Ok, as I was saying about basket case. Yesterday was another story and I shall begin with that. On the way to the Arik terminal for a flight to Abuja and the sheer level of degradation on the highway appalled me. After the hard work of clearing Oshodi flyover I noticed a few idiots who feel they are exempt from the no stop/drop/pickup mantra that had previously allowed free flow on that bridge. Needless to say any attempt to make eye contact with the offenders resulted in their turning their heads in the opposite direction. Going further down the bridge the sheer mass of humanity (is that too generous a word for those walking dead ?) along with the overwhelming number of Danfos who now congregate makes passing almost impossible. Where are the Lastma ? Only a few baton wielding yellow fever and some scrawny non descript traffic police in their dirty black uniforms (can you imagine black being dirty ??) stand around totally helpless and looking hopeless in the face of the chaos. Finally make my way onto the International airport straight (way). Wasnt it just recently that it was renovated ? Already holes are appearing and fat chance of them ever being refilled soon since theyve only just chopped the money to fix it !! A pickup truck slowly meanders from the right lane to make a left turn by customs junction. Didnt he know he was turning there all along ????? We make our way through the newly built toll gate and I cant believe that they couldnt even be bothered to resurface the strip as you bump your way through it !! I get to the newly constructed local (Arik wing) and it baffles me why on earth you have a drop off point that is so Congested that the minute any 2 cars stop to empty passengers the whole place becomes a grid lock ? What sense does it make to put the Protocol/VIP terminal in the middle and squeeze all other departures at the end where even cars leaving the car park cause a major jam ?? Questions,questions..... I enter the terminal for the next phase. Make my way to check in counter and breathe a sigh of relief that Im alone and wont get stressed. LoL,too good to be true. One fairly well dressed chap (jacket, handkerchief in top pocket, nice pants) sudden brushes past me to face the counter and the check in attendant. Im caught by suprise as I watch events unfold. A conversation is going on between the chap and the check in attendant who is trying to process my boarding pass. The next thing I hear is a shrill cry from the chap ,Im tired, Im tired, what do you people want me to do ? I will kill somebody, Im going to kill you, I will kill you. All the while he is forming his fingers in the shape of holding a gun !! He is screaming at the top of his voice now and the attendant jumps back from the counter onto the luggage carousel as if the chap was truly holding a gun ! As I myself step back a few official types come forward and try and pull him but chappy is still shouting his intent to commit murder. At that point I hear one of the guys say to him we are talking to you na coo dahn. Im thinking, if this was in the US or even UK at an airport check in area, police and security would have been in there and perhaps the chap would have already been taken out. The attendant gives me my boarding pass and I move to security just 15 feet away. You cant imagine those ones are still asking me anytin for us sah ?? In annoyance I bark at them that cant they go and apprehend the chap who is now scuffling in the background whilst still shouting death threats !!!! In the lounge (waiting area ?? Not sure if it qualifies as lounge) I head to the Gents........ Pls see following photograph. How on earth do you build or renovate an airport and have toilets such as these ? The design, marble counters ? Fancy bourdello lighting and a hand dryer right next to the pissoir ???? I Mean !!!??? And this is Aviation Ministers idea of airport revamping in the 22nd Century ?? That brown new terminal is already falling apart even though its not finished. I know that because, as the un-airconditioned bus was hauling us to our flight you can see a sign at the entrance to the arrival, by the luggage dump site; (which said approach, is so badly planned, sited and constructed) stating something like please bear with us as we are refurbishing to serve you better. My flight was uneventful save for the fact that Arik gives you totally tasteless food, (rice n chicken or spaghetti n beef was the only option the cabin attendant muttered) tepid water/soft drinks. I should have followed the example of the Chinese business man sitting next to me. He just shut his eyes and went into immediate hibernation. I was not going to pay 50k for a one way tkt and not try the meal though. My bad.........Luckily I had taken Imodium before leaving home just in case of eventualities :-) Arrival Abuja airport and the most chaotic car park and departure you can imagine. Confusion and road block caused by some Oga at the Top. 2 pickup trucks with soldiers in front and back. I had to catch a glimpse of who it could be. You can imagine my shock and horror to see on one of the Gov official number plates........ One said Immigration and a friend confirmed today that another car in the Convoy was Prisons !!! ????....................... I think you now understand my comment yesterday of Basket Case ? It doesnt end there. Just got off the phone this evening after a call to Glo Customer care as I loaded N7,500 for one month 8Gig last night for my internet only to find it all gone this morning ! First off Im on hold for 25minutes listening to one stupid piece of music; unlimited, pade,pade and another voice saying we will be with you shortly. Eventually customer service answers and I tell her my problem. Her response dial 444 or enter *127 blah blah. I told her about her mental state and that she was the one who was supposed to check ! She told me to hold that she would connect me to some other number and cut me off b4 I could tell her about how the union between her parents was not actually legally sanctioned. Another 15 minute wait and she came back with sorry your call cannot be connected............... ! Hows your last 24 hours in Basket Case been ?
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 22:25:16 +0000
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