“Here, the more governments we have, the less good governance we enjoy! That is why the pressure is usually on those of them at the top, such as the president and state governors. That is also why it appears the government is doing nothing. But the oasis of good governance that we have witnessed suggests that had every agency of government performed creditably, more progress would have been made, the frustration of the citizenry would have been minimised, and those of them at the helm of affairs would have had some respite”.
Each morning when the blaring of loudspeakers breaks the silence of the day and assaults our sensibilities, I wonder whether noise pollution is no longer an offence in our statute book. Noise pollution has become one of the defining characteristics of Lagos as a city — together with its floods and snarling, unpredictable traffic. And, of course, garbage that has entirely taken over the state. In the small estate where I live in the Agege area of the city, garbage mounts for weeks before Maklad Vibrant Nigeria Limited, the agents of the Lagos State Government charged with the responsibility of servicing the area, shows up in fits and jerks.
Like the electricity distribution companies, they are vibrant at issuing bills and harassing residents to pay for services not rendered, but lethargic and absent when it comes to rendering those very services! I understand that some godfathers of the state’s politics own the agencies charged with refuse clearing and disposal in Lagos, and that they are untouchable, whether they deliver or not. I also understand that trying to tinker with the process was one of the “criminal” offences committed by erstwhile Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, which denied him a second term of office!
And can you then blame his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, if he minds his own business, as it were, and turns a blind eye to mounting garbage on Lagos roads? As our people would say, he who witnesses thunder strike a neighbour will think twice before running his mouth against the god of thunder!
There is this particular noise that comes incessantly from a distance — I think the Iyana-Ipaja motor park, kilometres away. “Mowe-Ibafo, Mowe-Ibafo! Ife-Ilesa, Ife-Ilesa”! So loud and clear; yet, coming from far away makes me wonder how people around the area cope with the nuisance on a daily basis. But don’t mind me! You should ask how I cope with the noise pollution that happens right under my own nose!
As I banged on my laptop writing this, the sound of Allahu Akbir from a nearby mosque jolted me to the realisation that it was already 4:30 am. The Muslim early-morning call to prayer and, a little before it, the unmistakable freshness and coolness of the 4.00am breeze are the timekeepers that tell me the time. Just across my window is also a church. Each time they have their three-day or seven-day vigil, depending on the case, peace and sleep depart the entire environment. I change rooms, running from pillar to post to see if I can mitigate the adverse effects of their noise pollution, but usually to no avail.
I used to know that there is an agency of the Lagos State Government called the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency. Is it still functioning? There must be workers there drawing salaries. What for? Again, don’t mind me! Big brother NNPC Limited has, for decades, drawn salaries without producing a drop of petrol! This is apart from the billions in hard-earned foreign currencies wasted on turn-around maintenance that only turns around corruption and malfeasance!
If noise pollution is still an offence and, beyond that, a health hazard, then the authorities charged with curtailing it must do their job. Here, the more governments we have, the less good governance we enjoy. That is why the pressure is usually on those of them at the top, such as the president and state governors. That is also why it appears the government is doing nothing. But the oasis of good governance that we have witnessed suggests that had every agency of government performed creditably, more progress would have been made, the frustration of the citizenry would have been minimised, and those of them at the helm of affairs would have had some respite.
I have not travelled by air for two years; my last encounter was not pleasant. So when my ticket was booked on a particular airline two weeks back, I almost fainted. But surprises awaited me at both the Lagos and Abuja ends of the trip. The last time I ventured into that wing of the local airport in Lagos, the situation there was worse than the one Fela aka “Abami Eda” painted of Ojuelegba, a notorious red-light district of downtown Lagos where “confusion break bones”! And I had said, never again!
It was far easier to fight your way into a moving “molue” at Mushin-Oloosha than to patronise that particular airline. But this time around, the situation was different. The ambience of the airport was soothing and inviting. I kept looking around to reassure myself I was in the right place. The flight had been shifted from 8:35 am to 10:30 am by the time I arrived. As we sat, they came to serve us refreshments with an infectious smile. Really? Are we turning over a new leaf?
The aircraft departed promptly thereafter, and the ride was pleasant. Returning to Lagos with the same airline, I learnt that the flight was being operated on a franchise basis by some South Americans. In the cockpit were white faces. Does that mean only white faces get things done properly? I hope not! The airport environment at both the Lagos and Abuja ends has vastly improved. Kudos to Festus Keyamo, the Minister in charge, but I will keep reminding him that he has failed to help recover my unused DANA Air ticket fares despite repeated demands and his pledge to do so. Didn’t they say a promise is a debt if not fulfilled?
Recall the DANA Air mishap of April 2024 as a result of which the airline’s licence and certificate were suspended. I had travelled to Abuja with a friend and business partner on a two-way DANA ticket, but the suspension took place before we were due to return. After repeated efforts to get a refund failed, I contacted Keyamo, who promised to act. I think he set one of his subordinates at it, but nothing came of it, and they soon stopped responding to calls and messages about it. But with this, Keyamo should know I will neither die the matter nor let it go away quietly!
So also is the failure of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to pay for the services our company rendered in 2024 — a workshop to which NIS sent four of its officers. Everyone else paid; only NIS has not. I got across to the Comptroller-General; she referred me to her Principal Staff Officer (PSO). “My PSO will get in touch with you”, was her WhatsApp response to me on 30 July 2024. I sent all the details to the PSO the same day, and he responded: “Ok sir”. The PSO spoke to me once and promised to act. After that, he switched off! I spent more money than what they owe to pursue what they owe. When I got fed up, I called it a day – but I will not stop making reference to it!
Early this year when I needed to make a correction (the addition of a name) and renew my driver’s licence, I got in touch with one of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officers based in Abuja who attended the workshop I spoke about earlier for assistance. I had earlier started the renewal process in Lagos. A temporary licence was issued to me before my bank demanded that my driver’s licence be updated to match my National Identity Number (NIN) so they could update my Bank Verification Number.
The Lagos end of FRSC said I had to wait for five years for the ongoing renewal to elapse before that could be done! I contacted the FRSC officer in Abuja, who referred me to a colleague. I was told to make a fresh payment, which I did. After many calls, I got another temporary driver’s licence, which has since expired in April. To date, no permanent driver’s licence has dropped. The usual reasons given were “network failure” and “the queue is long”!
Need I talk of my harrowing experience at the Lagos head office of the National Identity Management Commission of Nigeria (NIMC) just to make a little correction on my NIN? I even had to take the demanded five-litre can of petrol to the Agege NIMC office for them to power their generator, yet no dice!
I suppose that more than the Nigerian passport over which the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is credited to have done very well, the issuance of driver’s licence impacts more Nigerians and should be no less efficiently handled. Someone said the laxity at the FRSC must be one of the reasons why the Lagos State Government is proposing getting involved in the issuance of driver’s licences in the state.
Placed under the Presidency, the FRSC is supervised by the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation. One factor stands out in government agencies: leadership. Little wonder, then, that it is said that fish rots from the head. And if the head is destroyed, what can the body do?
In the presidential system we operate, the buck stops with President Bola Tinubu, whether he knows it or not. As our elders would pray, Oro t’a o m’owo, t’a o m’ese, Olorun ma je ko da t’iwa! But not so, the president! After all, didn’t he appoint them all — the good, the bad and the ugly?
turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533, 0803 251 0193
Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, Bolawole was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He is a public affairs analyst on radio and television. He can be reached via turnpot@gmail.com. +234 807 552 5533, +234 803 251 0193
