By Jude Atupulazi
If the number of churches is a determinant of piety, then Nigeria would be the holiest country on earth. Indeed, in some places in this country, churches struggle to occupy spaces with homes and offices and in some buildings, churches occupy every floor. Even in some hotels, churches can be found there. Early in the morning in some places, preachers will wake you up as they ”proclaim” the word of God.
If you travel in a bus you will also be sure to see preachers standing and telling you about End Time. You switch on the television and you also see pastors shouting themselves hoarse as they warn you of impending doom after which they will solicit for funds to keep the ministry going. Same thing with tuning to radio stations.
That tells you how ”religious” Nigerians are. Indeed, it is possible that an alien who peeps into the Nigerian space from whatever place will think he is looking at heaven. But alas, alas, otu awughi ezi; ashi ashi. Everything na window display!
Nigeria which boasts of many men of God can actually be classified as the sin and wayo capital of Africa and the world; no thanks to the unbridled lust for money and greed of the so-called men of God, church goers, business men and women, lecturers, civil servants and politicians, among others.
You will quickly realize, as a visitor to the country, that at the market where you come in the morning to do business, but find them holding morning prayers (which can last for three hours), is the same place those who finished casting and binding Satan in their prayers will be the very people that will sell fake or adulterated products to you.
They are the same people who will criminally inflate the prices of their commodities if you are unwary and they are the same people that will tell all manner of lies to you.
Nigeria is a country where many profess their religious beliefs publicly only to turn round and be no better than the devil. They come to the altar on Sunday to make donations to the poor and receive plaudits from the congregation only to rob the same poor the following Monday at their work places. That robbery can take place in many guises.
One of them is what is currently being seen at petrol stations these days; stations owned and run by those who are philanthropists in their churches and who act as though they are already occupying a seat in heaven beside our lord.
Indeed, what happens at our filling stations these days are enough to make one to lose one’s faith. These people are utterly bereft of human conscience. They toy with you and me as they wish; yet turn round to blame the government. In some cases they can sell fuel at different prices under twenty four hours and each new price is upwardly reviewed.
Last Tuesday, I bought fuel at Jezco, Amawbia, for N780, rather than the N800 sold at many other places. I was happy because they always sell the commodity cheaper at Jezco; reason why I always go there. The next morning when I came there, I saw they were not selling at all, even though their gates were open.
I then drove past them into the next station where I shouted when I saw the price. It was N840 per litre! I came short of shouting at them and calling them names, being that the increase was done overnight while selling from same old stock. But I had no option than to buy since I didn’t know what would be the case elsewhere.
But what miffs me every time is how people who go to church should be exploiting their fellow human beings anyhow, just because of greed. These are same people that will refuse to bring down their prices when the cost of buying their commodities fall, claiming they are selling old stock but will quickly jerk their prices at the slightest rumour of an increase in the cost of the commodity. Who is indeed fooling who? The thing tire me as they say in Nigeria.
Just as I was complaining on the social media about the criminally changing prices of fuel in Anambra, I was told by someone that while Anambra was selling it exorbitantly at N840 (it was N850 in some places on Thursday), the commodity was being sold at N700 in Delta! This shows that the disparity is man-made. Yet we have a government in place which would rather prefer to chase those conferring chieftaincy titles to people to wading in to ameliorate the plight of people from shylock fuel dealers.
Indeed, God is really merciful because if I were God, I would send lightning to strike at all these pretenders who make life difficult for their fellow men just because of money. But, maybe happily, I’m not God.
I’m tired of hearing tales by people who say they sell fuel exorbitantly because of where they buy and how much they buy. But if you really check these filling stations you will discover that they have a History of always selling theirs above what others sell.
Does it mean then, that they don’t ask questions to know where they can buy at cheaper rates than others? I’m also tired of hearing from some of these stations that they sell exorbitantly because they have good meters. This is hogwash to me because there are many filling stations I know which have superb meters and yet sell at cheaper rates.
What I would do if I ran a filling station would be to find out where those stations get their consignments from and follow suit. This is a time where we should be showing the humanity in us; a time when we should be putting our Christian Faith to practice, for is it not said that faith without good work is dead?
At this juncture, I wish to commend these stations that I know whose owners have been showing compassion to their fellow citizens. The first is Jezco. I understand the owner is a staunch Catholic. During the opening of his station in Awka he had promised to sell unadulterated fuel and to use genuine meters.
He has kept to his words and even gone beyond that to ALWAYS sell cheaply. Any time other stations are selling theirs high you can be sure that Jezco will sell at cheaper rates, such that whenever they don’t, you will know they genuinely sell based on what they bought. Kudos to them. It is a very good way of evangelizing.
Another filling station is Omemma Station at Ugwu Tank, Amawbia. Last Thursday when some other stations were selling fuel for N850, I bought it for N800 there. This station is always known to sell theirs cheaper than others and their meters are very good too.
I’ll also commend Rainoil Station along the Unizik Express Road. They are also known to show a human face in their dealings and it is very heartwarming.
I used to buy cheaply at Pinnacle Filling Station but it’s long I went there, so, I can’t really say if they are still the way I knew them.
Those who did not get my commendation should sit up and find out where these other stations get their supplies and start to go there. We are tired of their tales. Any business without a human face isn’t worth to stay afloat.
Soludo going hard on masquerades in Awka
Within the week we heard the story of the warning issued by the Anambra State Government to masquerades in Awka who block the roads and intimidate people in the name of Imo Awka Festival. This action by these masquerades has become perennial and despite past warnings by past administrations, they have persisted.
The warning by the Anambra State Government is good but it would be much better if it could walk its talk. There is no reason why masquerades should be harassing passersby in the name of any festival. Crooks use such opportunities to rob people of their personal effects like jewellery, mobile phones and even money.
Cultists also utilize the opportunity to kill rivals. It seems the Awka Community is incapable of controlling those behind this annual chaos and since that’s the case the government should swing the battle axe and spare residents of the capital city of this malaise.
Any festival which forces schools to close for fear that pupils and students could get hurt has no place in modern society. If these people cannot go to their village squares to perform their tradition let them stop it entirely. They always say it is tradition, but tradition is not bullish. Again, how many children of the rich are involved in this? Or is tradition only practiced and observed by the children of the poor? But then this is Nigeria where people allow themselves to be used and manipulated to achieve the agenda of others.
So, Soludo, please, go after these people and beat them into shape.