Like the politicians like the bankers!

Sir: On October 23, 2024, I visited one of the commercial banks to make a quick withdrawal, only to be prevented from doing so! I meant, the bank told me, literarily, that I could not access my money, as I wanted. What it considered a benevolent service to a “nosy” customer like me were the following rules:

No customer can withdraw beyond N5,000:00 cash, daily; no customer can make a transfer to other bank; no customer can be issued a debit ATM card either! And there was no time lag to this silliness.

When I asked, politely, what brought about the restriction, the dismissive attitude of the staff that attended to me gave a vivid imagery of the consolidating relationship between power and impunity in this country.

For those at the corridors of power, abusing people’s rights or circumventing the laws of the land, and still beating their chest to the helplessness of the system comes to mind.

Politicians, law enforcement agents, medical doctors, lawyers, journalists, university lecturers, bosses, rich, parents and virtually all people of position and privileges, our sociological evolution as a people show how much joy we derive from inflicting pains on helpless fellow humans. Education and multiple civilisations we have passed through appeared to have failed in reconditioning our mindsets on this subject matter.

Benjamin Bloom, an American Education Psychologist, said: “Knowing is a permanent change in behaviour as a result of the acquisition of new knowledge.” Despite our advance education, civilisation, industry regulations and laws, just like the ruling elites, our institutions also continued to trample on the fundamental human rights of the law-abiding citizens, with no respite in sight.

So, when I asked the young lady attending to me in the bank about the question why I had to be denied access to my money, which was meant for an important transaction, you will be shocked for her response! She gave me a “bombastic side eye!” A dismissive look!

When I tried to educate her and the two other Tellers on her right and left hand side about the implications of what they have caused me and possibly other customers by their withdrawal restrictions that was not forewarned or publicised, all they did was to reply me with a scorn look!

The Teller lady that attended to me was pompous and dismissive too. When I insisted she make an inter-bank transfer from my account with them to my other account with another bank, she would reluctantly succumbed to my insistence. Even after that, the transaction return failed!

The bank’s branch was Idimu Road, Egbeda, Lagos.
• Shakirudeen Bankole, a human rights and development activist, wrote from Lagos State.