WHAT IS “E” ABOUT THE NEW PASSPORT

30/7/09
WHAT IS “E” ABOUT THE NEW PASSPORT
The fact that I am a young Nigerian can make people think I am not so grateful but I must say I am at least for the fact that the back cover of the passport, the first one I got years back was much higher than the one I saw with a grandfather or great grandfather some days back, it was hard paper back and must have been from the 60’s.
I have no big issue with Baba’s passport who knows it might have been of better quality and maybe much more dignifying in those times, at least to remember now a line in Wande’s song “You go travel to London and you no need visa, once upon a time. Don’t mind bembe Aladisa, “Eyin Oyinbo, e wa fun mi ni visa, I heard the guy is no more singing anywhere near here or there as he has been given the visa he so screamed, shouted and sang for.
Now, when many mention the E-passport, they often talk about it as if it is Electronic for E but I know it is not, Haba, it must be E for ECOWAS, I do not intend to change the Montessori method oh! It is still A for Apple B for Bus, C for Cat, D for Dog, E for Egg and not E for ECOWAS but what I am trying to say is this, the E must indeed be ECOWAS because on the outside of the passport you are more of an ECOWAS citizen than a Nigerian, not a totally bad idea, but what’s the electronic side.
You take a digital capture! That’s been the ideal all these years, your thumbprint, that’s seemingly new and the fourth finger print but if researchers are right, sooner than later thumb prints would be same or similar as DNA’s now clash.
I also learnt as for the “E” passport, “E” to mean whatever you like many other who have tried to ruin my country by having a basket of passports can no longer have more than one, but na lie, said one very smart officer, I won’t tell you which office he works for.
Whatever it is they thought of before doing this new passport, I hope it does not just pass as one the elements of re-branding abi Imagine the killer drug My PIKIN rebranded and put in a fine new bottle, same content and then if you are not so refined, you label if BOMBOY tooth mixture or say My BABY, or BOY and GIRL or if you are very refined and say “tush” or posh you can name it BECHAM tooting mixture with a picture of David Beckham or MANDELA tooting mixture with a MADIBA Smile, would it change the content. Our leaders “E” or no “E” passport. Make Nigeria better.