Some people are now asking for the “oga at the top” party to be called off. But the party only just got started! We have seen the tees. Where are the caps? And the bags? What about the car stickers??? It's not like we are digressing from what the norm is in Nigeria. Are we not good at celebrating and crowning mediocrity and cluelessness? We roll out the drums for convicts, give thieves pats on the back and look who we have for president! (I absolutely mean no disrespect but then, can we play back in our heads the media chat of 24th June 2012 with Mr President? And while that is playing, look up Chapter VI, Part 1, Section 140 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of our beloved Nigeria? That done, what about the recent condemnable pardons that weree granted by the president and not to talk of granting pardons that already been granted some 14, 15 years earlier! And that doesn't even begin to tell it all! *deep sigh*). Besides, aren't they always having big hearty laughs at our expense? Only that now, the tables have turned, and we the “ogas” not at the top are the ones having a laugh, and the bill's on them! It's not everyday that Nigerians have a reason to laugh, so why can't we enjoy this one while it lasts??? And forget not, that this laughter episode is a jolt for all the ther “ogas” in the middle and “ at the top” to come out of their mediocrity slumber!
Contrary to what you may now be thinking, I am not someone who enjoys to laugh at other people's mistakes or blunders, because I empathise with them and think it could happen to anyone, but not this! Not this! This man really goofed goofily in a very goofy way! This evokes nothing in me but angry laughter! It didn't have to go this way, it could have been avoided! The thing is, I don't have an issue with him not knowing the website of his organization, the best of us don't know the simplest of things, but could he not have humbly admitted to not knowing in a graceful manner and then told the presenters he would get back to them on it??? It didn't require anything but a little bit of intelligence to wittily and subtly get himself out of that situation. The popular defence I've been hearing and reading of Mr Obafaiye Shem's goof is that competence and not intelligence or eloquence got him to the “top”. But please correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't the ability to think on one's toes and get one's self and one's team out of messy situations one of the strong points that characterizes competence? And especially in a field like Security and Defence? And the blessed man wasn't even on his toes! He had to himself what looked like a very comfortable chair! In my opinion, instead of “categorically” asking them to “waitee, waitee”, he could have humbly put out the fire in the studio that day before it even started at all. It did not have to pan out into the big deal that it eventually turned to.
And then, “that's 'not' all”, in 2013, a commandant of the Lagos ( the new biggest city in Africa according to <em>John Campbell</em> and the <em>New York Times</em>, and one of the leading urban areas in the world) chapter of an organization like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps does not know that something has to come after <em>www.nscdc</em>, that, that can't be all??? At least, he could have just added the very popular dot.com and that would have been one less joke at his expense. And for those of you laughing and playing out the “dot.com is silent” joke, the website isn't even <em>www.nscdc.com</em>, it is <em>www.nscdc.gov.ng</em> (*tongue out* to you all on behalf of Mr Waitee, oh, sorry Shem)
Another thing, don't you think the NSCDC Public Relations department should have handled this interview, or one of their public relations officers should have been in the studio with Mr Shem? And since they were going to be talking about job racketeering, to which he was going to say people were going to the wrong website, should he then not have at least found out what the right website to direct them to was? Would you not agree with me then that it was just a lackadaisical attitude and lack of preparation on his part, having been used to people not pushing him for answers and him using his position to have his way. (I'm sorry if my opinion of him I wrong, but it very much looked like it in the video).
And then someone asked how many times we have laughed at Messi or Ronaldo for not speaking proper English and how bad English affect a man's competence. He/She further said that “we don't know who we are as a people and what language we really need to speak” amidst other things. Huh??? Errr....errrm, sir/ma, you are on the wrong page, that's not where we are. Nobody is laughing at his English, infact, I personally did not hear him make any grammatical blunders in that clip, so even though I understand your need to stand up for the defenceless (pun intended) in the face of our cruelty in having a much-needed laugh, your defence, I think, is unnecessary. The man understands and CAN speak English, thank you. And you probably should have written that message in your ethnic language, whatever it is (no offence intended).
All of the talks about his family, children, insomnia and all seriously does not cut it in the face of such an ugly situation, we have yet again brought forth our sentiments. I won't lie and say I haven't thought about all of these factors and parties, infact, I have thought about everyone of them, and just only today, the suicide thing came to the fore of my mind, but I quickly dispelled it ( A ma ni ri laburu o=We will not see evil o). But then everytime the video pops up in my head again, the magnitude of the disgrace that man heaped upon us as a nation, the NSCDC, his family, oh his family, may God see them through these trying times (I'm not trying to be funny, that prayer came from the depth of my heart), I just usually let go of the sentiments ( and I am normally a very sentimental person, I can't help it, it's part of my make-up). The first time I actually saw the video, I could not look at the screen initially because I felt so embarrassed for him. And then as the clip progressed, disbelief set in, and then the holy anger. That is something we Nigerians really need to deal with, the need to let aside sentiments and face the truth head-on when we need to, and then, there won't be a need for our sentimentality to be played upon whereby we will be called upon to vote in someone who would rule over the affairs of our nation on the premise that he had no shoes while growing up! (Meanwhile, I recently stumbled upon a picture of his Excellency in his growing-up years, and guess who had shoes on! Infact, he also had on a watch and hat to match!)
My fellow “ogas” , what I am saying is, it is okay for us to be unhappy about this situation and not fall into the guilt trap some folks, after having the laughs of their lives (even Ruggedman who is now condemning Channels television admitted to having had his share of the laughter) are trying to lay on us. The episode is indeed appalling! And I am positive that we have laughed many “ogas” at the bottom, in the middle and “at the top”, into making findings about the offices and positions we have put them in! (Isn't that one bright side to all of this?) A lot of people at the helm of affairs are as ignorant, if not more, someone just had to be the scapegoat. For the sake of the family and especially the children of Mr Obafaiye Shem, it is only unfortunate that the scapegoat had to be him.
Another bright side to all of this is that many people, especially the children now know what the NSCDC is , what they do, their website, and who their Lagos State Commandant is! Plus, I can personally testify that I now know even who the Commandant General of the organization is! *huge grin*. That's one- very- many current affairs questions answered. It might be okay to roll in the drums then.
My name is Omotola!
@mOtTyMaT
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