I did something in Zimbabwe and I am wondering who will be stupid enough to do such in Nigeria.
We hired a car (Hyundai Elantra 2018) from Europcar for six (6) months. On my departure day, I drove it to the airport, but the car hire office was closed. My flight was just two (2) hours, so no chance of taking it back to town.

While thinking of what to do, a young man (Jack) who identified himself as a staff of caresafe taxi service at the airport told me that Europcar have closed the office due to Lockdown. He offered to help me in returning the car to Europcar office in the city. All he needed was call credit to contact them.
I gave him equivalent of 300NGN for the call credit. I then parked the car, gave him the key, took a picture of his ID and returned to Nigeria.

By close of the day, I recieved a mail from Europcar that the car has been returned.

Though, I didn’t know the Jack and there was no way of tracing him except by his work ID which was not verified, my mind was at rest that he will hand over the car to the car hire. I trusted him because he’s a Zimbabwean. He may be extremely poor and hungry, I know he’s contented.

Despite the poor economy, people still leave their wares outside on the table till the next day without fear. WHO DARE TRY THIS IN NIGERIA?

This is not about the government or politics, but the people.
These people respect the law. For my six(6) months stay, i heard no single report of crime in the city. The police are unarmed except for stick but are highly respected.

Jack may not even be a christian. I didn’t bother to ask for his religion. I didn’t trust him because he mentioned the name of a God, he wore collar or carry a holy book . I trusted him because I knew the practice of his people.
If he’s my country man, i dare not try that. I wonder how we descended this low as a country

I have been suspected and severally interrogated just because I carried Nigeria passport.
This has happened in unrelated places, not because of what I have done but because of where I come from.

An officer in Lahore was once suprised he couldn’t find drugs on me (a Nigerian) even after rigorous scanning.
Once you identify as a Nigerian, people see you as a potential criminal.

It is time to repair our identity.
We need to work on our value system.
We need to retrace our steps to find where we missed it.
Maybe we can be right again.

OLORUNSOLA Samuel

31 Comments

  • Oluyemi Samuel says:

    How do you hire a car for six months and was left with only 1 to 2 hrs at airport to leave the country before you thought of how to return the car? Who do you want to impress with the conduct of Jack? What you did show if you are in position of leadership you will no do it right too.

  • Hefty says:

    You only just write on what they have seen and seek attention.You need to do research, go to Quota Digest and see what foreigners who have had good experiences in Nigeria talk highly of Nigeria. It’s high time we stop chunking out negative vibes. In England that colonized Zimbabwe there are still car thefts there. Even in the savest countries in the world (Finland, Switzerland, Poland etc) there is still crime. If you want personal experience; I was in the East one time I was traveling from Awka in Anambra down to Asaba. Where I was going was a village on Asaba to Benin road. I got there in the evening and were I was going to stay the road was bushy. So at the bus stop to the house I saw two women selling food things. I asked them for directions to be sure I still remember the place. They said I should wait for my friend that I should call him to come and pick me. The two women stayed with me until my friend arrived. So guy, you should just stop writing negativity. I don Waka small for this country generally Nigerians are good people. We do have our very bad people but every country get am. You can’t expect to park a car in interior Queens in New York and not get vandalised even South Central. Even in Zimbabwe is there no crime. Did they not do riot some years back.

  • Dideolu Falobi says:

    It is not about the people it is about the govt. when there was s no consequence for infractions people will not respect the law. The Enforcement of our laws and the assurance of consequence for infractions are what are lacking. Put those in place and people will ship up

  • Dideolu Falobi says:

    Corrected:

    It is not about the people it is about the govt. When there are no consequences for infractions, people will not respect the law.

    The Enforcement of our laws and the assurance of consequences for infractions are what are lacking.

    Put those in place and people will shape up

  • CELESTINE OKONKWO says:

    Very good story and thought-provoking. It is a pity that nobody can do that in Nigeria,yet we blame those in government for all the ills in the society when we cannot even vouch for ourselves. Yet , we have big churches and mosques and many christians and moslems in the government but no good and honest governance. We need more of value reorientation and not restructuring.

  • A PISSED OFF NIGERIAN ABROAD says:

    The useless people of nigeria realise that they are their own government not some old bastard with voodoo

  • OlaJide says:

    Oil discovery prompted us to become our own enemies, Delta wants to leave under Boro ,he was sabotage by Igbos, Igbos want to leave with the Oil they were Sabotaged by the Yorubas . Before the war the Igbos have shown striving in entrepreneurship, because of the War they were Reduced to start life again by confiscating there funds to start life again with just 20naira or 20pounds as it is then . And denied leadership ever since . Were is the Balance? The result is the effect of politics we’re power corrupts & absolutely power corrupts absolutely . The effect of this is the result we are seeing today . We have to resolve our tribal difference in leadership or face deformation together.my take

  • kasobaba sunmoon says:

    VERY INTERESTING OF PIECE CONTENT.

  • Fredrick Austin uduoba says:

    Samkay is joking.
    This country has no remedy but a solution. Selling the country and sharing the money amongst us. Then united nations will allow us join any country of our choice.

  • Christiene Enuma says:

    I totally agree with u I have been to Zimbabwe. This proves that our criminality as Nigerians is nothing to do with poverty but greed and pure corruption. I pray we can change

  • Gilbert says:

    Thank you for this article. As a Zimbabwean in the diaspora I try and tell people from other countries that Zimbabwe is not a bad place. I wish and pray for the same for all of Africa.

  • King says:

    But the Zimbabweans living is South Africa can never be trusted.

  • Jonathan Eferurhobo says:

    It is highly complicated. I wonder where we can start from. The image of our dear country is worse than you can imagine. I cannot begin to narrate may experience here.

  • Umu Lungi says:

    What a stingy man! He gave the Zimbabwean the equivalent of ₦300 for the man’s phone airtime top-up to call the car hire service! He’s castigating Nigerians while he himself showed much selfishness and greed. Shameless Nigerian. At least the average Nigerian is known to be large at heart and we give tips and helps when due!

    • Enna says:

      “He may be extremely poor and hungry but contented”! Samkay, my dear, 300NGN suggests meanness and right wing leanings….he did this for YOU and that was all you could fork out?!!!

  • Suleiman Aliyu says:

    Its only a Nigerian of this type that will drive a rented vehicle right into the airport with no concrete plans to return it or to enjoy the car to the last Kobo. Its only a Nigerian like him who will give 300 naira as “incentive” to return a car…no fuel, no security fee, etc which a Nigerian like me will request for.😊 I bet u, if no one came up to help at the airport, he would have abandoned the vehicle there cos he “comes first” when it comes to life.

  • Anikoh Ibrahim says:

    I have thank you for this beautiful piece. Let me just go straight to my own contribution on the way forward. Once the head is good other part will be good. We need cleansing n until we all agree to put up a structure/policy that will put us on the part of greatness. Once again, thank u

  • Learnmore says:

    Thanks for such a beautiful testimony man,Zimbabwe we are are lawful country not by force but by nature.Its sad that the forces now are the ones who want to brutalise the people but we are a peaceful people.The world should really help us I think we deserve a better life to spice our good nature.

  • Ademola Folaranmi says:

    Mr. Samkay Olorunsola, much as I quite agree with you that in Nigeria we need to repair our societal value and that in most cases we had become object of ridicule due to the nefarious activities of some few criminals, I still believe that what happened to you in Zimbabwe can still and still happens in Nigeria.
    We still have a lot of honest people and persons of integrity, honor and decency.
    I do not totally agreed with you that this feat could not be attained in Nigeria.
    That Jack had demonstrated this high level of honesty does not mean that there is no criminal in Zimbabwe and that we have criminals in Nigeria would not mean that we won’t find people with Godly virtue there in.

  • Abidemi Gbolahan Popoola says:

    Sorry to burst your bubbles Samkay, there are trusted Nigerians everywhere and they are always willing to help. I guess you dont travel much in Nigeria plying Nigerian roads. Those selling yams, palm oils, pepper by the road side running do and does leave their wares by the road till day break. Nothing do happen to them! funny enough, in the streets, pepper sellers do leave their pepper outside till next day and no one ever think of going there to steal.
    Meanwhile, all the stories of lost and found in Nigeria by Nigerians, was it a folk tale to you? Do you want to say that those that were celebrated for such act were cooked up story and events? Apart from those ones that were made public, there have been so many enounter as such that Nigerians are trusted and helpful in so many ways!
    Because just one Zimbabwean helped you, does not mean that all Zimbabweans are good people. you cannot just because of one person pass judgement on all others.
    As much as there is massive corruption in the country, we still have people that are not corrupt and not thief as you paint Nigerians in your story.
    I think Nigerians deserves an apology from you sir,
    Thank you

  • Stefania says:

    This makes me appreciate Zimbabweans even more 🙏🏼

  • Desmond says:

    Comparison of Jack to a Nigerian and Zimbabwe to Nigeria is too simplistic. It is like comparing apples to oranges, disregarding important data and factors. Nigeria population is more than 200M and Zimbabwe a mere 14M (1% of thieves in Zim amounts to 140,000 and 1% in 9ja is 2M). Your experience focused solely on negativity in Nigeria and no mention of positive attributes/occurrences. There is overwhelming evidence Nigerians are knowledgeable, skilful, devoted and hardworking if provided with resources and opportunities to flourish. It was surprising CNN recently highlighted Nigerian migrants in the US are more educated than English/German/Chinese/Indian, with superior educational infrastructures and resources

    Of course, there are cultural factors and different levels of ambition/drive/hunger to be successful, sometimes manifesting in negative and criminal activities. I work in Healthcare in the UK and 9 of 10 black doctors will be Nigerians. There are other huge number of Nigerian workers adding values to their host countries. Unfortunately the tiny minority engaged in crime make the headlines.

    I also agree the increasing number of Churches and Mosques in Nigeria have not “turned a new leaf” or decreased criminality. Our ambition to be successful at all cost could be counterproductive. But I am very happy being a Nigeria as our positive attributes surpass our shortcomings!!!

  • Luqman says:

    Are you sure the report of their police is true? Or is it not Zim Police and government that has become subject of international criticism on brutality, suppressing opposition & dissents, et al.

    The state is almost a monarchy

  • Adediran ADETUNJI says:

    … Just glanced through your comments about the people of Zims. I want to agree with you completely that a very decent and contented people, they maybe poor but that does not take away from them there a good sense of decency and integrity. I prayed that, all of us will recognize that we have a big roles to play in our new journey of a nation rebirth and repairs conceptually.

  • Tinodiwa says:

    I’m happy you had a good time in my country and that you enjoyed your stay. I agree with you that there are a lot of good people in Zimbabwe, but trust me, Zim has its bad people. I’m not trying to bash my country, but rather show that we form opinions of a country’s people from the interactions we have with a few individuals.

    I grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe. In the 90s and 2000s, we saw an influx of Nigerians into Harare. These Nigerians were merchants and traders. Mostly good people. Through my interaction with these Nigerians, I developed a perception in my mind that Nigerians were honest traders and merchants. These guys even built their own shopping centre in downtown Harare called Gulf Complex. They mostly operated shops that sold cheap electronics and clothes. Of course, there were a few bad apples, but the majority were good people.

    Fast forward, life took me to Johannesburg, South Africa. The Nigerians I met here were different from the merchants I had seen in Harare. In Randburg, a surbub in Johannesburg, I would see them heckling the police and being rowdy in the street. Most of these guys were involved in illegal businesses. Of course, there are Nigerians operating legal businesses and working legally in Johannesburg. Now if I had grown up in Johannesburg, not Harare, I would obviously have a different perception of Nigerians.

    Fast forward again, life took me to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Here, most of my black friends and colleagues are Nigerians. Most of the top programmers in our company are Nigerians. The Dutch people we work with have a perception that Nigerians are honest and hard working people.

    My point here is we form perceptions based on the people we meet and interact with. In South Africa, some Zimbabweans are involved in crime. A South African will not share the same views you have on us Zimbabweans. The Dutch people I work with will certainly tell you good things about Nigerians, but a South African might tell you a different story.

    I also agree with the other comments on how the effectiveness of law enforcement influences crime rates. In Zim, law enforcement is brutal and effective. The jails are some of the worst in Africa. There is little food in the jails coupled with hard labour. No one wants to end up in police custody, let alone jail. The sentences are also quite brutal, e.g the minimum sentence for stealing a phone is 7 years. This explains why there is little crime in Zim.

    One thing Zimbabwe and Nigeria share is that we now have our citizens scattered all over the globe. These people act as ambassadors of our country and our continent.

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