crops,rainy season is dreaded by motorists because of the bad shape it gives our roads and the direct effect of the bad roads on their vehicles,due to poor maintainance or inexpert construction of these roads.

Unfortunately,rain,an inexorable natural phenomenon and gift from God seems to be causing more harm than good to motorists,motorcyclists,passengers and pedestrians alike.It has suddenly turned to a nightmare.Our roads are in dire need of serious attention in terms of repair and maintainance so as to ameliorate the worsening conditions of the users.

Road construction in our country like other things have become more of lip-service when compared with other nations that have the welfare of their citizens at heart.Despite the large sums of money allocated for road construction and maintainance,only little or nothing is done.

The media is often flooded with the news of large sums of money mapped out for our roads but we actually don’t see the money at work.Where then do they go?Maybe they have developed legs and walked into the bank accounts of some dubious politicians and contractors,while the unheard masses continue to suffer.When will we change?I wonder why our leaders will prefer to claim to have executed some of these projects that were never touched in the first place.

Another thing that comes to ones mind in this matther is the way our so-called contractors lackadaisically approach the work given to them.It is quite pitiable.Some of these companies lack the needed skill and manpower to construct good roads.Some are owned by some of our corrupt and selfish government officials that use them as a channel to syphon our money.Despite the introduction of ‘due process’ in the issuance of contracts,unqualified companies keep receiving contracts which they mess up.

Unlike what is obtainable in Aba,Onitsha and other areas in the east where I reside,some state capitals and Abuja have good roads.A trip to Abuja and Lafia made me to have a second thought on the distribution and the use of funds for our roads.I met good roads there.Why is it only state capitals that receive considerable attention in terms of road construction and maintainance?

Even when the roads are eventually constructed,they are done with very low quality materials.The roads have no choice but to get bad again within months,weeks or even days.The roads are constructed without drainage system,thus making them to easily get flooded and destroyed on the slightest downpour.

Is it not better to construct roads that will last longer with quality materials and save ourselves the troubles of recurrent reconstruction.

It will only take sincerity to get good and durable roads. Why do we find it difficult doing what is right?

I recently visited Aba and met the bisected roads,potholes and ‘artificial lakes’ positioned in many parts of that town as usual.The residents are really suffering while the government is silent and insensitive to the people’s plight.

Those in positions of authority want the masses to re-elect them while obviously nothing has been done .Who is deceiving who?The electorates should be careful.We all should go for what is right.

Our leaders are unaffected because they seldom use these roads.This closes their eyes to their sorry state.They fly to any place they want at ease.

Our roads have turned out to be potential death traps for the users.Commonly,we see accidents that are not ineluctable,caused by bad roads.Day after day,innocent lives are lost due to mere ineptitude of our contractors and their companies.

The men of the underworld also take advantage of the situation to block and raid road users,often robbing them of money and other valuables,sometimes killing those that couldn’t comply.Ofcourse, the police will be no where to rescue them.

I was not surprsised,when I saw a construction company that was given a contract on Owerri-Aba road,pouring ordinary red mud on the road and constituting nuisance.The air saturated with dust becomes life threatening to asthmatic road users.I also saw them using concrete on the road-I don’t know whether it is the latest style for constructing durable roads.We should do away with quacks when giving out contracts.

Where is the minister incharge of works?Nigerians are earnestly waiting for his manifestation.The works we are doing at the moment should be properly supervised to ensure proper work done.Funds for road construction should speedily be brought out and channeled accordingly so as to make our nation a better place to live.

We will at the long run save people’s lives and at the same time reduce the negatives effects of the bad roads on our vehicles,tricycles,motorcycles, bicycles and economy.

Murtala Mohammed International Airport as a death trap; by Kayode Ogundamisi

Kayode Ogundamisi — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:35:08 +0000

“Hello – Passengers for flight 9ja001 for London, with stops in Ota and Minna! The departure gate has been changed to Aso Rock. Please proceed to departure gate immediately. Unfortunately, there will be a long departure delay due to slight hiccups at our electricity supplier (PHCN) as a Python has been found in Kanji Dam Hydro Station.

The ground Crew has invoked our business continuity plan which entails setting up candles and Tiger! Tiger! Generator please do not be anxious it is Air-Cooled Gasoline/Diesel (0.45-6KVA) compliant, all to ensure that our preparation for departure goes as smoothly as possible.

We currently have too many passengers for seats available, and in line with practice, we are offering complimentary round-trip tickets to a few passengers willing to take Ekene Dili Chukwu. We should be boarding when Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) gets diesel for the airport generator.

We have been unable to make contact with the contractor responsible for that aspect of the business continuity plan. (They seem to have put the same phone number as that of Mrs. Fidelia Njeze the aviation Minister of the Federal Republic down as their contact details.) We thank you for your continued patience”.

The narration above is a fictitious announcement (with slight modifications) that was put together to depict the daily comedy we witness in Nigerian airports. The statement in part may appear exaggerated but it is not that far from reality.

Tee A and Ali Baba, two well-known Nigerian comedians need not research for comedy materials. A visit to the nation’s number one hub Murtala Mohammed International Airport should give them more than enough material! It is very sad but we are currently witnessing unprecedented rot at Nigeria’s main international airport.

Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

Late Dr Shola Omoshola, the American trained Aviation Security specialist, when he was alive, asserted that the Nigerian government ran our airports like a corner shop in a Lagos side street. Several years after Omoshola was killed, now in the year 2010, the situation seems to have gone from bad to worse.

The aviation ministry sees our airports as a milking pot. As soon as ministers are appointed, Nigerians get promises that very quickly turn out to be hot air. The only positive point is the privately run Lagos Airport MMA 11 but even that flourishing spot is not immune to the larger rot in the aviation industry.On Sunday 9th May 2009, Nigerian media reported that hundreds of passengers were left stranded at the international wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos as a result of power failure. Some sections of the media reported that the outage lasted between 4 to 6 hours. If this particular outage had been a one off, it would not have been of any serious concern to citizens, but outages in MMA are fast becoming the norm and Nigerian passengers are beginning to get used to it.

It may be said that the airport is part of the larger Nigerian society, and so power outages are nothing unusual. We should however remember that an Airport running on epileptic power supply is putting the lives of hundreds of passengers at risk. Any organisation incapable of providing adequate back up power supply is failing abysmally. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is charged with the running, maintenance and day to day administration of our airports and the authority’s spokesperson in reaction to the discomforting event of Sunday May 9 is reported to have admitted that poor power supply is affecting service delivery at the airport. He was however quick to add that the authority rectified the outage of Sunday May 9th (reported as lasting 4-6 hours) in good time.

Whilst Mr Olukunle as an employee of FAAN may not be able to voice out the true state of affairs (which is most likely to be dire), it is important that Nigerians should urge the authority and the Nigerian government to take steps to ensure that no major disaster befalls innocent passengers as a result of the increasingly deteriorating service levels at the airport. We must admit it now that the MMA is not only a death trap, but a disaster waiting to happen. Power outages may be the most glaring problem to members of the public but the FAAN authorities should immediately take their case to the federal government and ask for intervention from not just the aviation minister but the best brains in the aviation industry.

All hands must be on deck to save the country from impending disaster. FAAN should also take a look at the perimeter fencing adjacent to the neighbouring “Sasa Village”. Those areas are anything but a protective fence. A terrorist could easily position at the landing area which is close to the runway, armed with a rocket launcher and bring down any landing aircraft.

It is amazing that FAAN has not given that area top priority as a weakness in our airport security. The outer part of the fence should be cleared so aviation security personal can implement external patrols which are at the moment limited to the inner side of the fence.I believe it is sheer luck that Al Qaeda or other fringe terrorist groups have not taken advantage of the porous state of our airports’ security.

Staff members are overworked and underpaid compared to the large revenue the organisation receive from airport users, and the airlines, and are thus prone to receive monetary bribes. It is only a matter of time before a terrorist induces an airport worker to wreak havoc. We are yet to introduce counter terrorist units to work closely with our aviation security administrators in an age where Nigeria is fast becoming attractive to Al-Qaeda.

A standard vetting system needs to be put in place and facilities such as Toilets, Car Parks, Eateries upgraded to meet basic health and safety standards.We are failing to meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) mandate that airports must operate with sufficient number of trained and well equipped personnel to be able to perform at high standards.

FAAN officials may spin some accreditation from the American Civil Aviation Authorities as a testimony of FAANS efficiency but don’t we all now know with the Farouk Abdulmutallab incident that we can not place our standards just on the Americans but on the basic principles that lives of airport users in Nigeria must be protected and provided with the best of services.To the credit of airport staff, it is a miracle that they have been able to deliver current service levels in spite of the poor conditions they are forced to work under. We can not continue to count on luck. Government must seriously and urgently intervene to save us from a tragedy waiting to happen.

SeaWorld will keep whale despite trainer’s death

NigeriaPlus — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:25:19 +0000

Dawn Brancheau

ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite calls to free or destroy the animal, SeaWorld said Thursday it will keep the killer whale that drowned its trainer, but will suspend all orca shows while it decides whether to change the way handlers work with the behemoths.

Also, VIP visitors who occasionally were invited to pet the killer whales will no longer be allowed to do so.

“We’re going to make any changes we have to to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Chuck Tompkins, chief of animal training at SeaWorld parks, said a day after a 12,000-pound killer whale named Tilikum dragged a trainer into its pool and thrashed the woman to death as audience members watched in horror.

Talk-radio callers, bloggers and animal activists said Tilikum — which was involved in the deaths of two other people over the past two decades — should be released into the ocean or put to death like a dangerous dog.

Tompkins said that Tilikum would not survive in the wild because it has been captive for so long, and that destroying the animal is not an option either, because it is an important part of the breeding program at SeaWorld and a companion to the seven other whales there.

Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old veteran trainer who adored whales, was rubbing Tilikum from a poolside platform when the 22-foot creature grabbed the woman’s ponytail in its jaws and pulled her in. Witnesses said the whale played with Brancheau like a toy.

“He kept pushing her and poking her with his nose,” said Paula Gillespie of Delaware, who saw the attack from an underwater observation point. “It looked like she was just totally caught off guard and looked like she was struggling.”

She added: “I just felt horrible because she’s someone’s daughter, mother. I couldn’t stop crying.”

The killer whale shows have been put on hold at SeaWorld’s three parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego. Tompkins said they will not resume until trainers understand what happened to Brancheau. He also said trainers will review safety procedures and change them as needed.

He would not give details on what might be changed, but he said he does not expect visitors to the theme park to see much difference in the killer whale shows, in which trainers swim with the animals, ride on their backs and jump off of them.

There is virtually no contact between visitors and the orcas at SeaWorld shows, said Fred Jacobs, a spokesman for the SeaWorld parks. But in the past, VIP guests occasionally were allowed to come down to the edge of the pool and touch the whales. That will no longer be permitted, Jacobs said.

Because of Tilikum’s size and history of aggressive behavior, visitors were not allowed to get close to the whale, and trainers were not permitted to climb into the water with the animal. They were only allowed to work with him from a partially submerged deck.

Tompkins defended SeaWorld’s use a whale that had already been blamed in the deaths of two other people.

“We didn’t ignore those incidents,” Tompkins said. “We work with him very, very carefully. We did not get in the water with this animal like we do with other killer whales because we recognized his potential.”

Brancheau’s older sister, Diane Gross, said the trainer would not have wanted anything done to the whale. “She loved the whales like her children. She loved all of them,” said Gross, of Schererville, Ind. “They all had personalities, good days and bad days.”

In a profile in the Orlando Sentinel in 2006, Brancheau acknowledged the dangers, saying: “You can’t put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you.”

One of SeaWorld’s most popular shows — about a child who wants to grow up to be a killer whale trainer — could have been inspired by Brancheau herself.