Electricity supply was rudely cut off yesterday as the federal government met with diplomatic envoys who were summoned by the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama at the Federal ministry of foreign affairs headquarters, Abuja, to discuss the indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.
The power interruption lasted for ten minutes, obviously leaving the envoys bemused about how the Power Holding Company of Nigeria is no respecter of persons, even those in the seat of power.
It may have been a case of technical fault but forty-five minutes into the parley which was held behind closed doors, the electricity supply went out at exactly 1:01 pm to the shock of many, even with one journalist retorting, ‘Naija!’
Window blinds to the rescue
For the next ten minutes from 1:01 pm when light was snatched from the minister’s conference room, there was no sign of light except for the rays of sunshine sneaking in through the window blinds.
Staff of the ministry hurried to open more blinds to ‘clear the way’ for light and perhaps, air.
Journalists and others standing by the windows had to make way for natural light, just as Onyeama, accompanied by Zubairu Dada, minister of state for foreign affairs, struggled to hide their feelings about the situation.
The minister continued with his remarks anyway, speaking on how Nigeria values its relations with the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and EU, hence the need for the meeting.
By then, some of those in attendance had lost hope that the power supply will be restored before the end of the meeting.
At exactly 1:11 pm, PHCN restored light to the relief of the entire room.