23/08/2024
When some SAns rallied to make Chidinma drop from the Miss SA pageant, Nigerians engaged with the conversation online and later offered Chidinma an opportunity to return home and contest for Miss Nigeria.
Because we are used to bantering with Ghanaians, our distant cousins, we believe SAns will go to rest since they have succeeded in getting what they want. We know banter and do it well, but there is a line you don't cross. Ghanaians know this too well.
But yesterday, some South Africans crossed that line. In the comforts of their homes in SA, they were booking Bolt rides in Nigeria and cancelling them, knowing they did not need those rides since they were not in the country. A flaw I believe the company should address.
This act of economic sabotage caused lots of problems for Nigerian drivers who were already dealing with fuel scarcity in the country. Imagine going almost 3 KM to pick up a passenger only for it to be cancelled and get a message from a random SA man that it was for fun.
Actions have consequences, and unfortunately, Nigerians found this out today and decided to retaliate in fierce ways.
First, they started by booking rides on Bolt and ordering food and electronics. But then cancelling these halfway after the order has gone out and, in some cases, have drivers cluster at a particular area. People couldn't get rides across different cities in South Africa today, and the economy felt the bite.
This should serve as a lesson to both sides. Do not provoke a fight you have no idea how it would end. When SAns started this, what did they expect would happen? Did the Nigerians go overboard in their reaction?
The Internet has become a core part of our daily lives, and nobody should shut down a place where a man gets his daily bread. When you play stupid games, you win stupid prices, and I hope this doesn't repeat itself.
Africa is suffering from enough issues, and the last thing we need right now is to create artificial problems for an already crumbling economy.
Let innocent men who have no idea how these things started earn their daily living and take care of their families in peace.
Martin Beck Nworah
