Bola A. Akinterinwa
Nyesom Wike is a lawyer. Therefore, in the context of Nigeria, he is considered very learned. He was a former Executive Governor of Rivers State. Consequently, he had experienced what it means to hold state land in trust for the people of his State. Currently, he is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, where he is much preoccupied with the issue of land, especially in terms of allocation and payment of annual ground rents.
Without any jot of doubt, if, for whatever reason, allotees are required to pay for the rental of the land on which they have their houses, good citizenship requires prompt payment without exercise of iota of pressure. For various reasons of force majeure, a tenant of the land might not be disposed to make quick payment within a certain delay. It is important to differentiate between non-payment for several years or decades and non-payment for the current year. What is done in civilized bureaucracies is that notices are given to tenants before the time of expiration of the current year of payment. Reminders are also sent. In Nigeria, it is completely different a kettle of fish and threats galore. The threats, most unfortunately, are driven by inefficiency, remissness, and lack of finesse in political governance.
