Oh my mama told me
'Cause she say she learned the hard way
She say she wanna spare the children
She say don't give or sell your soul away
'Cause all that you have is your soul
Tracy Chapman- All that you have is your soul.
I have been silent over the past few weeks only because I have been silenced by my environment. My defences have been breached by the various news reports official and unofficial about the state of this once great nation. I still have not learned that one must not take it personally. But then again maybe I never will.
Where do I start? Is it the apparent waste of N800m (yes million) by the Chairman of NDDC to a sorcerer to get rid of his rivals. He was alleged to have been ordered to burn N250m (yes million) as part of the ritual.
Is it the unofficial fund raising for Obama in Lagos that raised over N400m (yes million)? Does Obama need fundraisers from Nigeria? Is he not already the best funded Presidential candidate ever? Could the average man on the streets of Naija coping on less that N500 daily do with some of that money? Or does he have to run for US President to get access? Who are the big boy and girls who were prepared to make these donations whilst ensconced in the cosy confines of the Muson Centre. Did they drive through the streets of Lagos to get there? Did they notice the poverty along the way or is it the case that they were in their blacked out SUVs with the proverbial convoy and sirens.
Is it the total lack of visibility of our fearless leader. Yar Adua, Yar Adua. Wherefore art thou Yar Adua? My love for you at the time of the elections is quickly dissipating. Absence is not making my heart fonder. In the last year I have only had the opportunity to see you once on TV. All other times I have to rely on grainy photos in grainy papers as you meet and greet some contract seeking parasite or other. Where is the State of Emergency on the energy sector? The agricultural sector? The aviation section? The financial sector? The telecoms sector? The public sector?
Apparently we now have about $64bn (yes billion and yes dollars) in reserve due to the generous price of petrol. What are we reserving it for? A rainy day? Everyday I wake up and look outside my window and I see the thunderstorms. Can you not hear it from the deep seclusion of Aso rock? Do your advisors not tell you about all the people drowning out on the streets?
Is it the fact that my very own people continue to let me, and ultimately themselves, down on a daily basis? Where the me first mentality has overtaken everything? Where anything for the boys is now the byword to life? Where progress can only be measured in the size of the contract?
Is it the fact that we went to the Olympics and came back defeated? (Put the football to one side. We should have won the Gold. We beat those boys before and we could have done it again.) What happened to the funds for the athletes? How many athletes went to the Olympics? How many "officials" accompanied them? Why is no one asking questions? Why is no one doing the maths?
Is it the fact that I turn on the telly to see a formerly disgraced Governor being chased and surrounded by journalists who are seeking his views on National matters? Has the man even finished with his own case? Is he still not a criminal? And a thief? Yet he has the audacity to be seen out in public? He seems to have gained the weight back. the good life is evident in his face. I guess it was all a misunderstanding. I suspect he will run for Governor again at the next elections.
These are truly the times that try men's souls. They are certainly trying mine.
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9 comments:
Nero fiddles while Rome burns...I have less and less confidence in this union called Nigeria. The 'man has died' in our citizens. Even those that should know better, have now joined them cos they feel they can't beat them. Hardwork is villified while the executive thieves are celebrated...What values are we teaching our youth...That the end always justifies the means. Stop the bus, I really want to get off. I wonder if South Ossetia is accepting applications for citizenship?
How did she get the Stock exchange job?I thought she was supposed to be intelligent. This is PISS TAKING!!Hasn't she got advisers? They go around sticking their noses where it doesn't belong. Did Obama's campaign organisation ask for her help?Even the corporate bodies and every individual involved in the fund raising should all be arrested and forgotten in jail!! They didn't raise funds to save the security, health,electricity and education sector to start with. She should resign!!! This should go down in the Guiness Book of World Records as THE MOST STUPID FUND RAISING INITIATIVE OF ALL TIMES OR OF THE CENTURY
@yar mama as usual you have hit the nail on the head - Hardwork is villified while the executive thieves are celebrated...If EFCC really want to know where our money is going they just have to read Ovation and City people.
@iyaeto - This should go down in the Guiness Book of World Records as THE MOST STUPID FUND RAISING INITIATIVE OF ALL TIMES OR OF THE CENTURY.... Actually I am sure there will be others.
Everytime my tired soul starts to rise up in hope for my beloved country, something stupid happens to make it sit down. All the points you raised are spot on. Where on earth is Yar'Adua.
Whatever happened to the riots which happened so frequently enough to create boundary lines that the government and the elite could not cross? Corruption was still rife but it did not appear to be a free-for-all as it is now. Where are the students, the market women, the govt. workers. Hasn't everyone had enough?
'yar mama has said everything that I had in my mind. I feel so saddened by everything that's happening because we would be in exactly the same position in another generation. Depressing...
By the way Bros Toks, it is delusional to think that our nation was once great. There is indeed the potential for greatness, but we haven't been there yet, ever.
And when I read posts like this I think and then...
Do you know how many times folks have written post, speeches journals that will make Martin Luther King Jnr stand from his grave and give ovation, yet we are where we are.
Don't get me wrong I feel your pulse on the mentioned but I sit here and all I can think of is then..?
What is going to happen
Will there be a revolution
What would it look like
Can I start a revolution
Has a revolution started
Should I take a trip to Nigeria and pitch my tent outside Aso Rock refusing to go until I speak to Yardy.
So much noise was made about BA's treatment of Nigerians signing petition all over.
Yet no one has made moves on signing a petition to call our Yardy to account for the past year.
I do hope a revolution has started which I have missed, due to my cushioned life of tiramasu after dinner.
Till then I read and say and then...
I think im with 30+. while i agree with intellectual musing which toks seems to be doing, we need more.... something can be done. we can get involved in the politics, change the way politics is played, from one ward to another (not pastor Okotie's style...topdown), we can redraft the agenda in our cubicle (office, busisness, market place etc) great revolutions starts when ordinary people set their minds to extraordinary things. and like Toks rightly pointed out in one of his post...the 'me first mentality' is our archilles heel. most of us are guilty of it.....to some extent.
however, toks is doing better than most of us here in UK, US or other oyibo abode. he deliberately went to naija to contribute, and i really salute this. and until a critical mass of people who think things should be better(who contribute to this blog)rise up and act.......it will always be story story............story. once upon a time......time time
Thanks to you all for your responses.The message is very clear across the board.Talk is cheap although I give thanks to Dotun for giving me the credit for returning to Nigeria to affect a change from within. In my role I had the opportunity to choose any country in the Middle East and Africa to work from and of course I chose Naija. There was never any doubt in my mind. And to be honest bar a few hurdles we have had to clear I do not regret the decision.
As for what to do, and what we can do, about Naija? Well!!!!
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