It was like a dream! I woke up pretty early so I don’t blame myself for the delay. Just like every other applicant waiting to either pick up their passport or take pictures for their passport. I got to one of the immigrations office in Lagos at about 6.40am just so that I would be among the first set of people to take pictures for the day as I have to return to work. I was also told that if you do not arrive early and your name was called you would have to wait another round God knows when. Right at the main entrance of the immigration office, I met a lot of people already hanging around, seated close to the gate most definitely for one of the two purposes. I walked up to one of the people around to confirm if the gate was opened or not and this Ibotic guy dressed in a white suit and a black face cap with a kind of shoe I’ll classify as pointees, am sure you know what am talking about now said ‘it is not yet opened” obviously with the ibotic intonation, not that my people don’t have their own where we pronounce jump as shump! I leave you with the guess. While leaning on the wall, many of the immigration officers drove in all decked up in their uniforms, some tucked in and some had their tops flying out. No qualms, it’s their territory.
The crowd increased as the clock ticked tacked. At exactly 7.30am, the gate was opened and everyone was allowed in. This came as a shock to me because all my life getting a passport, it had never happened. We filed in orderly, trust Nigerians, if we don’t rush we never achieve some things but thank God we are changing our orientation and doing things right.
We sat down under a canopy tagged “Applicants in waiting” and two men came to conduct a brief prayer session which they referred to as a regular devotion the carry out every morning for everyone who came to do business there. Immediately after, two imams also prayed with the applicants the Islamic way. Thereafter at exactly 8a.m, the immigration officer started calling names and instructed applicants on what to do. I said to myself this is unbelievable because the process of calling names and giving instructions to applicants could take God knows how many hours some years before now. I mean you could be at the immigration office just to take your picture for the whole day before you prepare another 24hrs again to pick up your passport. I did not spend more than one hour from the time the immigration officer started calling names to the time I took my picture and within the one hour I waited, I almost froze to death, the waiting arena was “oye tight” and pumping, I mean well air conditioned with nice seats. Unlike few years ago when you will so sweat while waiting. Before you enter the immigrations office, you will have to push, scramble and find your way in somehow sha! Thank God things are getting better in Nigeria; it’s only a gradual process and we will get there, yes we can!
Meanwhile the immigrations officers came around to interact with us to know if we were fine and had any complains. I became afraid and wondered why they are giving us this attention and so much concern because it has never happened in their history but it only means things have taken a new shape. A lot of structures and organization have been put in place to ensure people get quality and good service which goes a long way to say we are determine to change and we will start it within so it can spread to the outside world.
Many thanks to those in that sector and above all the Government of Lagos State and may be the Federal Government of Nigeria for putting these things in place! And yes! I got my passport two days after! Although it was ready the next day but I couldn’t pick it up. U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E isn’t it?
Monday, March 22, 2010
When The Work Load Is More Than You Can Handle, Just G-O-S-S-I-P!
Sometimes you are occupied with so much work lying on your table and at some point you lose concentration especially when your mind isn’t at work anymore, but when you think of deadlines, you just want to be done with the work! Rather than take a quick break and get back to it for a perfect finish, many people just want do a shady job and at the end of the day, the job comes back to their tables again! Some people are good at getting their jobs done in the mornings, while some are at their best in the afternoons and when it’s closing time, you see another category of people glued to their computers like there’s no tomorrow. It’s okay because everyone has their time of concentration and assimilation which helps them to be more productive and efficient. Whenever you feel the workload is more than you can handle, here are some tips to play around with to help you get back to the point you lost concentration. Check this out!
Gist with a friend on the phone so you can have a good laugh and forget the stress or challenge in front of you at the moment. Talk about the buzz in town, fashion, politics and latest joint/restaurant or event in town.
Observe some minutes of quiet to get your brain settled!
Stand for a while by the window and view the outside world.
Sing your favorite songs or Share a new recipe with a co-worker or a secret you just uncovered!
Invite a colleague to your corner to help you out but don’t forget to tell him/her how good they look before they leave or rather say something nice to them before they leave and deliver it with a SMILE!
Prepare to get back to some serious work! But while you prepare, try out this exercise.
The Right foot challenge
HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?
It takes only 2 seconds, check it out!
1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. You’ll notice your foot will change direction.
Amazing the programming in the brain yeah! (Anonymous)
Taiye Tunkarimu
Gist with a friend on the phone so you can have a good laugh and forget the stress or challenge in front of you at the moment. Talk about the buzz in town, fashion, politics and latest joint/restaurant or event in town.
Observe some minutes of quiet to get your brain settled!
Stand for a while by the window and view the outside world.
Sing your favorite songs or Share a new recipe with a co-worker or a secret you just uncovered!
Invite a colleague to your corner to help you out but don’t forget to tell him/her how good they look before they leave or rather say something nice to them before they leave and deliver it with a SMILE!
Prepare to get back to some serious work! But while you prepare, try out this exercise.
The Right foot challenge
HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?
It takes only 2 seconds, check it out!
1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. You’ll notice your foot will change direction.
Amazing the programming in the brain yeah! (Anonymous)
Taiye Tunkarimu
When The Work Load Is More Than You Can Handle, Just G-O-S-S-I-P!
Sometimes you are occupied with so much work lying on your table and at some point you lose concentration especially when your mind isn’t at work anymore, but when you think of deadlines, you just want to be done with the work! Rather than take a quick break and get back to it for a perfect finish, many people just want do a shady job and at the end of the day, the job comes back to their tables again! Some people are good at getting their jobs done in the mornings, while some are at their best in the afternoons and when it’s closing time, you see another category of people glued to their computers like there’s no tomorrow. It’s okay because everyone has their time of concentration and assimilation which helps them to be more productive and efficient. Whenever you feel the workload is more than you can handle, here are some tips to play around with to help you get back to the point you lost concentration. Check this out!
Gist with a friend on the phone so you can have a good laugh and forget the stress or challenge in front of you at the moment. Talk about the buzz in town, fashion, politics and latest joint/restaurant or event in town.
Observe some minutes of quiet to get your brain settled!
Stand for a while by the window and view the outside world.
Sing your favorite songs or Share a new recipe with a co-worker or a secret you just uncovered!
Invite a colleague to your corner to help you out but don’t forget to tell him/her how good they look before they leave or rather say something nice to them before they leave and deliver it with a SMILE!
Prepare to get back to some serious work! But while you prepare, try out this exercise.
The Right foot challenge
HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?
It takes only 2 seconds, check it out!
1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. You’ll notice your foot will change direction.
Amazing the programming in the brain yeah! (Anonymous)
Taiye Tunkarimu
Gist with a friend on the phone so you can have a good laugh and forget the stress or challenge in front of you at the moment. Talk about the buzz in town, fashion, politics and latest joint/restaurant or event in town.
Observe some minutes of quiet to get your brain settled!
Stand for a while by the window and view the outside world.
Sing your favorite songs or Share a new recipe with a co-worker or a secret you just uncovered!
Invite a colleague to your corner to help you out but don’t forget to tell him/her how good they look before they leave or rather say something nice to them before they leave and deliver it with a SMILE!
Prepare to get back to some serious work! But while you prepare, try out this exercise.
The Right foot challenge
HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?
It takes only 2 seconds, check it out!
1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. You’ll notice your foot will change direction.
Amazing the programming in the brain yeah! (Anonymous)
Taiye Tunkarimu
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