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23/11/2017

A night with the heroes of Maiduguri
by Gwadabe Hafiz Mustapha

I remember been driven in a very dark and empty street of maiduguri with my cousins back in 2013. The roads were very dark and empty, and you could drive for miles without seeing anybody except civilian JTF. 2013 was a very bloody year for people of Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno state north east Nigeria. A lot of people were killed by the Boko haram insurgents, Boko haram means "western education is forbidden" the group was founded by late Mohammad Yusuf. The aim of the group is to establish an Islamic state in Northern Nigeria. The group radicalized a lot of people leading to the violent uprising in maiduguri in 2009, in wich mohammed yusuf was summarily executed. In 2011 there was an unexpected resurgence in boko haram attacks, the group was this time lead by yusuf second in command abubakar shekau. The group under shekau launched dearing attacks on strategic locations like the su***de bombing of the police headquarters in Abuja, and also the su***de bombing of the united nations office in Abuja.The bloodshed forced the then President Goodluck Jonathan to declare state of emergency in 2013, the president directed the immediate deployment of troops to the state for more effective internal security operations in the state. The state of emergency came with restrictions, highways linking Maiduguri and other parts of Borno were closed, night curfews and GSM communication also cut off. After the declaration of state of emergency, a group of youth volunteers emerged to help the military flush out Boko Haram. The group was known as Civilian Joint Task Force, the group was championed by the then GOC of 7th Division Lt col Sagir Musa.

I went to Maiduguri in 2013 during the period of state of emergency, I was there to visit my cousins and their grandmother. Before visiting I heard a lot of news about the Civilian JTF, and was very excited that I was finally going to see the heroes of Maiduguri. It was during the holy month of Ramadan when we travelled to Maiduguri from Kaduna, and we arrived Maiduguri around 6pm. My first glimpse of Civilian JTF was at Auno the entrance of Maiduguri, I was together in the same car with my aunt and she showed me members of the civilian JTF. I saw youth holding light arms like sticks,matchete,swords, bows and arrows and also dane gun checking each car before it passes and they are been assisted by heavily armed military men. I felt like I was entering another country because of the security checks people were subjected to, this made me wonder how the insurgent are able to attack with all this checks before you enter Maiduguri.

After iftar, around 9pm we got the news that my cousins grandmother was very sick, and we all decided to visit her despite knowing that there was a curfew imposed from 8pm to 6am.We were about 10 in number and we all cramped inside a 4 runner jeep, we left Jidari Polo to visit her on Damboa road. We arrived at her residents without any problem and checked on her and we wished her a very quick recovery. On our way back home the road was very dark and empty, there was (CJTF) check point every 500meters. We passed about ten (CJTF) check point in which we were all asked to come out of the car, and we were asked a lot of questions, in hausa by the (CJTF) who had a very strong Kanuri accent before we were allowed to move on. At the last check point before we reached home, we were stopped again by the (CJTF). The asked us all to come down of the car, and they asked us all to sit down on the pavement of the empty road.The (CJTF) were holding all sought of weapons like sticks, matchete, gariyo and many more which I have never seen before. Most of the (CJTF) members we meet at check point were highly intoxicated, and we were all afraid. One of the (CJTF) members asked my uncle in Hausa,where are you coming from and my uncle replied we are coming back from checking a sick patient. And then the (CJTF) operative said don't you know there is curfew from 8pm to 6am and your going out with about 10 kids, what if something happens. My uncle immediately apologized to the (CJTF) and was explaining the circumstances that made us go out, when suddenly one of the (CJTF) insulted him in Kanuri. My uncle stood up and insulted him back, and then some of (CJTF) rose up from where they were sitting and tried to attack him with all sought of weapons. My heart almost cut, and all the other children were shouting "Inalilahi waina ilahi rajiun" and some were even crying when they saw what was happening.
But my uncle stood his ground and deared any of them to touch him and see and non of them touched him, how brave of him. It took the effort of some elderly people passing by, before exchange of insults between my uncle and (CJTF) stopped. We reached home around 12am, but that was not the end of it. On reaching home one of my cousin (Usman), told the house help (masa) about how the (CJTF) insulted and even tried to attack their father. Masa and the other house help (Bana) immediately went to their room and carried matchetes, they left the house very angry. Masa and Bana went out in the middle of the night and mobilized there friends, to come and attack the check point were they tried to attack my uncle. Masa and Bana came back in the middle of the night with their friend holding all sought of weapons, they headed directly towards the check point where the incident happened. My aunt was in the room sleeping when Usman woked her up, and told her what Masa was up to. She immediately wore her hijab and asked me to es**rt her. As we left the gate of the house we saw Masa from a far in group of mob walking very fast, we tried calling him to comeback but to no avail and we were very afraid to move further for fair of been caught in the farcas. So we stood there in front of the gate waiting for Masa and Bana to comeback, but we could hear the sound of fighting going on. Thirty minute later Masa and Bana resurfaced, the looked very tired and my aunt scolded them for going to attack the (CJTF). Masa and Bana later told us that when they went to confront (CJTF) manning the check point, the (CJTF) all ran helter chealter and they chased them. They later reported the issue to the military personnel in the area, and they promised to investigate the matter. The next morning around 7am masa came to inform my uncle that some military men wanted to see him, my uncle immediately followed masa outside to see them and we all excitedly followed them. There were three military men and one (CJTF) who said he was the head of ( CJTF) in jidari polo, they apologized for the incident that happened the night before and. also told us that they have dismantle the check point were the incident happened.

After that horrifying incident that happened and a lot complains and petitions by other people, the Borno state government initiated programs to regulate the activities of (CJTF). The government created programs for the (CJTF), so that when peace inevitably returns the (CJTF) will not become a problem. The state gave (CJTF) members uniforms and promise to pay them a montly stipend of $100. The state also encouraged them to join the Army, police and other paramilitary service. On the 14th march of 2014 the vigilante helped the military avert the fall of maiduguri, when the insurgent made a dearing attempt to overrun Giwa barrack.
However the fight against boko haram has brought heavy casualties on the (CJTF), the (CJTF) have lost over 600 of its members to attacks by boko haram. Most of the casualties were caused by su***de bombers who try to attack strategic places in Maiduguri which were mostly averted (CJTF) or ambushes layed on them by boko haram.
After that incidence, and also meeting people who had experienced the war first hand. It made me realize the importance of peace, and why we most all do our best to ensure peace reign in our society.
May God Almighty bring peace to our society Ameen.

23/05/2017

When all Chibok girls are released, you will become jobless – Presidency attacks Aisha Yesufu

Source: Daily Post

President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide on Social Media matters, Lauretta Onochie, has written an open letter to a co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG group, Aisha Yesufu.

Recall that Mrs. Yesufu had in a video footage she shared on twitter, called for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari, citing health issues that have frustrated economic activities in the country.

Yesufu added that Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was also inactive.

Recall that the President’s aide had yesterday suggested that Aisha is boiling due to the fact that her principal overlooked her in some political appointment.

But in a letter she wrote on Monday morning to the BBOG convener, Onochie said, “Dear Aisha Yesufu,

“I do hope you are feeling a bit better than you did at the point you had a meltdown or better still, a recorded video nervous breakdown, over a government Nigerians say is serving them better.

“Most Nigerians were shocked and are still confused at your tantrum. Nigerians understood and identified with your frustration at not being able to get the government of Pres. Jonathan to take responsibilities for the missing girls.

“Nigerians and the whole world were with you and the rest of the campaign team. I joined in the UK, helping to drum up support internationally, for the campaign to free our girls.

“But your childish tantrum and incoherent ranting at Pres. Buhari were totally uncalled for especially as it is less than two weeks since 83 of the Chibok girls, gained their freedom, under the government of Muhammadu Buhari and yes, Acting President Osinbajo.

“Over the nearly two years since the inception of this government, you have turned the campaign on its head and the campaign is taking a personal and malicious dimension. That’s what long campaigns do to those who set out to engage in campaigns with personal and selfish motives embedded.

“Aisha, the warning signs are all there that it’s now all about you. You began to feel that if an advocacy does not submit to the format, then it’s wrong. What the whole world wants is for the girls to be rescued and brought home to their loved ones. That’s the point. The focal point.

“You also began to feel that the captivity of our missing girls weighs more heavily on your heart than on the hearts of President Buhari, Acting Pres. Osinbajo and others.

“Consequently, when the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, launched a book in honour of the missing girls and donated all the proceeds to the Chibok and the Buni Yadi parents, all hell broke loose because she did not obtain permission from you.

“You obviously have a skewed view of your place in our nation. You are not the one who decides how people render support to others. You have lost touch with the reality that how we contribute to the advocacy, differ from person to person.

“Again, you began to forget that is not a franchise and so you do not have the exclusive rights to run the campaign. You lost the ability to respect, appreciate and accommodate others’ styles and contributions towards the campaign to bring our girls home.

“For someone who has become obviously obsessed with the idea that the campaign platform is now a personal business venture, it can be very frustrating to see the whole world, showering praises on President Muhammadu Buhari for the return of some of the girls.

“Ordinarily, what could have been a source of joy and pride for you too, has become a source of anger because in your warped mind, you did it all alone and only you deserve the accolades.

“But the accolades on President Buhari are well deserved.

“The government of President Buhari, like any other responsible and responsive government across the world, is definitely doing a lot of things differently from the previous administration which has culminated in the return of not only some of our Chibok Girls but also, thousands of Nigerians from the North East who were also abducted and taken into captivity.

“Furthermore, your obsession with wanting to set up a camp in the Presidential Villa, completely blinded you to the fact that this government has actually begun to realise what the campaign was set up to achieve.

“Evidence abound that the government of the day is totally committed to the theme of your President campaign.

“Unlike the government of Jonathan that needed convincing that the girls were indeed missing, the Nigerian government under Pres. Buhari, from its inception, put processes in place to search for and recover the Chibok girls.

“So what ticked you off on the wrong side, Aisha?

“Are you not pleased that the President Buhari led government is recovering the girls?

“Are you afraid of what shape your life would take if all the girls were recovered and the campaign folds up?

“What’s your real reason for wanting President Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo out of the way?

“Is there a sinister motive that you are hiding from all of us?

“Venting your anger in the way you did in the video, clearly suggests that you had expected something to happen that would bring about the end of the Buhari/Osinbajo Administration but that thing did not happen. Could it be the much touted Coup d’état? Just asking!

“I do understand that you do not understand that it’s okay to appreciate this government for the much it has done and keeps doing to secure the return of all captives in our nation.

“This is a clear pointer that you have lost the plot and need help! I believe too, like many well-meaning Nigerians that you have successfully hijacked the Campaign for your selfish ends so you need to step aside for the Campaign to refocus and find its bearing.

“This will accord you the time to reflect of your recent actions and seek help. I do mean it in the nicest way. YOU NEED HELP, Sis. ‎

“On the 17th of January 2016, I had cause to make the same suggestion to Ms. Bukky Shonibare. I have no way of knowing if she took my counsel or not, but her pattern of campaign has assumed a fairly more sensible and reasonable face.

“Again, everyone I know in the campaign has something else they are doing. Bukky is now a Social Entrepreneur, working to support an IDP camp and making a success of it.

“Dr. Oby Ezekwesili’s busy lifestyle outside the BBOG’s Campaign, is well documented and in the public domain.

“Mrs. Hadiza Bala Usman joined politics and although still campaigning for the safe return of our girls, she’s now the boss at the Nigerian Ports Authority.

“Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is still supporting the campaign to bring back all our girls and playing her role in supporting the rehabilitation of the girls that have so far been rescued.

“You would have still had this nervous breakdown had all the girls returned two weeks ago, because that would have meant the end of the campaign, a reality, you are not prepared to face up to in your present hate-filled state of mind.

“Howbeit, Our prayers have been that all the girls are recovered and brought home safely.

“Once you have repented of your machinations and attention-seeking tantrums, in addition to running the campaign, you’ll need to find something else to engage yourself. As they say, “An idle mind is the devils workshop.

“ was doing a fantastic job of advocacy for the return of the missing girls. So is the Murtala Mohammed Foundation, the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari and millions of other individuals across the world.

“The recovered girls are being given the best of all round care, as enumerated by the Hon. Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Al-Hassan.

“Advocacy for the return of our Chibok girls doesn’t have to be a one-size-fit-all. It’s not the exclusive right of any group or persons. The important thing is that we all want our girls home and alive. The goal is the same.

“And that goal is being achieved in the midst of President Buhari giving further assurances that all will continue to be done to find the remaining girls and bring them home to their families. That’s our focus. That should be yours too. Repent and quit throwing childish tantrums!”

09/04/2017

Letter to the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sunusi

I have consistently agreed with most of what the Emir stood for and I promoted his views. My area of disagreement which I presented as advice to the Emir is for him to leave politics so that he can stay on his stool and enjoy the respect of his subjects.

Attacking politicians will depose him sooner than we expect and this is the truth and nothing but the truth. My position is today vindicated by social media campaign launched by the government against the Emir. The special Assistant to the governor has posted pictures of the Emir kissing,holding and romancing ladies in public. He also published reports by Premium Times about the Emir's infidelity with a married woman. That is a percussion to crisis with battle line drawn between the Emir and the government. If the Emir had not entered the dirty waters of politics there was no way that kind of stuff could come from Kano State government. It is an unfortunate episode and exactly what I was trying to prevent.

What is the effect of it?

Kano is a conservative and religious society. Those details will destroy the image of the Emir. We will see what will follow as events unfold.The government is also investigating 3bn money belonging to Kano Emirate council which the emir squandered by buying two Rolls Royce cars and other luxuries including travels on chartered planes. The governor of Kano does not charter planes. Late Ado Bayero did not charter planes. How can the people of Kano be happy with their Emir when his lifestyle is at variance with their own? The Emir condemned Kano people for being the poorest in country but then portrays himself as the most wasteful and ostentatious royal in the country.

Back to corruption scandal,the government is set to investigate financial deals of the Emir. The likely result is the invitation of EFCC that may lead to the arrest of the Emir. The government can also use the report to depose the Emir,repeating what late Sardauna did to depose his grandfather,Emir Muhammadu Sanusi.That will be sad and unfortunate.

Not leading by example

Emir Sanusi is becoming an embarrassment to Kano by preaching what he does not practice. He said it was wrong for the government to borrow from the Chinese while he had borrowed from the Chinese to renovate his palace. He said it was wrong for the Chinese to use Chinese labour for the rail project forgetting that it was the Chinese and Turks that renovated his palace and private houses. The Emir bought 500m Rolls Royce and is preaching against wasteful spending.

The governor is using a Range Rover and Toyota Land cruiser.. Compare that with a Rolls. The same Emir advised women to slap their husbands instead of reporting them to authorities for domestic violence. What kind of advice is that from a Royal Father? Tell me how women can slap their husbands and still keep their marriages. And the same Emir is preaching against rampant cases of divorce in kano and at same time creating conditions that give birth to divorce.

Via Zahradeen Maccido

21/09/2016

Joana Idakwo Thursday, September 15, 2016
www.mind-investors.com


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INVESTING IN THE MINDS OF NIGERIA'S CHILDREN





Education is essential to alleviating poverty, ending class disparity and encouraging the possibilities of sustainable economic growth. Nigeria suffers from a wide discrepancy in education level between the rich and poor, females and males, and most importantly from zone to zone. Girls continue to lag boys in educational attainment, and Nigeria's northern zones are still plagued by high levels of illiteracy.
Mind Investors was established to provide an avenue for helping to advance education in Nigeria by enhancing education and learning in Nigeria through the provision of reading materials and literary aids. We recently held our first Book Fair event in Nigeria in Kaduna.
This year's book fair theme was titled "Switch that TV off and read a book". The city of Kaduna was chosen because first and most importantly the Northern part of Nigeria appears to have the highest level of uneducated people. The second reason why it was chosen is because I call Kaduna home. Thirdly Kaduna was chosen because the state is governed by a visionary man who believes that education is the key to freedom, and is implementing laudable initiatives to promote education in the State.
Mind Investors worked countless hours to transform their dream 'of putting at least one book each in the hand of approximately 5,000 children' into a reality. Twenty-three schools attended the event and three thousand books were shared to the excited children. An additional 5000 books were donated to the Kaduna State Museum which has an educational unit which deals directly with public schools and literacy promotion in Kaduna State. The children present were excited and engaged as the trained group of professionals helped increase literacy skills through reading activities, art and craft activities, read aloud, quizzes, literacy strategies, collaborative learning, and teacher conferencing.
The event was made free to grant access to school communities unable to provide adequate/alternative educational opportunities for their children. This opportunity enabled government school children to meet with and interact with their peers from private schools. The environment vibrated with the joys of children eager to read to succeed.
As we begin to uncover the challenges of literacy in today's youth, we must remember that developing a dream is only the beginning to implementing the reality. Education is imperative in a child's future endeavors. When we take a look at our communities, we want to see continuous progression and growth, we want to see prosperity and an abundance of security, and we want to leave behind a legacy of educational ambition.
In order to fulfil this vision, we need to support literacy - the common core of education. We need children who read more, we need problem solvers, and we need a cultural vision that will cultivate the art of education. How do we get this done? It starts with Me and You! We need more leaders, teachers, and mentors who are dedicated towards educating children so that they could become the great thinkers of tomorrow.
We need to encourage a reading culture among our children, be it through traditional or e-learning techniques. More Book Fairs should be encouraged and promoted across the country.
What happens to a dream deferred? Too many dreams are being neglected due to the lack of educational advancement and opportunities.
Although there are many challenges that Nigeria will need to grapple with in the arduous task of developing a strong and virile educational system, I believe that individuals and organizations must be ready to step up to the plate and contribute in whatever way they can. At Mind Investors, we believe first that making books available to children who would otherwise not be able to access or afford them is a critical part of the solution. The presence of programs like the Kada Book Fair will continue to promote the literacy culture among the children and youth in the State. It will better equip the target audience with the appropriate much needed tools to be able to compete equally with their peers around the country and world at large.

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20/09/2016

Osinbajo said there was no way Nigeria would not be affected given the fact that “the nation now loses over one million barrels of crude oil on a daily basis.”

The Vice-President said this on Monday at the maiden meeting of the Presidential Quarterly Business Forum with members of the organised private sector and other stakeholders at the State House Conference Centre, A*o Villa, Abuja.

Osinbajo also said the Federal Government did not envisage that there will be a huge drop in the production of crude oil.

He attributed the drop in production to the constant bombing of pipelines by militants in the oil rich region.

Osinbajo said “Perhaps it is important for us to understand the nature of this recession in which we have found ourselves. In discussing this issue of recession there is tendency for people to generalize. A lot depends on what sort of recession and how we got here.

“If we did not have vandalisation in the Niger Delta as we are currently suffering, we will not have this recession today. Moreover in looking at the solutions, we should try to focus on the type of problem we have and what instigated it. Then we can begin to come up with better solutions.”
Source: https://thewhistler.ng/story/recession-vice-president-blames-militants

The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday, blamed the militants in the Niger Delta for the current economic recession the country is facing.

20/09/2016

Businessman and former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, has disclosed that the economic recession afflicting Nigeria started 2 years ago, and that when he drew attention to the development in 2014, he was abused by those in power at the time for pointing it out.

The recession of Nigeria’s economy was confirmed when the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, issued a report claiming that the economy shrank by 2.06 percent in the second quarter of 2016, after the economy contracted by 0.36 percent in the first quarter of 2016.
The former governor, who spoke to newsmen at the weekend in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, where he was hosted by some prominent Umuahia indigenes, stated that the recession started back in 2014 when he said the Federal Government was borrowing money to pay civil servants.


According to him, “The recession started in 2014. It is just that Nigerians are biased. When I shouted in 2014 when Federal started borrowing money to pay civil servants and I said there was recession, they abused me, but I saw it coming because I am an employer of labour with over 9000 Nigerian workers, so I am an authority.

“I believe that President Buhari needs emergency laws to tackle the recession. The President has to design special law and send to the National Assembly to grant him emergency powers to tackle the economic recession because we have no two ways to go. We need to know that our belts should be tightened very well.”

He added, “The moment the manufacturing sector attains full-capacity production, there will be less dependence on importation and this will shore up the value of the naira.”

14/03/2016

Mr. Godwin Emefiele’s Report:
Quote
“It is either I do not understand
economics and how exchange
rates work or a vast majority of
us Nigerians still don’t get how
we have wrecked our country
with our own curious choices.
Just this morning, I was listening
to the radio and the lady on air
went on and on about how she
thought CBN governor, Godwin
Emefiele was incompetent and
should be sacked because the
Naira was now exchanging at
309 or so to the USD.
“That view pretty much echoes
the sentiments expressed by
many people I know and it
amazes me that there are
Nigerians who actually think
there is some magic POLICY that
can make the Naira strong in the
near term. If my economics and
my understanding of the way the
world works are right, then that is
as far from the truth as Jesus
Christ is black.
“The simple fact of the matter is
that apart from oil that accounts
for over 90% of our revenues, we
really don’t have much of an
economy. We hardly produce
anything, we import even
toothpicks, so exactly what
policy is going to be implemented
that will turn Nigeria into a top
exporting economy in the near
term? Where are our Apples,
IBMs, Disneys, GMs, General
Electrics, Coca Colas, Empire
State buildings, Statues of
Liberties, Lockheeds, Citibanks,
JP Morgans, ExxonMobils, NBAs,
Super Bowls etc? Let me bring
that closer home.
“There was a time long ago when
Nigeria had a truly strong
economy and the naira was one
to the dollar – even exchanged
for higher than the USD, but that
Nigeria is not this Nigeria. Sadly
that Nigeria was laid by the
British, and this Nigeria (if you
don’t believe in the nonsensical
imperialist conspiracies like me)
– fueled by the DAMAGING
Indigenization Decree, has been
the creation of us Nigerians.
Back then we had a booming
economy.
We were either the top, or among
the top exporters, of timbre,
cocoa, groundnuts, rubber, palm
oil, etc, in the world. Nigerians
not only holidayed at home in
their villages, at Yankari Games
Reserve, at Obudu Cattle Ranch,
at Oguta Lake, at Ikogosi
springs, at Gurara Falls, at
Mambilla Platueau, etc, we
attracted international tourists
who brought in loads of foreign
exchange. Even Nigerian schools
were foreign exchange earners
because they attracted foreign
students.
“We had different car assembly
plants – Peugeot, Volkswagen,
Anamco etc. Nigerian
government officials only bought
vehicles assembled in Nigeria for
official cars. We had a thriving
sports industry. We were not Man
United or Chelsea fans, we were
Rangers or IICC fans. We had the
Nduka Odizors, people made
money from sports. We also had
companies like Lennards and
Bata producing school shoes in
their thousands, we had the
thriving Nigerian Airways and the
Aviation School in the north that
produced some of the best pilots
in the world.
In those days if you were brilliant
you were respected much more
than the crass money-miss-road
contractors of today. Most of the
Aje Butters I knew had fathers
who were university dons. Back
then it meant something to ‘know
book’. Our textile industry was
alive and well. Just recently I
watched a news report on the
textile industry in Nigeria on
CCTV News. Though the main
focus was on the comatose
status of the industry, I was
stunned by the gigantic Kaduna
Textile Mill built in 1957. I could
go on and on.
“Today however, no thanks to our
parents (and we must call them
out the way Wole Soyinka did his
generation) and many of us (and
we should be remembered for
failing our children if we continue
like this), we have destroyed
everything. Today for instance
Nigerian football (which comes
easy to me obviously) doesn’t
appeal to us, we have to fly
across thousands of miles to
watch ‘our’ clubs play. Every year
we collectively burn billions of
Naira being fans of clubs that
give us nothing back, but some
‘entertainment value’ – simple
pleasures for which we are ready
to destroy the future of our
children.
“Well people, payback time is
here. Even with our ta-she-re
money we all want to wear
designer clothes and carry
designer bags, Armani, Givenchy,
Louis Vuitton etc. We all want to
drive jeeps with American specs,
our children must now school
overseas and acquire the
necessary accents to come back
home and bamboozle their ‘bush
and crass’ contemporaries that
they left behind. Who holidays in
Nigeria anymore, is there
Disneyland here? No one buys
made-in-Nigeria school bags for
their children, after all no
Superman or Incredible Hulk or
Cinderella on them.
“We are no longer top exporters
of anything and the demise of oil
means we have zilch… zero. A
country of 170M fashion-
conscious people has no textile
industry. We take delight in
showing how our made-in-
Switzerland A*o Ebi is different
class to everyone else’s. When
we help our musicians grow and
pay them millions, they repay us
by immediately shipping the
monies overseas to produce their
“i-don-dey-different-level” music
videos. It makes no difference
that distinctly Zulu dancers are
dancing to a Nigerian highlife
song.
“As stars concerned they also
wed and holiday overseas to
impress us all. All the musicians
who acknowledge their Ajegunle
roots now speak in a cocktail of
strange accents to symbolise
how much they have blown their
monies overseas. Were we a
more serious people, the highly
popular Kingsway Stores of the
past would probably have a
thousand outlets pan Nigeria
today supporting a massive
agriculture industry among
others, but today we have the
likes of SPAR, Shoprite,
dominating the retail industry
while Kingsway is dead.
“And we Nigerians make it a
special point to shop from the
Oyinbos who have ‘cleaner
shops’, ‘better this and better
that’. For our personal pleasure
we don’t mind them dominating
us in our own backyard and
shipping proceeds overseas. I
could go on and on, but I don
tire. Even as you are reading this,
stop for a moment and look
around you. What you see will
probably explain why we are
lucky it is not N1000 to the USD
yet. And don’t think for a
moment that it cannot get there.
“Just continue to wear your
Armani gear and Swiss-made
lace, continue to spend your
money on Man United, Arsenal,
Chelsea and Barca and
encourage your children to do
same. (My article tomorrow in
my Saturday column in This Day
is on the Nigerian champions
Enyimba FC – Nigeria’s most
successful club – not having a
sponsor, yet Nigerian brands pay
over N600m to Man United and
Arsenal for sponsorship to
impress us.) Ehhh, no problem,
continue to tell me the NPFL is
rubbish or the clubs should clean
up their act if they want
sponsorship, mo gbo .
“Don’t curtail your interest in
choice wines ( we were the
number one champagne
consumers in the world in 2015),
continue to love your American
specs, cheer the education
ministry for letting schools sink
to pitiable levels, don’t fight them
to improve our schools, don’t
chide them for letting schools
drop Nigerian history and
embrace British, America and
whatever else curricular.
“Carry on with your love of
French wines and Chinese silk,
don’t bother about Jamiu Alli
when there is Roger Federer.
Stock up on your Italian,
American, British products which
you cannot live without, including
the ‘baby soft’ toilet rolls
produced only in that small
unique village in England – the
days are long gone since you
were a broke student who used
wet newspapers to wipe your
butt.
“Don’t even consider holidaying
in Nigeria, it’s too dangerous –
you have to fulfill your dream of
being Nigeria’s Henry Ford. Don’t
listen to people like me who have
a wardrobe full of only cheap
adire that is actually cheaper
than just one of your Tom Ford
blazers. Please keep dressing in
fine silk made in some exotic
place so you can be addressed
accordingly.
“Finally keep letting corrupt
leaders who have looted your
commonwealth and shipped all
the monies overseas get away
because to attack them does not
fit your political narrative. Let us
continue with the fine life, let us
all continue to work for Oyinbo.
But don’t forget that there is
payback time and Emefiele is not
your problem. Time for us all to
look in the mirror a[truncated by WhatsApp]