From card reader to mind reader

As we fashioned crosses out of the palm fronds, I reflected on how the man who rode the donkey is now a household name. Wondrous are the ways of God. Many of those who ride private jets today will be forgotten even before they die. Yet, 2000 years after his death by crucifixion, the man […]

As we fashioned crosses out of the palm fronds, I reflected on how the man who rode the donkey is now a household name. Wondrous are the ways of God. Many of those who ride private jets today will be forgotten even before they die. Yet, 2000 years after his death by crucifixion, the man who rode the donkey is followed by 2.3 billion people — and still counting. His crucifixion was followed by the Resurrection. No pain, no gain.
Two days ago, I was on the queue to vote for change. In-between the accreditation and actual voting, I managed to sneak home to hear President Jonathan answer a TV reporter’s question on who he voted for. “I voted for myself”, he said. I thought he could have been more humorous in his answer. I mean, who was he expected to vote for? Muhammadu Buhari of APC, or Wole Olaoye that wasn’t on the ballot?
His disclosure that he voted for himself actually got me laughing out real loud.
Now that the people have spoken, let the people’s wish prevail. At our polling booth, it was time for grand reunion of neighbours. Some of those in my community earn their living hundreds of miles away and do not get to see other residents except during religious festivals and public holidays. As I shared banters with my good friend, Danladi, and got introduced to newer residents I was meeting for the first time, somebody launched the usual Nigerian gripe.
“You see, they have failed. Card reader is not working and they are calling for a replacement from their office. They’re going to disenfranchise us”, Chief Qu moaned.
“Who failed? The process hasn’t even started here and you’re saying INEC has failed”, replied his interlocutor, Mr Yi.
“I hear that the president couldn’t vote. The card reader was programmed to reject him”, Qu continued.
“Hey, you this PDP man, stop spreading rumours. The president has voted.”
“When?”
“Take my radio. Hear the commentary.”
“I don’t want your radio. Let INEC come and accredit us. It’s already 2pm”
“Don’t be in a hurry. They will accredit us and we shall all vote. Don’t be in a hurry to learn that the wind of change has swept your candidate away”.
Before Qu could think of a reply, the INEC crew returned with instructions from their headquarters that voters could exercise their franchise as long as their details had been verified in the voters’ register. Everyone was relieved but one woman still griped that the non-usage of the card reader was a ploy to invalidate her vote. Everyone ignored her. In less than one hour I had voted and was back home to continue enjoying TV reports.
I still think that the card reader should be retained for future elections. INEC should investigate why so many of the machines failed. Were they jammed electronically? The organisation should also find out how its website was hacked into. I hope the two incidents are not linked. The card reader worked when it was introduced in Ghana. What is the problem here? O dori akayin, akara deegun, say the Yoruba. Roughly translated, it means: “When it’s the turn of the toothless, even akara feels like bone”.
The glitches reported in many parts of the country notwithstanding, we, the people, did well on Saturday. The sensitisation for this particular election was awesome. Those who did not have the permanent voter’s card genuinely felt pained.
One news item that caught my attention as I settled down with the day’s newspaper was the freezing of the bank accounts of Rev. Fr. Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry. Reports had earlier surfaced in the media that Mbaka, at his Adoration Mass for the Sick and Needy, told his congregation how he went to withdraw money to buy food items for the poor and found that the accounts had been blocked. His organisation is catering for hundreds of people who recently relocated from Northern Nigeria because of the election. When he demanded to know why, he was told his accounts had been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC headquarters has denied the allegation. So which government organ ordered the freezing of the accounts of a religious and humanitarian organisation? What makes Father Mbaka’s case significant is that he has been in the news for his negative predictions on President Jonathan’s chances in the 2015 elections and only recently raised alarm that he had information that he could be assassinated by the president’s sympathisers.
If the witch cried yesterday and the child died today, we all know what the African proverb says about causation. Eventually the EFCC office in Port Harcourt was reported to have ordered the bank to de-freeze the accounts of the Adoration Ministry, and the Catholic priest has since been able to make withdrawals to take care of the less privileged. The EFCC was however said to have requested the banks to furnish it with Fr. Mbaka’s transactions for the past six months.
Hell hath no fury like a politician scorned. We shall be closely monitoring the situation.
Nigerians are the real winners in the March 28 elections. They trooped out in their tens of millions to take charge of their destiny. How will it all go? I’m reminded of Karen Lamb’s insightful statement:
“Change can come in many forms in our lives. It might come forcefully like a tidal wave, or creep along incrementally like a glacier. It might come in the form of devastating tragedy, difficult choices, broken relationships, or even new opportunities. But even though change is often difficult, many times it’s also for the best. Accomplishing anything great in life requires significant change that pushes us beyond our comfort zones. Many times, the only way to improve our lives is to force ourselves to undergo difficult change.”
Having said that, I know you’ve got my drift. I am eagerly waiting for Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman, to announce the final result of the presidential election. Every indication points to the likelihood of an elbow-raising exercise in my shack by change-mongers and mind-readers at the end of the day. Am I communicating?
It’s been a long turbulent journey. Welcome to a new day.