Beware the angry and imaginative Nigerian

Sometime last year I was in the brand new home of a certain former minister shortly before the minister moved in. I remember being impressed with the opulence of the place. It wasn't exactly over-the-top or anything but it was lavish enough to force me to quell rising feelings of hatred.

Yes I said hatred. 

I repented of it, but seeing the wealth in that house made me really upset considering how poorly better people, better Nigerians in fact, are living. I'm posting just one picture from those I took inside that house. It is the minister's master bedroom.

Maybe the same minister will read this one day. Maybe a friend of the minister will recognise the furniture and bring it to their attention. They need to know that the people of Nigeria do not love them. In fact most of us hate their guts for failing to improve things.

But that's a blog for another day. 

I was reading yesterday about some people who must have let their hatred for the Nigerian political elite combine with their desire for "quick" money. Some armed men went to University of Abuja and kidnapped the daughter of a member of the federal house of reps. 

Now that's new but not unexpected though.

I mean c'mon let's face it, it was bound to happen that someone would try the kidnapping stunt in Abuja - land of the rich and powerful. And since Hon Benewari represents Opobo/Nkoro/Andoni federal constituency of Rivers state, police are considering the possibility that the kidnappers travelled from there to carry out the act.

Seems plausible right?

But first, let me make it clear that I sympathize with the Benewaris. A kidnapping is a traumatic experience for all those involved. But again let our politicians be warned that our people no longer hold back their anger. They no longer nurse their wounds in silence. 

Nigerians have observed the politicians' Jeeps drive by them ferrying little ones to and from fast food outlets and cinemas and salons and expensive private schools. And they have seen enough action movies to copy and execute criminal acts seen there. 

I remember standing with a group of men on a small hill overlooking the home of the minister I mentioned earlier as they drove into their new home. As I listened to them discuss the spectacle before us I wondered what would happen if these Nigerians got angry and made a move against the ministers family.

I marvelled at how ill-prepared the minister's security was for an attack by say, a rocket fired into the compound or a grenade lobbed across the street and over the wall. I marvelled at how easy it would be for a small team of six of breach the compound to carry out whatever evil operation they had planned against the minister. 

And then I prayed no-one would ever bring the south south fight to Abuja.  

After what has befallen the Benewaris, it seems I prayed too late.

The sad truth is unless the ruling political elite change their ways and actively contribute to solving the problems of the nation, this ugly new trend may have come to stay.

Whose gun killed him?

Who's the real killer? Antoine Wimes or Sani Abacha

Imagine being an academic and educator possesing two masters degrees. Imagine being a useful and productive member of society. Imagine having to leave that society in search of greener pastures because said society doesn't reward true productivity.

Imagine arriving in a strange land where your skin color is already a liability and your foreign accent compunds matters by further separating you from your own kind. Imagine now having to take on part-time menial jobs to survive and care for your wife who is sufffering from kidney related problems.

Now imagine all of this ending in a burst of gunfire because some punk kid decides that your life is the obstacle to him getting a $5 tshirt! WTH?

This is the sad story of Etus Obi Onyemaechi, a 48year old Nigerian living in the US. The Late Mr Onyemaechi is said to have worked as an educator in Nigeria before he left 12years ago for the US. His killer, who was arrested recently, is 17year old boy. 

What really pains me about this story, even more than the fact that his ill wife has to cope wiith so undeserved a loss, is that if Nigeria had gotten its act together the man wouldn't be dead.  

He left for the US 12years ago. 

12 years ago means he left Nigeria sometime in 1997 during Abacha's regime or just after it ended in the laps of Indian prostitutes. 12years ago means he left just before things had a chance to change with the coming of democracy. 12years ago means he left when professors where being paid N25,000 a month and strikes where a monthly affair.

I guess the question we should be asking ourselves in this day of Nigerians being shot in american stores, or stabbed on british streets, or executed in various asian prisons, or robbed and left to die in the sahara is: have things changed since then?

If not, then Mr Onyemaechi's death is just more blood on the hands of our leaders past - especially those who ruled by the gun.

New Year Christmas Gift

It finally happened!

Some of you may know that I've been beefing the government of Prez Yar'Adua for not giving us a fuel price increase as a Christmas gift (see this past blog). 

It made sense to me and everyone I spoke to that if lower oil prices means our economy is threatened then at the very least there should be a counter effect of local fuel prices dropping on a par with global practices. 

It finally came to pass. Today it was announced that fuel should be sold at N65 down from N70. Meaning I can now fill a 50litre car tank with N3250 as against N3500. 

it doesn't seem like much on the surface, but the trickle down effect onto prices of goods and services, not to mention the psychological boost to the common man will definitely produce a multiplier effect.  Or won't it?

Obama & Coke

All hail the new King of the world - President Barack Obama. Did you watch the inauguration on tv? Never seen so much international goodwill.

Obamamania is alive and kicking all over the place. People all over the world tuned in to watch the American son of a Kenyan immigrant take over as the worlds most powerful man.

On top of that, he could very well be the most popular politician ever. Just invoke his name and watch the atmosphere change. I stuck my head out the window and yelled "Obama!" the other day and a car horn honked back at me in approval.

Mention the name Obama in the most obscure parts of the world and people smile, or give you discounts. If he keeps this up, his name could become more popular than coke - and that is VERY popular.