It is a popular notion that not many people neatly-dressed walking down the streets are with stable mind and good health until one have closer encounter with such vulnerable people that urgently needs psychiatry assistance.
On that fateful Tuesday, 20th October,2009 in London, myself along with three friends were standing at the front of Nigeria High Commission in London at about 9.30am;best time to be resting my body after long hours of night shift but I kicked away the temptation to sleep in order to witness the passport renewal of former FCT Abuja Minister,Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
It is of general opinion that it is unlawful to deny any Nigerian citizen the right to acquire passport under any circumstances,it is El-Rufai and Ribadu today,it could be anybody tomorrow perceived as ‘enemy of Umaru Yar Adua’s government or any government in power.
Nigeria High Commission in Central London is always a beehive of activities for Nigerians and non-Nigerians seeking one form of consular services or the other. At the first glance, the place could be mistaken as a marketplace with ‘sea of heads’ and long unending queue of applicants.
The last time I was at the High Commission was in mid-2007 when I wanted to apply for new passport for my daughter in order for her to travel to Nigeria to meet her grandparents and other relations. It was a chaotic situation in a windowless basement area of an old building and some of the staffers need extra-training in conflict management,diplomacy and customer relations services.
Any applicant seeking any form of services at the place must dedicate a whole day to get the final outcome or even weeks depending on the issues involved.
I met a former University mate, Omolade that travelled all the way from Ireland to obtain new biometric passport because Dublin office is no longer issuing passports to Nigerians. She appeared disappointed with the whole system.
On this particular cold day, I was there in solidarity with Mallam El-Rufai and also to witness history whether the embattled former Minister shall be given new passport or denied based on ‘fresh orders from above in Aso Rock.’
My good friend and Convener of Nigeria Liberty Forum, Kayode Sankara has arrived before me and other two comrades and we were on the look-out for Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.It was freezing cold outside the Nigeria House.
I was personally worried about El-Rufai’s lateness for his passport application and my determination to stay a bit longer to witness the event before journeying back to my East London area and suddenly Sankara’s phone rang to give the cheering news that El-Rufai was few minutes away and just stuck in the London traffic and he was also looking for where to park his car.
‘I was expecting him to come through London underground,which is faster and requires no parking problems.’ I told Sankara and other Comrades.
‘El-Rufai will have friends in London with cars and he could afford to take a cab which cannot cost more than 50 pounds to this place.’ Comrade Ken said.
While waiting for the arrival of El-Rufai,I turned back to concentrate at the long queue of applicants in front of the Nigeria House and noticed hot argument between one middle-aged man in Brown jacket with Cowboy cap on his head with one of the Nigeria House’s staffers and decided to move closer to know the main story.
‘Gani Rad, we are not here for this people fighting, please ignore them.’ Sankara advised me but I was not moved by his admonition and could notice his displeasure.
This interesting drama unfolding deserves my attention despite advice from my good Comrades. The Man wearing the Brown jacket(Mr TK-not his real name!) moved closer to where we stood to narrate his story but nobody appeared interested in his long story but I broke ‘Comradeship protocol’ to listen to his ‘tales by moonlight’ and the man faced me to explain his story.
‘Hello my brother, this people working at Nigeria High Commission lack basic home-training and manners, even if they were employed by President Obasanjo,I will write petitions and make sure they were all sacked’-Mr TK exploded with anger.
‘Calm down my brother,please tell me the main story because I am here to see somebody and cannot stay longer here to hear your long story. What was the solid reason why you exchanged punches with that embassy staff.’ I asked him.
‘I informed the embassy man(Mr B) that I came here last week to apply for new passport because British Immigration officers seized my Nigerian passport and I need to travel to Nigeria urgently next week and he said impossible for me to obtain new passport and I told him that I met one man here last week and he was ready to assist me to obtain an ‘express passport’ and reduce the normal waiting time.’ I asked Mr TK the reason why his passport was taken away from him, he looked at me funnily and told me not to stress too much because his passport has recently been taken to the office of the Assistant Police Commissioner in London for further investigations.
‘I have just called the London Metropolitan police to come and arrest this embassy man for assaulting me and taking away my diary that contained my business contacts.’ He said that while punching the air, I promptly moved back to avoid it.
He further stated that he was well-known to police and Immigration officers in London and I started to doubt his mental reasoning.
‘I know most of the high-ranking officers at the Scotland Yard and Home Office because of my past dealings with them all and not afraid to call on them anytime in distress, are you ready to make a witness statement if police arrives that the embassy staff hit me first and I did nothing to deserve that.’ He declared to me but I turned down the offer and he was upset with me.
‘I wonder why we Africans cannot stand up for truth; it is no big deal for you to just tell the police what you witnessed few minutes ago.’ Those present at the embassy were not ready to support his claims against Mr B because it might affect their applications or for the fear of getting involved with police matter. Nobody appeared to be ready to be visiting police stations over such assault issues.
‘Please, just leave us alone, we are not here to witness your drama. We are here for a different agenda.’ Sankara expressed his mind frankly to Mr TK.
While chatting with Mr TK, I noticed he might be suffering from mental disorder while the stench escaping from his breath was also disgusting or maybe he was just a demented attention-seeking comedian. A thought flashed through my mind that Schizophrenia could be his main affliction and the last time I checked a medical dictionary I discovered that Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that causes a range of different psychological symptoms.
These include: hallucinations - hearing or seeing things that do not exist, and delusions - believing in things that are untrue.
Hallucinations and delusions are often referred to as psychotic symptoms or symptoms of psychosis. Psychosis is when somebody is unable to distinguish between reality and their imagination.
The exact cause of schizophrenia is unknown. However, most experts believe that the condition is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
The word ‘express passport’ angered Mr B which he interpreted to mean obtaining Nigerian passport through illegal and fraudulent means because Mr TK arrived at the embassy with no required documentations to obtain new passport and Mr B suspected foul play in his proposed application.
Few minutes later, Police van arrived with three heavily-armed police officers at the venue and before asking for the person that dialled 999 number to alert them and Mr TK quickly approached the police as a super hero to narrate his story. I saw him pointing to my direction, maybe because he saw me with a digital camera or assumed photos taken at the scene might help the police in their investigations.
‘If the police come here to interview us on this assault charges, please let me face them. ’Sankara told me and other three people at the embassy. We all agreed that he would approach the police and state our positions but police men never came to ask any questions.
Police men called Mr TK to one side but unfortunately with nobody to defend him, grilled him for his full details while some witnesses also spoke in favour of Mr B, one senior embassy staff also came out to defend Mr B and the police promised to review the CCTV footage in order to come to a conclusive end.
Police men now asked Mr B to return the seized diary belonging to Mr TK and as I wanted to ask Mr TK the whole story, my eyes spotted Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in a Mercedes Benz driven by somebody I assumed to be his friend.
Mr TK also spotted El-Rufai in the car and regarded him as first born of former late Ogun State governor,Chief Olabisi Onabanjo.
‘Is that not Bisi Onabanjo’s first born inside that Benz, he was one of my business partners in the early 80s.’Mr TK said this as a deranged fellow.
I tried to correct him that El-Rufai was not Bisi Onabanjo’s first born, he did not accept my truth and I eventually ignored him while trailing behind El-Rufai and others.
On hearing this odd message from Mr TK, Sankara and other Comrades just laughed that this man needs urgent psychiatry test to save him from himself.
We were about to enter the High Commission via the front door and Mr TK with no mission inside the place also rushed to enter with us and I knew this psychotic man will disturb our chat with El-Rufai or say something irrelevant to logical reasoning.
Tunde Oyedoyin, Nigeria’s Guardian London correspondent who appeared to be initially friendly with Mr TK now suggested that we must inform the security officer to kick this man out of the embassy before he disorganised everything we all came here to achieve today since he was speaking as if demented.
We all ignored Mr TK when he eventually forced himself into the embassy,he was asking for my mobile number,I refused to give him but Tunde also asked for his number which he gave voluntarily and when he noticed nobody was listening to his gibberish chat; he quickly changed the topic that he could get all of us contracts in both Lagos and Abuja so that we can all return to Nigeria and enjoy new life!
Mr TK looked stressed up and told me that he would like to go and attend business meeting somewhere in North London and went straight to the door but he was unable to open the door after many trials and I volunteered to assist him because his departure from the hall was a big relief to myself and others in order to face the main agenda of the day: El-Rufai’s passport.
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