Ezinne Ajoku: Nigeria is greater than the sum of its parts [NEW VOICES]

by Ezinne Ajoku

If there’s one thing that’s certain about Lagos, it’s the absence of a dull moment. If at all you’re living in Lagos and you are bored, rest assured that it’s got nothing to do with Lagos and everything to do with you. Take the risk of stepping out of your gate and watch as Lasgidi hits you with experiences, hard and brutal, comical and sobering.

As I made my way to work one of those days, I boarded a bus. When we got to Onipan, some area boy ran alongside the bus requesting his payout. The driver and conductor paid him no mind.  There was mild traffic which caused the driver to move along slowly, so the agbero used the opportunity to swiftly remove something from the vehicle. Observing that, the driver came to a halt at the entrance of the filling station and asked his conductor to go collect the item. Before we could say, ‘Jack Robinson,’ a police van stopped in front of the bus and police officers came down and began the process of apprehending the driver for stopping there. As if the driver blew a whistle, immediately a group of about 10 men congregated around the police van and bus, telling the police officers that they could not apprehend the driver for stopping there because it was their fault. They went ahead to say state that if they wanted to apprehend him, they should apprehend all of them. They explained how the driver had wound up on the side of the road waiting so he could retrieve his item. They also pointed to a sticker ‘Banufo’ stuck on the windscreen of the bus, which showed that the vehicle and the driver belonged to their association. The police office tried to posture further, pointing his gun in an attempt to scare them off, but they categorically told him that he would have to kill them all first.

As suddenly as the policemen appeared, they policemen disappeared. We all looked on in wonder, trying to contemplate what had just happened. On cue, the driver began to boast about this group, saying that on the Ikorodu road strip, particularly Onipan, they were not people to be taken for granted. He explained that they wielded quite a measure of power with the authorities and security agencies.

Nigeria’s institutions and systems are so completely ridden with corruption and lethargy and inefficiency, it seems nothing can stop our freefall into the abyss. But we can, if we the people arise and unite.

If only Nigerians could unite like this against injustices, child marriage and the plethora of human rights infringements. If only we could see an assault done to one as done to all, if only we could hold the government to accountability as one body, if only we could see taxes as our collective money, officials of government as our public servants, think what we could achieve.

If only we are courageous to dare death.

If only we could demand what’s rightfully ours- available petrol, working refineries, a new constitution that actually reflects the will of the people, true federalism, Nigeria will truly have a chance at survival and reclaiming her status as the giant of Africa.

Together, we are greater than the sum of our independent parts.

 

 

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