Mobility, Our Lifestyle

Mobility, Our Lifestyle

Mobility is one of the activities that characterize human existence. We all move about as we do our daily domestic chores, as we go to our various schools, work places, worship centers, as we visit our family and friends, etc. Some people trek, some ride on bicycles, some on horses and donkeys, and some on motor cars, ship or airplane. It all depends on ones social status, financial status and level of exposure. It is everyone’s desire to retire to bed each day after the movement and hustling that characterize each day without experiencing any form of accident.

My major concern here is mobility by road whereby we have private vehicles, commercial vehicles, motor bikes, tricycle, bicycle, trailers; all horning for a space to advance. The road, like every other means of mobility has its hazard which is accident. Accident is not meant for a set of people. Everyone out on the road each day is prone to accident. However, it is everyone’s desire not to experience any form of accident, hence, we have a great task not to give it a chance.

It is normal for us to cry out against motorists or transporters whenever accident occurs, especially if our loved one is involved. If we don’t cry and criticize, transporters or motorists will not sit up, so, there is need for us to shout out and express our anger. So much has been said against Peace Mass Transit to the extent that even when other transport companies have an accident it will be reported on social media against Peace Mass Transit. For this reason, I have re-examined the activities of Peace Mass Transit to find out if there is something one needs to know. But from my re-examination, I have continued to see things that amaze me. This company has its own technicians specially trained to service its vehicles, A retired road safety official and a customer service personnel conducts training on road worthiness and personal attitude respectively for its drivers on  daily basis; while it engages the services of Nigerian Road Safety for its drivers training on quarterly basis, modern transport technologies like speed limiting devices and tracking devices are in place and active, above all, prayers go on every 12.00 noon at the company’s headquarters at Emene, Enugu, and before the start of work in all its park nationwide. Then I had no choice but to conclude that this transport company is founded to contribute to nation building which is to ease the mobility needs of people and create job opportunities; but like every other transport company and other lines of businesses, has its hazards of which one of them is accident.

While thinking of a solution to curtail this menace, which is not only a Peace Mass transit concern, but the concern of all transporters, I have come to a reasonable fact that it is a collective responsibility. While I enjoin the commercial transporters to do all they can for the safety of their passengers, I plead with the government to come to the aid of road users by constructing new roads, expanding and mending the old ones. On the other hand, commercial drivers should put into practice their daily lessons and obey the traffic rules while passengers should learn to accord the drivers some respect as human beings they are. While on steering, drivers should not be provoked no matter how rough they drive. This is not to justify rough driving but an advice for safety. Instead of cautioning or correcting them in a provocative manner, it is better to talk to them gently to enable them concentrate for the safety of everyone in the vehicle. Soft words are powerful weapons. No one knows what they are passing through personally and any provocative statement can produce bitter reactions and make things worse, and if peradventure, they lose concentration, everyone in that vehicle is at risk. It is better to help them concentrate so they can take everyone to where they have paid to be taken to.  

A friend of mine once shared one of her experiences during her journey with Peace Mass Transit vehicle. According to her, the vehicle galloped on the highway where there is a pothole and a passenger shouted at the driver to take it easy and the driver flared angrily and started talking back at him. Since she was seated in front, close to the driver, she apologized to the driver, pleading with him to calm down and concentrate to avoid the unexpected and the unwanted. When they got to their destination, she approached the young man that was shouting at the driver and told him to always be calm and careful whenever he is talking to a driver on steering because if a driver who cannot control his temper loses concentration both the passengers in that bus and people passing around that area are at risk of losing their lives. Rare wisdom!

I entered a town service bus one day while going to work and the moment I entered, I was enchanted by the laughter from everyone in that bus. I started wondering why they were laughing when I noticed I wasn’t the reason. I was happy when I noticed that it was the driver that is making them to laugh. It happened that when someone complained to the driver about not having a conductor or any fault in his vehicle, he will respond in such a joking manner that will thrill his passengers. Rare attitude!

We need to be conscious of our actions because whether we like it or not, our lives are positively or negatively affected by it. We cannot do without moving about, and this has much more to do with roads; therefore, let us develop a positive attitude that will help us live as long as our Maker wants us to live and serve Him. If every transport company and motorists stops their operations because of accident, how far can we trek? Let us always enter any public vehicle of our choice with a good heart and positive mindset and trust God to answer all our prayers. As humans, ours is to do our very best and leave the rest to God. Over annoying a driver, can cause fatal accident, on the other hand, overexciting a driver can cause accident too. Drivers and passengers should therefore apply wisdom and behave accordingly while on the road because life has no duplicate.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

The Python Dance in the South East

The Python Dance in the South East

There has been serious tension in Nigeria since the president embarked on a sick leave that lasted more than three months. Some embittered people wished him dead as a result of frustration of living in Nigeria, some well meaning Nigerians prayed for his recovery and at the same time for him to resign, while some selfish and pretentious persons have been enjoying the madness of Napoleon leadership style, and trying hard to justify the situation.

On return to Nigeria from his sick leave, Nigerians welcomed their president and while expecting him to resume duty and address the ugly situation of things in the country, instead of listening to his sheep as a good shepherd would, instead of using words that will ease the pains of his people, instead of brainstorming to find a workable solution, our dear president added fuel to the already ignited fire by his words of stubbornness. Is it not a good practice for a father to listen to his agitating children to know what their problem is and make things right? Is it not a common practice for parents to know that all is not well when almost all their children are crying? Would they not rally round to find a workable solution? Agitations has been ongoing in different geopolitical zones of the country before and after our dear president embarked on his sick leave, and has continued even at his return, yet, all we ever see is negative approach and strategy that only aggravate the situation instead of solving it.

The approach or strategy of deploying the military to the South East tagged Python Dance is a useless approach to the insecurity situation in the country because South East is the least place for that. If there should be a military parade on armored vehicles, then it should be in the north were Boko Haram group are destroying lives and properties with bombs and guns. It should be in the north where the Arewa youths have given the South Easterners quit notice to vacate before October 1^st. The military should go there and parade with or test-run their armored vehicles. They should go there to protect lives and properties and see to it that the inhabitants of the north are safe come October 1, 2017. They have no business in the East with peaceful people who are only agitating. There is freedom of speech in Nigeria and everyone has the right to free speech. If it happens that anyone abuses this right, it is only right for the person to be taken to the court and tried. The military should desist from intimidating innocent citizens and instilling fear in them. They should desist from provoking people who are only agitating. This is not to support what the IPOB group is doing but to call a spade a spade. They are not destroying lives and property and therefore, it is unconstitutional for the military to provoke them into doing anything harmful in the name of Python dance. Are we still practicing democracy or are have we gone back to military regime? Nigeria is not a lawless nation. We have laws, we only know how to make laws but we don’t keep them. Why is it difficult for us to apply the laws we have made and give equity a chance?

A Kite that is gliding stylishly, lower than its altitude has a secret and selfish mission, which is mainly to grab a chick it has sighted. Pythons are ambush hunters; which means that they lie in wait for their prey and launch a surprise attack. Why is the Python dance launched around the residence of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu; why Abia state and why the South East? Who is fooling who? This only suggests that Nigerian Army is consciously converting this group to a terrorist group by way of provocation. Any polity where people do not talk or agitate about what is going on is either filled with very happy people or zombies, and from all indications, Nigerians are neither happy people nor are they zombies. The hate speeches and agitations are conflict situations meant to help our leaders to identify the loopholes within their leadership boundaries and work towards them. Wise leaders create something good out of conflict situations; but no, our leaders seize the opportunity to exercise their veto powers and silence their subjects. The Federal Government ought to be making consultations and looking for a workable solution and not the other way round.

It is obvious that we only have gold diggers and opportunists parading themselves as leaders in Nigeria. There is no leadership and no control.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

The Trending Nollywood

The prestige of every society or country is its ability to develop its cultural heritage, and boldly share it with people of other culture through diverse means; it could be by boldly exhibiting it in the public as a lifestyle, practicing it in art and technology, packaging and airing it on radio or transmitting it via television for the heterogeneous and large audience viewership.

Before 1992, Nigerians were less interested to watch local Television programmes, but more interested to watch Indian, American, European etc. movies, and visual contents. This addiction made us to crave more for anything foreign; be it electronics, fashion, technology etc. We desired to eat like them, walk like them and dress like them. But as the years passed by, gradually, we started to value who we are. I credit the greater part of this development to Nollywood industry.

Nollywood was given birth to after the release of Living in Bondage Igbo movie in 1992, the movie that brought to Nigerians the consciousness of their environment and made them to love and crave for their media contents. In a short while, this child grew to the admiration of many. The Ghanaians, who helped to build it learnt and copied a lot from it to start their Ghallywood.   Today, Nollywood is rated the second largest film industry in the world after Bollywood and it generates millions of dollars yearly to Nigerian economy.  

Like every other industry, Nollywood is not free from challenges; of piracy, funding or sponsorship, trial and error, criticisms, etc.  Despite its numerous challenges, Nollywood has continued to thrive. However, it is limited by corruption that has eaten deep into Nigeria’s economy. The inability to account for and judiciously utilize the money budgeted for every sector has made it impossible for this thriving industry to go beyond where it is presently. There are also men and women; leaders, politicians, entrepreneurs or business moguls who can make something better out of this industry by way of sponsorship or partnership, but they prefer to acquire landed properties at home and abroad, and store their millions in foreign bank accounts. On the other hand, piracy has made it impossible for these talented Nigerians to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Our leaders need to see to it that policies against piracy and violation of copywright are implemented. It is not all about making laws. We need to appreciate the effort they are making in transmitting our rich cultures to the world.

They make mistakes, just like other entertainment industries like Bollywood and Hollywood. Such fake scenes as television coming on and going off after a target news in movies, leaving doors that are supposed to be shut open, even at night just to give room for something to happen, etc. are common to all the ‘woods’ and not just Nollywood. In addition, from my own observation, I will not deny the fact that Nollywood are prone to some common mistakes which are:

Ø The disgusting manner in which they give title to their movies that has many parts i.e., they can give a title: Real Love to a movie and tag it part one and two, then go ahead to continue the same movie and title it Enduring Love. Haba!

Ø They miss out the beauty of suspense in their movies. The title of the movies, the characters and sound track tell their audience what to expect.

Ø Some Nollywood movies are created to portray foreign cultures instead of Nigerian culture. If they want to create movies with themes on culture contact, cultural differences or clash of cultures, then let their foreign counterpart take the foreign roles while Nigerians take the local roles. It will make it look real. Nigerians should stop faking Americana!

Ø They bore their audience most times by overstretching some scenes. Etc.

Some of the above mistakes common to Nollywood industry are however noticed from time to time in other foreign movies and therefore should not be the reason to crucify Nollywood. Criticisms should be made in a constructive manner to enable them correct their mistakes and serve us better.

Nobody is above mistake. There are book reviewers who work for authors by way of proof reading their works and making corrections and contributions, useful to the themes in focus, before books are published for public consumption. I urge Nollywood industry to set up a committee of intelligent critics, selected from among entertainment professionals from different works of life, who can always sit together and view their master copies, analyze, criticize constructively and make useful contributions and corrections before the mass production and circulation of movies.

Nollywood has contributed immensely to Nigerian economy by offering employment opportunities to many Nigerians; graduates and non-graduates, young and old etc., and it has taken so many youths off the streets. Moreover, it has been at the forefront in marketing Nigeria to the world, alongside football, and therefore, should be nurtured and empowered.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Success Quote

Success is competitive. To succeed in life, one must have a competitive advantage over others. No one is a failure except the person that decides to quit after a fall.
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                            -  Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi