By Bola BOLAWOLE
turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533, 0803 251 0193
(Published in the TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper edition of Wednesday, 29 July, 2026).
“Conducts that negatively impact public perception of Government”, published here two weeks ago, was widely commented upon by readers. Some of the insights introduced by readers, many of whom I have only met and interacted with online, deserve to be highlighted for public consumption. The goal is not to chide or embarrass anyone but to see if a change of heart and mindset can occur on the part of public officials paid to serve the public, such that our country can make appreciable progress for the good of all.
Moulding public opinion, which is the primary function of columnists like me, as well as serving as a nexus between the government and the governed, and between people and people, is a two-way traffic. We speak to readers; the readers speak back to us. Where the government pays adequate attention, it gets an idea how well or otherwise its policies and actions are being received and where it needs to make adjustments or a complete u-turn. Public opinion matters!
I once narrated the story of a South-west governor seeking re-election but who lost woefully because, according to his people, the governor was executing policies he wanted for his people and not what his people wanted for themselves. Disconnect!
I also know for sure that it is not everything that happens under their nose that state governors or presidents command, approve or even know anything about. Many government officials become their own masters the moment they are appointed into office. Many come armed with their own hidden agendas. A deluge of appointees work deliberately to serve personal interests, not minding even if that upends the very powers that had appointed them into office! Unfortunately, few leaders get to know about this until it is too late.
I once complained to the Chief Press Secretary to a governor about the uncooperative, even hostile, attitude of some of the governor’s aides to a very significant interest of the governor, but the CPS’s response surprised me more than the attitude I had come to complain about! I had wanted him to bring my observation to Oga’s notice. To my consternation, he said he would not!
Why? He said the people – or attitude – I had come to complain about were in the majority in the Cabinet. So, they will quickly smother any dissenting voice and nothing will happen! I argued that, the more reason His Excellency should know! He said I shouldn’t bother; that Oga will know at the appropriate time. When? How? When he looks around him and finds none of the praise-singers anymore! Fair-weather friends! Use-and-dump!
MKO Abiola said with friends like those, no one needs an enemy! That is what leaders suffer. Ask any of them. They may have their own faults but there is hardly any leader that does not suffer the kind of thing we are discussing here today. Could that be the reason why many of them get wiser only after they leave office and the court jesters and praise-singers are no longer around them?
Psalmseen is one of my readers whom I have not met physically or even conversed with on phone, but every week when he summarises my write-ups on his Whatsapp page, I doff my hat. Psalmseen is simply marvelous and I don’t really know how to describe his prowess and proficiency. Now, if you read penultimate week’s piece, take a look at Psalmseen’s perfect summarization of it:
“Conduct of Government Agencies Damaging Public Confidence – Bola Bolawole. Veteran journalist and public affairs analyst Bola Bolawole has argued that the poor performance of many government agencies is weakening public confidence in governance and placing unfair pressure on President Bola Tinubu and state governors.
“In his latest column, Bolawole said Nigerians continue to face daily challenges such as noise pollution, poor waste management, bureaucratic delays and inefficient public services despite the existence of agencies established to address these issues. He questioned the effectiveness of institutions responsible for environmental protection, refuse disposal, identity management and driver’s licence issuance, saying many appear to collect revenue without delivering quality service.
“Using Lagos as an example, he criticised persistent garbage accumulation and unchecked noise pollution from religious centres and motor parks, arguing that regulatory agencies have failed to enforce existing laws.
“Bolawole also shared his personal experiences with government institutions, alleging that he is yet to receive a refund for an unused airline ticket following the suspension of Dana Air in 2024, despite promises of intervention. He further claimed that the Nigeria Immigration Service has not paid his company for services rendered in 2024, while his efforts to obtain a corrected permanent driver’s licence and update his National Identification Number (NIN) were frustrated by delays, network issues and administrative bottlenecks.
“While commending improvements in Nigeria’s airport environment and praising Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo for reforms in the aviation sector, he stressed that isolated successes cannot overshadow the widespread inefficiency across many public agencies.
“According to Bolawole, effective leadership is essential for public institutions to function properly, noting that in Nigeria’s presidential system, ultimate responsibility rests with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because government agencies operate under his administration.
“He concluded that if every agency performed its duties efficiently, citizens would experience better governance, public frustration would reduce, and confidence in government would improve.”
Can you beat that? Let’s now take a look at a few more comments from readers:
“When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo took his oath of office as president in 1999 at the Eagles Square, one statement in his acceptance speech which resonated with me – and I keep interrogating how and why such a vital promise failed to gain traction – was: ‘This administration will restore the people’s confidence in the government’. That profound statement must have been informed by an observation of the unveiled displeasure of the citizenry with the government, which you have done well to adumbrate in your piece.
“The few references to your personal experiences can conveniently be multiplied in thousands, and even in millions, in the various injuries suffered by individuals in Nigeria…
“If you, with your antecedents (and) present station in life and access to the topmost hierarchy, still had to go through those experiences, all of which are yet unresolved by the concerned government agencies, then, pause to imagine the fate of those who have no platform to voice out about the malfeasance of the departments that exhibited, and still daily exhibit, the observed dereliction of their mandates, but with unfailing receipt of salaries and sundry entitlements!
“We may not include the plight of those who might have lost limbs and lives in circumstances similar to yours, which you have lived to tell, even if only to deaf government officials and your readers who cannot help your cause. But you have drawn them out to the court of public opinion. Those of them who have conscience may revisit and review your case; the good news is that you are alive to tell the story.”- Dele Morakinyo.
“Government agencies must be put on their toes. They most of the time operate arrogantly.” – E. F. Ogunjuyigbe Esq.
“Just the truth; nothing but the truth.” -Gbenga Olowolagba.
“Your article is full of the grievances that many Nigerians experience daily. It is very unfortunate – and I hope your article will make some of them buckle up. If you don’t know someone in most of those places or are ready to bribe, you can’t get any service from them.” – Soga Bashola.
“Sorry for the nasty experience (but) that is just how it is all over the country! Gross incompetence and taking citizens for granted without repercussions!” – Elder Matthew Ayinde Adesola.
“I had a similar experience with the same DANA Airline. They have refused to refund my unused ticket since 2024. At first, they were responding to my e-mails but after a while, they just stopped!” – Pastor Adeola Olabode.
Now, tell me, how can citizens who are daily made to suffer harrowing experiences by government agencies and officials develop confidence in the same government? It is only irresponsible government officials who will rush to suspend the operations of an airline before giving any consideration to the plight of those holding the unused tickets of the same airline – and, what is worse, who will stay unresponsive to complaints after that!
This is a gap the Aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, ought to have filled before announcing DANA Airline’s suspension.
Whether in or out of office, I will continue to hold Keyamo’s feet to the fire over this matter. And I am sure he understands that those of us who wield the pen will always outlast those of them who wield power and occupy big offices!
How civil is the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps?
This organization (NSCDC) also owes my company! Two of its staff attended the workshop we spoke about here penultimate week and they are yet to pay. Why did I “forget” to mention their name earlier? Possibly because the officer who handled the matter at the time was reluctant to give her consent, not because they did not need the training but because, according to her, it could take ages for us to get paid! So, she warned us, but we elected to take the risk! She didn’t want the hassles of people coming to harass her for payment – but why should a public organization be run this way?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu re-appointed the NSCDC boss, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, for a second term of office only last February. We congratulate and wish him well! Second term, however, should birth a new way of doing things at this all-important security outfit! Or else…
LAST WORD: The Nigeria Immigration Service responded positively to our earlier publication on the matter and are sorting things out. Thumbs up! But Civil Defence still acts obtuse despite unassailable evidence made available to its officials! Thumbs down!
Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.