Windows

Police outlaws and nothing-go-happen boast

IN 2016 while heading to Ikorodu, my local government of origin, on a critical assignment for Sunday Tribune, a police officer threatened to kill me and other occupants of a taxi somewhere in Ogun State. It was night and this officer and his gang had actually hit our car from behind, forcing the driver to swerve into the bush. Yet he made the driver, an old man, to do frog jump. He then started accusing us passengers of being criminals, a tag to which I objected, saying that I was a journalist. Then the man bellowed: “I am Supol Rasaki of Federal SARS! If not for my patience, you would be dead by now. I can kill you and nothing go happen!” I am telling this story because of an incident that happened last week in Enugu where a power-drunk assistant commissioner of police, one Oluseyi Okenla, allegedly battered and detained a policewoman, one Helen Onoja, for wanting to use the restroom. According to reports, the nursing mother was kicked, punched and dragged by Okenla and his orderly on the dusty road by Orthopedic junction, Abakiliki expressway.

The story was that the mother of four had been on traffic duty for hours and, with traffic congestion over, she felt the urge to answer nature’s call. Over to a witness: “ACP Okenla ordered her to go back to her traffic point despite the officer explaining to him that she wanted to use the toilet. The woman immediately obeyed him and returned to the junction.” But then the ACP sent for her, battered her, then dumped her in the cell with injuries. But here’s the key part: “The Area Commander threatened that he would treat her like a common criminal and nothing would happen.”

Well, #EndSARS happened because of the blood thirstiness and brutality of many police personnel who had acted like Lucifer for years, shedding blood at will. When these “nothing-go-happen” goons saw death in flesh and blood, they ran, like the Yoruba say, kabakaba! The Yoruba say it is a person who has not seen trouble that boasts of his manhood. #EndSARS came and Goliaths instantly transformed into midgets. They ran faster than rabbits. If a man is boastful, it is because he has not seen trouble. During Gideon Orkah’s putsch, many gallant soldiers quickly pulled off their uniforms, fleeing into different neighborhoods. People called it cowardice but they called it tactics. And may I say to all power-drunk people: CONTINUE.

I accept the fact that the suspect may be innocent. But if he’s not, then he’s not the first misfit to occupy high office. In June 2010, the then Deji of Akure, Oba Oluwadare Adesina, validated the Yoruba aphorism that a person meant for the mud will always fall off a mat. Accusing one of his wives, Bolanle, of infidelity, wildness, fraudulence and psychiatric problems, Adesina gave her a technical knockout on Hospital Road, Akure. Enraged passers-by then descended on his Nissan Pathfinder marked “Deji of Akure” and, trying to run for cover, His Royal Majesty fell into a gutter and his cap flew off his head. The Olusegun Mimiko government, brooking no nonsense, wasted no time in dethroning and sending him into oblivion. He recently passed on.

On many occasions, policemen and other uniformed personnel have committed unspeakable atrocities, declaring that there would be no consequences for their actions. And guess what? They are actually correct! They would never utter such a statement in North Korea, where Kim Jong Un’s dogs are ready to feast on even innocent people, or in Saudi Arabia, where felons are beheaded with automatic alacrity. Who would dare to say “nothing go happen” in Russia or Singapore? But today’s Nigeria is essentially a society without consequences, which is why the politicians who lie so shamelessly to us are rewarded with another term of office.

Traditional society had consequences: felons were beheaded and their carcasses gifted to wild animals. In those days, society did not bear with despots for too long. In Yorubaland, when you heard such a song as “Towo ba t’alaseju, pipa ni e pa!( “If you get hold of the overreacher, kill him!”), you knew for certain that the people were battle-ready to deal with despots. Admittedly, though, elements of traditionalism sometimes manage to break forth today. Consider the case of one Sunday Maduegbunam who, in May last year, beat his mum like an inedible snake in Ogidi, Anambra State. Well, the great boys of that community tied him to a tree and lacerated his back with canes. The bastard who had behaved like Mighty Igor while battering his mother actually pleaded for mercy, calling his punisher Chairman with profound respect! To me, that’s an act of mercy, because such a fellow ought to be executed by the State on a good day.

If errant police officers knew for certain that they would soon be eating gari and kulikuli in Kirikiri, they would behave themselves. But what do they do these days? They attack beer bottles and pepper soup after circumscribing people’s rights. By the way, these same Nigerian lions and alagbara-ma-meros are usually very humble and personable abroad, knowing that they risked ugly consequences if they misbehaved. As an Ethiopian proverb says, “Do not blame God for creating the tiger, just thank Him for not giving it wings.”

I’ll say: if man doesn’t punish these criminals, then God will. If an earthquake suddenly happened anywhere in the world, security guards would abandon their commander-in-chief at the speed of lightning, wouldn’t they? Let the power-drunk beware: a little sickness will tame their arrogance. By the way, have you noticed that the best way to lose weight is to face serious problem? No woman twerks during a bomb blast, and even a rabid dog recognizes fire. People do rubbish because they are comfortable. In RB Sheridan’s The Rivals, Sir Anthony tells Mrs Malaprop to tame her dissenting niece with hunger: “Let me beg you, Mrs. Malaprop, to enforce this matter roundly to the girl;—take my advice—keep a tight hand —if she rejects this proposal—clap her under lock and key:—and if you were just to let the servants forget to bring her dinner for three or four days, you can’t conceive how she’d come about!” I do not advocate forced marriage: my point is that people do rubbish because they are comfortable.

Re: The West is no model

Thank you for publishing a fantastic article! My name is Randall, I live in Redmond Washington, USA. It is as though the war against boys and men here dominates everything. It drives me crazy. Thanks again.

Randall

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

“Businesses are suffering. How can we be losing over 95 per cent of oil production to thieves? Look at the Bonny Terminal that should be receiving over 200, 000 barrels of crude oil daily, instead it receives less than 3,000 barrels, leading the operator @Shell, to declare force majeure.

“Why are we paying taxes if our security agencies can’t stop this? It is clear that the reason Nigeria is unable to meet its OPEC production quota is not because of low investment but because of theft, pure and simple!

“Meanwhile, oil producing countries are smiling as their foreign reserves rising. What is Nigeria’s problem? We need to hold our leaders more accountable!”

Elumelu urged Nigerians to be more vocal and demand accountability from government as the 2023 general election draw closer. He added that only leaders who can deliver on their mandates can change Nigeria’s trajectory.

“Elections are coming – security and resources need to be everyone’s agenda – let’s be vocal for our nation’s priority.

“Evil prevails when good people are silent. We need to be vocal about 2023. Let’s focus on Nigeria. Demand and advocate for leaders that deliver. In 2023, Nigeria must be on a strong trajectory for progress and development,” he said.

Our Reporter