₦airaland Forum

By Juliet Bumah and Abimbola Adelakun

The news that tanker drivers have called off their four-day strike is relaxing. The past few days had been emotionally sapping for vehicle owners in not just Lagos State, but also into surrounding states where the attendant fuel scarcity had spread. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has come to the rescue of the tanker drivers, and invariably Nigerians. The Corporation has graciously paid N2.7m fine to the Lagos State Government on behalf of the tankers drivers, to have their impounded trucks released.
While the strike lasted, however, residents went through the agony of dining with thugs who become source of good fortune at a trying time like this: They ran the black market where desperate vehicle owners get fuel relief at a cost.
This last strike is just one of the many that Nigerians have witnessed. Tanker drivers have always had reasons to go off the roads. Nigerians would have been singing songs of praise whenever they decide to leave the roads for saner users, but alas, their inconsiderate road use habit brings the very important fuel closer to the end users. Without fuel in the nation, economic activities will cripple to death and nights will be long stretch of darkness as the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria has not denied its name.
Again, tanker drivers have gone off and returned to the roads. They have shown Nigerians that they have powers that they use insensitively any time they so feel.
Of course, Nigerians believe there should be a law. It is just that some feel that the weight of the law should not be applied on them. They tend to feel they can rightly do as they please, even to the detriment of the larger society. That explains why fellow Nigerians drive against the traffic, run the red light, refuse to use seat belts, commit all manner of traffic offences and still insist on ‘standing on their rights‘. To the average Nigerian who lives like this, laws are good and should, as a matter of fact, be enacted but they can live above it if they choose to. This is the tripod on which the tanker drivers’ attitude stand each time they go on strike.
Anyone who is not a stranger to Lagos and its environs will know the menace and the nuisance tanker drivers constitute though they provide a sort of emergency service to the society due to the importance of fuel. Because of the sheer size of the tankers they carry, these articulated vehicles cannot help but be a problem on the roads. They are the ones who park indiscriminately by the side of the road, taking up a good portion of what constitutes the road. Other road users are expected to manage whatever the tanker drivers have magnanimously left for them. With the volume of traffic on Lagos roads everyday, the roads become virtually impassable. Of course, tanker drivers are not blind. They see all these and yet will still not desist from parking illegally by the roadside.
Apart from the central role fuel plays in our lives, tanker drivers have one other thing in their favour - they have a strong union that protects their interests, right or wrong. Knowing the power they wield on the economy of Lagos, a state that is arguably the most populated in the whole of Nigeria, they have made a habit of embarking on strike anytime they perceive they have been wronged. The recent altercation with the men of the Lagos state Traffic Management Authority is an example of this attitude. The tanker drivers had a misunderstanding with LASTMA officials over parking spaces and fines. As the story goes, tanker drivers had parked illegally as usual, obstructing traffic. The LASTMA officials had fined the drivers a lump sum of money which they felt was unfair. The tanker drivers’ union thus called their members out on an industrial action.
What is interesting about this industrial action is that it is not the first time they would recourse to strike whenever they are called upon to get their acts together in terms of parking and general conduct. Having noticed that the society groans when they don‘t work, they resort to this means each time to redress a wrong.
But do they have to go on strike each time they feel offended? This attitude is typical Nigerian. If you have power, by all means use it. Don‘t mind the fact that it will be counter effective. The tanker drivers have succeeded in proving that if they have more powers than they currently wield and it can grind the nation to a halt, they will not hesitate to use it. They have conveniently forgotten that the fact that one has a certain kind of power does not mean one should not be restrained in exercising it. If they feel slighted by the action of LASTMA officials, must they go on strike? Are there not better ways to resolve such issues? Whatever happened to dialogue? Perhaps if they had taken the more honourable course and chosen to dialogue, they might have proved that they are not reckless in wielding an authority that circumstances thrust upon them. To call a strike because you feel wronged does not show responsibility on the part of the tanker drivers in any way.
Why is it surprising that tanker drivers will hold everyone to ransom? They are the set of Nigerians who have continually proved that a more orderly society does not mean anything to them. They park by the roadside and do not even have a rethink even when their action causes fatal accidents. Many accidents have been as a result of this conduct but they do not seem to be bothered. They see themselves as higher beings simply because they drive tankers that supply us with fuel. On the Lagos - Ibadan Expressway, especially in Ogere, they have turned themselves into a hazard that one cannot try too hard to avoid. They even go to the extent of parking their vehicles on bridges even though it is a totally wrong thing to do. They gradually destroy the bridges this way. They are the ones who, when their tanker breaks down at night, set fire on a tyre as a way of warning motorists of danger ahead. With the way Nigerian roads are, this act contributes to their bad state. Because they play an important role in driving the economy, they seem to think that every wrongdoing on their parts should be overlooked.
The centralisation of tank farm in Lagos alone adds to this menace. Tanker drivers all have to drive down to Lagos to load their vehicles. With so many tankers on the road at once, there cannot but be problems. With this latest act by tanker drivers, perhaps the government will hasten whatever plans it has on the rail project. Rather than these vehicles taking over the roads due to their size and numerical strength, it makes a lot of sense if their cargo is transported by rail. With that, the volume of these vehicles on the road will definitely decrease.
With the way things are in Nigeria, one knows that procuring a driver‘s licence is fairly easy. Gone are the days when license applicants are made to undergo rigorous tests to determine whether they should be given a license. Those days should be reintroduced with tanker drivers made to undertake psychological tests. That way, their soundness of mind will be determined before they are entrusted with heavy duty vehicles.

i think there is another person in the house

Sometimes, asking out an ugly girl is good because when we spend most of our time asking out the beautiful ones, our life is at risk.
But don't you worry again a solution is here!
Don't you know that when we fish all the beautiful, sexy and alluring ones, the ugly ones are gnatching their teeth living them hopeless and frustrated
So guys, try to go for ugly girls but make sure you have the beautiful one who will be your real girl and the one you truly love.
the ugly girl will only serve as a security for you against witches and wizards.
But you need to time it. the beautiful girl during the day, and the ugly girl at night
Imagine you are sleeping at night and attacked by witches, on seeing the ugly girl, they will clear off contemplating within themselves that the ugly girl might be one of them.

It really works!
But that doesn't guarantee your full protection, you need to pray along with it in case the ugly girl later finds out you are using her as a "security guard and then decides to tell her other ugly demons to retaliate
watch out!!!

Am not saying you should double date anyway, am only advising you!!

Am soo grateful 4 ur advice and encouragement. I wl try as much as possible to keep to evrything. thanks so much

There is a vigorous global economic recession. there has been a decrease in gross national product,. low per capita income and virtually everything is not working fine. i believe our only savior now is God or what do y'll think?

is it advisable to finish masters and phd before settling down?

As an undergraduate in Sociology? where is the the specific area i can work in the nearest future in terms of organizations.

Could there be a magnetic force between me and SeanT21 or what? i don't just know how to put this am just kinda going crazy. Its painful when u see someone u are attracted to and you don't have any clue in reaching her. no contact haaba!!!

Why cant some persons eat solid in an open restaurant? this is an aspect of our culture i believe and its quite unfortunate that virtually all Nigerians are eurocentric in nature. why?

fear is a spirit, fear is a trap of destiny. until you overcome the spirit of fear, you cannot command victory. The cure for fear is faith (Eccl. 5:6)
The law that puts you in command is the law of ABSOLUTE DEPENDENCY ON GOD. Until your mouth begins to celebrate prosperity, u will remain a victim of adversity. It takes your spiritual standing to command supernatural supply. "only the spiritual command the spiritual.
IF YOU ARE TOO BIG TO WAIT U WILL WASTE!!

-Bishop David Oyedepo

what is ur own conception of love? is it liking someone for who he or she is or just for the physical appearance?

well i think it all started fby the millitary. the present status can be dated as far back to the 1966 Jan coup that eliminated virtually those who could change the status of nigeria for better. people like obafemi awolowo, the sardauna of sokoto, the then premier of the western region, S.L Akintola and the rest of them. the present economic depression is as a result of some changes in the past governments policies which really affects the present economy. It is also good to say that we the citizens should try as much as possible to have positive conceptions about our country i think by praying for her, everything would work out fine

I care less on others conception about my perception of this girl named SEANT21. am kind of going crazy about her. her profile pic. is driving me,
someone should help me talk to her

but how would you feel if your guy does that to you pittygirl? i love n i dont want loose her

how do i know if my girlfriend is cheating on me or not? i have been noticing a strange traits in her for about two weeks now. whenever i call her, it would take minutes before my babygirl would finally pick up the phone unlike before when it doesn't take soo much time. when asked where she was, she would be telling me all sought of funny stories. Besides this, she doesn't pay me any visit again and i have asked her on several occasions if i had offended her in any way but the response is always "no my love". this reply alone makes me forget the doubt i have on her but still i don't believe her i believe she is kind of teasing me. No more kisses like before, no more outings, no more romance even just once a week. But the challenge am facing right now is that i haven't gotten any prove yet to justify my doubts on her because this is a girl i love soo much, respects a lot and wouldn't pray to loose. what should i do?

Survival of the fittest! , but that doesn't that candidate did d right thing anyway .
Sincerely speaking our leaders are the cause of all these corrupt practices across d country. Limited job opportunity imagine 7000 candidates in just one GTBank branch! not GTBank globally haba!. Well nevertheless, that doesn't mean a candidate applying to a BANK for that matter to start moving question papers even before an interview. tell me how such fellow won't "delete" or "control x" the whole currency in the bank into his own personal recycle bin?

What are really the challenges facing the educational sector in Nigeria? in spite of the contributions of government both at federal and state level, we still have cases of ineffective education in Nigeria. could it be governmental policies that is affecting it or what?

of course!!! we all av no other choice. Nigeria is our own country, we just gotta make it work. Nigeria is on its own while we the inhabitants i.e Nigerians are the ones who is gonna change Nigeria's status. if we dont cherish own father's land, tell me the country dat wl welcome u openly' Never!!! it doesn't wrk like dat. so i cherish Nigeria

wel i suggest Covenant University!!!

my advice to u is that it is never too late. besides no one is above mistake so it wl be better if u go back to conoil and rectify the wrong no. i think they wl consider ur complaints since we re all mortals

to my own perception i think cheating is wen u are doing something agnst anoder prson's will without his or her awarness. simply put dat it the misuse of one's oppurtunity at d moment