As is now the custom with Nigeria’s Customs Service

He got the shock of his life when his father vehemently opposed his choice and love, which was the Nigeria Customs Service.  His father carefully sat him down and explained how corrupt and inhuman customs officers were. He told him how they rendered him useless when they seized his goods and later auctioned the goods […]

He got the shock of his life when his father vehemently opposed his choice and love, which was the Nigeria Customs Service.  His father carefully sat him down and explained how corrupt and inhuman customs officers were. He told him how they rendered him useless when they seized his goods and later auctioned the goods to themselves. After lengthy education by his father, my friend threw away his appointment letter in utter disappointment.
If one should compare the Customs of the 90’s with the present crop of customs officers under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko, one would agree that a lot of transformation has taken place in the system. The Customs today is well-motivated, humane and endowed with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
That is not to say that all is Uhuru yet. There are still some bad eggs in the system who are still giving the parastatal a bad name, and there are still many miles to cover in the reformation process. It is a well-known fact that when a leader gets it right, change trickles down the cadre. This brings to mind an incident I had, involving some men of the Customs Service around Lokoja, in Kogi State. When the matter was brought before the hardworking Area Comptroller, by name Comptroller Maitama KI, he quickly called his men, namely Deputy Comptroller Ahmed HB (Operations) and Chief Superintendent Gadaka EM (Customs Intelligence Unit). There and then, justice was neither delayed nor denied.
I thought deeply over this experience and came to a conclusion that it is not proper to write-off someone or an entire organization based on stereotypes or on perceptions centered on hearsay. While you condemn ills, you must also praise and encourage good acts. By so doing, you are not only promoting the individual or organisation, but also enhancing the development of a virile society. Even though much more is still desired and expected from the Nigerian Customs, I must doff my hat for making a once-reviled outfit to a new level that Nigerians can, to a large extent, be proud of.
Chima Valentine is Managing Director, Ozuzuaku Investment Ltd, Abuja ([email protected])