THE VANITY SIDE OF LIFE
By Enenche Enenche

I remember 1999 vividly, I remember Eagle Square and what happened there on the 29th of May, 1999. 20 years after, so many things have happened.

From Eagle Square where power changed hands in 1999, I have seen many who were present on that day but today, have been forgotten in idle permanent homes of their graves.

I remember how Nelson Mandela walked into the venue and the ovation that followed and with my same eyes I saw him in a casket.
In my eyes Stella Obasanjo rose to affluence and influence and with my eyes I saw her being driven out of power in a casket.

In my eyes Desire Kabilla who was also at Eagle Square fell to the bullets of his bodyguard in DR Congo. A former minister of Health, Prof Ransome Kuti was buried.

In my eyes Chuba Okadigbo rose, fell and died. Abubakar Rimi and Alex Ekwueme who contested a Presidential primaries with incumbent Obasanjo in 2003 at the same Eagle Square had their funerals organized.

In my eyes, "almighty" Tony Aneni laid in-state helplessly in Benin. Prof Dora Akunyili, the strong woman who was everywhere, fell on a street of India.

In my eyes, "Evil Genius" begin to wear canvass on an agbada on a wheelchair in Minna as he watches life without his once powerful wife, Maryam.

In my eyes Edwin Ume Ezeoke was buried, Gen. Victor Malu's obituary was in the news.

In my eyes, a Sultan fell from the sky, the remains of the owner of Bolingo Hotel was seen at Lisa village.

In my eyes Bola Ige fell, Suntai crashed and died, once landlords of Plateau and Taraba, Dariye and Nyame walked into prisons.

In my eyes, almighty Olabode George went and came out of prisons. Justice Salami heard the news of the death of Justice Katsina Alu.

In my eyes, a Landlord fell in Kwara and a strongman won election in Kogi but never lived to hear his victory announcement.

In my eyes, Azazi reigned and fell, Yakowa never lived to tell a story. Oronto Douglas who was once a powerful man behind the throne was buried.

In my eyes, Yar'adua came and fizzled out of power like two of his ministers.

In my eyes, Solomon Lar that sat that day as PDP Chairman, a symbol of power and affluence was buried on a plateau.

In my eyes, I saw strong men rise and fall very cheaply.

If this writeup should teach us anything, let it be known that power is transient.

God gives who he wants to give. He says "I will have mercy on who I want to have mercy on".

To those of you today in power, where would you be in the next twenty years?

In 2039 when names like Buhari, Atiku, Amaechi, Wike, Saraki, Ekweremadu, Tambuwal, Mark, Dave, Onu, Oshomole, Tinubu are mentioned what would that child write about them then?

As we approach life, especially these elections, have it in mind that POLITICAL POWER IS NOT PERMANENT.

THIS SAME POWER HAS CONSUMED MEN, DESTROYED MARRIAGES, CUT SHORT DREAMS, ENDED RELATIONSHIPS, BETRAYED TRUSTS AND KILLED FELLOW HUMANS... Is it worth dying for?

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria...

And the cycle continues as we would all become history some day, just work towards that kind of history you want people to write about you after you've gone.