Mastering the art of fainting

Yes, you read right. The title of this piece is indeed mastering the art of fainting. Some might assume that it was a typographical error but it isn't. I chose this topic because it appears as though some personalities in my beloved country have indeed mastered the art or dare I say act of feigning fainting or collapsing. You would think that such "skill" would only be needed by actors on set or stage. But Nooo in Nigeria, some public figures seem to have developed a flare for that skill set.

I came across a video two days ago, where the host of a television show in Nigeria was stating the years and dates where some high profile Nigerians have fainted in public when it appears as though the consequences of their past actions had caught up with them. The short clip with a rhetorical question.

Who is next?

As if to answer her question, AbdulRasheed Maina a former pension boss who has been on the run from the law fainted while he made his long overdue court appearance. He had managed to jump bail and sneak out of the country to neighbouring Niger Republic. Unfortunately for him the long arm of the law caught up with him and he was promptly extradited by Interpol to Nigeria to go on trial. His fainting in court prompted an adjournment of the proceedings to a later date.

This comes just as the Nigerian public is yet to recover from the drama that transpired during the House of Representatives Committee investigation into the activities of the interim management committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission which saw the emergence of the now popular slang "it's ok, off the mic", attempt by some Policemen (who did not apparently get the blessing of the Police top brass) to whisk away one of the interviwees before she appeared before the panel and the height of it was the collapse of acting NDDC MD Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei while being "grilled" by the Committee.

The collapsing scene was indeed like one from a movie as one minute he was answering questions being fired at him and the next minute he is seen beginning to adopt a rather unusual gait, afterwards the glasses slip out of position thereafter followed by his head being bowed towards the table suggesting a loss of consciousness. The climax of the unfolding scene was the interviewee becoming unresponsive and calls by members of the House Committee for him to be examined to ascertain his state of health.

This scene was followed by 'pandemonium' of sorts as he had to be briskly taken out of the session for prompt medical attention. And thus was the end of his appearance on the hot seat of the investigative panel. Although he is likely to have fully recovered, he is yet to be summoned by the panel to continue answering questions from whence the previous session ended.

The incidents involving Prof. Pondei and Mr.Maina are recent additions to the fast becoming long list of public faintings by government appointees and political office holders as it appears they are learning fast and becoming quite proficient in the art of fainting or collapsing while being tried in court or facing investigative panels.

It is either the heat from the questions asked by members of the investigative panels is so much that it causes them to collapses or they've discovered that fainting or collapsing while under trial or investigation is now the new get out of jail free card.

It is only natural that no Judge or panel Chairman will (dare) compel any accused or interviwee to appear in his presence if such individual is determined to be medically unfit (to withstand such pressure or stand trial).

Only time will tell which of the scanarios is actually playing out before the viewing public but I think your guess is as good as mine as to what the actual situation is.

Shukran

Danke

Merci

Gracias

ขอบคุณ

ধন্যবাদ

Спасибо

for reading.