How Safe is Nigeria?
By
Tokunbo Awoshakin
[WASHINGTON, D.C.]
‘Nigeria
is a great country but sometimes, Nigerians can embarrass you. Right now, the
Nigerian president, and politicians in my country have successfully put me, and
I guess several other Nigerians in and outside the Nigerian shores on the spot.
For those of us outside the country, the embarrassment is especially
excruciating, as we struggle to give a logical explanation to foreigners who ask
us questions about how the hope we expressed May 29,1999 has so soon be replaced
by disillusionment.
As
a Nigerian Journalist based in the United States, I have on several occasions been recently put on the spot as
I attempt without success to deny the growing general belief that the architects
of Nigeria’s present state of disillusionment are the same persons, who three
years ago seem to be the tool for restoring hope. In the Washington foreign
press center, I have tried without success to defend the alleged ineptitude of
President Obasanjo’s administration.
The
recent U.S State departments travel advice to American citizens not to go to
Nigeria brought the matter to the fore again. Almost everybody, and by this I
mean well educated and seasoned international journalists at the foreign press
center agreed that Nigeria is a huge bureaucracy bogged down by political
infighting, ethnic violence and corruption. Not a few of them also argued that
President Obasanjo, has proved to be either ill prepared or unsuitable for the
job he took on.
The
line of argument that is most embarrassing is that the president of my country,
Olusegun Obasanjo is himself a kettle calling pot black as far as fighting
corruption, and correcting ethnic mistrust goes. Some say the Nigerian president
behaves like a kid in a candy bar when it comes to foreign trips. They add that
although he may be angry with the States department’s warning to Americans not
to go to Nigeria, the fact that he hardly stays
in Nigeria, is the greatest confirmation to
the security risk alarm raised by the American authorities.
The chat on States department travel advise warning on Nigeria is a classical example of one of those occasion when you search for the right words and they just will not come. Do you repeat that your president’s numerous trips abroad was to attract foreign investors to Nigeria or that they are in his capacity as chairman of G-77’s NEPAD implementation committee, when you know that the man could jet off to Brazil, like a mere ambassador, to participate in a cultural ceremony the following week?
How
do you argue that Nigeria is indeed safe for foreigners, especially Americans
when you know that incidents of armed robbery attack on foreigners are as
numerous as sand on Lagos bar beach in
Nigeria. How do you begin to compare the slow or non-existent investigative
support from the poorly paid and ill-equipped Nigerian police to the law
enforcement these foreigners are used to?
The
average American who is used to travelling with credit card and Travelers
checks, would be forced to carry cash in Nigeria where credit cards are rarely
accepted beyond a few hotels. In Nigeria where American Express does not even
have an office and where only Citibank cashes Travelers checks, the foreigner is
doomed to doing business in cash.
Okay,
one may argue that like every country, some places are relatively “hot”
while others are safer. I tried this argument too but it didn’t hold for too
long when it got to the question of transportation safety in Nigeria. How was I
to have explained that it is safe to travel by air when a majority of the
commercial aircraft designated for domestic operation are the over-aged BAC 1-II
aircraft type that crashed in Kano earlier this year?
The
look I got when I mentioned travelling by road was enough to shut my trap. These
well traveled media practitioners know that roads in Nigeria are generally in
poor condition. They are aware that these roads lack basic maintenance. They
know that the vehicles lack safety equipment and that the drivers speed like
racetrack drivers.
How
do I convince an American who is concerned about road safety in Nigeria to drive
himself when I know that to obtain a Nigerian drivers license may take months
since international driving permit is not recognized? When I know that chronic
fuel shortage may get him stranded on the road and vulnerable to armed robbery
attack?
Will
I not be sending somebody on a suicide mission by asking them to travel by road
in my “democratic Nigeria’ when I know that should there be an accident,
there are no immediate access to health care facilities. How was I to explain
that should there be any car breakdown, the road -side mechanic who emerges from
nowhere may later be the armed robber who will surely deprive you of your
hard-earned money and may kindly spare your life?
How!
tell me how to argue that the State department is wrong and that President
Obasanjo is right? How do I go about even beginning to explain these things to
an American who is used to law enforcement, traffic assistance, insurance and
social security plans, when I know that the people wearing the police and army
uniforms at the check-point could be armed robbers.
When
I know that there are no Medicare insurance in Nigeria and the United State
Medicare/ Medicaid programs may not provide payment for medical services outside
American. When I know that even if this foreigner is ready to pay, diagnostic
equipment and medicines may not be available and although our medical personnel
are among the best in the world, this man who has chosen to believe the Nigerian
president rather than the state department may just die.
Yes!
In Nigeria life is cheap and death comes easy. Nigerian roadways are the easiest
way to a hospital morgue. Flying is not any better.
To somewhat find ones way out of Lagos for fear of armed robbers is no
guarantee of safety from the violence from deservedly angry Niger Delta youths
and “naked” women in Port
Harcourt
Staying
in Jos. Kano or Kaduna may be asking for death by a dagger knife, especially if
our foreigner is an American Christian and thus anti -Osama or anti-Islam. In
the Eastern part of the country some overzealous “Bakassi Boys” may waste
lives faster than drug dealers on the streets of Southeast Washington D.C. As
for staying in Abuja, our foreigner may be caught up in the middle of a military
coup. In Nigeria life is indeed cheap! Cheaper if you are poor.
The
mention of military coup brought back horrors, especially as I was a victim of
military persecution during the General Sani Abacha days. So let me quickly say
that I don’t believe in military coups. How am I however sure that what has
made the U.S. State department update their travel advise and warn Americans
against going to Nigeria is not some kind of intelligence report about rumblings
in the army barracks?
How
do I convince an American that throws this question at me that the deteriorating
state of the Nigerian polity and the power struggle between president Obasanjo
and the Nigerian lawmakers is not a good reason
for those that rule by decree to once again suspend the Nigerian
constitution, which the president
and the lawmakers always find ways to circumvent?
How
do you convince this person that there is no cause for alarm when more Nigerians
are hungry, and unable to eat regularly not to talk of buying units into their
GSM mobile phones? I should say no cause for alarm when Ibrahim Ogohi,
Nigeria’s Chief of Defense say army boys are restless?
Nigeria
is indeed a great country but events there can sometimes embarrass you. The most
annoying part of this is that the man Nigerians and the International community
thought was going to reverse the decade of military misrule, despite being a
former military man himself has oftentimes behaved like a bull in a china shop.
So
I should still find ways to argue against the logic and findings of the U.S
State Department that Nigeria is safe. How? Should I have mentioned how smooth
the transition process for the on-coming 2003 election is going, or by listing
how credible the body that will conduct the election is? Perhaps I should have
told my audience about how the sale of the Nigerian mint and the Nigerian
National Theatre was going to give president Obasanjo enough money to end
poverty and violence in the Niger Delta area.
Maybe
I am not getting it right. I know Nigeria is a great country and I make bold to
repeat that but as for safety of life and property, there is a big question
mark. I was home just this May and to me there seem to be not much difference,
in terms of lack of safety from the period of the military. Maybe it has to do
with the fact that out president is a former soldier trying harder to be a
politician rather than a democrat.
Perhaps it is something else I am missing. Do tell me, how do I convince a foreigner, who wants to go experience our natural beaches, exotic food and unique culture that Nigeria is safe and State department is just cracking- up? How do I do this when everyday, like every other Nigerian abroad, I am afraid for the life of my family and loved ones who are resident in our country Nigeria?