I took the picture below, today at the United Bank of Africa (UBA) branch, on the Nigerian side of Seme border. I stood outside because the hall where the ATM machines stood was too hot for me. The air conditioners had broken down, and a long queue of people had built up.
Since I considered myself “highly inflammable”, I felt it was safer to stay out of such a hot area, till my turn came to use the ATM 
A Warri based Farm CEO wants to attend my forthcoming Feed Formulation Workshop in Lagos, Nigeria. I had to cash funds he sent me (via ATM), to prepare his workshop pack of printed handbook and CDROMs containing promised PDF ebooks, my Ration Formulator™ software, video tutorials etc.
Why Did I Not Use ATMs Within Benin Republic, You Wonder?
Believe me, I’d have loved to. It would have saved me over 2 hours of to/fro commuting I had to do from Cotonou, to the Nigerian end of the border at Seme, and then back to Cotonou again!
However, since my arrival in this Francophone nation last April, I have been unable to find a single ATM machine with a Mastercard logo on it.
The bank I use (Guaranty Trust Bank) has no branch in Benin. Before travelling, I’d called their support lines,and been assured the Naira Denominated Debit Mastercard issued to me would work “with any ATM Machine in the world.”
Stupidly, I believed them.
Then one day in Cotonou, I visited a branch of UBA, and asked where I could use the ATM.
The lady asked: “Is your card Visa?”
I replied that it was Mastercard.
She then told me the machines would only recognise Visa cards!
Since then I’ve come to learn that in virtually all the Francophone African nations, the ATM machines most widely available have Visa logos on them.
Isn’t is strange that my bank’s people did NOT know that???
So I’m in the process of opening an account with another bank with branches across most countries. In the meantime, I have to visit the border, as explained above, to cash funds sent by buyers.
But that’s not why I’m writing this article.
Asking Questions Can Stop People From Taking Advantage of You!
I’m writing this piece to share a true story that you can learn from, about why it’s good to ask questions.
You see, after I’d cashed the money I needed, I headed back to the Benin Republic end of the border. As usual, I made sure to pass through the relevant passport stamping and yellow card inspection points.
But Today, I Had a Series of Truly Odd Experiences Crossing the Border!
At the Nigerian end, I entered the left side of the Immigration’s container office, and with a few seconds got my passport stamped out, and handed over the N100 payment always demanded.
Next I entered the room on the right, where another immigration officer looked up at me.
I recognised him from a previous encounter (He’d insisted the photo in my passport was of a person who looked much older than me, even though we looked alike. I’d laughed in his face, to his displeasure. Then I told him the person to blame was his colleague at the Immigration Passport office in Ikoyi who took a photo that made me look older!)
I greeted him politely: “Good morning Sir. Nice to see you again.”
He grunted “How are you?” as he inspected my passport and scribbled my details in his journal.
I replied that I was fine. Few seconds later, he was done. Then he looked up and said “N200”
“Huh?” I replied in confusion, wondering what he was asking for.
He said “Pay N200” Mr ehm (looking again at my passport now) “Tayo Kayode Solagbade”.
I knew what to do: PLAY DUMB…
So I said “I don’t understand Sir. Last time you asked me to pay, I told you I’d already paid N100 in the other office, and that normally my details are just recorded here. After I leave here I only pay N200 at the Beninese entry point where my passport is stamped in”.
He said “Last time you said that I let you leave without paying, but it’s not a right you know?”
I replied “Well I’m sorry sir, it’s just that I’ve never had anyone ask me to pay twice before. What I’m familiar with is what I just said.”
Realizing I wasn’t going to give in, he looked away and said: “Okay, forget it. Take your passport.”
“You mean I can go Sir?” I deliberately asked
“Yes, you can go. Have a nice day” he replied impatiently handing my passport to me.
I took it, and thanking him – politely again – left.
As I Walked Towards the Benin Republic Entry Point, I Felt the Worst Was Over. How Wrong I Was!
Just as I passed a post mounted next a barricade to stop cars, a guy dressed in jeans and t-shirt, called out to me. He was standing right next to a uniformed immigration officer who looked at me with disinterest as I responded.
I walked back to him and said: “Yes?”
He said “Can I see your passport?”
Feeling he was an immigration officer not dressed in uniform for some reason, I gave him the passport. He looked at it, then handed it back. Next he asked “Do you have any money on you?”
That got the alarm bells ringing in my head. But again, since we were right next to a uniformed officer I chose to play along. “Not much I replied.”
“How much CFA and Naira?” he pressed
By this time I was getting irritated and it showed on my face. “Why do you want to know?” I asked evasively.
He said: “It’s because of the bad people who carry fake money. That’s why we’re checking. Just let me see what you have on you, and if none of it is fake, you can go.”
I looked over at the uniformed man and he was paying us no attention, even though I knew he could hear us. I dipped my hands in my pockets, and showed him a few one thousand naira bills.
He said “Is that all?”
I replied that I had a few CFA coins. He nodded and said “Okay, sorry to have disturbed you.”
As I Walked Away, I Did Not Know That Yet Another Strange Experience Awaited Me!
Just as I neared the Benin passport stamping post, I heard someone call out to me.
He was not in uniform, and was dressed in jeans and t-shirt, like the guy I’d just finished with.
Now, this individual was not standing next to any post or barricade. It was just a short distance to the Beninese entry post.
“Let me see your passport” he demanded.
Without thinking, I gave it to him, wondering why this unusual set of checks were happening repeatedly.
Suddenly, just as he opened the passport, I saw a hand reach out from behind him and snatch it.
Then the person stepped out smartly dressed in a green guinea brocade. He was a slender, fit looking guy who looked to be in his thirties.
He handed my passport to me and motioned for me to follow him, as he walked briskly away.
I looked back and saw the guy I’d been with quietly step backwards behind a parked trailer.
Now I was totally confused. Before I could say anything the guinea brocade guy said
“How could you just give him your passport like that?” he asked
“I don’t understand why you people behave this way. Why didn’t you ask him for his identification first. Don’t you know those guys are just thieves? If you’d stayed long there, they would have robbed you of all the money you had on you” he finished.
I was opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water, in a mixture of surprise and confusion.
“I thought he was a non-uniformed operative” I said lamely.
“But you should have confirmed. These guys are everywhere and you people must be careful” he countered, all the while walking briskly towards the Beninese end.
I could not help feeling that once again a guardian angel had been sent to save me, in one of my rare moments of zero street smartness!
As I thought about what had just happened, my encounter with the first guy began to make sense.
His role had apparently been to check if I had money on me!
By getting me to show it to him, the others watching got confirmation of that.
As I walked away, he must have signalled the others down the road to work on me. And I guess this gentleman who’d intervened, had seen the progression of events and decided to act.
“But why are such people being allowed to carry out criminal acts right at the Nigerian end of the border, with all the government and security operatives present?
Would it not have been better to simply round them off, and keep them out, rather than let them rob people under their noses?” I asked.
I rephrased that question twice. He ignored my queries on both occasions. So I shut up, thinking to myself that such absurdities are what make corruption difficult to fight in Nigeria.
A few moments later, we arrived the Benin end.
I thanked him and promised to keep his warning in mind when next I visited the border.
Final Words: Lessons You Can Learn (and Also Teach Your Kids!)
Notice from the story that I successfully used questions, and subtle resistance, to avoid being made to pay more than I was supposed to pay.
But I was later almost fooled by crooks allowed to roam freely within an area that should have been secured against their entry!
That’s to say one should always be alert at all, times, even in a supposedly secure area!
So, Here Are Useful Lessons I Learnt From This Experience, Which I’ll Also Be Sharing With My Kids
This is especially important, in these times that kidnappers and other evil people have gotten more daring and creative in Nigeria.
1. Once a person is not in uniform, asking for his/her identification becomes necessary, before you do whatever s/he asks!
2. In addition, check and ensure that the identification provided is authentic.
3. If you’re not sure how to do that, insist on involving a uniformed officer (in the case of a child s/he should call out to another adult for help).
4. Try checking to also be sure that whoever you call is not party to the arrangement!
5. And lastly, do not let him/her (or them) take you to a corner, or remote or secluded area. Insist on staying in the open, or as close as possible to the officially designated areas with security.
It goes without saying, of course, that no one can be 100% effective at detecting efforts to con him/her.
However, keeping the above points in mind, and staying alert to tell tale signs you observe, can save you.
Lastly, keep your faith in your creator strong. And make sure to do His will at all times.
That way, even if you’re unaware of the bad intentions of those you’re relating with, your God will send a guardian angel to pull you out of there!
It’s happened to me VERY many times.
Believe, and the same will happen to you as well.
PS: By the way, the above final tip, has nothing to do with religion. It works for anyone who truly believes – and acts with faith – IN the creator. That includes even a person who practises NO religion. I’m living proof of that!