A Sonnet is not a Sonata. Everything is what it is and not another. And even when it is another, it is still what it is…. And so, when the Government appointed a highly revered Retired Army officer, certain aspects of trade facilitation suffered. But the most directly hit was COWA.
In case you can’t remember, COWA simply means the Customs Officers Wives Association.
The hippo growls and its mother responds instantly. The Goose cackles. The goat bleats. Even the mouse squeaks, and uniquely, the mother responds. But, for Nigeria Customs Operatives, for eight years, the wonderful appointment of a retired army officer as the Customs Comptroller General, totally denies them the other wings, to fly with.
The Nigerian Army has NAOWA. The Nigeria Police has POWA. For the Customs, the COWA was truly in limbo. And so, from the angle of objective industry watchers, the appointment of a square peg into a round hole, no matter how smooth or strong, is anathema.
*CGC Wale Adeniyi, MFR
And that is one area where successive Governments have failed Nigerians. Check the Ministerial list, a lawyer was often made to head either the Power, Energy industry; or Agric. Sadly, neither the crops nor the grids understand either the constitutional provisions or its subsections’ grammar.
Over time, the crops wither and the grids collapse.
The Government consistently plays politics with the masses. In one breath, it speaks of agape love. In another breath, it pursues policies that are directly and indirectly against the common man.
Only this Government is different. It is Altruistic. It has removed subsidies and given us palliative. Yesterday, the palliative distributors brought three bags of rice to the OKE-BADAN Community. The Community is a very large one. It couldn’t even be rationed amongst just the elderly women who hardly go out, let alone buy fuel.
But, at least, this government brought something. Other governments didn’t bring anything, except on paper. One Government did it’s own so fraudulently, that the succeeding heir, publicly disowned it’s statistical data. Same data it probably used, to feed children and school pupils, legitimately incarcerated under the parents, via the COVID-19 Order. Yet, it expended billions of Naira feeding tiny, tweenies’ mouths, tucked behind closed doors. Our consolation: God forgives those who seek for it!
It is great when organisations fly with both wings intact. It is like a child, naturally nurtured, under the rich and cautious attention of both parents.
*Late Abdullahi Dikko Inde
In this regard, both the NAOWA and the POWA, amongst others were lucky. They exude confidence. It underscores the symbolic significance of the other wings. MKO Abiola saw this a long time ago; no wonder he painfully announced, that a bird does not fly with one wing!
COWA took a direct hit. Its ebullience and vibrancy could sustain it in the first two years. At the end of the first four years, its neglect and malnourishment had become pronounced. It was gaunt and looked haunted! In the sixth year, it atrophied and went into Comatose…!
But, those who think it was only COWA that suffered are myopic. COWA suffered. The Service also suffered. Very seriously. Things that could be resolved via dialogue were perceived as insubordination. The top hierarchy of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents once visited, to beg for consideration, over a trade facilitation matter. Despite their prayers, they came back to Lagos, from Abuja, with a conclusion that it was a mistake, making the trip, in the first instance.
The Service had two gunboats, specially crafted to deter and punish Smugglers operating on the high seas. One was called the Pride of Customs. Indeed, a huge pride. The second was named the ‘Group of Nine’. The name was historically, symbolic. It tells volumes of the Service’s preparedness to defend its integrity on the Sea, which was once rubbished, by daring criminals, resulting in the devastating deaths of nine Customs Officers’.
Both gunboats were expected to be deployed into deep-sea patrol, surveillance, interdiction and reconnaissance on water. They had since stagnated and remained, like ‘dodo’ in one quiet location.
According to recent Maritime Reporters (MARAN), the two vessels were procured at the cost of about N180 billion. It was procured under the impressive regime of Dikko Inde Abdullahi. For about eight years, the boats were ‘quarantined’ at the Marina Jetty, near the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, to corrode, gather moss, and probably soon become wrecks!
*Former Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd)
MARAN says N5 billion was annually earmarked to maintain it. Don’t ask how they got their details. It is the glory of Governments to hide it’s files. It is the glory of Journalists, to unravel it…!
Now, if you put N5 billion in about eight places and you designate it as taxpayers’ sweat, perhaps, one may also begin to understand the quantum of mistakes the Government incurs, whenever it fails, to put round pegs in round holes!
Now, make no mistake about this: it was not that the former lord of the Manor didn’t achieve a milestone feat. Of course, he very much did and should be mentioned.
The issue, however, was that the trillion Naira revenues were garnered in, with several limbs and businesses in tatters. The regime was more, into waging unending wars against corruption. Some other important issues immediately took the back seat. Customs duty and classifications, like shipping, are technical. Specialised tasks. Nemo dat quo non habeat! A man cannot give out, what he has not!
Capt. Solomon Omoteso and Niyi Adeyemo, both of blessed memory, did not mince words in their accounts of what killed the Nigeria National Shipping Line… It was majorly via Political appointments; and the unrepentant art of appointing square pegs, into round holes!
So now, they savour the beauty and the victory. For finally, a round peg is now truly assigned, to professionally man, a round hole…!
