May Nigeria Never Happen To You

One of the worst things that can happen to you is for Nigeria to happen to you. The next is to be powerless and have no connection to the Whos and the Whats in power. May Nigeria never happen to you.

Just last week, the internet was agog with videos of Fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as Kwam 1, almost getting maimed by an airplane that was taxiing through the airport runway. An act that probably started with a ”Do you know who I am?” A statement that often ushers in the display of unruly behaviour. Different opinions began to fly all over the media houses and the internet space about his behaviour. The aviation minister swiftly released a statement stating he has been placed on a ban pending the conclusion of investigations into the stunt he pulled. However, the shocking twist to the situation was when Madam Abike Dabiri, the head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, not only posted a video of Wasiu pleading with the public to forgive but also added a caption pushing for his forgiveness. Wasiu walks free.

Yesterday, pictures of the breasts of a passenger on Ibom Air, alleged to have been unruly to the air hostesses to the extent of slapping one, flooded the internet. As usual, netizens were quick to repost and express their opinions regarding this exposure. Now, while I commend the minister of aviation for promptly issuing a statement condemning her exposure and mentioning that an investigation is ongoing to identify who recorded her in a state of indecency, I would like to highlight the core issues here.

IT WAS A WOMAN WHO PULLED UP HER TOP AND ENSURED SHE WAS EXPOSED! SHE WAS PROMPTLY REMANDED IN PRISON TILL HER COURT DATE, WHILE WASIU WALKS FREE!!

If this is not a blatant display of the imbalance in access to justice and the general upside-down of what Nigeria has turned to, then I don’t know what is. I remember when some people were blaming the people for being harsh and calling on Wasiu to be duly charged for what he did. Some human beings vehemently defended him, asking why he ought to face the law again when he has apologized. What these human beings do not know is that the same rule wouldn’t apply if it were them. They would be treated the same way Comfort was treated or even worse.

”All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than the others.” – George Orwell

I am appalled and, in the same breath, worried for our future as a collective. We are far too gone with the lack of consequence for selected people in society that many do not see how that trickles down. It is basically conditioning people to believe and internalize the fact that with money, you can go scot-free with any DAMN thing in Nigeria. I remember someone sharing that the pilot who flew the aircraft that almost ran into the Fuji musician is also the daughter of an elite and is privileged in her own right, so she won’t be running into any form of trouble. This is saddening because everyone unanimously agreed and knew she would have had it worse if she were the child of nobody.

And this is because we have seen it all. People are skipping away happily after breaking the law, from murder to sexual assault to brazen corruption. So far as you are connected to power, nothing can happen to you. It will be covered up, and Nigerians are expected to keep it moving. Why the heck is it like this? There is no pretense to it, and the illusion of acting like the person would suffer. Everybody moves on silently, knowing nothing is going to happen.

The country keeps diving through dangerous waters without a care! An innocent, promising life can be snatched just like that without a shift in governance. A young mother can die while trying to bring forth life to earth because of negligence to her well-being, and guess what? Nobody gets sacked. The train can go off track because a senior manager in the railway corporation diverted money meant for maintenance elsewhere, and they will still keep their job. A police officer can cock his gun and shoot a random person unprovoked. And they will silently get transferred to another station. Nigerian can happen anytime, and everybody will resignedly move on.

May Nigeria not happen to you and me because unfortunately, nah mouth dem go use talk and nah yansh dem go use siddon there. There might be some protests and online engagement here and there pushing for justice, but sadly, the people in power know they only have to wait and watch. Some other distraction will divide our attention, and they will move on. That’s it. That’s all.