Where do we go from here?

One thing wey we get for this country na mouth! Chei, we sabi promise all sorts, we go promise the whole heaven self, na so our mouth sabi run anyhow like water. One year ago, our dearest minister of transportation seemed to hear the cries of the common man and promised to fix that terrible Lagos-Benin road. Na so, one year don pass, abeg, ask me wetin dem don do? NOTHING. The road still dey as e dey na, e don worse self. Abeg, make una no dey promise us things if una know say una no fit do am, e better to dey trek go Lagos than to enter car. I swear, na trek I go dey trek from now on. Na the same time I go take land self.

Meanwhile, because of the bad roads, the airline business is booming. Sometimes, I wonder if there isn’t a conspiracy in this country to keep the roads in the state they are, so we can all pay the exorbitant prices demanded by the airlines. Recently, I traveled with arik airlines from Lagos to Warri and I was amazed and flabbergasted at the degree of disregard they had for their customers. First of all, they were late. Extremely late. Now, one would expect that they at least provide some information on what is happening, why we are late, when the flight is expected, an apology, you know, the normal. Yet, we waited for more than five hours without any information whatsoever about our delayed flight. For an airline, and for the price being paid by customers, the very least they can do is be professional. That is all I am asking from them. It is not so hard, just make sure your customers are treated with respect at all times.

It is a shame that the Nigerian customer is yet unaware of their right to demand and expect their money’s worth. Why are we always content with barely the minimum? Has it been drummed into our heads as children never to expect anything? I find it very sad that more than fifty people are willing to sit in an airport terminal just waiting as if their own time is not valuable to them. Five hours is a lot of time and to me, a lot of money. If you have ever worked at a job where you are paid hourly, I am sure you would understand how valuable an hour is. Imagine the manpower of more than fifty people being wasted like that! A pity. I remember asking a German friend of mine once why the Germans are so pedant when it comes to quality and he gave me a very simple answer, “Because the German customer will not buy anything less”. It is that simple. Until the Nigerian customer stops this bad habit of “we can manage” and starts focusing instead on quality of service, we will continue to be treated like scum, even though it is our money that keeps the business booming.

Talking about scum, how, in the name of the Lord, do all these airlines get away with canceling flights at will? I would like the Minister of aviation to look into this please. Isn’t there some sort of protocol to be followed? After all, this is not molue we are entering, or is it? Please, let us know. If na molue, ehen, at least I no go expect any service self! Also, can anyone come up with a better idea for the handling of luggage? How does the rest of the world do it? Someone should please try and look into this. At this day and age, I find it ridiculous that luggage should be handled like we are at the market place. To say the truth, I think it is a miracle every time my bag makes it!
Meanwhile, big shame to all of una Lagos spots wey go dey quadruple price of everything! Fa fa fa, fowl! Even water self, na four times the normal price. Wetin person dey pay all that for? To dey mingle with ajebutters? Hiss!

waffywaffarian@yahoo.com