Professor Johnbull Pooh-Poohs Forced Free Ride By Uniformed Men

This week's episode of the hilarious sitcom on national television and major cable networks, Professor Johnbull, will lampoon certain category of unformed men who use their uniformed status to extort free rides on commercial vehicles. The tendency by these people in uniform to intimidate drivers when asked to pay for a ride in commercial vehicles is now a common practice in society. Rather than pay like every other commuter, the men in uniform, including private security guards, simply respond, by claiming to be "Staff" (in the South-West) or "Award" (in the Eastern parts).

Professor Johnbull, is sponsored by telecommunications outfit, Globacom. The programme titled Staff and Award, draws public attention to this bad practice with a call on senior officers of military and paramilitary forces to caution their personnel from forcibly taking advantage over private citizens and their properties

This latest episode will be aired by 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday on NTA Network, NTA International on DSTV Chanel 251 and NTA on StarTimes with a repeat on Friday at the same time on the same stations.  

In the episode, a senior police officer sheds light on this practice saying that it is an illegal. According to him, for anyone in uniform to refuse to pay for any service, it is a violation of the recent  policy statement by the Lagos Police Command banning its personnel from refusing to pay when they board any public transport.

The events stem from Samson (Ogus Baba) and Professor Johnbull's new housemate Boam (Osita Iheme), who claimed Award in a commercial vehicle where a Forest Guard and a security guard had earlier claimed to be Staff. However,  the driver and his conductor will not have any of that. In order to collect the transport fare from the so-called staff who merely had mufflers round their necks, the driver resorts to self help by abducting and illegally detaining them. Boam manages to escape.  It takes the intervention of the academic, Professor Johnbull (Kanayo O. Kanayo), to secure their release, and this he does after chastising them for claiming what they are not and attempting, illegally too, to deprive others of their means of livelihood.

A sub plot in the drama is the love proposition by Abadnego (Martins Nebo) to Elizabeth (Queen Nwokoye), Professor John bull's daughter. According to Globacom in a pre-show statement, viewers need to see what Elizabeth's response would be.