10th January, 2013
By Isaac Asabor
If there is any privilege that has been abused by various political office holders at the moment, it is that of riding in convoys. The practice of according political leaders the privilege of riding in convoys in the course of carrying out their political activities did not start today. It is a world-wide practice but the degree of its abuse is never the same all over the world. The practice has been in existence for ages. In fact, it has remained one of the most attractive trappings of any top political office, and it is not peculiar to Nigeria as a democratic nation. When the military dictators were in power they blatantly relished in riding in convoy so much so that they apparently preferred to ride in cars that had open roofs so that they can stand in the speeding cars with their heads gleefully raised above the roof and intermittently acknowledge cheers from common people that usually line the roadside to hail them.
But as it is today, the privilege of riding in a convoy has been further abused by some politicians to the extent that it has seemingly assumed a ridiculous dimension. Convoy is fast becoming a nuisance and a reprehensible phenomenon to many Nigerians. The late Thomas Sankara of Burkina Fasso was not given to this current razzle-dazzle kind of convoy. So many good leaders that left their positive imprints on the sands of time never relished the razzmatazz that has today characterized the privilege of riding in a convoy.
Apart from the nuisance convoys cause other road users, they endanger the lives of all, including those in the convoys through the neck-breaking speed of the vehicles in the convoys. Latest fatal accidents involving governors’ convoys attest to this fact.
For instance, three journalists in the convoy of the Governor of Edo state, southsouth Nigeria, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, on 28 April, 2012, met their untimely deaths in a ghastly motor accident that occurred along Warrake road near Auchi. Also reported to have sustained injuries were at least eight others, among whom were some journalists and the driver of the Press Crew Bus.
Recently, a similar incident occurred and left the incumbent governor of Kogi state, Captain Idris Wada, seriously wounded, while his not so lucky Aide De Camp (ADC) died as a result of the accident.
Not quite long ago, it was reported in the media that the convoy of a former governor of Gombe state, now a serving senator, Danjuma Mohammed Goje, was involved in a ghastly road mishap, in Tumu, a village in Gombe state. Unfortunately, the accident that occurred in Akko local government area of Gombe state left an 18-year old identified as Haruna Maigari dead, while two other persons identified as Jallo Bappa-Sabo and Umar Adamu were seriously injured.
The other day in Owerri, the Imo state capital, security men attached to Senator Chris Anyanwu on the one hand, and those attached to Governor Rochas Okorocha on the other hand, clashed embarrassingly over the right of way for their respective princpals’ convoys. In fact, before anyone could say “Convoy”, the security men attached to the two prominent politicians were at daggers drawn. According to the account of Senator Chris Anyanwu, who represents Imo East (Owerri) Senatorial district in the National Assembly, as reported in some sections of the media, her security details were disarmed while the drivers were dragged out from their cars and brutalised by Governor Okorocha’s aides. According to her, while the show of shame was going on, Okorocha was seen watching without calling his “boys” to order.
Former governor of Imo state, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim, while he was governor, allegedly ensured that the security officials attached to his convoy beat up a woman simply identified as Elizabeth at Falomo, Lagos. Her car was vandalized for allegedly not allowing the convoy the right of way. It is also on record that during ex-governor Ohakim’s tenure as governor in Imo state, the security operatives attached to his convoy were alleged to have manhandled and humiliated a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Eustace Okorie in Owerri.
Many Nigerians, particularly Lagosians, had in the past witnessed security personnel attached to convoys behave as if they are racing to a battle field. Sometimes, security personnel that usually hid their bloodshot eyes behind dark glasses go beserk whenever they are assigned to join a convoy. This unwholesome practice often compelled people to think that security men that accompany the convoys of political office holders are drunk or under the influence of hard drugs while performing their duties. There are quite a number of unreported cases of some overzealous security personnel that damage the side mirrors of road users while trying to pave the way for their “big boss” who usually feign ignorance of the collective unruly behaviour of his “boys” by literarily hiding himself under tinted glass.
It is always a horrific experience whenever the convoy of any high profile personality is encountered on the road, particularly in a traffic jam. The security men attached to the convoy would jump down from their own vehicles and would be seen running ahead of the convoy, intimidating other road users with horsewhips to leave the road for their big boss. Worse still, whenever the roads are traffic-free, the vehicles in the convoy cruise at neck-breaking speed. At some other time they violate traffic rules with impunity. Also, the blaring of their siren is usually earsplitting.
The paradox of this culture of madness on our roads, particularly in Lagos, is that the number one citizen of the state, Governor Babatunde Fashola’s convoy has never been involved in such an embarrassing and dangerous spectacle. Some of the reports on the abuse of convoy are actually associated with top government officials from other states that visit Lagos. Someone recently told me that Governor Fashola’ convoy is well organised. He further said that the convoy of the governor is usually decent, simple and devoid of any element of razzle-dazzle or razzmatazz.
Political office holders should begin to think of how they can always organise their convoys to prevent the fatal accidents we now witness across the country. Convoys should not be militarized by the present political leaders as if we are still under a military era.
•Asabor wrote from Lagos. E-mail: [email protected]