Brutish Airways is having a hard time. The Brutes now have a 5% drop in passenger numbers according to Business Week. These numbers were even higher when travel to the African continent was considered. Passenger numbers to Africa fell by 7.9%. The Airline is blaming tough economic times for its woes.
Well, instead of dealing with its dwindling economic numbers, the Brutes have now sued Mr. Ayodeji Omotade, the man at the center of the Brutish Airways incident that led to the Nigerian boycott of the airline. Omotade who at one point was accused of doing 'something illicit' for attempting to travel with approximately £1600 (a wedding gift for his brother and sister in law), is now accused of "threatening, abusing, insulting and disorderly behavior towards a member of the crew of the aircraft."
And what is the Nigerian government doing about all this? Your guess is as good as mine. Yardy's administration took a full month to react to the initial incident and then threatened that it "would not tolerate the inhuman treatment of any Nigerian for any reason, even when there are allegations of criminal activities." Yardy even went as far as promising Nigerians in South Africa that his administration would place sanctions on the airline.
Instead, Yardy recently went on an official visit to the United Kingdom. This was despite the very controversial fact that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, offered military intervention to 'help' in the Niger Delta. This offer of 'assistance' has now been seen as an attempt to infringe on the national sovereignty and potentially transform Nigeria into a war zone. If that in itself was not reason enough to cancel the President's trip, then a little lawsuit against a Nigerian citizen whose maltreatment sparked heated debate, diplomatic talks, lawsuits by the Nigerian Bar Association, and the outrage of Nigerians and other sympathetic non-Nigerians around the world is never going to be enough to get Nigeria's leadership to truly protect national pride and interests. Thankfully, a group of organized Nigerians, the Liberty Forum, protested Yardy's visit and forced many of his events in London to be changed or cancelled. If that trip is Yardy's way of working for the Nigerian public and the interests of the people, then the average Nigerian cannot be criticized for continuing to believe that Nigerians cannot wait for their government to protect them.
What is even more unfortunate than the reality that the Nigerian government is unwilling to take any real steps in protecting Omotade and/or Nigerians in general is the saddening reality that Nigerians are not doing enough damage to Brutish Airways. I commend all those who continue to do their part, no matter how small to stand up against discrimination against Nigerians. In Nigerians, 'Brutish Airways & Respect Pt. 1', I specifically pointed to a few strategic options that could show Brutish Airways and any other organization that Nigerians must be respected because our money is just as good as any other consumer. This, if ever, is the time for Nigerians to hit the Brutes where it hurts. The company is already suffering financially and the current state of the global economy does not suggest that things will improve for the airline. Now imagine if every Nigerian and sympathetic supporter travelling with a competitor of the Brutes specifically called competitors and said "I am buying a ticket from you because I am boycotting Brutish Airways." Just that simple act alone, in large numbers would be significant.
Once again, I insist that the current administration ban Brutish Airways from Nigeria's airspace. In addition to this and the other suggestions I have made, I believe that Lagosians should shut down the streets around BA's Victoria island offices via peaceful protest. Residents of Abuja should do the same. BA's headquarters, wherever they may be in the United Kingdom should also be visited by peaceful protesters. And, since the Nigerian government is clearly 'ill-equiped' to protect the interests of its citizens, they should suffer the consequences as well. And as for Omotade, I wish him the best in defending himself against BA. I also hope that someone recorded the incident that happened on that flight from Heathrow that resulted in 136 Nigerian passengers being removed from the flight. Video footage would help to show the world what exactly happened and it would hopefully, put this case to rest.
Further Reading:
1 - Nigerians, 'Brutish' Airways & Respect Pt. 1
2 - Nigerians, 'Brutish' Airways & Respect Pt 2
3 - Finally, Some Concrete Nigerian 'Action' on Brutish Airways
4 - "Casual Racism" at Brutish Airways?
5 - A Brutish Airways 'Apology'?
6 - More on Brutish Airways
7 - Brutish Airways Calls Police on Nigerians
8 - Possible Sanctions Against Brutish Airways

16 Curiosities. Add Yours.:
First!!!
If only we were a Country that had desperate people for change, people who, like you suggested, would actually be the ones to express their dissatisfaction by being the "Lagosians [to] shut down the streets around BA's Victoria island offices via peaceful protest..."
But do we have such folks in Lagos? And I don't mean the usual area boys...
If possible, I encourage you to advertise the N4C group for change on your blog too...we need representatives in Lagos (Nigeria in general). Connections to tell us what's going on down there...
Damn right we do,sign me up ,in fact me ,me and my family.let's give the brutes a taste of their own salt-blaze
oh not just the brutes, ut any other country that think Nigerians think bulls lying down,well if our so call presy ai9nt gonna satnd for us but would rather milk up to the rulers of the world hen i say we follow the calvary and lend our strenght,voice,resources and what have you.we are not just immensly populated we are also a nation that has decided to turn around our fortune with or without yardy and his....
D tragedy of being a Nigerian is dat our ppl would neva stand up 4 things lyk dis. A street protest is very much in order, but would we do it?
Would we not assume our "siddon-look" pose and do nothing?
Shame.
I cannot believe we are still on this issue. FineBoy Agbero, I wonder why u asked who would go on street. You and me and a few others that believe in change of course
And I am buying Jaycees idea of protest. But to do it in Abuja will be more appropriate
I decide to pass by blogosphere today and this is the first thing I see. Very depressing. I cant believe Brutish Airways has the guts to sue the guy but why won't there when we ourselves do nothing.
The protest is a god idea and I am game. If unable to get on the streets, I'm ready to sponsor people to march. Whatever it will take to end this madness.
When it comes to our dear Presido, to expect is to wait and grow old.
As for the Brutes, they definitely must be taking the piss. I'm guessing this counter-sue attempt is to get Mr Omotade to back down and drop his initial charges against the Brutes. I hope he stands his ground.
For BA to report lower load factor in Nigeria is already a great accomplishment on our (Nigerians') part, because economy or no economy, Nigerians are forever travelling, so the BA excuse doesn't ring true in the case of the Lagos-London route. We've started small, but as we continue to get the word out there and not let the issue die, the movement will grow.
Thanks for sharing!
Is it just me or did BA apologise? Okay I guess they did not mean it.
Your heart is in the right place. But as is the case so many times with our people, you are pissing in the wind here...
Maybe the court case will back fire and indeed bring more publicity to the event that transpired. Fingers crossed. Playing the devils advocate here though. I still do not get how this is a national issue at all. If the guy needed help. An attache with the embassy can help him out. Wetin concern Yaradua with this matter sef. But that's just me sha.
Ah, bros Chxta, have you ever tried pissing in the wind? It is actually quite liberating and productive, you might want to try it sometime. I promise, you will thank me later. hahahaha
so british airways is merging with iberia airlines. what impact/effect if any will the merger have on the boycott or viceversa for the new (merged) airline
...i am in utter disbelief...they have the guts to be suing the guy?!...shei!!!...omo, we should just leave yard-head and government in general out of handling our affairs...the same yard-head who flies to germany or wherever for healthcare while an unacceptable number of women are still dying during childbirth...please...
...but again, i ask, what are nigerians waiting for?...this 'siddon look' posture is real old and tired already...oh God!!...
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