The Wages of Corruption

My Command at a Lamidat

25 The Wages of Corruption My Command at a Lamidat I had just taken command as a Senior Divisional Officer in a Lamidat. There was obviously a reigning Lamido, the traditional ruler of the people. Shortly before my installation I had gone to him to pay homage. He commanded so much respect, especially from his people. They never looked at him directly when they spoke to him. Even before speaking to him they had to bow down. The women covered their mouths as they spoke to him. He was a little above six feet and he made himself taller by raising his shoulders whenever he was standing up. The airs around him would make every bystander think that he deserved his job. On the day I was being installed, he and his entourage actually stole the show. In defiance of protocol he arrived last at the ceremonial grounds. He was sitting majestically on a white horse that was flanked at each side by two brown horses. As soon as his horse touched the ceremonial ground, there was a loud trumpet blast. Spontaneously everyone stood up and all was at a standstill. About twenty horses rode majestically past the grandstand and at the end the Lamido’s horses came through and halted at the grandstand. Four hefty men went to the horse and carried the Lamido, each man holding an edge of the rods that held the hammock. Carefully, he was placed in his chair that had the skin of a tiger spread on it. As soon as he had settled, the trumpeting stopped, the horsemen dispersed and took their places behind the grandstand. The dignitaries in the grandstand, who had been spellbound on the arrival of the Lamido sat down and the ceremony continued from where 26 Sammy Oke Akombi it had been interrupted. A few minutes later, it was all over and those who had been given special invitation cards were to go over to the residence of the S.D.O for a grand reception. Before the protocol officials could start ushering dignitaries out, the Lamido’s trumpeters again blasted their trumpets and took everyone by surprise. Suddenly, a glittering car glided towards the grandstand. It was limousine, a Silver Bird. It was the first time the Lamido was making the car public. The entire crowd was seeing it for the first time. So, they looked at it very curiously. The Lamido was escorted from his seat and led to the car. When he got in and sat down, there was uproar, people cheering, drumming and dancing. He waved to them as he drove off silently and they shouted and glorified him. He had defied protocol and stolen the show. I felt belittled but I tried very hard not to show it. I knew from then that my greatest stumbling block in the locality was the Lamido himself. So I planned to make him understand that I was not only the administrative head of the whole division but also the personal representative of the President of the Republic. He seemed to have preempted my plans and summoned me to his palace the very next day. When he met me he said: “Mr. S.D.O. I didn’t understand why the national anthem was not sung on my arrival at the ceremonial ground?” The question came very unexpectedly and I had to think before giving an answer. It took me a good sixty-five seconds before I could find appropriate words for His Royal Highness the Lamido. He even had to remind me to give him an answer. “Your Royal Highness, you remember you came late to the ceremony. Before you came the anthem had been sung.” “What did you say? The Lamido was late? Me, late for an occasion in my Lamidat. I’ve never been told anything like that. I hope you know your responsibilities very well and limits of such responsibilities. Now let me tell you, as 27 The Wages of Corruption the head of this Lamidat, I arrive last, and leave first for every official ceremony in this Lamidat. If you didn’t know that then you have a lot to learn about this locality.” I left the Lamidat feeling very disappointed and confused, wondering whether our country had different laws from locality to locality. Two weeks later, I heard a knock on my door at an unholy time of 1.30...