As Deputy Features Editor with the then most widely circulating and most read national newspaper in Nigeria – National Concord, which was a flagship of Concord Group of Publications, founded by late Bashorun MKO Abiola, I had the privilege to be part of the team of Senior Editors drawn from a number of carefully selected media houses that undertook fact-finding on-the-spot visits to abandoned and on-going projects of the Federal Ministry of Communications across the country.
Another person that readily comes to mind is ace broadcast journalist, Yori Folarin of NTA, Victoria-Island, Lagos, who is currently with TVC, Lagos. The energy-sapping but highly informative, profoundly revealing, as well as interesting visits that were done in phases sometime in 1984 were initiated by the hardworking and human-friendly Kwara-born Minister of Communications, Alhaji Akanbi Oniyangi. The month-long visits unearthed vividly, government’s shoddy and wasteful ways of managing and maintaining monetary resources and public physical monuments scattered all over the country. In addition, the visits exposed the causes of monumental decay in infrastructure, lack of supervision of on-going projects, especially communications installations by public officials, as well as their connivance with contractors handling government’s projects in order to corruptly enrich themselves.
This is why, since then, the deplorable situation which is not limited to communications installations has extended to local, state and federal roads, public buildings and equipment, as well as vehicles and aircraft amongst others, dotting Nigeria’s landscape. My incisive piece, serialised for three days for publication in National Concord was aptly entitled: “Across the country in 30 days”. The visits, ably co-ordinated by the then Public Relations Manager, Federal Ministry of Communications, amiable Mr. Peter Akin-Thomas, gave me unique opportunity not only to travel extensively across the hugely populated country endowed with diverse cultures and immeasurable resources, it was also a rare privilege for me to interact closely unconditionally, with different groups of ethnic and cultural nationalities strategically positioned in the expansive belly of this potentially great but badly governed country.
It is unfortunate that in spite of being rightly or wrongly referred to as “Giant of Africa”, the increasing wave of indiscipline, poor governance, bad leadership, executive recklessness, legislative lawlessness, judicial rascality and impunity, as well as unbridled corruption and unending stealing of the nation’s oil wealth by powerful individuals have made Nigeria to become a subject of ridicule before the global community compared with some developing African nations. Indeed, due to its underdevelopment and steady retrogression even after 59 years of political independence, Nigeria is unfortunately still a struggling and toddler-country and not yet a respectable nation of great repute among the comity of nations.
Just-concluded extensive leisure visits to Benin, Togo and Ghana were quite informative, educative, enlightening and highly revealing. Journey by road from Idiroko border in Nigeria to Ghana through Benin and Togo depending on vehicular traffic, as well as security checks by law enforcement agencies of various countries could consume between nine and 14 hours. By air, duration of the journey from Nigeria to Ghana is one hour. Although journey by road could be tiring due to the relatively longer number of hours but it affords travellers opportunity to make informed observations and decisions concerning peoples, places, events and unusual occurrences in countries between Nigeria and Ghana. A foreign visitor or Nigerian travelling to Ghana for the first time by road will be shocked on getting to Nigeria’s Immigration Office in Idiroko, Ogun State.
The road leading to the office is profusely riddled with pot holes of various shapes and sizes due to utter neglect by past and present federal administrations. It is, indeed, a sorry sight that portrays Nigeria as irresponsible, careless and insensitive to plight of local and international users of the dusty pothole-ridden road. This is a sickening menace that paints the most leading economy on the African Continent in bad light. Does the Federal Ministry of Interior that supervises Immigration Department not think part of its annual budget should be used to rehabilitate the road so as to end the excruciating pains of road users and also stop the shame it has brought upon Nigeria and Nigerians? Perhaps, why President Muhammadu Buhari and other officials have not noticed this glaring abnormality that stares everybody in the face is because they travel by air from Nigeria to Benin, Togo and Ghana. This explains why since they never bother to identify with ordinary people, they do not appreciate the sufferings the citizenry are experiencing. This is why our so-called leaders should travel by road so that when they observe such anomaly they will direct that immediate action be taken.
At Idiroko border, Nigeria and Benin have Immigration officials that ensure travellers possess necessary travel documents. After clearance, travellers are then allowed to proceed on their journeys. Officials of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are stationed at designated locations to check activities of smugglers. Although they are in mostly rural communities, government should provide them habitable accommodation and conducive offices to perform their duties maximally. Benin is mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. Living among its population of 9.6 million are Nigerians engaged in various business activities. Many of them are from the South-West and they have been living in the largely French-speaking West African country for decades. The citizens are friendly and hardworking.
Tourism is one of the country’s dependable sources of revenue. Apart from motorists, Benin has huge number of motorcycle riders but unlike Nigeria, they maintain discipline on the roads. They obey traffic lights and since on certain roads, separate lanes have been created for them, cases of ghastly accidents involving motorists and motorcyclists or Okada riders, are virtually non-existent in Benin. On Fridays, ahead of Jumat prayers, number of motorcyclists on roads, at traffic light junctions, or near mosques, is overwhelming but there is orderliness everywhere unlike in Nigeria. Togo is a wonderful country to behold, especially judging by long stretch of well-maintained buildings, good roads, regular power supply, helpful citizens, industrious women and tidy environments. Togolese Immigration officials discharge their duties responsibly. Water-tight security measures are in place to ensure that on arrival, illegal immigrants do not enter the country.
After clearance, travellers already cleared are directed to enter their vehicles to proceed on their journey to Ghana. Unlike in Nigeria, the officials are caring, respectful and humane. Aflao is a strategic border town between Togo and Ghana. It harbours many industrial companies some of which relocated to neighbouring West African countries due to inclement business environment in Nigeria. It also has a thriving seaport. No wonder that virtually on a daily basis, unending stretch of trailers fully loaded with Dangote cement is common sight in moving vehicular traffic between Aflao and Ghana. At Aflao, travellers are also required to disembark so that their documents, as well as personal belongings could be thoroughly checked by Immigration officials. Following clearance, travellers will then proceed to the long-awaited last leg of journey to Ghana. Ghana has virtually overcome its past political and socio-economic difficulties that made many of its pauperized citizens seek refuge in Nigeria some years ago. Following introduction of sustainable drastic home-grown measures, engineered by dynamic and visionary Jerry Rawlings who later became president, Ghana is now a force to reckon with in Africa. The fact that many Nigerians are trooping to the country daily to study, work or visit, attests to the transformation Ghana has gone through over the years. This is the result of good leadership, exemplary governance, accountability, transparency and ability to motivate the citizenry towards achieving common goals.
