Bolingo Junction And The Careless Former Governor

Former governor Godswill Akpabio narrowly escaped being history; at least for now, a couple of days ago, while trying to catch a flight to God knows where, to see his wife and children. Akpabio's vehicle was involved in an accident, trying to beat time, by being oblivious of traffic rules and despising other road users. He reportedly ran into a convoy of vehicles belonging to the United States embassy. In Nigeria, where ogas are treated as special and above the law, he was immediately attended to by FRSC officials and taken to the hospital where he was evaluated and given a private ward to recuperate. The governor's acolytes and friends were all full of goodwill and sympathies. Well, Mr Akpabio, we wish you 'soonest recover'.

This is not the first time the voluble and controversial governor was involved in crass traffic violation. About a year ago, Akpabio's convoy sped against traffic in order to; you guessed it, beat time, when former president Jonathan was visiting somewhere in the FCT. Quoting reports; "…while other road-users halted movement to make way for the presidential convoy, Governor Akpabio’s convoy, coming from Asokoro, was unwilling to queue. According to a witness, the Governor’s convoy made a detour and drove against traffic at a high speed, blaring siren and swerving from side-to-side".  The convoy was 'arrested' by security agents, but let go with a warning at that time.

Why are government officials always trying to beat time by beating the rights of other citizens? Because they believe that their personal affairs, projected as affairs of state, trumps the rights of citizens. And where their personal needs are concerned, the very life of the citizen does not matter. Shootings and floggings are common when citizens; through no fault of theirs, either did not give way fast enough, or found it impossible to manoeuvre out of the way because of other road users. Many accidents on our roads (wherever we have one) have been caused by the unscrupulous and murderous convoys of government officials. I sometimes wonder who or when the anachronistic idea of sirens and high-speed vehicular movement by government officials was introduced to Nigeria. Obviously, the British must have introduced it. Britain is a hierarchical and feudal society despite its veneer of modernity, and Africa, Nigeria in particular, is similar in societal norms. On a daily basis, siren blaring government officials force ordinary Nigerians out of the way or prevent them from carrying out their daily businesses during visits. In more regulated and lawful climes, you only hear sirens when emergency public service vehicles such as ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles or the police are responding to someone or something.  In so-called advanced countries, blaring sirens warn other road users that there is an emergency [medical, fire or potential crime] and every road user is obliged to temporarily move out of the way until the vehicles pass. But this is done in a very orderly manner. Government officials in 'advanced countries' travel in convoys but never in the disruptive and obtrusive ways of Nigerian leaders. It is instructive to note that elsewhere, vehicles blaring sirens at high speeds are for the citizen's welfare and safety while it is the opposite in obodo Nigeria where the only well in welfare is for government officials and potentates.

Nigerian officials treat time as a servant instead of a respectable master. They waste other people's time but are impatient when they have to wait. They brook no resistance to fulfilling their needs and wants while denying basic rights and privileges of citizenship to other Nigerians. They can afford private jets, foreign medical trips, and send their children to some of the best schools in the world, while denying the majority of Nigerians a decent living. Akpabio should have known how much time he needed to get to the airport considering the traffic and adjust accordingly. The governor was reported to have been shaken after the incident and I wish the same shaking happens to the leadership of the Nigerian state. The man who claimed to have 'uncommonly transformed' Akwa Ibom state should know that there is something common to all mortals; high and low - birth and death.

                                                                  Akpabio's vehicle