Today without doubt will go in history as one of the many sad days we have had in this country, or what can we say?
I woke from bed this Sunday morning, relatively weak, probably thinking I was starting on a very wrong note, or I was having my own bad side of the day very early. I was not going to be at work, and was not planning to attend the graduation I was invited for either. I only wanted to go to church, play my role in the multimedia section and get back home. Nothing more. I had articles to write and a certification exam to prepare for. Unlike many other days, I had my today really planned, really programmed—then the sad news broke. A plane carrying one hundred and fifty three persons crashed into a residential area, all feared dead.
As I sat in that couch, watching CNN break the news to local observers I began wondering where exactly we as a nation is heading to. Shortly before that, the president of the country had touched down on Lagos soil for a military ceremony, shortly before that, the Lagos State governor had absented himself from a meeting South West governors had with the president at Aso Rock, shortly before that, students of the University of Lagos Akoka took to the streets protesting the change of name of their university to Moshood Abiola University of Lagos. In the space of two weeks.
This country has in recent and very recent times had a consistent track record of ups and downs, the government never really cared—and still don’t. We have a president that has a PhD in nothing but deceitful smiles, and now we are mourning the deaths of many that should by now be united with their loved ones and family.
What happened now is the most defining of how ineffective, or how failed the government of our country is. It is very much okay on the grounds of emotions and sympathy to believe that what happened in Nigeria can happen in any other nation of the world, developed, under developed or developing. I will not debate. But I stand to be corrected on the note that nothing happens by accident—even accident don’t happen by accident.
This country’s aviation sector has always been a major concern—even after all the accreditation by the International Community and the acceptance of the Nigerian airspace into the league of big boys.
The government gave us the impression that a lot of work was on it, may be some work was really done—may be not—but the point is that something went wrong with monitoring the progress of the supposed transformation of the Nigerian aviation sector. I refuse to believe that this happened by accident. I refuse to believe that the plane went down just because it wanted to, that even in perfect condition, it just dropped.
Very recently the United States department of defense published that most of the components on many of her aircraft are counterfeit from China. They said this heavily hindered the performance of American troops in most dangerous terrains and put American lives at risk.
What have we as a nation done about this? Have we done a follow up investigation to see that we as a nation is not suffering from this huge monster situation? Or do we know about it but just hope we don’t suffer from the consequence of our actions? Have we carried out concrete investigations to ascertain the authenticity of the many large or tiny components that power our aircraft (military or civilian)? Have we investigated their worthiness?
How old are these air-crafts? Do these air-crafts come into the country as brand new? How many airline companies can boast of brand new air-crafts? Are we sure these air-crafts don’t come in as old, or second hand, find their way through registration and certification tests and begin flying local journeys in Nigeria? I think it in itself is criminal. I think we need to properly divide this issue, and keep digging until we get to its deepest understanding.
When we take this aircraft companies for investigation, are they given the score they deserve or the score they bought? Are they certified to take off and land on our run ways on the grounds of merit, or on the grounds that the craft can be permitted, that it is still okay, or good enough, or should still be able to run two or three trips even in its deplorable state?
How do you explain to a waiting mother or her crying child that her husband or father is gone? How do you explain to a family that their journalist brother will not return to be joined with them?
There are gatherings of strong women and brave men, and none of them can tell an aged mother or aged father that their child will not return. Did you see the pictures of the weeping, did you see clips of widows plunged into tears, how can she explain to family and extended relatives, mostly in-laws who already call her witch that she isn’t responsible for the death of her husband?
Do we know the psychological implications of this single event? Do we know how much consequence it will have on our national productivity index in the nearest future? Don’t forget that life expectancy in Nigeria is dropping drastically, thanks to bad leadership.
The wickedness in high places has resurfaced, the negligence of a certain few is being paid for by the lives of the innocent and the least of these.
I personally think a lot of questions still need to be asked. I think a lot of investigations still needs to be done, else this wickedness will go on, so many young souls will die, and the government will come out with a short speech empathizing with the lost and the family of the lost, the president will cry, a Nigerian will post his picture on Facebook, tag his friends, and write as short comment, “the president wept”, and again, the flag will be placed at half mast.
Don't miss my next article, titled Who has the power
11:59pm Nigerian time.