Reactions have continued to trail the visit to India of some of Nigeria’s finest entertainers at the behest of the Nigerian presidency. Singer, Tuface, comedian, Basketmouth and skit maker, Ola of Lagos all went on a government-sponsored trip to India in what could only be described as a fact-finding mission about the safety and efficiency of CNG-powered vehicles.
Sadly for them, the Nigerian audience, nursing a deep scepticism about safety risks associated with converted vehicles and a deep distrust for the government, was not ready to accept the message from some of their more popular celebrities. To many of them, the message is nothing but propaganda from a group of sellouts who have sold their souls to the government.
Replying to a Basketmouth post on the matter which carried the title: It’s not about politics, Roland Ugiangbe said: “So, when you condemned CNG it was politics, but, now that, the same government you condemned is sponsoring your trip to India, you suddenly realized that, it is not about politics. At last, everyone will be alright in Nigeria..”
Another user simply identified as Berry went straight for Basketmouth’s jugular saying: Omo u fall my hand, Basket .. I use to hold you in high regard but mehn … you are the last person I can think who will change sides so quick .. I don’t think I will be interested in anything u do again … Omo it’s painful.
Govt’s CNG message not resonating with Nigerians
The entertainers’ visit is coming a little more than a week after the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, came to Nigeria on a state visit. Recall that the Nigerian government has been trying to move Nigerians to an alternative source of fuel. This comes after an explosive rise in the price of the country’s primary fuel source, PMS, whose price has witnessed more than 100 per cent increase since the Bola Tinubu administration came into power in May 2023.
The government’s preferred source of energy is compressed natural gas (CNG) which is a lot cleaner and a lot cheaper than any other combustion fuel source. The government has since established an agency to oversee the shift. Called the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI), the body is charged with spreading the gospel of CNG conversion while ensuring its widespread adaptation by financing the conversion of public transport vehicles.
See also: FG’s CNG conversion app promises much but might end up delivering little
However, there have been huge concerns among Nigerians around its safety. These concerns were heightened after videos of an exploding CNG car made the rounds on social media, making people a lot more sceptical.
People are also concerned about the barrier to entry which appears a bit steep for the average Nigerian. The cost of converting a car ranges from N1.2 million to N1.5 million. This is a price range many Nigerians couldn’t afford to spare at once on something they could survive without, even barely.
It is against this backdrop that Tuface, Basketmouth and Ola of Lagos, none of whom are engineers or experts in petrochemicals, embarked on a fact-finding visit to the premises of Mahanagar Gas, an Indian gas distribution company. They were in the company of a federal government spokesperson with whom they had most of the conversations.
In the video, Basketmouth could be seen conversing with President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra. While playing the novice, Basketmouth enquired about Nigeria’s gas deposits, wastage through gas flaring, and exports to other countries including India.
In another video, legendary singer, Tuface could be seen in a vehicle attributing the low adoption and pessimism of Nigerians to ignorance.
“Ignorance is a terrible thing,” the African Queen crooner said. “Everybody is allowed to be sceptical of something you don’t know about or something you have not experienced,” he added even as he struggled to put his words together.
But Nigerians are not having any of it with many challenging their authority on the very technical and highly specialized issue they have dabbled into at the behest of the government.
Charles Bilulu said: What is the composition of CNG and what is its specific heat capacity? What exactly do you even know about CNG? Some deals dey purge.
Brendan Champion reduced it to the barest minimum saying: Someone said I should ask you what is the full meaning of CNG without using Google.
Jerry Toboh recommended an exchange of professions thus: If they bring Engineers to explore Entertainment, art and culture exhibitions abroad, would you like it?
There are also many who called out the hypocrisy of the lot, emphasising that nobody would take their gospel seriously if they did not first practice what they preach.
Nehemiah Ifeanyi Nwosu queried them thus: How many of you in that team drive a CNG powered car? Una just be enablers of incompetence.
Adebola the Emcee said: Boss, can we revisit this conversation after you convert all your cars? Ola of Lagos sef dey deal in cars, make he convert some in his garage.
Maazi Chukwuma spread the net even wider stating: Buy CNG cars share them to your families, and since you’re an ambassador of it convert all your cars!
Summarizing the futility of the entire affair, Agba Voter simply stated: Let me break it to you…The amount of people convinced is … zero.
As Nigerians continue to express their scepticism, it will be interesting to see what next steps the Nigerian Federal government would take in driving adoption.
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