Ben Oramalugo: ‘Why i wrote Custom Administration in Nigeria’

The Comptroller of Custom in charge of Kebbi Area Command, Dr. Ben Oramalugo, has given reasons for his book titled, Custom Administration In Nigeria.

The well-researched, 238-page book traces the trajectory of Nigeria Customs from pre-colonial period.

Former Minister of Aviation, as well as Information, Chief Nnia Nwodo wrote the forward of the book.

Speaking with The Guardian on what he tried to address with the book, Oramalugo said: “The Nigerian government recently introduced History in schools. It is now a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools. The whole idea is to invigorate the consciousness of Nigeria in the minds of Nigerians. Government recognises that our children are becoming historical illiterates. We all know that if a person doesn’t know where he or she is coming from, the person will never know where he or she is going. Likewise, many Customs officers and other major stakeholders don’t know the trajectory of Customs. Some don’t know that Nigeria Customs started in 1891, even before the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air force.

“Also, I wanted to address the issue of financial rape of Nigerian economy by the people I may describe as the owners of Nigerian economy via duty waivers and exemptions. It is pathetic to note that Nigeria lost about N1.14 trillion to waivers and exemptions between 2010 and 2013.”

According to him, the issue of reforms prompted his research. Pre-colonial and postcolonial reforms, he said, “are germane in Customs trajectory. Some have positive and negative impacts on contemporary Customs.”

On when he started writing the book, the fellow of Nigeria Institute of Management (Chartered), said: “I have been writing since my university days in the early 80s. After my graduation, I wrote in the defunct Daily Star in Anambra State. I was a regular contributor in that newspaper. Besides authoring this book, I have edited a book. I have also contributed articles in both local and foreign journals.

“The hardest part of the book is the Custom reforms. I had to bury myself in the archives to search for colonial documents. The hassles of interpreting and organising the documents were monumental.

“Also my journey to the northern part of the country for research was hazardous. I tried as much as possible to meander through Boko Haram and militant enclaves, to gather materials for the book,” he stated.

Speaking on the fun of writing the book, he said: “The most part of the book that was fun to write was the challenges in Nigeria Customs. In the course of the research I discovered how some companies obtained plethora of waivers and exemptions at the detriment of the Nigerian State. With this revelation, we now know that there is no equitable ground for business competition. Many businesses are operating at a disadvantaged level. They cannot compete with the behemoth companies. Waivers and exemptions are interesting story to behold.”

On what inspired the book, he said: “The need to fill the historical lacuna among Custom officers and stakeholders inspired me to write the book.

“Also there is scarcity of books on Customs. The few ones just pick one or two reforms and discuss them. But this book took a comprehensive analysis of the whole reforms in Customs. Above all, historical bent was given to the book instead of scanty historical masturbation that other books unleashed on their works,” he said.