A Glimpse of Experience

A Glimpse of Experience: Realities and Challenges of Phone Culture of Everyday Life in Nigeria

Patrick Iroegbu

Alberta, Canada

Going are the days when communication with Nigerians in local and urban areas would be posing a great long distance challenge. As a global change, phone life in Nigeria has become such an instrument of the business of everyday life – no matter what it is engaged in for. From common greetings and courtesies of asking about the other, romance and to serious economic and political transactions, connecting people with the mobile phone is both fun and a measure of culture of belongingness in the modern Nigerian world. In addition, it brings the curiosity to show that one plays with that ‘sound toy’ called “my hand-set” often characterized by limited service or no service environment. Another is to join in complaining about the so-called “network problem”. From whatever name phone communication has assumed in Nigeria, each comes with some delusion of challenges – technical and human person made.

This short commentary posits that modernism is normality changed or challenged for a better life. As such, becoming modern with the evolution of the use of hand-set or mobile phone means a change in thinking, change in perception of communication problems, and especially change in ways of dealing with the manner of service providers. Monopoly of communication tools by the government agencies, billing and payment systems as well as unreliability of communication networks are such examples needing weapons of change. To promote competence and adequate phoning service, enhanced open market competition makes the users as kings, in using what best serves them. We have come to experience the fact that open market system of communication is best served at pay as you use pattern of delivery. Today in Nigeria the most common term which is heard time without number is the credit system involved in the pay as you use lifestyle of communication. One needs to buy credit to call and stay connected on a phone service line. A phone communication credit system refers to buying prepaid units of time to surf, dial and talk. Time counted on minutes is therefore a very crucial issue as everyone using a handset is conscious of how many minutes that are credibly spent on making a phone call. V-mobile or Cittael line along with others is popular in this.

Modernizing people recognize that science sometimes provides weapons against unreliable and improperly monetized phone communication culture. The use of mobile phone handset in Nigeria has come to complement numerous alternative communication modes as it has never before experienced across villages and cities. The down side is people are investing on calling card credit purchases or borrowings at the expense of everything else. Yet, it is worth the pain, said one user at Ejigbo bus-stop in Lagos. A local market woman in Imo state capped the use of handsets as a benefit of political change from military to democracy as democracy involves voicing out and being heard in setting out priorities and strategies for development. Suggested is that it is an instrument of political involvement whereby an electronic facilitated voice communication and text messaging keeps everyone connected in the new dispensation?

Users of handsets commonly talk about “flashing someone.” By that, they mean signalling someone to call them back especially when the one sending the signal has not got enough credit to call and talk. Flashing a holder of a handset may occur when the holder is busy online or switched off. The difficulty of clarity of communication is still present and often one is cut off while talking. Nigerians explain the difficult on network problem. In Nigeria, there is what is called free time to call and talk. In this case, one is not paying for the call or rather calling card credit time units are given as a bonus to handset users by the service providers. This free time calling begins from 12 midnight and lasts up to 3 or 4 am early morning. A large number of the population is hoped to sleep at this time. The youth and other opportunistic takers cash on this free time call and therefore the service line is flooded. Bed-life-time romances are freelanced at this moment. People calling from international zones are faced with the difficulty to access phone lines in Nigeria. Most commonly noticed or fed back with by the service providers is this: “The phone is switched off or unavailable at the moment. Please call again later.” A crowded phone service line in Nigeria is synonymous with “please call again later.” When finally a caller gets through and queries the receiver why the line was not going through given the many trials earlier on, it is usually explained on network problem beyond their control or correctional influence.

Reuben Abati has hinted in Guardian Online Newspapers (Sept 7, 2007) about how “it is amazing to see how much Nigerians love life, in spite of the difficulties they have to contend with on a daily basis. And how readily they cling to life” in the face of phone culture at the moment. Phone life is the business of the moment that permeates every aspect of the Nigerian mobile phone holder’s doings irrespective of where and time. Presently, Nigerians seem to call and talk on phones more than many people who live in the western world. Can anyone blame them as a matter of communication culture change? To be like people in the west is a craving for many that is reshaping communication attitudes of the Nigerians at home. Calling is good, but again one needs be mindful of calling responsibly and paying responsibly too. Technology goes with a cost, and that cost invested in calling cards for credits can also be culturally deterministic. Calling and answering phone calls have become a fashion and craze. More often than not, behaviours of discomfort displayed by users of handsets while in motion or standstill are concerns for observers suggesting a check through public policy of Zero Tolerance for health and safety.

As highlighted by Reuben Abati (Guardian Online Newspapers, Sept 7, 2007) “The FRSC has observed that many of the road accidents in the country today can be traced to the abuse of cell phones. Many motorists endanger the lives of others by making calls while driving. Very few motorists use the hands-free facility. Sometimes, pedestrians can also be seen chatting heartily away while at the same time trying to cross a busy road. Motorcyclists also use phones. Strong legislation will be required to put a check to this reign of ‘handset communication passion’ and madness.

In one case observed at Ejigbo bus-stop as I waited to enter a commercial bus to Oshodi market. As it is common in Nigerian commercial motorcycle riders (popularly called Okada) moving passengers and goods from one place to another, before me was a young Okada rider carrying two young ladies trailing the motor-way. As it tried to meander through vehicles, it ran into a deep pot-hole leading to one of the passengers letting to fall down her handset she was talking with while the ride was going on. A sudden stop made by the Okada rider in response to the yell out of the passenger to stop, because her cell phone had fallen down further led to a tail hit by another Okada followed by a commercial bus. Confusion ensued and blame for instant street justice took turns as the entire traffic blocked the motor way.

By and large, this scenario reflects a huge pattern of traffic problems in cities often initiated by handling and answering cell phones at unwarranted places and times of traffic of everyday life. It is high time something is developed to tame the excesses and implications. On the one hand, I rest my observation advocacy notes as I settle down to reflect on my August challenged three weeks inauguration of Fr. Prof. Pantaleon-Iroegbu Foundation (FPPF), Okigwe Diocese, in Nigeria. But unlike before, the flexibility of being able to use handset throughout the period to manage the inaugural activities was an amazing experience on the other hand. From a local Nigerian village, I could connect with people around the world and shared ideas and the opportunity offered by the Inaugural event of the FPPF. Yet, there is a need to let up the dangers of wrongly handling and using cell phone culture as Nigeria moves on with desirable economic, political, cultural and social change and continuity.