I REALLY NEED TO SAY THIS!
I WAS AT THIS WAEC EDIFICE IN YABA LAGOS YESTERDAY.
I HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE IN ABOUT 1974/75 WHEN ITS ONLY NEIGHBOURS WERE JUST TREES AND BEAUTIFUL GREENERY.
TODAY, THE STORY IS DIFFERENT. CONCRETE STRUCTURES ALL AROUND WITH ALMOST NO GREENERY SURVIVING.
I HAD LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING A DILAPIDATED WAEC EDIFICE WITH COLLAPSED AND NONFUNCTIONAL FITTINGS IN DIRE WANT OF MAINTENANCE IN A FILTHY SURROUNDINGS GIVEN THE AGE OF THE STRUCTURE.
I EARNESTLY ALSO EXPECTED TO SEE A CROWD. A CROWD OF YOUNG NIGERIANS STRUGGLING DESPERATELY TO GET THEIR EDUCATION ON STRAIGHT PATH.
WOULD YOU BLAME ME? THIS IS NIGERIA!
I WAS DISAPPOINTED! HAPPILY! SURPRISINGLY!
NOT ONLY WAS THE EDIFICE LOOKING ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD, THE SURROUNDINGS AND INTERIOR WERE ALL SPARKLING CLEAN!
I MET NO CROWD! I WALKED SEAMLESSLY TO EVERY DESK WHERE I WAS CHEERFULLY ATTENDED TO.
EVERY WHERE WAS CALM WITH OFFICERS AT THEIR DESKS NOT CHATTERING.
THE LIFTS WERE IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITIONS I WAS ASSURED! BUT NO. THANKS. I DON’T USE LIFTS. NOT IN NIGERIA!
AT A POINT, I HAD TO ASK THE LADY AT THE FRONT DESK OF THE CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE IF THEY WERE NIGERIANS!
“O YOU GUYS ARE WEST AFRICANS”, I RESPONDED TO MY OWN QUESTION.
THE FRIENDLINESS AND WARMTH OF THE STAFF WERE NOT LIKE ANYTHING NIGERIAN!
THEY EVEN HAD A NEAT RESTAURANT WITH FRIENDLY CHEFS. I DON’T USUALLY EAT OUT BUT YESTERDAY SAW AN EXCEPTION.
THE LEVEL OF STAFF EFFICIENCY WAS ALSO WAY AWAY FROM WHAT IS USUAL. THERE WERE NO ATTITUDES.
FROM THE POLICE SECURITY FIRST POINT OF CALL,THE CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE, THE RECEPTION STAFF, THROUGH TO THE STAFF ON THE 7TH AND 8TH FLOORS! NO ONE EXHIBITED THE USUAL EGUNJE BODY LANGUAGE!
OTHER CUSTOMERS WERE ALSO SIMILARLY ATTENDED TO.
I HAD GONE TO RETRIEVE A VERY OLD GCE RESULT. 1976!
I HAD VERY LITTLE HOPE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO RETRIEVE IT GIVEN ITS METHUSELAN AGE!
AND YES, THE LADY WHO WAS TO ATTEND TO ME SCREAMED WHEN SHE SAW MY PAPERS:
“GRANDPA”, SHE SAID LOOKING AT ME IN AN UNUSUALLY FRIENDLY MANNER.
“THIS WONT BE ON OUR DIGITAL SYSTEMS O. BUT AT WORST WE WOULD GO TO 7TH FLOOR AND SEARCH MANNUALLY”.
I DIDN’T LIKE THE WAY THAT SOUNDED AND I SUDDENLY REALIZED I WAS HUNGRY.
THEY SHOWED ME THEIR RESTAURANT. I WAS AWAY ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
SHE WAS RIGHT ABOUT IT NOT BEING ON THEIR DIGITAL PLATFORM. BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO LOCATE ME AND MY EXAMINATION NUMBER AND THE EXAMINATION WITH DATE!
THE LADY AT THE FRONT DESK WAS WAITING FOR ME WITH A COMPUTER PRINT OUT SHOWING MY EXAMINATION NUMBER AND YEAR WITH MY NAME WRITTEN AS IT WAS THEN WRITTEN ATTACHED TO A FORM AND MY AFFIDAVIT.
“PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM AND PAY THE FEES TO THE CADHIER”, SHE SAID POINTING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CASHIER.
IT WAS LIKE MAGIC AND I COULDN’T PRETEND ABOUT MY JOY!
“I FEEL LIKE KISSING SOMEONE”, I ANNOUNCED JOYFULLY TO WHICH EVERYONE IN THE ROOM BURST INTO LAUGHTER BUT NONE OF THE LADIES VOLUNTEERED TO BE KISSED ALTHOUGH I DIDN’T NOTICE THIS UNTIL I HAD GOTTEN BACK HOME.
I PAID THE FEES AND WAS DIRECTED TO THE 7TH FLOOR. I TOOK MY TIME AND TRUDGED ON THE STAIRS RIGHT UP TO THE 7TH FLOOR. I SAY I NOR DEY USE LIFT FOR NIGERIA. BUSH BOY ABI? I GREE!
THIS THEREFORE IS TO APPRECIATE WAEC AND THOSE OF ITS STAFF THAT ATTENDED TO ME YESTERDAY. THANKS ALL OF YOU. PLEASE KEEP IT UP.