Nick Agule
My name is Nick Agule a public affairs analyst. I have exercised my freedom of free speech to respond to the author of the piece below. My response is directly below.
Please be patient to read down to mine. I am happy to receive rejoinders publicly or to my email: [email protected]
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The Missing Value
By Harry Daniyan
I carried out a social experiment today.
I was walking along the pedestrian sidewalk in Utako Abuja when some cars (in a bid to avoid traffic) turned on the side walk, driving towards me.
Everybody gave way to the vehicles.
I didn’t.
The driver almost hit me.
I stood my ground…
He honked.
“Oga, commot for road!”
No, sir.
This is the pedestrian walk way.
You should go back to the road.
“Are you blind? You no see traffic?”
I see it sir, but that doesn’t give you the right to drive on the pedestrian sidewalk, sir.
A man and a woman came down…
The woman said: “Respect yourself ooo! If not for the white hair I see, I for deal with you!”
But ma’am, your driver is wrong.
Your anger should be directed at him, ma’am.
After a while, about 30 people gathered.
They all saw me as an irritant old man causing trouble…
People in the vehicles in the hold up also joined in verbally:
“Baba! Why are you embarrassing yourself in public? Don’t you have shame?”
(I actually don’t have shame)
It’s not about ME, guys. It’s about this driver driving on the pedestrian sidewalk!
The mob came for me…
I was pushed around, someone slapped me, I saw anger and bile in the eyes of the mob.
I tried to EXPLAIN to them why I’m actually NOT wrong in this incident, the driver on the pedestrian sidewalk is the offender here.
They wouldn’t have any of that!
They pushed me out of the way…
The driver drove off.
The people stood there, jeering at me.
I stood there, taking it all in: I wanted them to have their fill.
To them, they have just carried out justice!
Silly, frustrated old man!
Now, these are the average Nigerian masses.
They are angry at the Government…
They are angry at the Police.
They are angry at everything.
They are the “EndSARS” people.
They are the “Buhari Must Go” crew.
They are the “What is Osinbajo doing” mob.
They are the “Naira is Useless” folks.
But they don’t see the irony in their action against me…
They are usually united against oppression.
But they identified with the driver breaking the law, against me trying to uphold it.
Truth be told, the problem with Nigeria is not the Government.
The problem with Nigeria is not the Police.
The problem with Nigeria is Nigerians…
It’s interesting to note the average Nigerian talks about how those in the corridors of power oppress the people.
He talks about how those in government are fantastically corrupt.
But if he ever gets the opportunity to be in power, he’ll do the exact thing he condemns!
All through the 20 minutes of the Utako incident with the driver, not ONE person saw things my way.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Needs A Good Man As President
Not ONE person was enlightened enough to understand the pedestrian sidewalk is for PEDESTRIANS.
Until we understand these simple lessons in civics, we won’t go far as a Nation…
It matters not who is in Government: APC, PDP, Buhari, Atiku, Obi, Tinubu or whoever.
The summation of Nigeria as a nation is not necessarily the Government: it’s the PEOPLE.
And my social experiment today showed the people are just a wild bunch of crude, uncouth and uncivil mob.
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We are always ready and eager to criticize others for not doing things correctly, but when our own interests and preferences are involved, we seek to change the standard. Those who lead us at every level are from our midst; they only reflect who we are as a people. Without individual sanity, the society cannot be sane!
As long as we are interested in trading blames, we will not be able to get the nation of our dream!
My Response
By Nick Agule
On the face of it, this article makes sense but look deeply and the Oga has got it totally mixed up!
Very often I ask people who talk/write like this if they know what makes citizens elsewhere behave orderly? It’s not simple lessons in civics as the Oga says o! it’s law enforcement by government that he erroneously or mischievously says it’s not the problem. Indeed the government is the entire problem in Nigeria!
Let me describe what will happen elsewhere.
That pedestrian walkway will be marked by govt. which will clearly show motorists not to drive on it. The same government will mount a camera to catch those breaking the law by driving on the walkway. Any vehicle whose tyre touches the markings will be photographed and the owner will receive a letter (penalty notice) in the post in a few days. The letter will offer the payment of fine or court case. If this letter is treated with levity by the addressee it will progressively lead to bankruptcy and jail term for the offender. This is what’s keeping motorists off pedestrian walkways elsewhere not lessons in civics!
On the other hand if the Oga blocks a motorist in oyibo land (that’s taking the law into his hands) he can be ran over or even shot and the motorist will claim self-defence in court because they feared they were about to be harmed, robbed or even shot by someone blocking their way.
It’s not citizens who enforce laws elsewhere, the legitimate law enforcement agents do. What citizens do is to call 999 when they see a crime being committed and the security will respond swiftly!
In Nigeria has the government marked roads? NO!
Has the government mounted cameras to catch offenders? NO!
Does the government fine or charge to court offenders regardless of their status? NO!
Does the government have an emergency number for citizens to call when an emergency happens like fire, medical, security? NO!
Does govt respond to security issues when called? NO!
Oga please turn your finger away from Nigerian citizens and point it to government that failed to provide you an enabling environment to enjoy your walk! It’s time you ask your local government chairman, governor and president what they are spending trillions in budgets on if they cannot do simple things like mark roads and then police them with cameras to assure your safety!
When Govts fail (as they are in Nigeria) nations fail. And when nations fail, the people fail and anarchy reigns. Without a functional and responsible Govt, no society can function, this the fact that is lost on Oga.
As new Governments await inauguration at the federal and state levels on 29th May, let this blaming of the victims (hapless Nigerians) instead of the oppressors (Govts) – stop and let’s engage in participatory democracy by applying pressure on those who sought our votes to deliver on their promises. We’ve been blaming the victims for 60 years and nothing has changed or rather getting worse.
From the first article, I understood the writer’s point of view but like you said, the government is the problem because they are giving that legitimate power to lead, guide and enforce the people. The citizens can not be blamed for that.