IT is generally agreed that international airports are a major point of interaction and impression –creation for any nation.

So, what is this obsession of officials at our international airports – from airline staff to security operatives – with begging the living daylight out of passengers?

Shortly before the closure of Abuja airport for example, I travelled to London with Turkish Air.

After dropping off my luggage and collecting my boarding pass, the check-in staff attending to me gave my pre-departure forms to another official who was standing by. I would refer to him as Official B. That was a bit strange to me, but I kept my cool, especially as I was flying Turkish Air for the first time. Maybe it’s the tradition of the airline to fill out the Customs and Immigration forms for passengers.

Official B conscientiously filled out the forms on my behalf. While I waited, I could not stop wondering when Abuja airport became so helpful to passengers.

When Official B was done filling, he gave me the forms to write my passport no and sign.

I looked at the forms to see what he filled in. Of course all the information he filled in were not correct.

How would he know my profession for instance?

As I took the forms and made to go, he dropped the shocker: ‘Oga, anything for boys?’

I asked if the unsolicited form-filling was for a fee, and he quickly retorted, ‘at all at all nah hin bad’ (meaning: half bread is better than none).

I was dumbfounded.

Here was I, fingers and limbs complete, able to read and write, healthy, and yet expected to pay for an unsolicited assistance.

A sad aspect of this is when you refuse to give a dime, you are made to feel inhuman and heartless, infact ungrateful.

Too bad, not this day. I did not fall for the emotional blackmail.

Add this to the Quarantine Officer who demanded N2,000 from me for the personal food items I had for my trip.

When I asked him the reason for the fee, he explained that food stuffs were supposed to be tested at the Quarantine laboratory before any passenger is allowed to travel out with them. Since I didn't do that, I had to pay the N2,000 fee.

He reminded me that if any foreign agency seized any food item found on any Nigerian citizen for not meeting quality standards, that will bring the name of Nigeria to disrepute. Really? I quipped! What a patriotic officer and agency.

I then asked what happens when I paid the N2,000 demanded by him, would I then be allowed to carry my ‘untested’ food stuffs and travel?

He didn’t answer me. He simply brought out a receipt booklet waiting to get my money.

I didn’t pay. I refused to pay. The logic didn’t add up. He allowed me to go.

If food stuffs meant for personal consumption, like what I was carrying, should be tested in the Quarantine laboratory and a certificate issued, then so be it. Let the Quarantine Office establish a mobile laboratory at all exit ports in the country.

N2,000 should not be taken in lieu. It is unethical, maybe criminal. Or what do you think?

Culled from Naija Magazine Online www.naijamagazineonline.com