Glo came calling with series of text messages threatening to block my line if my NIN was not linked with my SIM card. After some time, the SIM was eventually blocked.
As if that was not enough, MTN (my only surviving SIM at this point) started sending messages too threatening to block my line for the same reasons.
So I finally decided to go to my local government secretariat (Egor) in Edo State to resolve the NIN issue once and for all (Of course, i was left with no choice at this point). On getting there, I was shocked at what I saw. There was a mammoth crowd waiting to be attended to. I was told to come back the next day, as they already had more than enough people to attend to, and most of those waiting had been there before dawn. I decided to leave and come back the next day. The following day, despite going earlier, I still couldn’t get a number, so again I left disappointed.
That same day, I saw someone I know in my neighbourhood whose daughter did NIN for her JAMB registration. I made enquiries from her on how they went about theirs and she told me they had to leave home as early as 4.00am just to be among those to be attended to. So, I made up my mind to do same. I mean, I had tried twice and failed, so if going by 4am was the only way out, then 4am it is.
So on Tuesday, 16th of January 2024, I left home in company of my son at about 3.50am to the local government secretariat for the third time, the last straw I thought would break the camel’s back. We got there at about 4:30am and i was finally given a number, “46”. It was surprising to know that some people there that day had passed the night there as they snored and slumbered inside a wooden store with little or no shelter. The cold that day was severe as the harmattan had just begun in full force as we all continued to wait patiently for the officials to arrive. At about 6am, I led the morning devotion and we all prayed, danced and sang together.
By 8am, the gates were finally opened to let us into the compound. Shortly after, a well-dressed gentleman came out to address us in a polite tone and manner. At this time we were over 100 people waiting. He told us they wouldn’t be able to attend to us all due to the backlog of the previous day and network issues, coupled with the fact that they had only one working system. However, he advised us to try other centres. Only the names on the first page of the list were picked as others were torn. My name was on the third page, so without much ado I had to leave. At this juncture, I made up my mind to try the other NIN centre in UNIBEN the next day.
The next day being Wednesday, 17th January 2024, I left home at about 3:15am. It was the first time I would walk such a distance alone at that hour of the night. There was silence except the noise of few lorries that drove past me. I passed through UNIBEN back gate (the gate linking UNIBEN to UBTH) and it was locked. I knocked and told the security officer at the gate my mission. He informed me that the gate would be open by 5am and this time it was around 4.06am. I pleaded with him because if I was not there on time the sacrifice and risk would be in vain, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as he was under authority and simply following instructions. I waited in the harmattan cold till the gate was finally opened. I quickly rushed there but many people had already written their names, including a lot of JAMB and WAEC candidates that had to pass the night there because they needed it to register for their exams. I was really touched because of the elderly people who were there for the some purpose. I decided to wait for a while before leaving because I wasn’t sure I would be given attention. Finally, after waiting for a while, my name was called.
We were instructed to wait while they attended to the backlog on ground. We waited till 4pm (their official closing time). We were instructed to write our names and come the next day, while they continued to attend to the backlog of people on ground before my set. Eventually, I was given attention the next day.
OBSERVATION
I’m surprised that the two NIMC offices had just one computer each. This obviously was the reason why the whole process was so slow.
I would love to use this medium to call on the authorities concerned to expedite action and provide enough systems to cope with the population of people in need of NIN since it has become an important requirement for most registration processes in the country.
I must commend the NIMC office located at UNIBEN (Sport Complex). They worked for extra hours even after their closing time to ensure that more people were given attention.
Our citizens risk their lives just to get their NIN. Value must be placed on human lives. One of those I interacted with while waiting informed me that those at Egor Local Government Secretariat the previous day were robbed of their phones and other valuables stolen.
What I enjoyed during this stressful period was the privilege I had to conduct morning devotions during the early morning hours while we waited for dawn.
*Omozeghian wrote in from Benin City, Edo State.
