A Telecom Experience.

Arriving at about a quarter past 8am this morning, I met five people sitted already. They were being issued paper tags for queuing and coordination, since everyone had to take a sit and don't need to remember who came first, before or after who...

About to sit, I slightly wiped the surface of the plastic sit to check for dust, (we were sitted out in the open, by the road side, in front of the office building, downstairs) so there was a slow but sure collection of dust, both over the sits, and we the people...

I was at Glo office —Nigeria's 🇳🇬 indigenous telecom service provider, with every conceivable indigenous telecom service problem, and more...

I had been at this same office some weeks ago but was unable to buy a new SIM card. Which was the same reason I went today. We were told that the National Identification Number (NIN) services was down nationwide. So there was nothing anyone could do as far as purchase and retrieval of SIM cards were concerned.

The NIN is the spawn of the modern day human control system being created the world over. NIN is the Nigerian domesticated equivalent. Just as similar as the Bank Verification Number (BVN) that was mandated some years back. Whether NIN or BVN, one could argue for them, and correctly so.
However, given the tangent of world events, anyone who cares to know and understand what is going on will clearly see that behind every identification and security detailing required by the government is disturbing reality. The government as we know it today is just a piece of pawn in the global order of human control activities. It is the 1% of the 1% trying to control the lives of over 7 billion people on the planet today. This is my personal opinion and you definitely don't have to agree with me. But if the world powers must convince you to give up your privacy and freedom, then they must sell you something convincing enough.

OK. So, this article isn't about global agenda, but one thing connects with the other. Let's get back on point now.

While waiting for us to be called inside in turns, I saw something interesting, almost disturbing. My only regret was not acting fast enough to take a picture. I thought it was going to be there when I was ready for it.
Actually, I began to write this article while we were waiting and yet to be called inside. I didn't want to lose my mojo!

What did I see? I saw a man, not any young man, but a mature man, I suppose in his early 40s, putting on a wedding ring... on his wedding finger... in his left hand. Yeah. Your question. What about a wedding ring? And what's wrong with the finger. It wasn't about about the ring or the finger as it was about the type of ring the man was wearing. It was a woman's type of ring, with all the distinguished design and adornment for ladies.

It was a beautiful ring. The ring 💍 had a diamond (not real diamond) design, shiny, and a heart shape design (with the word 'love') encrusted. The shape, style and design were unmistakable. Again, what if I'm right!? 😁

By 8:50 am they started calling us in, using the issued numbers, serially. By this time 4 more people had joined us. I was number 5. Only one person, the first person, number one, had been called in, and she wasted no time. She was done almost too fast as against the average time of about 10 minutes.

The Glo office was housed on a rental. The top floor of a two storey building. At the ground floor was So Fresh. I didn't have any meal before leaving the house this morning. Which was perfect, except I was leaving for work. I craved the rich looking shawarma advertised on So Fresh outside glass display. At the end, that was all I could do, crave!

Something happened.
Suddenly, there was a call by one of the security guys that everyone should come up. Well, it wasn't much of a thing, though. The reason why were first sitted outside and not let to go straight in is kind of obvious. COVID restrictions. Earlier we were already reminded to kindly put on our face masks while we waited. Well, the security man did say "kindly".

Coming upstairs was bae! I mean, the cooling system was on. We were away from the noise of the major road, and the dust, too. We sat more comfortably. Sitting in a nice and beautiful place affected one's overall frame of mind. In fact, by this time, I was enjoying putting this piece together.

It was 9:21am exactly by now. I was waiting my turn, as was everyone else. The numbers were being followed accordingly. It's 9:22am now. Let me wait for what to add to this write up.

Meanwhile, pretend this is a transmission break...

Oh, by the way, the man with the ladies ring had returned. I think he quickly went to attend to some business while we were waiting to be called in. He borrowed my pen to write and promptly returned it after he was done. He came up to join us upstairs when he came back. He was number 3. By thus time he'd come around to sit next to me, still, I was unable to take a quick picture of his rather amusing wedding ring 💍 on his wedding finger.
So before I could finish typing out this paragraph he'd moved to the front row so that he easily take his turn. Three persons had been attended to already after we came upstairs.

While waiting for my turn, a distant uncle of mine called, to my instant shock —for no other reason except that he never calls by that time. Though there was something to discuss. I was supposed to call him, later today, or tomorrow. Still, the call was overdue.

It was already my turn to be attended to, and I was still on the call, about 5 minutes already. I'd already filled out the required form for the new SIM purchase. So all I had to do was sit across the desk from the customer service attendant, while she went through my details. Upon her satisfaction, it was time for face and finger print capture. I managed through it, with the call on going. By the time she was done attending to me and needed my payment, I still was not done with the call. She had ton hold unto the SIM pack, while I finished with my call, or make my payment. I wasn't having sufficient cash on me, so I was going to make a transfer. However I couldn't even make the transfer, because being on the call for so long had my data connection inactive. It would have been easy if I was connected to a WiFi network.

I stepped out to the balcony to continue with my call. It really was a very important discussion, and I wasn't going to be hurried through it. By the time I was done with the call, it was few minutes past 11am already. I made my transfer, waited for receipt confirmation, but their network (not surprising in Nigeria that a telco provider would not have service right in the service center) was not working.

I patiently waited a bit longer, and I couldn't wait anymore. I had to show the lady attendant my bank debit receipt so that I could leave already. Though she looked unsatisfied, I just had to leave and not suffer for their own inadequacy. By the time I walked out of the building it was already 11:41am.

All I went through to buy a new SIM card.
What a day today.

To be continued...

I love you ✝️
CN Humphrey.