AT about 09:13 am on Thursday, August 18, 2022, at the Igando Bus Stop, along the ever-busy LASU-Igando road stood a group of men, numbering over 23, vigorously deliberating over the state of the nation. Commuters also stopped by for a brief moment to catch a glimpse of the front page and to get their own fair share of the ‘Big stories’.
At a time when others are on their way to their various places of interest, these ‘conscious’ Nigerians were seen exchanging words in heightened tones, seeking a form of recognition among their co-analysts.
As the radio stations carry out newspaper analysis, these men also analyse contents on the pages of the National dailies, laid bare on a table by the Newspaper vendors. It was a fun sight to see the amount of energy and vigour they used to discuss Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. Some questioned the visit, dishing out what they deem as facts to back their claims. The most exciting part about this group is that they are not all discussing the same topic.
A stratum of that group was also observed to have been discussing the pending ASUU strike and the denial of the Niger Republic Government concerning the purchase of 10 vehicles, supposedly, by the Nigerian government.
If at any time you ever doubt the political consciousness of the Nigerian people, then a visit to a well-positioned Newspaper stand would convince you. These analysts, (mostly men) form part of what is now commonly known as the Newspaper Free Readers Association. After congregating at the stands from various homes, one person starts the conversation, which in turn goes round, with everyone, informed or uninformed, wanting to have something to say.
These discussions last for hours, depending on the weight of the issue and the number of ‘analysts’. At times, these discussions do not end well as opposing views may quickly degenerate into arguments, which in turn translates to the dispersement of the crowd.
A Pulse. ng article groups these free readers into three:
The first rank is the General Reader who pays a token between #50 and #100 to access the newsstand and read all the papers available for the day. He leads the discussions based on the knowledge he has garnered over the years and is usually a retired civil servant or pensioner who has seen it all. His knowledge of events and issues comes quite handy and others listen and make reference to him, after all, he is credible and can be a trusted source of information.
The second rank in the Free Reader’s Association is the Senior Reader who aspires to be a General Reader. He is given that position owing to the fact that he has put in a considerable amount of time at the newsstands and is well known to the vendors since he is a regular. He must have been a regular customer in the past and owing to this, he has free access to the stands as all the vendors know him. He is the one who often initiates discussions on any topic and waits for others to jump in, to show his prowess and knowledge.
He has all the information at his fingertips and knows the who-is-who in government even if he has never seen any of them physically. He is a passionate fan of a European club and can reel out names of past and present players.
The third rank of the Free Readers is the 'Assistant Vendors; they have been at the stands long enough to be so trusted by the vendors to help in passing out papers to buyers and even collecting the money for such sales.
As Nigerians get set for the much anticipated 2023 general elections, there is every need for the electorates to be fully aware of the implications of their choices. As such, YOU as a voter must seek the right information, to make the right choice.
