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Mar 1, 2007 The comprehensive account of my memorable visit to Nigeria cannot be complete in my reckoning without addressing the highs and lows one appreciated or observed in the course of navigating the big jungle that's Nigeria. I would like to classify these in two categories, knocks and kudos, for easier understanding. Deliberate attempt will therefore be made here to commend the commendable and condemn the condemnable. This will be done as objectively as possible but the ox may be gored no matter whose interest or disinterest it bears. In Nigeria one witnessed the growth of some privately-owned and publicly-owned companies. New structures are springing up in the cities and even in my village. New flashy cars are being bought and rich men are getting richer and the poor poorer. The scenario is still the same: mass suffering in the midst of plenty. People are still dying from circumstances that quality leadership were it available would have prevented. Nigerians still wear smiles and hope for the best and better future; with April polls weeks away many compatriots I spoke with hinged their hopes and dreams on the outcome of the elections with new crop of leaders at the saddle. Obasanjo and his corporate cronies have taken over Transcorp, a local conglomerate with billions of dollars shares up for grabs as I prepared to take my leave. The absence of governance on the ground left Nigerians with little or no choice than to do things their own ways often evoking the assistance and guidance of the Almighty God. The Sunday I arrived after having a deserved rest I drove at noon around Lagos for me to see certain things for myself. As I was driving on ever-busy Apapa-Oshodi expressway towards Amuwo-Odofin fleets of cars and people walking towards a certain church located in the vicinity aroused my curiousity and thus provoked me to ask someone near the scene what was amiss. He told me that Reverend Lazarus Muoka was holding a crusade. I was happy when I beheld thousands of Nigerians seeking divine intervention in their lives. That Nigerians in their millions still seek and adore the only true God left my heart gladdened. I salute those Nigerians that still recognise the manifest dominance of the Infallible Master above and not those in Aso Rock or the PDP; with Him betrayal and failure cannot be our portion! I give kudos to the GSM giants Glo and MTN. Right in my village with the Glo card I bought upon my arrival I was able to communicate regularly with my friends around the world. With the recharge card sold virtually everywhere it was communication made easy indeed. Mike Adenuga and his 'Glo-wing' staff are doing a good job though one cannot begrudge the fact that they are swimming in billions yet sometimes the Nigerian factor creeps in to either disrupt the free flow of network or shorten one's credit for no just cause. The GSM revolution has come to stay and it's a welcome development. Another kudos goes to the Nigerian media in general. While the CNN and the BBC remain first choices in terms of credible and independent presentation of global news I must commend particularly Raymond Dokpesi's AIT international channel and Mike Ajegbo's Minaj for the good job they are doing. AIT made my days while in Nigeria by their unbiased intrepid interpretation and presentation of the situation in Nigeria. With AIT one appreciated the importance and necessity of independence in media profession in a democracy. The station for instance broke the news to me of Atiku's victory in the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja against OBJ and his PDP charlattans. AIT equally informed me firsthand of the legislative disagreement over Sole Administrator of Ekiti State's illegal dissolution of local council chairmen in dictatorial fashion. Tunji Olurin was rightly called to order by the lower house of the assembly as he was told he had no powers under the constitution to act as he did. When Governor Peter Obi regained his seat at Anambra State Government House in Awka I got the news through the AIT. Mike Balonwu and his fellow legislative rascals had come to the end of the road of their folly thus appreciating the need to let peace reign. That's good news enough! While in Lagos, Benin City, Owerri and Port Harcourt I transacted international business with First and Oceanic banks and I came out of their offices satisfied with their services. Kudos therefore to these great financial institutions operating in a difficult corporate environment like Nigeria's. I was in Nigeria when the CNN crew went to the stronghold of the Niger Delta militants to interview their leader and video their captives. The intervention by Nigeria's Minister of Information against the CNN and it's Jeff Koinage smacked of irresponsibility and duplicity of the worst kind. Mr Nweke and his propaganda machine failed to impress anyone. The story by the CNN of the Niger Delta conundrum was done professionally so the Obasanjo administration's attempts to join issues with the CNN did more damage to Nigeria's international image than it sought to correct. My brother and I drove through Benin byepass constructed by Strabag and I must commend those whose idea it was to build that strategic smooth highway. Again the Benin-Asaba dualised expressway is a good road to ride on. The Nigerian film industry Nollywood is thriving indeed but the menace of piracy is a problem unto itself. Almost every other film released today is pirated the next day. Piracy then poses a big challenge which must be addressed if the young promising industry must grow out of the present nonsense. The advantage of 1000 Naira notes is worthy of mention here. When Nigeria had only the 20 Naira denomination it was difficult to carry huge sums of money about but with the introduction of the 500 and 1000 notes Charles Soludo and his Central Bank eggheads thought about tomorrow and the need to reduce the boredom of lesser currency denominations. I salute them for that initiative. Now enough of the kudos; we should shift now to the very opposite, knocks. And the dirtiness and unkempt nature of the Naira gave me cause for concern during my days in Nigeria. You bought something and you drew crisp Naira notes to pay but you were given dirty rumpled naira notes for change. I complained without hesitation. Almost everyone was abusing and mishandling the naira because of lack of social orientation. Knocks must be given to the NNPC and their petroleum distribution network. The NNPC has continued to fail Nigeria and Nigerians in difficult moments. While the official price of petrol is fixed at 65 Naira one discovered from Lagos right through the village that the pump price is anything but 65 naira. In my village we bought fuel for as much as 110 naira per litre! Aside contrived scarcities NNPC and in broader perspective the Obasanjo administration has become failures in managing Nigeria's huge oil deposits. One wondered aloud what a famous Ota farmer had got to do with the technical issues of petroleum resources and it's distribution as a Minister! The bad network of roads sold Nigeria out as a jungle. In a nation where air mishaps are frequent occurences coupled with prevalence of poverty road and rail transportation becomes the saving grace for the mobility of the masses but alas the roads and rails are badly maintained leading to dangerous voyages on wheels. Thumbs down therefore to both the Federal and State Governments as well as the Ministry of works. The greatest problem facing Nigeria is erratic power supply. From NEPA to PHCN the change in name cannot make any difference but the truth remains that power generation and supply in Nigeria is a clog on the wheel of development. Like pouring new wine in an old bottle the metamophosis of NEPA to PHCN has done little or nothing in the quality service delivery. In my village I was told that every house is taxed 300 naira for light whose supply is as irregular if not non-existent. I told my mother never to pay for any light as we generated our own electricity and water. While in Lagos I was wondering why and how Alhaji Makama and his NPC thought it wise fabricating the lie that Kano is larger in population than Lagos. I failed to comprehend how on earth anyone could ascribe population superiority to Kano above Lagos where every ethnic group in Nigeria meets as a econo-social melting pot. The released census figures as they concern Lagos and Ndigbo is therefore a numerical fraud which ought to be rejected without question; Governor Bola Tinubu has just done that and I commend him for his courage and independence. The politics the north is playing with the Nigerian true population in active connivance of an Obasanjo must not be allowed to stand under whatever circumstance or guise. Environmental sanitation in Lagos and other cities are at best little or nothing to write home about. In Cele bus stop off Apapa-Oshodi Expressway a makeshift abattoir under the pedestrian bridge gave one the impression that Nigerians were eating nonsense as meat. The overhead bridge itself has become a mini market where all sorts of items are sold. And beggars of different hues, some playing life music abound seeking for alms ditto pick pockets and thugs. The Nigerian Breweries should be commended for making their brands of beer as popular as possible. In any place drinks are sold popular brands like Gulder, Star, Harp and Gordons Sparks are in display and in high demand. But I doubt if that leaves any room for competition. The unending 'go-slows' in Lagos makes urban planners look stupid; the perennial problem has defied all solutions it seems but the truth remains that the population explosion of Lagos has not met with commensurate ideas and actions on how to expand or improve basic amenities. The next Governor of Lagos State (be he Senator Musliu Obanikoro or Tunde Fashola) must give Lagos the face-lift it deserves. The 'Egunje' phenomenon has continued unabated. You have group of policemen whose only interest is in collecting bribes on the roads rather than maintaining law and order. The mobile policemen stationed at every meter on the expressways are getting 20 naira richer every minute with every passing car or bus; this must be looked into by Ehindero and his high command. The mallams are having field days in their thriving bureau de change black market. Whether in different parts of Lagos Island or in New Benin area of Benin City or oposite Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt the mallams are at work exchanging any currency one brings. Their service is okay but I wonder if that business of theirs is regulated. While Obasanjo is busy chasing after the Niger Delta freedom fighters or MASSOB activists in Onitsha the mallams are left to undermine the naira and the economy with their dealings that smack of economic sabotage. In Nigeria a lot of nonsense is still in place but I believe in every thing in life nonsense sometimes comes before sense prevails. Long live the Federal Republic. ------------ About the author: Sunny Chris Okenwa is a new U-K contributor based in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. Email: soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. 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