LAURETTA ONOCHIE

I am not sure what informed my decision to watch President Goodluck Jonathan’s arranged third media chat. I guess it was because I had no confidence in the ability of the England football squad to nail the Italians and clinch the opportunity to face the Germans in a semi-final of the on-going Euro 2012 tournament. It was one bad decision that has haunted me since that night. I had also given the lack-lustre president too much credit by assuming that his ignoring Nigerians for many months meant he was learning the art of being a charismatic president; so I wanted to be one of the people to witness the unveiling of a new and improved charismatic and sensitive leader of our nation. His hands flew around freely like those of an angry man who was tipsy at a beer parlour. His nervous smile did him no good. If it was meant to portray him as a man at ease, it did the opposite, it showed a man who is confused and lacks confidence in himself. He latched on words and phrases such as “Body...

When I travelled to Nigeria for the #occupyNigeria protests, I was appalled at how Nigerians were disrespected by Services agencies like the Power Holding Company Of Nigeria (PHCN), Communications network providers like MTN,  airlines particularly Arik Air; but I was more disgusted by the way we Nigerians let them get away with blue murder. You arrived at the airport ahead of time, they checked you in late and then more than an hour after you were supposed to have arrived at your destination, you were still sitting at the depature hall of the airport. You were told nothing, you were completly left in the dark as to why you have still not boarded and no apologies either. I was very frustrated that Nigerians just sat there, some sleeping and snoring, some eating endlessly and some sitting comfortably and  feeling relaxed. I looked around and it was absolute peace and bliss. I was raging on the inside wondering what I had done to merit being disrespected by an airline that d...