letter to the CEO of BA




Dear Mr Walsh,

RE: AYODEJI OMOTADE AND THE 135 BA PASSENGERS


This is to express my profound shock and disappointment over the callous, inconsiderate and racist way you and your organization have consistently chosen to treat Nigerians, who, no doubt, are among your most important customers. The latest story of Mr Ayodeji Omotade and the other 135 passengers on the March 27 BA75 flight from London Heathrow to Lagos, Nigeria only goes to confirm your tattered reputation amongst Nigerian air travellers. But, this time, I can assure you that you've bitten more than you can chew.


You may wonder why I'm this belligerent. I am because you've showed a total lack of conscience or moral responsibility in your response over this issue. Hear yourself: "We take any treats against our crew and passengers very seriously and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated". What threat? Of course, such fanciful statement could only have emanated from people whose public relations machinery is kaput. For the record, you and your organization are the ones who have threatened, intimidated and humiliated your passengers in this instance. You are the ones who, in a classic exhibition of a lack of class, have chosen to conveniently make Mr Ayodeji Omotade a scapegoat!


Listen and listen very carefully - there is at this moment a critical body of Nigerians worldwide furiously organizing to ensure that Nigerians give you a life-ban, the same one you've thoughtlessly imposed on Omotade. We are going to continue prosecuting you in the court of Nigerian and international public opinion the same way you're prosecuting Omotade in court for daring to advise that you treat an intended deportee like a human being and not a ram to the slaughter. We are going to speak with the power of our pocket, knowing that your London-Lagos route is your second, if not most profitable route. So far, you've shamelessly enjoyed fleecing us of our hard-earned money through your extortionist ticket prices; but now we shall enjoy standing up for ourselves at your expense. We are going to strike you economically in the only legal way we know. And yes, we are going to bring pressure on every living Nigerian, home and abroad, to join us in this effort! We know it's not
going to be easy, but we are determined!


So, do not be deceived. Do not begin to think these are empty threats that will soon fizzle out, because they won't! They won't until you immediately tender an open and honest apology to Mr Omotade for putting him through hell. They won't until you withdraw your statement to the police - a statement that led to his arrest and eventual prosecution. They won't until you let the world know that Mr Omotade was never a threat to your flight in question. Until you revoke the life-ban you've imposed on Mr Ayodeji Omotade, we shall not relent. Until you initiate and conclude actions to stop his prosecution forthwith, we will never forgive you. Until you pay him appropriate compensation for his troubles, you will remain in the doghouse!


You can sit in your plush offices laughing your head off at what you, for now, may consider to be puny threats. But in a few months when you officially take account of the bottom line, you will know where your problem lies. You will know then that your arrogance, bigotry and sheer stupidity did you in.


And, by the way, do not bother to ban me too for life; I've already done that myself! I do not patronize a business that does not understand the meaning of social responsibility. I do not patronize an airline whose operators have no regard for fellow human beings.


Yours sincerely,

__________________
Every homeless clown that shambles along claims to be a Nigerian but can’t stand Nigeria or Nigerians. Go figure!