BA REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROM FLIGHT
Nkolika Ebele
Home Articles The Square Authors
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Home Authors Guest Articles British Airways removes
136 Nigerians from Flight
British Airways removes 136 Nigerians from Flight
Friday, 11 April 2008
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Take Action: Email this Story and your own comment to
BA's CEO: willie...@ba.com
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Click here for a video interview with Ayodeji Omotade
On the 27th of March 2008 at about 12:30pm, I boarded
the British Airways flight BA75 and I went straight to
seat 53C.
On getting to my seat, there were noises from an
individual being forcibly restrained but who was not
visible because some police officers and some plain
clothes people held him down. The noise continued for
more than 20 minutes and I was concerned because the
individual was screaming in agony and shouting in
pidgin English “I go die” meaning, I will die. I
pleaded with the officers not to kill him and my exact
words were “please don’t kill him”. The British
Airways staff said that the officers were doing their
jobs and that nothing was going to happen. The noise
became louder and other passengers started getting
concerned and were complaining especially about their
safety. The situation continued for another 15 minutes
after I got on.
Eventually, a member of the cabin crew announced that
the passenger was going to be removed and the
passenger was removed from the plane and we all
thought that was the end of the situation. Five
minutes later, two members of the cabin crew arrived
with about 4 police officers and told me to get off
the plane. I asked what the matter was and they said
that I was not going to travel with the airline
because the cabin crew thought I had been disruptive
by questioning the noise being caused by the person
that was removed. I pleaded with them that I was going
for my brother’s wedding and that I had all his stuff
with me. I was dragged out of the plane as if I was
resisting arrest. As we got to the corridor that
linked the plane with the terminal building, I was
slammed against the wall and made to sit on the floor.
I was still pleading with them telling them that they
had completely misunderstood me and that I was only
complaining about the situation regarding the
disturbances caused by the deportee they were trying
to restrain and subdue. I was on the floor for about
20 to 25 minutes. Another passenger was brought to the
corridor as well and he was also pleading with the
officers.
I was later put in the back of the police van at about
1:50pm and I was locked up there for about an hour or
more still handcuffed. I was formally arrested
approximately 2:30pm and my rights were read to me.
Before the arrest in the van, I managed to reach for
my pocket and brought out my mobile phone. I made some
phone calls to my wife, sister and a friend while the
low battery sign was on because I was all alone and
still handcuffed.
I was later driven to the police station where I was
formally checked in. I was in police custody for
almost 8 hours and later released on bail after the
interview with the duty solicitor and the detectives.
I had £473.00 on me which was seized as well as £90.00
sent to my mother in-law from my sister in-law and
£1,050.00 given to me by my cousin who is a doctor for
the upkeep of his parents in Nigeria. All the money
together was £1,613.00. I was told that I would appear
in a magistrate court to prove the money was not meant
for crime or proceeds of crime. The officer told me
that they will like to see traceability and that I
needed my payslips and bank account detailing my
payments and withdrawals as well as my cousin’s
payments and withdrawals.
I was released but without the money. I made my way to
terminal 4 and arrived there at about 12:30am but the
British Airways kiosks were closed. I was directed to
the staff room and told them that I wanted to rebook
my trip to Lagos. A lady told me to give her my ticket
and she stated that British Airways has banned me from
travelling with them indefinitely and that only the
managers can use their discretions because I was a
‘disruptive passenger’. I requested for my 2 piece
luggage and she told me that the section will be
opened later at about 5:30am and I will be escorted in
to collect them. I slept on the chair and waited till
about 5:30am and attempted to rebook my ticket but was
told that British Airways refused to take me. I
decided to go and pick up my stuff and I was told that
my luggage were missing. I was handed a form with
reference number LONBA90924. At this point, I became
totally stranded because I could not leave without my
luggage because it contained my brother’s wedding
suit, shirts and accessories.
I was on the phone with my wife and she wanted to book
an alternative flight that departs at 10:15am so that
I could make it for the wedding. This was not possible
because British Airways refused to disclose where my
luggages were and did not remove my luggage from the
flight when they called the police to arrest me.
On Monday 31st of March, I appeared at the Magistrate
court but was told that a decision was made about the
£1,613.00 that was seized from me. The police had been
granted a further 90 days to hold on to the money
pending their investigation. I was given the officer’s
details . He requested 12 months bank statements and 6
months payslip to prove that the £473.00 that belongs
to me was not proceeds of crime and also requested
that the £1,050.00 that was given to me by my cousin
for his parents should also be traced to my cousin’s
12 months bank statement and 6 months payslip. DC
Webster has promised to write me detailing these
requests.
Still on Monday 31st of March 4 days after I was taken
off the plane, I made extra efforts to find out the
whereabouts of my 2 piece luggage (LONBA90924),
because they have not been sent to my address as
promised by calling the lost baggage section at
13:44hrs and spoke to a man called Neil who said that,
it is difficult for them to trace my bags and that
there is a strong possibility that they might be in
Lagos. He suggested that I should call back in 24
hours.
Eventually, one week and one day later, my bags were
brought to me at home. One was badly damaged and the
other was intact. British Airways delibrately made
sure I missed the wedding because if they were kicking
me off their flight, they would have removed my bags
from the flight. They were all there when the police
officers made me to sit on the floor and heard me
pleading to allow me fly for my brother's wedding. I
could have made either KLM or Virgin Nigeria the
following Friday morning.
I will not want to believe that the authorities
involved in the situation deliberately or cleverly
punished me unnecessarily out of frustration for not
being able to restrain or subdue a deportee or that I
as a fee paying passenger was accused of affray with
violence when I was voicing my concerns about the
disturbances caused by the deportees. I never
mentioned any abusive or swear words neither was I
physically threatening anyone. My luggage mysteriously
was lost and I have been banned on all British Airways
flights without a chance to say my part of the story
to redeem myself. 135 passengers were asked to leave
the flight because they expressed displeasure
regarding the disturbances caused by the deportees and
the officers trying to restrain him. My ticket was
even refused to be endorsed by BA to enable me to fly
with another airline. I need full compensation of my
loss and also a letter of apology from British
Airways.
Regards
Ayodeji Omotade
The news story from The Mirror Newspapers
A British Airways captain ordered 136 passengers off
his plane in chaotic scenes after they all started
complaining to cabin crew.
As the flight waited to take off at Heathrow the row
was sparked by the restraint of a man being forcibly
deported.
Many were distressed by his pitiful cries of "I go
die" and one passenger, Ayodeji Omotade, 39, spoke up
on his behalf.
The deportee was taken off the Lagos bound jet by
immigration staff and police.
But five officers returned and arrested Mr Omotade.
This outraged the other 135 passengers in the economy
class section and they complained to cabin crew.
Amid riotous scenes in the aisles, 20 police officers
boarded to calm everything down.
Then the BA pilot took the extraordinary decision to
boot off everyone who had witnessed the arrest of Mr
Omotade, an IT consultant from Chatham, Kent.
The captain took the view they were all guilty of
disturbing the flight, although no more passengers
were arrested.
After the economy class section was virtually cleared,
the deportee, aged about 30, was brought back on and
the flight left.
The passengers were booked on to later flights but Mr
Omotade was told by BA staff he was banned by the
airline for life.
English-born Mr Omotade, married with a daughter aged
four, was handcuffed and kept in police custody for
eight hours after his arrest. He has not been charged
and is seeking an apology from BA.
He was travelling from Heathrow's Terminal 4 to Lagos
for his brother's marriage and had in his luggage the
groom's wedding ring, shirt and suit. He missed the
ceremony.
He told the Mirror: "There were agonising noises from
an individual being restrained. It went on for 20
minutes.
"I pleaded with the officers and my exact words were,
'Please don't kill him.'
"I was not swearing or threatening. BA staff said the
officers were doing their jobs and nothing was going
to happen. When he was removed we thought it was the
end of the matter.
"But police officers came back and I was handcuffed
and dragged off the plane."
He claims his luggage has been lost and £1,600 cash he
had for relatives has been taken and not returned.
Scotland Yard confirmed: "A man was arrested for
affray and causing a disturbance and was bailed."
Ba said: "Police were called to the BA75 service to
Lagos on March 27 after a large number of passengers
became disruptive.
Many were removed.
"We take any threats against our crew or passengers
very seriously and this kind of behaviour will not be
tolerated."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chanchaga
JJC
# 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the 27th of March 2008 at about 12:30pm, I boarded
the British Airways flight BA75 and I went straight to
seat 53C.
On getting to my seat, there were noises from an
individual being forcibly restrained but who was not
visible because some police officers and some plain
clothes people held him down. The noise continued for
more than 20 minutes and I was concerned because the
individual was screaming in agony and shouting in
pidgin English “I go die” meaning, I will die. I
pleaded with the officers not to kill him and my exact
words were “please don’t kill him”. The British
Airways staff said that the officers were doing their
jobs and that nothing was going to happen. The noise
became louder and other passengers started getting
concerned and were complaining especially about their
safety. The situation continued for another 15 minutes
after I got on.
Eventually, a member of the cabin crew announced that
the passenger was going to be removed and the
passenger was removed from the plane and we all
thought that was the end of the situation. Five
minutes later, two members of the cabin crew arrived
with about 4 police officers and told me to get off
the plane. I asked what the matter was and they said
that I was not going to travel with the airline
because the cabin crew thought I had been disruptive
by questioning the noise being caused by the person
that was removed. I pleaded with them that I was going
for my brother’s wedding and that I had all his stuff
with me. I was dragged out of the plane as if I was
resisting arrest. As we got to the corridor that
linked the plane with the terminal building, I was
slammed against the wall and made to sit on the floor.
I was still pleading with them telling them that they
had completely misunderstood me and that I was only
complaining about the situation regarding the
disturbances caused by the deportee they were trying
to restrain and subdue. I was on the floor for about
20 to 25 minutes. Another passenger was brought to the
corridor as well and he was also pleading with the
officers.
I was later put in the back of the police van at about
1:50pm and I was locked up there for about an hour or
more still handcuffed. I was formally arrested
approximately 2:30pm and my rights were read to me.
Before the arrest in the van, I managed to reach for
my pocket and brought out my mobile phone. I made some
phone calls to my wife, sister and a friend while the
low battery sign was on because I was all alone and
still handcuffed.
I was later driven to the police station where I was
formally checked in. I was in police custody for
almost 8 hours and later released on bail after the
interview with the duty solicitor and the detectives.
I had £473.00 on me which was seized as well as £90.00
sent to my mother in-law from my sister in-law and
£1,050.00 given to me by my cousin who is a doctor for
the upkeep of his parents in Nigeria. All the money
together was £1,613.00. I was told that I would appear
in a magistrate court to prove the money was not meant
for crime or proceeds of crime. The officer told me
that they will like to see traceability and that I
needed my payslips and bank account detailing my
payments and withdrawals as well as my cousin’s
payments and withdrawals.
I was released but without the money. I made my way to
terminal 4 and arrived there at about 12:30am but the
British Airways kiosks were closed. I was directed to
the staff room and told them that I wanted to rebook
my trip to Lagos. A lady told me to give her my ticket
and she stated that British Airways has banned me from
travelling with them indefinitely and that only the
managers can use their discretions because I was a
‘disruptive passenger’. I requested for my 2 piece
luggage and she told me that the section will be
opened later at about 5:30am and I will be escorted in
to collect them. I slept on the chair and waited till
about 5:30am and attempted to rebook my ticket but was
told that British Airways refused to take me. I
decided to go and pick up my stuff and I was told that
my luggage were missing. I was handed a form with
reference number LONBA90924. At this point, I became
totally stranded because I could not leave without my
luggage because it contained my brother’s wedding
suit, shirts and accessories.
I was on the phone with my wife and she wanted to book
an alternative flight that departs at 10:15am so that
I could make it for the wedding. This was not possible
because British Airways refused to disclose where my
luggages were and did not remove my luggage from the
flight when they called the police to arrest me.
On Monday 31st of March, I appeared at the Magistrate
court but was told that a decision was made about the
£1,613.00 that was seized from me. The police had been
granted a further 90 days to hold on to the money
pending their investigation. I was given the officer’s
details . He requested 12 months bank statements and 6
months payslip to prove that the £473.00 that belongs
to me was not proceeds of crime and also requested
that the £1,050.00 that was given to me by my cousin
for his parents should also be traced to my cousin’s
12 months bank statement and 6 months payslip. DC
Webster has promised to write me detailing these
requests.
Still on Monday 31st of March 4 days after I was taken
off the plane, I made extra efforts to find out the
whereabouts of my 2 piece luggage (LONBA90924),
because they have not been sent to my address as
promised by calling the lost baggage section at
13:44hrs and spoke to a man called Neil who said that,
it is difficult for them to trace my bags and that
there is a strong possibility that they might be in
Lagos. He suggested that I should call back in 24
hours.
Eventually, one week and one day later, my bags were
brought to me at home. One was badly damaged and the
other was intact. British Airways delibrately made
sure I missed the wedding because if they were kicking
me off their flight, they would have removed my bags
from the flight. They were all there when the police
officers made me to sit on the floor and heard me
pleading to allow me fly for my brother's wedding. I
could have made either KLM or Virgin Nigeria the
following Friday morning.
I will not want to believe that the authorities
involved in the situation deliberately or cleverly
punished me unnecessarily out of frustration for not
being able to restrain or subdue a deportee or that I
as a fee paying passenger was accused of affray with
violence when I was voicing my concerns about the
disturbances caused by the deportees. I never
mentioned any abusive or swear words neither was I
physically threatening anyone. My luggage mysteriously
was lost and I have been banned on all British Airways
flights without a chance to say my part of the story
to redeem myself. 135 passengers were asked to leave
the flight because they expressed displeasure
regarding the disturbances caused by the deportees and
the officers trying to restrain him. My ticket was
even refused to be endorsed by BA to enable me to fly
with another airline. I need full compensation of my
loss and also a letter of apology from British
Airways.
Regards
Ayodeji Omotade
Posted by chanchaga| 09.04.2008 18:18
VOR
Villager
# 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Ayo. Something will be done.
Posted by VOR| 09.04.2008 18:57
emj
Villager
# 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will not want to believe that the authorities
involved in the situation deliberately or cleverly
punished me unnecessarily out of frustration for not
being able to restrain or subdue a deportee or that I
as a fee paying passenger was accused of affray with
violence when I was voicing my concerns about the
disturbances caused by the deportees
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmmm.........Deji, thank u for posting details of what
went down...believe it or not, u were made to pay for
speaking up for your brother...they picked on you for
drawing/daring....others wia dia and did
nothing....not till u stepped up/speak up:eek::p
Posted by emj| 09.04.2008 19:21
heavymen
Villager
# 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Mr Omotade. Its good to hear from the horse's
mouth. This is absolutely inexcusable !
Question - Have you made a formal complaint to BA
about this ? And what was their response ?
I ask this because i am a frequent flyer with BA from
North America to Heathrow - twice a month. I am in the
process of buying another ticket for travel on Apr
25th. But after reading this, I am considering
boycotting BA for LIFE, just the way they have banned
you for life.
Posted by heavymen| 09.04.2008 19:41
ula-lisa
Villager
# 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry bros...
If you have not procured one yet, get a lawyer to
represent you and write formally to BA. If your lawyer
copies the press, it would be helpful to highlight the
issue.
Since I understand that you are also a British
citizen, If I were you, I would find out through my
lawyer, the complaint procedure for false arrest/false
imprisonment at the airport and follow through with
it.
Being taken off the plane should have nothing to do
with the money in your pocket...they are seeking
probable cause...your money in hand being construed as
proceeds of crime under the new anti-money laundering
regime.
It has already cost you some time, protect your right
by being heard...we are with you...whatever you
do...Do not hate these people, just despise the wrong
and seek for remedies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the Metropolitan Police at the Heathrow airport saw
a gun-man ran amok killing and hacking down persons in
his path, they would immediately arrest this person
and try him. If they had information that this person
was a governor in some African country, they would
still arrest him. If you doubt it, let any so-called
Governor-General try it. Post 9/11 there has been laws
in all collaborating countries about cash
transactions. If you are an international traveler
carrying more than a certain amount, the security
agencies of the world are interested in your business
and source of income and you would be under scrutiny
whether you are aware of it or not.
Airport Cash Declaration.
Every accused person is entitled to his counsel but
when the good Oditah, Q.C. regarding the questioning
of the Bayelsa Governor says "Indeed, there is no
requirement in the UK to declare any cash brought in
or taken out of that country," one wonders if he has
been following international security trends since
some terrorist turned our lives around.
If the Q.C. wants to test my theory, all he needs do
is to buy a one way ticket to any place in the western
hemisphere and he would find the scrutiny of the
police dogging him. Further the Q.C should pay cash
for the ticket. Further still, if the Q.C. would
withdraw from any bank $100,000 cash and take same to
any airport, he would encounter the same scrutiny on
entering any western country. The issue of chicanery,
nepotism, and political brinkmanship and facing the
challenging task of nation building in Nigeria, would
not be considered when the Q.C. is searched.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare1.com/Articles/Ulalisa/2005/09/immunity-shroud.html
Posted by ula-lisa| 09.04.2008 19:56
aiksmart
Villager
# 6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is indeed depressing... O how I HATE these
people.
Posted by aiksmart| 09.04.2008 19:57
Big-K
Villager
# 7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have sworn off BA for sometime now- unless I
absolutely have no choice - Their "natural" disdain
for Nigerians is just too nauseating.
I think Nigerians should send in protest emails to
support Ayo. Does anyone have a contact email to BA?
Posted by Big-K| 09.04.2008 21:30
Robot
Villager
# 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...Read the full article.
Posted by Robot| 09.04.2008 22:06
Nkire
Villager
# 9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever fly
BA. The last was in 1995. They almost locked me up for
speaking up for the ill-mannered way they treated a
Nigerian lady with an infant. They wanted her to
check-in her diaper bag and not have it as carry-on
luggage - imagine that logic! I spoke in her behalf
and the long-nosed British ******* called me a
belligerent.
The first leg of the flight from Chicago to London was
just wonderful - no harrasment regarding carry-on
luggage, great in-cabin service, numerous rounds of
snacks, hot towel in the morning, you name it...
However, the last leg of the flight to Lagos, well,
you got the drift. It was just intolerable in all
respects.
If Nigerians had a any pride, they will not fly BA,
they will tell their friends how awful BA is, we will
combine our efforts to make the London-Lagos route a
loss leader for BA. Nigerians will not do it becuase
they think they bloody Brits walk on water. The bloody
*****s that raped our motherland over a hundred years
ago are still sticking it to us and we are taking it.
What is the matter with us and you all. I would rather
swim to Nigeria than fly BA. Nothinh, I mean nothing
under the moon and sun will make me fly BA.
I can't stand them, they and their mannerisms give me
the creeps. I hate them for forging Nigeria, for
playing the dirty role during the civil war and for
every thing they stand for.
Regain your manhood and make your ancestors proud - do
not fly BA.
Watch, in a few days they will come up with some
stupid diplomatic niceties to explain the intemperate
behavior of the bloody pilot and the police. Do not
buy it, if you do they will laugh at your black you
know whats behind close doors. Take a stand!
Nkire
Posted by Nkire| 09.04.2008 23:16
Caeser
Villager
# 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=Big-K;4295003516>I have sworn off BA for sometime
now- unless I absolutely have no choice - Their
"natural" disdain for Nigerians is just too
nauseating.
I think Nigerians should send in protest emails to
support Ayo. Does anyone have a contact email to BA?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Folks,
Enough of this sh-t from BA! Protest emails would not
be enough! You think say dem go read am? NVS and
indeed Nigerians in diaspora can make BA change their
attitude towards us. I strongly advocate a boycott of
all BA flights by Nigerians from all walks of life.
This boycott should be championed by NVS. We can make
them apologise to this young fella for ruining his
brothers wedding and to millions of other Nigerians
over whom they have ridden roughshod. What better way
to deal with them than to hit them where it will hurt
them most-in their pockets. Nigeria-UK incidentally is
one of the most lucrative routes for BA-IMAGINE! THE
PR---S GOTTA PAY-BIG
TIME!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Posted by Caeser| 09.04.2008 23:45
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J. M. Tuakli, MD., MPH
Nkolika Ebele <nkol...@yahoo.com> wrote:
=== message truncated ===
J. M. Tuakli MD., MPH
P Idahosa
Dr. Valentine Ojo
described, a massive boycott should be the response.
The British Airways in particular depends on its Nigerian routes to survive!
This should provide a test of of our RESOLVE as a people who demand
respect for every single one of us. It's "them" today; it be YOU and ME
tomorrow.
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
dayo alao
OMOTADE, and those of 136 passengers who were "thrown
off the plane" by the BA officials and the security
officers at Heathrow, for allegedly speaking against
physical assault on a deportee.
I think the time is ripe for all Nigerians and
Africans alike to CALL OFF THE BLUFF of the airline
for its antiracist posture.
For me and my family, GOOD BYE TO BA.
Dayo Alao
=== message truncated ===
___________________________________________________________
Yahoo! For Good helps you make a difference
Elias Bongmba
collect signatures and send to BA.
Elias Bongmba
P Idahosa said the following on 4/12/2008 11:01 AM:
> I agree, when the facts are in. But if it is done it should be
> done concertedly. I will be traveling to the UK on my way to Nigeria
> later in the summer. I will be taking an alternative, Canadian airline
> to the UK, and find another carrier from London. I will, however,
> call BA up to let them know why I will not be traveling with them,
> and I will also be letting them know that this is part of a
> wider campaign. I think people should do likewise.
>
> Just a small detail: do people know that BA makes more money
> from its West African flights alone than it does from its flights to
> the North America?
> This taken for grantedness has gone on way too long.
> Pablo
>
>
>
> On Apr 11, 2008, at 8:16 PM, J. M. Tuakli, MD., MPH wrote:
>> We need to boycott BA if the facts of this story are true
>>
>> */Nkolika Ebele <nkol...@yahoo.com <mailto:nkol...@yahoo.com>>/*
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> | Contact Us | About Us | Write For Us | Search |
>>
>> Home Articles The Square Authors
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Home Authors Guest Articles British Airways removes
>> 136 Nigerians from Flight
>> British Airways removes 136 Nigerians from Flight
>>
>> Friday, 11 April 2008
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Take Action: Email this Story and your own comment to
>> BA's CEO: willie...@ba.com <mailto:willie...@ba.com>
Dr. Valentine Ojo
If the facts are proven as reported, we as Africans either RESOLVE to
BOYCOTT them - or we don't.
If we BOYCOTT them, they will need no petition to know.
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
>
Abiodun Fijabi
>>> */Nkolika Ebele >/*
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> | Contact Us | About Us | Write For Us | Search |
>>>
>>> Home Articles The Square Authors
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Home Authors Guest Articles British Airways removes
>>> 136 Nigerians from Flight
>>> British Airways removes 136 Nigerians from Flight
>>>
>>> Friday, 11 April 2008
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Take Action: Email this Story and your own comment to
>>> BA's CEO: willie...@ba.com
Chris B.N. Ogbogbo
2. The 136 involved or a sizeable number of them should embark on a class action in a court of competent jurisdiction. This should also receive adequate publicity.
Department of History,
Faculty of Arts,
University of Ibadan,
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Mobile Tel. 234-080-23030901
Home:234-027518868
Elias Bongmba
Elias Bongmba
Dr. Valentine Ojo said the following on 4/12/2008 1:50 PM:
isaac gimba
Dear All,
I have never participated in any form of boycott or anything near it, much less raise a dissenting voice. But for the first time in my life, I feel a righteous rage swelling from within me to stand up against this act of man's inhumanity to man.
The encounter sounds too cruel to be true in a country that champions freedom of expression of speech and the protection of human rights and dignity.
Like many other voices before me, could someone kindly authenticate this story line to enable the next course of action. Dr.Isaac Gimba
On Sat, 12/4/08, Elias Bongmba <bon...@rice.edu> wrote:
|
|
Tony Agbali
dayo alao <dayoal...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
I read with anger the reported ordeal of AYODEJI
OMOTADE, and those of 136 passengers who were "thrown
off the plane" by the BA officials and the security
officers at Heathrow, for allegedly speaking against
physical assault on a deportee.
I think the time is ripe for all Nigerians and
Africans alike to CALL OFF THE BLUFF of the airline
for its antiracist posture.
For me and my family, GOOD BYE TO BA.
Dayo Alao
Dr. Valentine Ojo
actually related) to the alleged victim (he is said to be a medical doctor
on his way to Nigeria to attend a family wedding) of this sub-human
treatment both from Nigeria and from here in the US.
As soon as I am in a position to say something more definitive about what
actually transpired from a truly reliable source, I will report same back
to the forum, hopefully within the next 24 hours.
We indeed do need some reliable confirmation before undertaking anything.
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
"isaac gimba" <isaac...@yahoo.co.uk> writes:
>
> Dear All,
>
> I have never participated in any form of boycott or anything near it, much
> less raise a dissenting voice. But for the first time in my life, I feel a
> righteous rage swelling from within me to stand up against this act of
> man's inhumanity to man.
>
> The encounter sounds too cruel to be true in a country that champions
> freedom of expression of speech and the protection of human rights and
> dignity.
>
> Like many other voices before me, could someone kindly authenticate this
> story line to enable the next course of action.
>
> Dr.Isaac Gimba
> On Sat, 12/4/08, Elias Bongmba wrote:
> From: Elias Bongmba
> Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: BA REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROM
> FLIGHT
> To: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
> Date: Saturday, 12 April, 2008, 9:42 PM
>
> I agree Elias Bongmba Dr. Valentine Ojo said the following on 4/12/2008
> 1:50 PM: > Petitions will not help. > > If the facts are proven as
> reported, we as Africans either RESOLVE to > BOYCOTT them - or we don't. >
> > If we BOYCOTT them, they will need no petition to know. > > Dr.
> Valentine Ojo > Tall Timbers, MD > > >> I think some with all the facts
> should help us and draft a petition and >> collect signatures and send to
> BA. >> >> Elias Bongmba >> >> P Idahosa said the following on 4/12/2008
> 11:01 AM: >> >>> I agree, when the facts are in. But if it is done
> it should be >>> done concertedly. I will be traveling to the UK on my way
> to Nigeria >>> later in the summer. I will be taking an alternative,
> Canadian airline >>> to the UK, and find another carrier from London. I
> will, however, >>> call BA up to let them know why I will not be
> traveling with them, >>> and I will also be letting them know that this is
> part of a >>> wider campaign. I think people should do likewise. >>> >>>
> Just a small detail: do people know that BA makes more money >>> from its
> West African flights alone than it does from its flights to >>> the North
> America? >>> This taken for grantedness has gone on way too long. >>>
> Pablo >>> >>> >>> >>> On Apr 11, 2008, at 8:16 PM, J. M. Tuakli, MD., MPH
> wrote: >>> >>>> We need to boycott BA if the facts of this story
> are true >>>> >>>> */Nkolika Ebele /* >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> |
> Contact Us | About Us | Write For Us | Search | >>>> >>>> Home
> Articles The Square Authors >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>> >>>> Home Authors Guest Articles British Airways removes >>>>
> 136 Nigerians from Flight >>>> British Airways removes 136 Nigerians
> from Flight >>>> >>>> Friday, 11 April 2008 >>>> >>>>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>> Take Action: Email this Story and your own comment to >>>>
> BA's CEO: willie...@ba.com >>>>
Pius Adesanmi
Written by Obi Nwakanma
The Vanguard, Sunday, 13 April 2008
Our friend Harry – we call him Harry G- just turned
fifty. The fact simply means, and it is shocking, that
half his life is spent.
When examined closely, it also means that he has been
in the field of active critical scholarship, for at
least twenty-five years now.
Harry Oludare Garuba, born of Etsako parents, was
always the “fair-haired boy” of what Chinweizu and co,
came to term “the Ibadan school” – when there was an
Ibadan school to properly speak of.
He was, to put it in understandable terms, the last
leg in a relay that included the brilliant MJC
Echeruo, Abiola Irele, Isidore Okpewho, Dapo Adelugba,
Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, and we may add Odia
Ofeimun – who constituted a phalanx of scholars,
artists, poets, and critics who dominated the
enterprise of critical and artistic ideas emanating
from Ibadan from 1970 to at least, 1990.
There was the “Nsukka School” too, which was defined
by its own aesthetic. By the time Echeruo left Nsukka
for Ibadan in 1974, there remained in resident in
Nsukka the famous novelist Chinua Achebe who returned
to Nsukka from Amherst in 1975; famous critics like
D.I. Nwoga, Emmanuel Obiechina and Juliet Okonkwo,
artists and critics like Uche Okeke, Obiora Udechukwu,
El Anatsui, and poets like Pol Ndu, who died
tragically in 1979, Ossie Enekwe, Chimalum Nwankwo and
the younger poet and playwright, Esiaba Irobi.
These constituted the mill of artistic and critical
ideas shaped at Nsukka and radiating around the Okike
magazine edited by Chinua Achebe in the same period.
This phalanx of talents could be repeated everywhere
else in Nigerian universities. At the University of
Lagos was the poet J.P. Clark, and his wife, the
theatre theorist Ebun Clark, and Chinweizu, who was
appointed to the Mathematical Sciences, later joined
them in some way.
t Ife for instance, there was the poet and playwright
Wole Soyinka who later won the Nobel Prize for
literature in 1986, who however made Ife tick with
people like Joel Adedeji, and the Positive Review
group of Biodun Jeyifo, Kole Omotosho, Godini Darah
and Yemi Ogunbiyi. Ogunbiyi and Darah’s scholarship of
cours
e “degenerated” into the bread and butter poetics of
advertisement and power politics, and other
inscrutable concerns. But Ogunbiyi for instance once
had great promise as a formidable scholar and theatre
theorist. In any case, there were such stars in
various Nigerian Universities in Jos or Zaria or
Calabar or Port-Harcourt, and so on.
Many of these individuals however, soon migrated,
first into the newsrooms of the bubbly Nigerian media
scene of the 1980s, and later into more permanent
exile.
Nigerian Universities ticked in the Humanities, the
Sciences and the Social Sciences, with an intellectual
energy so profuse and sufficient, that we can now see
the impact of the exodus, and the absences, as world
class universities in America, Europe and increasingly
in South-Africa, began to claim and absorb Nigeria’s
finest talents in all fields.
This issue is so exhausted it is no longer necessary
to adumbrate the fact. But as we look today in the
universities in Nigeria, there are, it is quite clear,
an eclipse, as only just a handful of determined but
overwhelmed scholars now provide any spurt of life in
the Nigerian “university system.”
It is a system long dismantled. Indeed I use the term
“university system” very cautiously too, and only to
serve as allegory. The state of Nigerian universities
will be subject for another occasion.
I just wish to use it as a backdrop to properly pay
tribute to the scholar and poet, Harry Garuba,
currently Professor of English at South Africa’s
pre-eminent University of Cape Town. Harry Garuba’s
talents became immediately apparent in South Africa,
that it did not take too long for recognition to come
his way, and for him to attract the due regard of his
peers.
ut above all, from the deprivations of Ibadan, where
he scrounged even for office supplies, Cape Town has
provided him a sufficiency so totally alien to the
Nigerian scholar or researcher.
From the listless torpor and uncertainty of the Ibadan
environment of particularly the late 1980s and early
1990s, Harry Garuba has re-invented himself, his
profound gifts rejuvenated by a new life: a new
family, a new regard, a new sense of himself.
Harry Garuba comes from the tradition of the Echeruos
and the Okpewhos as scholars and critics who could
examine the detail of any problem with such fine and
exquisite thought, that it would be difficult to enter
further debates or caveats in the fields they had
tilled.
Harry Garuba’s genius is his originality; the
brilliance of his articulation: his knack to bring
such clarity to difficult and turgid zones of ideas,
and subdue them to comprehensible firmness is nothing
if not uncanny.
It was from Garuba that I had the finest insight into
Foucault’s theory of surveillance and regulation in
his Discipline and Punish, and its roots in a very
long tradition of western thought going back to the
enlightenment.
The decade of the 1980s, and the early 1990s were as
exciting as they were difficult, but nonetheless
extremely productive periods for contemporary Nigerian
writing. Harry Garuba was a sort of midwife of that
period.
Many of us poets and novelists who emerged in that
period mostly converged in Lagos, working in the
various newsrooms in Nigerian Newspapers and
Magazines, but finding solace and occasional illicit
consolations in Ibadan, one hour away. At Ibadan, we
dabbled mostly in the fount of numerous, feverish, and
frequently inebriated discourse. It was loud and
raucous.
Sometimes it was the sound of utterance that made any
sense. I thought that the poet Uche Nduka was on to
something when he described the outlines of his
proposed book, On the Rump, about the life of the
writers, artists and such like in that period.
Apparently the book remains only an outline.
But I daresay that Harry Garuba in Ibadan was the
Harry Crosby of our own lost generation; frequently
presiding over countless occasions either at the bar
of the University of Ibadan Senior Staff Club or at
the bar of the SUB, which remained open on one
occasion that I remember till 7:00 am on Saturday,
when we all had to get some coffee and breakfast, and
nurse the hang-over at Harry Garuba’s apartment. It
often seemed to me that Harry Garuba was haunted by
the Spartan futility of his office and of his
apartment on campus.
But he was unstinting in his hospitality. His flat in
Ibadan was our second home. You could just drop by
unannounced, and you had the bed in his guest room.
We probably tested the limits of charity in his long
suffering ex-spouse, Saidat, but good old Harry was
almost always unflappable, until he reached what Nduka
Otiono used to call “his spirit level.” Amenable to
discourse, we argued; seduced the muses; destroyed
many a fledgling career by the brutal honesty and the
occasional dishonesty of our criticisms.
There would be Otiono, Chiedu Ezeanah, Sanya Osha in
Philosophy, Godwn Ede, Nike Adesuyi, Pius Adesanmi in
French, Lola Shoneyin, Remi Raji, and numerous others
who were in Ibadan in those years; and many more who
came and went. Odia Ofeimun and Harry Garuba have both
in that sense, provided the ambience of disputes that
may have shaped any sense of what we might call the
evolving critical and poetic ideas of the contemporary
generation of Nigerian writers.
There is in that, what I call Harry Garuba’s
unfinished business: what is the value of that
literature? What constitutes the basis for selecting
and situating a canonical interpretation of that
literature? What in fact is the shape or form of that
canon?
This is important, particularly in these days when
anybody who strings a word or two together, either as
poetry or as fiction, makes a claim to literary
profundity or significance. But it is now imperative,
and incumbent on Harry Garuba, and all those who have
made the critical enterprise central to their
endeavors, to advert their attention to this now
increasing important question: what is Nigerian
literature?
But as we ponder this question, it is proper also to
presume, that for Harry G, the best is still ahead,
for one of our most exciting contemporary
intellectuals: scholar, occasional poet, and
raconteur.
Pius Adesanmi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director, Project on New African Literatures (PONAL)
Department of English
Carleton University
Ottawa, Canada
K1S 5B6
Tel: +1 613 520 2600 ext. 1175
Chika Onyeani
Chika Onyeani
Ejikeme, Anene
Anene Ejikeme
San Antonio, Texas
________________________________
From: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com on behalf of Chika Onyeani
Sent: Sun 4/13/2008 12:54 AM
To: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: BA REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROMFLIGHT
Chika Onyeani
Abiodun Fijabi <abiodu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> http://mail.yahoo.com <http://mail.yahoo.com/>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> >
>
> >
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com <http://mail.yahoo.com/>
Chris B.N.Ogbogbo,Ph.D,
Department of History,
Faculty of Arts,
University of Ibadan,
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Mobile Tel. 234-080-23030901
Home:234-027518868
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
OLADMEJI ABORISADE
Up till now facts about this serious case have not emerged. We need to know what led the young man to cry for help in a loud vioce. If he was being escorted from prison to the Airport for deprtation, he is not the first to go through such ordeal. What triggered the loud noice which irritated other innocent passengers to react the way they did should be unravelled. At this point, Nigerian Embassy in London must show concern and quickly step into this case. Also the Ministry for Aviation in Nigeria must react promptly. What is difficlult to understand was the BAs decision to throw out the 136 innocent passengers. That was a low level performance coupled with poor attitude from the BA. Clearly, BA lost control and the reasons for such a disrespect for humanity must be made known to the public.
At this point, I see this case as a government to government affair. Individual boycotting BA may not help the gravity of this case. First, the Nigerian government must alleviate the anxiety of the people by banning the BA from Nigeria until when the dust is settled.Secondly, if there is a stalemate,Nigerians may use the spirit of Rosa Parks and force a boycott on the BA indefinitely. But let us know that the weakness of Nigeria to manage the country effectively permits any form of threat from outside.
Thank you, Professor Oladimeji Aborisade.
> Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - IN support of Boycott Re REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROMFLIGHT
> Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:37:37 -0500
> From: Anene....@Trinity.edu
> To: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com; USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Kennedy Emetulu
Yahoo! for Good helps you make a difference
mm1...@columbia.edu
strategy. I support a boycott strategy, but also suggest we think of
others (a) a petition, (b) a law suit using British and European
anti-racism laws (c) formal presentations to African governments and
the AU (d) set up a fund and a coordinating committee which can take
charge of the fund and report back to the list of petitioners at
regular intervals. The goal could be to demand compensation and a
formal apology from BA to the aggrieved parties.
mahmood mamdani
Dr. Valentine Ojo
It's indeed high time we make our resentment at being treated as a species
of subhumans felt - economically where it hurts most.
Or else they will never see any reason to change. No "humanitarian
appeals" will help here.
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
"Tony Agbali" <atta...@yahoo.com> writes;
Chris B.N. Ogbogbo
Ejikeme, Anene
Chairman of the Board = Martin Broughton
Chief Executive = Willie Walsh
ADDRESS for Board:
C/o the Company Secretary
British Airways Plc
PO Box 365
Harmondsworth
UB7 0GB
EMAIL:
company....@britishairways.com
Weblink to BA Board: http://www.bashares.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=69499&p=irol-govboard
Anene Ejikeme
San Antonio, Texas
Pius Adesanmi
officials of BA assume that such missives are going to
be read. I don't think so. With all due respect, I
think we are underestimating what those snorty folks
think of us. BA, like all capitalist ventures, will
pay attention to only letters and emails containing
two words: profit, market. Until we threaten those two
words and are seen to be threatening them, we will be
nothing but hungry ex-colonials making noise, at
least, in the reckoning of folks in the upper layers
of BA's administative structure. I am prepared to
wager that Mr Walsh already has a secretary stationed
to delete all email concerning this matter as they
arrive. Mass boycott is therefore the answer. We have
enough people and resources in this forum to transform
this into a pan-African affair. That's the only way to
threaten profit and market. To give bite and maximum
publicity to this boycott campaign, we also need to
put our money where our mouth is. Can we, at USAAFrica
Dialogue, open and contribute to a campaign fund to
buy advertorials in three newspapers - Nigeria,
Britain, and the US? If it doesn't fly with the full
house, can a coalition of the willing attempt this?
Ten dollars here, twenty dollars there, and we may
raise enough money to buy newspaper space and publish
an advertorial signed by members of this forum. If BA
reads advertorials agaist them in say, The New York
Times, The Guardian of London, and The Guardian of
Lagos, trust me, they will smell a serious threat to
market/profit! I believe we have vented sufficiently.
The next phase is to act. The idea here is to light a
candle, after complaining about darkness. Let's not
stop at the complaining stage. If some of these
suggestions fly, we can move on to logistics.
Pius
Pius Adesanmi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director, Project on New African Literatures (PONAL)
Department of English
Carleton University
Ottawa, Canada
K1S 5B6
___________________________________________________________
Yahoo! For Good helps you make a difference
funmilayo
jegede, dele Dr.
Placing ads is one way. (This does not preclude other brilliant ideas though). Would someone please indicate where those who are interested should send their donations? There should be information, of course, regarding the cost of these ads so we would know what we’re all working towards.
Let’s back it up with muscle! Enough of verification.
--
*****************************
dele jegede, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair,
Department of Art. 124 Art Building
Miami University. Oxford. OH 45056
Tel: 513.529.2900. Fax: 513.529.1532
websites:
http://dele-jegede.com/
http://art.muohio.edu/
ula...@aol.com
Chimalum Nwankwo.
Get the MapQuest Toolbar, Maps, Traffic, Directions & More!
Pius Adesanmi
Here is the link to the online petition. Just scroll
down. Almost 400 signatures so far. Folks could sign
this while we try to agree on our own line of action
here at USAAfricaDialogue
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/component/option,com_philaform/Itemid,214/form_id,6/
isaac gimba
Great Idea Prof. Adesanmi. I am in total agreement. I am willing to forward my donation as soon as the details are put in place. --- On Mon, 14/4/08, ula...@aol.com <ula...@aol.com> wrote: |
|
John MBAKU
>>> "jegede, dele Dr." <jeg...@muohio.edu> 04/14/08 2:33 PM >>>
Pius Ilesanmi's call to action is quite laudable. We've done a good amount of talking, good enough to shock even the most polite of human beings. It is time to back up our talk with action; time to mobilize and, to borrow from Nike, just do it!
Placing ads is one way. (This does not preclude other brilliant ideas though). Would someone please indicate where those who are interested should send their donations? There should be information, of course, regarding the cost of these ads so we would know what we're all working towards.
Let's back it up with muscle! Enough of verification.
--
*****************************
dele jegede, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair,
Department of Art. 124 Art Building
Miami University. Oxford. OH 45056
Tel: 513.529.2900. Fax: 513.529.1532
Awomolo, Abi
From: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com on behalf of isaac gimba
Sent: Mon 4/14/2008 7:29 PM
To: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Dr. Valentine Ojo
of execution, not infrequently as a result of bad or inadequate
organization.
First off, may I propose Prof. Pius Adesanmi as 'Coordinator of Project
BA' - without prejudice to any other role he may be called upon later to
play as the project unfolds.
For now, he is merely to "coordinate" whatever ideas that may be presented
and practical decisions that we may embark upon. Then people or groups of
people would be assigned specific roles.
Any seconders for my proposing Pius Adesanmi as "Project Coordinator"?
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
Rex Marinus
BA's treatment of Africans is outrageous. But African intellctuals who construct images of an African hell; of its failed humanity; and of an Africa where poverty, disease, war, and political destruction are the primary experience help institutions like the BA to sustain the idea of the African Bantustan. So, why must these bantustan people fly neat or new planes? There must be a condition of equal humanity to warrant that. Why must they not be "de-loused" or "de-odorized" according to Muo's experience, when we say things about africa, and act pretty much in those terms - as if all we do in Africa is stink and go about with lice. You read or hear contemporay African intellectuals talk about Africa in various international fora, its about Africa that has failed; a powerless and enervated continent; a ghostly place of bones and turmoil and turbulence and so on. It is Africa of the "Discvovery" Channels. Of famine and relapsed humanity. So why wont the British airways treat a beggar coninent with disdain. Since we have dispersed a contemptile image of Africa, we must live with the consequence of the contempt that naturally flows largely from such images of a weak and prostrate continent, of which the BA possibly counts among its stock of charity to serve - whether they de-louse you or not in a rickety flying coffin fit only for the living dead. But that's what we say of Africa: its the living-dead continent. Tony Blair called it, "the scar of the face of the earth." The heavens did not fall. Just imagine that then, and tell me why BA will not act with the arrogance they feel entitled to simply because, well, what does it matter if they kick out 136 Nigerians. Who cares? The heavens will not fall.b Anger and public expression of outrage feels quite legitimate. We should register our outrage with our wallets. I'm all for it. But the question: how long should this boycott last? Maybe we should all go and talk with Mugabe about this latest provocation. Volunteers please!
Obi Nwakanma
_____________________
"If I don't learn to shut my mouth I'll soon go to hell,
I, Okigbo, town-crier, together with my iron bell."
--Christopher Okigbo
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: IN support of BA Boycott Re REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROMFLIGHT
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:01:23 -0400
From: AAwo...@cau.edu
To: USAAfric...@googlegroups.com; USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Godwin Murunga
Maina-wa-Kinyatti
Pius Adesanmi
Ambassador Ahmadu Alli Writes President Yar'Adua
Written by Pius Adesanmi
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Dear President Yar’Adua,
Ranka dede sir. Saanu da aiki sir. I hope this letter
finds you well. If so, doxology. I am constrained to
write urgently to intimate you with the frustrating
conditions I’ve had to contend with since I assumed
duties as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of
South Africa. You will recall, sir, that I had serious
misgivings about being posted to this place but you
reassured me that things would work out insha Allah. I
must regretfully inform you, sir, that you were wrong.
This place is hell and I don’t know what I am doing
here. The ways of the South Africans are indeed very
strange.
The first serious signals of South Africa’s
backwardness and dysfunctionality became apparent when
I landed at the airport in Johannesburg. I was
profoundly shocked to discover that only two official
vehicles from the Nigerian embassy and three embassy
staff were on hand to receive me. This was a serious
breach of protocol. When was the last time I moved in
anything less than a motorcade of twenty five cars,
heralded by AK-47-wielding soldiers and
koboko-swishing mobile policemen sweeping civilians
out of my way? I felt naked, empty, and vulnerable. I
felt betrayed by those embassy boys who appeared to
have forgotten how we handle matters of protocol for
people of my standing in Nigeria. Obviously, I wasn’t
going to subject myself to the indignity of leaving
the airport in a ‘motorcade’ of two miserable embassy
vehicles. I sat put and told the boys to organize.
They finally found a solution by renting five cars
from the Avis car rental outlet to bring the tally of
vehicles to seven.
Needless to say your Excellency, I had to ‘manage’ a
convoy of only seven cars. Without siren! As if this
outrage weren’t enough, we had barely made it out of
the airport when we found ourselves in one of
Johannesburg’s notorious traffic jams. Again, our boys
from the embassy had no idea what to do – when we post
these boys out, we must insist they visit Nigeria
twice a year your Excellency. They are completely out
of touch. Just imagine, I had to suggest to them to
phone the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector
General of Police to send troops to come and clear the
road for us. Rather than act, they sat there looking
at me with eyes so wide open they almost popped out of
their sockets. Then one obsequious fool explained that
“things don’t work that way here, sir”. “How do you
know, have you ever tried”, I asked him.
I did not fare any better on my first day on the job,
your Excellency. The first thing on my agenda was to
present my letters of accreditation to President Thabo
Mbeki. Regrettably, I left arrangements to our boys in
the embassy. Their shoddy handling of the airport
situation should have taught me a lesson! I had
expected them to rent a white horse and a crowd of at
least one hundred singing and drumming Nigerians to
form a procession. I was going to ride the white horse
through the streets of Pretoria, all the way to Union
Building, with our people singing and drumming. You
know, the way we do things back home. What did I get
instead? The Ambassador’s official car, a driver and
one miserable aide! At my urging, they had to rent
five cars from Avis! If I hadn’t insisted, the boys
would have done untold harm to Nigeria’s image as the
giant of Africa by having her Ambassador drive to that
ceremony in only one car. No policemen. No soldiers.
No siren!
The humiliation continued when we got to Union
Building. Only the official car with the Nigerian flag
was allowed in. They wouldn’t allow the rental cars in
because they were not accredited. I told my aide to go
and “see” the appropriate people only to be told by
the rude boy that they don’t “see” people in South
Africa. How do you run a country where you don’t “see”
people? How do you get things done? Anyway, the
ceremony went well your Excellency. The only
disappointing thing is the simplicity of the
surroundings of President Mbeki. Things were so simple
you had no idea you were in the Presidency. They are
not doing Africa proud at all sir. From what I saw, my
estimation is that the budget that maintains the South
African Presidency for a whole year is approximately
the size of the weekly entertainment budget of a
Nigerian Minister or Governor.
My second day on the job was even more frustrating,
Mr. President. I was briefed that we had an
application for a new plot of land languishing at the
Pretoria city hall. There is an embassy expansion
project in the pipeline. Apparently, the application
has been at city hall for more than two years because
the plot we want happens to be in a protected green
area. My predecessors had no luck with the Mayor.
Pray, your Excellency, why deal with the Mayor when
things could be accelerated the Nigerian way? So, I
phoned the Mayor and respectfully and politely asked
for the name and phone number of his Godfather. My
intention was to “see” his Godfather and promise him
an oil block allocation in the Niger Delta if he would
prevail on his political godson to alter the Pretoria
Master Plan and give us a plot in the green area. To
my surprise, the Mayor told me that he had read Mario
Puzzo’s novel but had never seen the movie! These
South Africans are unbelievably backward! When I
finally got him to understand what I meant – after
almost an hour of explanations – he laughed
condescendingly and said “we don’t do that in South
Africa, Mr. Ambassador. We cannot alter the city’s
Master Plan”. Unbelievable, isn’t it? Have these
people never heard of Abuja? So, what exactly do they
do here? What is this idea of people getting elected
to political office without Godfathers? I banged the
phone on him. If I had continued the conversation, I
couldn’t put it past him to give me the extraordinary
yarn that they also organize elections here without
thugs, guns, and ballot box stuffing.
My nightmare in this country continued last week when
I went to the University of the Witwatersrand in
Johannesburg. One of our very useful boys – an
unemployed graduate of the University of Ibadan who
helped organize the shipment of arms and recruited
cult members to help us capture the Oyo state
government house for Alhaji Chief Alao Akala – has
decided to quit the political scene in Nigeria and
return to his studies. He emailed to notify me that he
has an application for graduate studies at Wits. Could
I please look into it? The boy served the PDP so
diligently and I was inclined to help him. So I went
to Wits last week to see the Registrar. She informed
me that they did indeed receive the boy’s application
but he did not meet the minimum admission requirements
for graduate studies at Wits. Duh, as if I didn’t
already know that before asking to meet with her! I
asked if we could come to an agreement and opened the
Ghana-must-go bag I had with me. Crisp bales of rand
notes smiled from the bag. She screamed and sent me
out of her office, claiming that she would have had me
arrested if I didn’t enjoy diplomatic immunity. As I
did not want to return to Pretoria with the money, I
made one last ditch effort. I phoned the University’s
information service and requested to speak with the
Registrar’s Garrison Commander. Predictably, nobody
had any clue! I gave up on South Africa at this point.
I mean, what kind of country is this? People get
positions and appointments without Godfathers and
Garrison Commanders. I don’t understand. Your
Excellency, there is really no place like home. All I
would have had to do in Nigeria is place one phone
call to any Vice Chancellor. The boy would end up in
the Vice Chancellor’s discretionary admission list
with immediate effect.
Your Excellency, these unending insults and
indignities are nothing compared to the stubbornness
with which people address me here as Mr. Ambassador.
Nonsense. I’ve insisted that they use the full list of
my honorifics to no avail. Who would dare leave out
anything from this list in Nigeria – Ambassador,
Senator, Doctor, Chief Ahmadu Alli. Nobody here seems
to understand that none of these items can be left out
when addressing me. Mind you, to make things easy for
the South Africans, I’ve even reluctantly left out all
the items that would compulsorily come after my name
in Nigeria – MON, OFR, GCFR, etc etc etc. Pray, if
they can’t get a paltry total of four honorific
prefixes right, how are they going to contend with the
suffixes?
Your Excellency, it is clear that I am not going to be
able to stay here. I can’t function. Their system is
completely upside down. May I humbly request to be
posted to Cameroon or Benin Republic? They are our
neighbours. Years of associating with us have rubbed
off on them. They know how things are done. They
understand. If the slots in Yaoundé and Cotonou are
not available, I won’t mind the UK. The British are
far more tolerant of the way we do things. They see no
evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil in order not to
endanger the oil flow. London is far more amenable to
the Nigerian way than Pretoria. I should be able to
function there.
Yours in service to Nigeria,
Ambassador, Senator, Doctor, Chief Ahmadu Alli, MON,
OFR, GCFR, etc etc etc.
Sam....@epamail.epa.gov
where the bottom line lies. Any other action does not go far.
King Ade
|
I second it as I know Prof Pius Adesanmi to be an honourable and capable person.
-------Original Message------- |
|
|
Sam....@epamail.epa.gov
I second this with a disclaimer - Thus we should focus our priority on
massive boycott worldwide and thus, making sure we employ a massive
media, community outreach efforts in USA, Europe and Africa to boycott
BA PERIOD. This is what will bring them to the table anything short of
this - we will not get anywhere as history tells us - from similar
experiences in US and other places.
"Dr. Valentine
Ojo"
<val...@md.metro To
cast.net> USAAfric...@googlegroups.co
Sent by: m
USAAfricaDialogu cc
e@googlegroups.c "Pius Adesanmi"
om <piusad...@yahoo.com>,
"jegede, dele Dr."
<jeg...@muohio.edu>
04/14/2008 09:48 Subject
PM USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re:
IN support of BA Boycott Re
REMOVES 136 NIGERIANS FROMFLIGHT
Please respond
to
USAAfricaDialogu
e@googlegroups.c
om
papa...@aol.com
Harrison Adeniyi
Harrison Adeniyi PhD (Linguistics).
Department of African Languages,
Literatures and Communication Arts,
Lagos State University, Ojo
P.M.B 1087 Apapa
Lagos Nigeria
niger...@yahoo.com 234 1 8054734205 Ìwàlewà omo ènìyàn
--- On Thu, 4/17/08, papa...@aol.com <papa...@aol.com> wrote:
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Gemini
For this reason, I disagree with those who say that we should give up on our representatives in Abuja. On the contrary, the address being forthcoming - we should all write letters demanding - in addition to the suspension of landing rights already suggested - that (a) that the relevant pilot (who demanded that the passengers be off-loaded for protesting at the treatment of the man who protested at the treatment of the deportee) be identified and banned from flying to Nigeria ever again, (b) that the Ministry (Foreign Affairs) identify and offer all necessary legal and other assistance to the passenger who has been banned and has commenced proceedings against BA (I'm not sure if he is himself facing criminal proceedings), including flying others of the off-loaded passengers to Britain (Virgin Nigeria, Bellview to the rescue?) to testify in such proceedings, (c) a public apology from British Airways, (d) any more ideas people?
Yes, those who can, should also take the direct action of a boycott or writing to BA, but I don't see why we should give our government a free ride. That is what they are there for. Unless I have missed their reaction, I find their silence disturbing and astonishing. And though their silence is not surprising, they must live up to their responsibility. Relevant committees of the National Assembly should also be targeted with letters, demanding that BA appear before them and explain themselves.
Ayo Obe