Esther Njoku asks: ‘What next for the Post Office,’ as she reminisces on the good old institution and how technology has literally robbed it of all its responsibilities.
Once upon a time, the world could not do without the post office. Then it was a beehive of activities and a great player in the socio-economic life of nations. Virtually all forms of communications (outside TV, radio and newspapers) were done via the post office. Whether you wanted to send a business letter, job application letter, love letter to one’s sweetheart; even short quick messages, such as telegrams, telex or faxes; locally or internationally, the post office was always the place to go. Even some radio and television messages and greetings were done indirectly via post offices.
Some newspapers and magazines (subscription) also got distributed via the post offices. Same for distant and international retail purchases, where products were ordered via mail correspondences and received via post pretty much like the current day online purchasing. Students in schools also received money from their parents and benefactors, through post offices. Post offices also serve as retail points for examinations forms such as JAMB etc.
Yes, back then the importance of the post office could not be over-emphasised.
But things are different now. With all the inventions and technological advancements, which have led to newer, faster and more efficient ways of communication and messaging, the post office seems to have become a mere relic of those days, or an institution fast racing into extinction. It has almost totally been replaced by the internet, with its various forms of messaging such as emails, text messages (SMS), facebook, twitter, whatsapp, linkedin, Instagram…; such that the buildings now lie fallow and the workers now go there to loaf. In fact, for children born just before the turn of this millennium or right after, the above narratives may well read like some folk tales.
It is for this reason that The Nation visited some post offices. What exactly still goes on in these (post) offices? Is it true that the workers now have nothing to do? If not, what activities or patronages do they still get?
Isolo NIPOST
The Isolo Post Office is tucked away in a corner beside the Mushin-Isolo fly-over, not too far from the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway by Iyana-Isolo Bus Stop, Lagos. But you ordinarily wouldn’t notice it – except if you’ve always known or happen on it by some dint of luck. The building itself looked worn-out and not exactly welcoming. The space, which housed the post office, also housed an eatery and a cybercafé.
For a moment, it was a bit difficult to determine if the post office itself had any staff of its own because its section looked desolate and did not appear busy in any way. Almost stranded, this reporter eventually located a security man, who showed her into the post office’s office, where she learnt that the manager was busy and wouldn’t be able to speak with her. Another official however agreed to talk, albeit, reluctantly.
The official, who pleaded for anonymity, insisted that the post office was surviving and thriving well despite the advancement in technology and the various instant messaging methods. If not, she argued that they (post office staff) would not be there.
When asked how busy they were on a normal day, she insisted that they’re always very busy. It must however be said that this reporter, throughout her visit to this post office didn’t notice any customer come in or leave. In fact, the atmosphere did not signal any kind of activity.
Ironically, she insisted that “people still post lots of letters every day, so much so that it is difficult to keep track of them.”
Interestingly, when asked if she had any suggestions on how to increase patronage and get young people to use the post office, she promptly suggested that young people, especially students could use the post office by sending and receiving their school transcripts. She added that should they cultivate the habit of posting letters once in a while, things would be a lot better for the post offices.
Aspamda NIPOST
At the Aspamda post office along Badagry Expressway, Lagos, there was a bit of activity. Located in the heart of the busy market, one could say that this post office was slightly busy on the occasion of this reporter’s visit. She also got a warm welcome from the manager, who insisted that she addressed her as Mrs. Akpan, as against the officious ‘madam’.
She revealed that the crop of people who use the post office these days are mostly businessmen. She said, “We have the private box, business box and company box; but the most actively used are the business boxes.”
She explained that this is so because businessmen do business on a daily basis with their business partners overseas and hence cannot do without the post office, as they use it to send and receive goods from states within Nigeria and abroad.
Unlike in the past, she explained that the Private Mail Box (PMB), meant for individuals is now rarely used and hence no longer as active.
Speaking on how busy a normal day can get and how much the instant messaging technologies have affected the (post office) business, she said, “We are still busy and active regardless of whatsapp, yahoo and other instant messaging technologies, because it is not all documents that can be sent through phones.” She conceded though that people don’t post much letters these days like in the past. “Most young people do not use the post office because they feel it is too slow, but we do have the fast way like EMS Speed and it could be suitable and adequate for young people.”
FESTAC NIPOST
The manager at FESTAC post office however thinks there are lots of misconceptions about the post office.
Mr Raymond, as he introduced himself, said, “People have the wrong idea about post offices. It is not just for sending letters; it is for a whole lot of other things. There are so many things that cannot be sent over your phone or online, such as hard copies of documents.”
He insisted that the post office remains a facility for everyone.
But on how busy they get on a normal day, the manager smiled and said, “We are busy but not that busy.”
On why young people of today don’t seem to reckon with the post office that much anymore, he said “When I was younger, there was no young person who didn’t know about the post office. It was extremely important because it was an avenue to purchase JAMB forms and the likes, but it is not like that anymore.
“Now, the banks have taken over. They sell the various exam forms and people even prefer to go to the banks because they are more efficient and accountable.”
He also revealed that the post office once had a section, where people sent emails when it first surfaced. “But then the rights were sold out to everyone and it became less lucrative, hence we had to drop it.”
On business efficiency, he said there were other avenues the post office could delve into to make it more profitable and lucrative, but which are yet to be explored due to bureaucracy and red-tapism. For instance, he said the post office could delve into cybercafé business.
About the stamp duty regime introduced by the federal government recently, he disagreed that it is a way of creating revenue generation for the post office. He said: “The stamp duty is a source of revenue to the government and it was not introduced because the post offices are not making money, because for every transaction that we make – whether home or abroad, we make our money. Post offices don’t just send letters; they also send goods to and from the country.
Mr Raymond is however optimistic that the post office may yet return to its glory days, with proper and effective planning.
The proposed NIPOST Bank
Recently the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu made a proposal to the president about creating a NIPOST Bank. The bank, he said, will serve the banking needs of those residing in the rural areas.
Should this be accepted, it means the post office will soon return to its busy days and prosperous days, as it will no longer serve as just a post office but also as a bank.
The idea of a post office doubling as a bank is however not strange. The Nation can authoritatively reveal that in Japan, the biggest bank happens to be a post office bank; hence this might just be the much needed turn-around Nigerian post offices need.
