By Victoria Ikeano
The rules have changed. The ongoing war in Gaza, Palestine, reminds us all how the rules of war have changed. What was once considered as abnormal is now considered normal, many people no longer blink an eye lid about the new turn of events nor are they horrified as such anymore. However, it is not only in this respect that the rules have changed. They have changed virtually in all areas of human endeavour and Nigeria is no exception.
Let us cite a few examples here in our shores where the rules have changed and are changing right before our eyes with everyone watching rather helplessly. Take a look our judicial segment. Is there still anything as the rule or law on contempt? If there is, then the rule has obviously been changed. Consider: in times past, once a case is filed in court, all parties concerned literally keep mute until a verdict is passed on the matter. Ditto every other person. Public comments, editorials, analyses are forbidden until the judge(s) pass judgement. It is a kind of sacred rule that was observed by one and all, without exception. Now however, when a matter is being looked into whether even at the appellate or supreme court level, the highest court in our land, all manner of persons – lawyers and laymen, armchair and professional critics, literates and illiterates begin to openly deliberate on them. In days gone by, these would definitely be committed to prison for contempt of court. Not anymore apparently; the rules have changed (albeit not yet in black and white).
The rules have changed. With the advent of social media came a new phenomenon, fake news. Fake news (misinformation) have become part and parcel of the mass communication mix; such that you have to use your gut feeling to decipher the truth from lies in whatever you read on print or hear on air.
The rules of fashion have changed for women. They have changed for quite some time. Now there is an increasing thin line between fashion and nudeness, between corporate and casual dressing. The female folk which should send the standard in decent dressing are in forefront of indecent dressing with reckless abandon. Those women that kit up appropriately, covering their bodies from head to toe are now considered as conservative, old fashioned people. Generally being fashionable for women now entails exposing some parts of their bodies, not least the chest. This mode of dressing by the female folk is now taking for granted that it does not elicit any eyebrows or shock from most people anymore. Females now straddle about their neighbourhoods in what is called knickers; some even go to the market (a public place) in such outfits. Not long ago, one female celebrity visited a police chief in his office to discuss a societal malaise, dressed in a weird outfit with a part of her breast exposed. Needless to say that attention was shifted from the good message she sought to put across to her dressing. The police chief even posed in a photograph with her in that weird dressing all smiles. The rules have changed. And it may well happen that in future we would see most women dressed in only their pants and bras in their neighbourhoods, markets, offices and other public places. They would be considered as normal, fashionable dressing.
The rules have changed. Formerly the employer was revered by the employees with awe and the mantra was ‘obey before complaint’. Not anymore. These days employees, particularly so called civil servants seek to rub shoulders with their boss. Consider Works Minister, Engr. Dave Umahi’s recent brush with staff in his Ministry. He had ordered that late comers be locked out and then, they in turn locked him out, shutting the entrance to his own office, so that he could neither come in nor go out. And they told their oga, the Honourable minister of Nigeria, rather point blank that he had no right to do what he did to them. After all said and done, Minister Umahi was forced by his own staff, those under him, to eat humble pie and apologise to them.
Matters were even taken a notch higher at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) when a new Postmaster General (chief executive) was appointed for the organisation by Mr. President, effectively relieving the sitting PMG of his duties. Out of the blues, an information officer of NIPOST put out a public statement saying that President Bola Tinubu had reversed himself and that the purportedly sacked PMG had been reinstated. There was no attachment of any letter or statement from the Presidency to back up this claim of reinstatement. The new appointee was due to resume work ‘’immediately’’ but on Monday morning (the first working day of the week) shut down their Abuja head office, protesting with placards against the new appointee and effectively denying her access to the office. According to reports, “some of the protesting workers who spoke with journalists on the condition of anonymity said Ms. Odeyemi was appointed against their wish and as such, cannot be allowed to assume or new role. They called on President Tinubu to reverse the new appointment and maintain the reinstatement of Mr. Adepoju”. What insolence or audacity, you would ask. So it now lies with staff of an agency to dictate to the appointing authority who to select as its head? They should be consulted and the appointment should be in accordance with their whims and caprices? The rules are changing? Fortunately, in this instance, the Presidency waded in to halt the slide lest the rules unwittingly become completely changed and become a norm. We are told that “after orders from President Bola Tinubu, ousted Postmaster General of NIPOST, Adepoju, finally resign and leave office”.
• Ikeano, a journalist, writes via [email protected]