When leaders behave like animals

One thing I know about the way leaders in Africa treat their citizens is one of total neglect. One of the major reasons why Africa has remained the way it is up till today is the manner in which leaders see their people and treat their people. This attitude now creeps to other services and day-to-day activities in the continent. Therefore, simple things are made rather difficult. I remember my first-degree days at university in Nigeria. Simple registration will take sweat, sleepless nights, weeks to complete. I was in London this Monday. I went to the Nigerian high commission to get my E-passport as the pages of my old one has been exhausted. The problem I encountered with the Nigerian high commission website is nothing compared to the treatment I got at the commission. I could not believe that I was in a developed country once I went into the high commission. As a Nigerian, I felt embarrassed with the service others and I received there. First of all, there was no process, procedure or formalities. There was no enquiry desk and anyone one tries to ask a question, what one gets is quick push away.

My greatest shock was when one official started shouting at me. I was just numb. I had to storm out of the building in tears. I just could not believe the way I was treated by my own people. The second day was something else. The man at the counter I was speaking to was busy answering his mobile phone. As I was waiting for my turn, a young lady had her pictures taken, her fingertips and index all taken. She was shown her data to confirm her details were all correct. Meanwhile, the man taking the photo had his mobile on and was sending text messages. The other man was eating an apple and going up and down. Anyway, he showed this young lady her data and guess what? The lady said “but I am not…..” she called out my name and I screamed where I was. He had been putting this girl’s detail, her picture, fingertips etc on my data, my name!!!!! I was so shocked at this mistake. I cannot say more. The service was disgraceful for a high commission in a developed country. It should learn from the services they receive on day-to-day life here in the UK. If administrative work seems too chaotic for them, they should get an expert to help. Citizens should not be made to go to Internet café to print stuff. There should be Internet connection and all our data should be stored in there so when one comes to the commission all they have to do is bring up data on the system.











On another note, I was reading the paper how Rear Admiral Arogundade’s naval ratings jumped down from his car with a horse whip and ordered other road users to get off the road to allow his boss move smoothly to his house. Unfortunately for Ms. Okere and three of her colleagues who were held up in a traffic jam did not move fast enough according to this officer and what happened next was this officer dragged her out of her car and gave her the beating of her life with the lashes of the horse whip. That not being enough, the Naval men replaced their horsewhips with their guns, using the butt of the gun on the lady, stripped her naked, battered her face, handcuffed her before abducting her and taking her into the Rear Admiral’s house where she was detained. I have no words to use to describe my disgust at such behaviour of someone who has let power get into their head. Because they have the gun, they have power. Because they wear the uniform, they think they can treat their fellow humans like animals. That behaviour is uncivilised and all in power should denounce his behaviour. It is a shame and I hope the young lady and her friends are given counselling to go through this traumatic experience. This attitude of leaders or those who have power in Africa just makes me despair the fate of that continent.