Only in Nigeria

He was the last to speak and he did that well in the estimation of the delegates. Chief Asara Asara ideally should have been among the first of speakers. He was not. And so when he was eventually granted the chance he grabbed it with both hands and sent the audience reeling with laughter.

“It is only in Nigeria that an election globally acclaimed to be free and fair was annulled and the man who annulled that election is celebrated as a hero. It is only in Nigeria that innocent people are slaughtered in their sleep and the people that did that are demanding for amnesty just because some others were given amnesty.

“It is only in Nigeria that 200 nautical miles does not belong to the state but federal yet the state belongs to the federal, it only in Nigeria that some persons here at the plenary will speak for only one minute 30 seconds and the bell will ring while another will speak for 10 minutes but the bell will refuse to ring. It is only in Nigeria that alphabet A which ought to have spoken first will speak last,” he said light-heartedly to thunderous laughter of the delegates.

Trust Justice Legbo Kutigi, he roared with laughter even as others joined and said its only in Nigeria that wise men and women are convened but are unsure of implementation of their recommendations.

Well, journalists covering the confab were in chorus as they said, “it’s only in Nigeria that journalists are shut out of all arrangements made for delegates and other ad hoc staff. It’s only in Nigeria that journalists are denied working facilities at a national conference including brochure containing names of delegates and order paper yet are tongue-lashed daily for not getting the delegates’ names right.”