Doha/ Nigeria,our curse,their Blessing
by Adekunle Waheed Saka Mao on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 12:39pm ·
The
greatest problem that can befall a nation is to confuse democracy as
development and autocracy as underdevelopment,such was the conflicting
thought on my mind as my flight touch down at beautiful Doha
international airport,it was airport unlike what I hav been use to in
term of facilities,personnels and courteous immigration officers.
Immediately we passed through the immigration formalties to the entry
lounge,our baggages has been on the conveyor therefore we don't have to
wait or even queue for hours to claim our luggage!
On getting outside the airport,a young immigration officer accosted me and ask of my visa and my ymission in Qatar,I promptly showed it to him,apparently he doesn't understand what United Nation meant but he didn't harrass me but called a superior officer and who apologised for the young officer indiscretion,first suprise Nigerian police never apologise even if they kill !
Our delegation got a taxi,a toyota camry 2012 model branded with COP 18 logo to the Qatar National Convention Centre,we passed one of the best road in emerging nation,a true nation beffitting oil status,Doha is an achitectural delight!
To compare Qatar with Nigeria is like comparing Hell with heaven,everything about Qatar has been programme and projected for the future,from no open drainage,underground wire to a conceal transformers, while Nigeria has been plague with the reversal.
The state of Qatar controls everything and anything,no reckless or arbitrary display of wears on the street,as a matter of fact you can only embark on any business with minimum start up capital of 200,000Qatar Riyahd,
The police department is very organised and well trained,with different category of policing department that a visitor can only differentiate by the colour of their uniform and patrol vehicle ,no gun weilding policing,and crime rate is almost unexistence!
The imposing K-108 Hotel that I lodge pride herself as using all her profit for Charity ! I don't think we have such business in Nigeria,the Villagio Mall,the Doha city centre,and Qatar traditional Centre are markets of choice,depending on your earning but no legitimate workers collected less than 3000QR(#129,000)
Qatarian don't have to work,they choose to work ,often time as top officer of big corporation and agencies, and as security officers to safeguard their territorial integrity, their accounts are credited with certain amount every month,and on December 18 which is the Qatari National Day,all debt owed by Qatarians will be written off !
Fundamentally,Nigeria share two things in common with Qatar, Oil and driving style,Qatarians are reckless driver as Nigerians, while the later have an enforceable traffic light without police extortion,the later have a structure of extorting motorist from road safety,VIO and police,our oil has become our curse,their oil their blessing.
Last week,Qatar open their new airport with 272 new aircraft,Nigeria can't boast of a single aircraft,because they know oil may dry one day,they are building the biggest duty free market in the world,an 8km market that will dwarf the 2km Dubai market which will improve their economy during and after oil! Ask Nigeria what is the National Economic Action Plan after Oil ? The answer is better imagine.
On the final analysis,behind all the beauty and orderliness of Qatar lies the question of Liberty to exercise all human faculty at pleasure,justice,rights of other and rule of law even at that can we truly say Nigeria democratic space respect Nigerians basic liberty?
Saka Waheed A.
Climate and Environmental Development Initiative
cediclimate@gmail.com
07056256111
On getting outside the airport,a young immigration officer accosted me and ask of my visa and my ymission in Qatar,I promptly showed it to him,apparently he doesn't understand what United Nation meant but he didn't harrass me but called a superior officer and who apologised for the young officer indiscretion,first suprise Nigerian police never apologise even if they kill !
Our delegation got a taxi,a toyota camry 2012 model branded with COP 18 logo to the Qatar National Convention Centre,we passed one of the best road in emerging nation,a true nation beffitting oil status,Doha is an achitectural delight!
To compare Qatar with Nigeria is like comparing Hell with heaven,everything about Qatar has been programme and projected for the future,from no open drainage,underground wire to a conceal transformers, while Nigeria has been plague with the reversal.
The state of Qatar controls everything and anything,no reckless or arbitrary display of wears on the street,as a matter of fact you can only embark on any business with minimum start up capital of 200,000Qatar Riyahd,
The police department is very organised and well trained,with different category of policing department that a visitor can only differentiate by the colour of their uniform and patrol vehicle ,no gun weilding policing,and crime rate is almost unexistence!
The imposing K-108 Hotel that I lodge pride herself as using all her profit for Charity ! I don't think we have such business in Nigeria,the Villagio Mall,the Doha city centre,and Qatar traditional Centre are markets of choice,depending on your earning but no legitimate workers collected less than 3000QR(#129,000)
Qatarian don't have to work,they choose to work ,often time as top officer of big corporation and agencies, and as security officers to safeguard their territorial integrity, their accounts are credited with certain amount every month,and on December 18 which is the Qatari National Day,all debt owed by Qatarians will be written off !
Fundamentally,Nigeria share two things in common with Qatar, Oil and driving style,Qatarians are reckless driver as Nigerians, while the later have an enforceable traffic light without police extortion,the later have a structure of extorting motorist from road safety,VIO and police,our oil has become our curse,their oil their blessing.
Last week,Qatar open their new airport with 272 new aircraft,Nigeria can't boast of a single aircraft,because they know oil may dry one day,they are building the biggest duty free market in the world,an 8km market that will dwarf the 2km Dubai market which will improve their economy during and after oil! Ask Nigeria what is the National Economic Action Plan after Oil ? The answer is better imagine.
On the final analysis,behind all the beauty and orderliness of Qatar lies the question of Liberty to exercise all human faculty at pleasure,justice,rights of other and rule of law even at that can we truly say Nigeria democratic space respect Nigerians basic liberty?
Saka Waheed A.
Climate and Environmental Development Initiative
cediclimate@gmail.com
07056256111
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