Nobody is above the law is one statement that holds no ground, value or significance in this part of the world.
Recently, social media has been buzzing over the recent lifetime “no-fly” ban placed on Ibom air passenger Miss Comfort Emmanson by the airline authorities as well as the hostile handling of the case and eventual court prison charge.
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While aviation authorities have defended the arrest and prison sentence of the Ibom air passenger, several public figures including former Anambra governor Peter Obi and activities, Aisha Yesufu have faulted the entire process stating that everyone deserves a fair treatment.
Following the intense controversy sparked by the incident, a fresh angle and perspective has been raised drawn from similar incident involving popular Fuji musician Kwam 1 De Ultimate.
Recall that earlier in August the singer had also been restricted from boarding a Valuejet airplane by airline officials over a flask allegedly containing alcohol, a banned substance in Nigerian aviation however, Kwam1 defied the instruction and went ahead to cause a scene, further leading to the suspension of two ValueJet pilots.
Additionally, the next day, Kwam 1 made an apology video that didn’t show signs of remorse. After his apology, he allegedly got on phone with the CEO of ValueJet and threatened to bring down his business.
Similarly, former governor of Edo state, Adams Senator Adams Oshiomhole displaced an unruly behaviour and rascality at the Domestic Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos after he arrived late to board an Abuja bound Air Peace aircraft.
Oshiomhole, a former State Governor did everything he could to disrupt the flight but failed. The next day he was on national television to defend the nasty park behaviour he exhibited and everyone kept mute.
Time and time again we see situations like this unfolding in Nigeria where individuals act in terrible manners and get away with it simply because of privileged connection, network or social class raising the concern whether some others are above the law.
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Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano confirmed this when he voiced concerns and called out the Nigerian governments, accusing them of appointing thieves in public offices
He clarified that when a community rewards people who are known to have stolen money and respects wealth regardless of how it was acquired, it fosters a system that keeps corruption alive.
“A society in which material wealth, no matter how you get it, is respected, is glorified, where people who are known to have stolen money get rewarded with ministerial appointments, that society will continue to reproduce itself.”
Sanusi attacked the treatment of those who abuse public office, claiming that they are frequently praised rather than held responsible.
The incident of the Ibom Air passenger is yet another incident that goes to show yet another example how how much corruption and the “do you know me” syndrome has eaten deep into the Nigerian system and across several sectors ad structures. The mindset that allows certain people to act mannerlessly and go untouched whereas the very same people will travel to other countries and obey every single law to the most insignificant one, indicating a lack of respect and value for Nigeria.
Meanwhile another video still involving Ibom Air has also resurfaced where passengers had publicly complained about how a single woman had prevented several people from boarding and an entire flight from flying because her luggage was not on the said flight.
While the Ibom Air incident has sparked mixed reactions, it still remains an eye opener to the how broken the country we find ourselves in is. Although the particular incident and previous cases directly involved the aviation sector, Nigeria can happen to anyone regardless of the sector be it health, justice, education and others, especially for those with little or have privileged connections, often held very accountable and sometimes suffer for as much as or less than the so called public figures have committed.
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