By Queen Azeez
Before now, I already know having a problem with an agency or bank in Nigeria is the beginning of other problems; a tour. At the same time, not solving it looks like a part of my everyday life has been cut away. It keeps coming back to my head that there’s something that needs to be solved.
Having an issue with a bank; even though all that’s needed is a simple correction, the long queue sends me off. The fact that there are only a few chairs in a branch office still baffles me. “Is it that it’s part of a bank’s policy not to have seats?” Apparently, the long partitions for queues make the place organized. But what happens on days of long queues?
Most of the time, visiting an agency with just one complaint is like being punished with “my journey shall never end” like it’s done in some boarding houses. A complaint that will take you on a tour. It’s either the first place is the wrong place or it won’t be done that day or you have to go to a bank to pay a specific amount, etcetera.
I had realized I had a problem with my JAMB CAPS in 2018 or 2019. Late 2019 or early 2020, I went to the JAMB Office to complain and regularize if that was the solution. It was a hectic day. I felt tired more than I would have felt if I had gone to a bank –at least there’s air conditioning and a serene environment. Meanwhile, my Hausa was in stage one and half of fifteen.
Some had connections on the inside or outside. Others already took numbers and I was so lost. Upon entering, the officers confused me(that’s if I was the only one) and I was told I’d have to open a new email account. I did. Fortunately, a man from my tribe finally listened and assisted me.
“Okay, thank God, I’m finally in the main place”. The man that attended to me, I can’t recall well, did something that made me frown. He captured my face like that and ended up asking why I look blown. “Are you asking me that?” That was rhetoric.
So, somehow the issue lasted till recently. I had set out to leave very early. Getting to the bank by 8′ o’clock or a few minutes before that, I waited for the ATM to be loaded and that was accomplished after 20 minutes or so. I got to the bus stop and unfortunately, I could see the back of an empty bus returning to Dendima. I actually started my day like that and hoped it wouldn’t continue like that. I prayed for ease.
Meanwhile, I checked the location of the office on Google to confirm and it shows it was the place I went last time. I got there and realized they relocated. I was like “what in God’s name!” I asked around and they all were like, “do you know danbustu? Do you know this, do you know that…” My head told its body”Okay…” I met co-victims to whom I seem more acquainted and I was asked to assist them. Fortunately, an old man helped to describe the place. He speaks nice English too.
On getting there, I met a moving seated queue and decided not to call the contact I was given since I was late. I wasn’t ready to feel bad when all that caused my lateness couldn’t be helped. I sat with the new “entourage” and we continued following the queue till it was almost my turn again. It suddenly stopped moving and some impatient new people wanted to just have their way and go in. “Okay…”
Finally, my turn came. The man who was supposed to attend to me was faced with a bad network. After multiple trials, he started playing games on his phone. “Oh, wow…” He later reasoned to pass the work that held on to the network to his friend and attended to me. I explained to him and he listened. I pray God rewards him for that. Just for him to say, the new problem that brought me to them was caused by the regularization I did. I didn’t need it. I wanted to scream. I was asked to pay for printing my admission letter with a POS in the office. I was asked to write my name and join a queue outside. I’m sure water almost dropped from my eyes.
Then I saw a few men that were supposed to be next but are being chanced seated in front of the door. In my head I was like “your turn will come too. I’d been in your shoes.” Just for a security man to come out of nowhere and ask them to leave. But, that has been the arrangement – I’m sure that was their argument. It looked like they’ll have to go back to join the long queue again. One of them couldn’t hold his anger and caused a scene. Alas, he was sent out of the compound. Shikenan.
I was called and when I attempted pay it was discovered that Remita wasn’t going. “Ah. I won’t go outside o.” I found a seat in a corner inside and hid. I later paid somehow and my ATM card at that moment looked like a lucky stranger. “Whatever, I’m sha done.”
Wow, beautifully painted and cohesively narrated!