By Morak Babajide-Alabi
First published on August 20, 2017

When my friend rang me last week and asked if we could meet up to discuss and compare notes on happenings in motherland Nigeria, I was up for it. Tai (for anonymity sake) is a friend I have known for over thirty years and had enjoyed robust relationship with. I have to, however, stress from the onset that, in as much as I admire and like Tai, he is one of the types that you cannot win any argument with. It will take physically moving the mountain to have him change his mind once he has come to a conclusion on a topic.

Tai is a very opinionated individual who I sometimes struggle holding discussions with, especially on topics that he is emotional about. To be fair to him though, apart from his family, religion and work, the other topic that he gets very emotional about is Nigeria. There is no doubt that he loves his country of birth and at every opportunity always ready to defend her honour. I am always on the same boat with him on the love.

While I sympathise with his patriotism, I am, however, taken aback at the confusion and open lack of sincerity to the cause of the nation. I tend to analyse the trend of his thoughts, and I worry at the fact that his belief actually lies in the abilities of leaders and not the strength of the country as a whole. Many times I have tried to empathise with him in what I term his blind loyalty to leaders and not to the country he professes to love. I have accepted his position with a bitter understanding of the fact that majority of Nigerians worship political leaders and therefore blind to the reality of events around them. Along the line I stopped pointing this out to my friend and concluded that he is not exhibiting anything different from what a typical Nigerian would.

Events in Nigeria in the past two weeks, as usual, have brought out the best and worst in the average Nigerian. There have been protests and counter protests on the streets of the nation’s capital. As typical of Nigerians, the reactions give away what side they are or what leader they are in sympathy with, and not necessarily with what is right or not. I realised, rather late, that blind loyalty of Nigerians to political leaders have been the bane of the country and has indirectly stunted the development of the country. This, no doubt is why we have continued to struggle with the fight against corruption, as laws and regulations are made to suit people, groups, and interests. And where they are not in our favour at a particular time, we are quick to condemn, as politically motivated depending on the side of the divide we are.

Not too long ago the popular Nigerian musician Charly Boy led a protest on the streets of Abuja, the federal capital, against the continued stay of Nigeria’s President Mohammed Buhari in the United Kingdom. He and a handful of concerned Nigerians had taken to the streets demanding that the President, who is away on medical leave for over 100 days return or resign his post. You will acknowledge the good intentions of these patriotic Nigerians, forced to live through a political arrangement that is wholly alien to our constitution. Never in the history of Nigeria has a head of state ruled this long from abroad, with convoy of praise singers and loyalists ferried, at tax payers’ expenses, to pledge loyalty or to verify that he is still alive.

Tai and I were happy to catch up for dinner at a popular restaurant in Leeds, north of England. We settled into our seats and I kick started the discussion with a remark on the United States President, Donald Trump’s comment on the events in the university town of Charlottesville. Two Saturdays ago white supremacists and neo-narcissists took over the streets to express their displeasure of the dismantling of the statue that had celebrated and represented injustice and inhumanity in the so called land of the free. We mused over this for a couple of minutes and both agreed that Trump could have hid his support for these deranged and ill-informed individuals.

I realised immediately though that this would be the only topic we were likely to agree on this night. Tai was not interested in the events in the US as he was here to talk Nigeria and not going to entertain any distraction. He launched into a tirade against Charly Boy and his co-organisers, as he just could not get his head round what they had done. I was not surprised by his attacks, being a fanatical supporter of Buhari. Many times in the past, and especially the build up to the 2015 General Elections, he had told me how Buhari was God-sent to save the country from what he described as “generational mismanagement.”

I was on the same page on this because we were faced with the liability of choice during the elections. With the amount of propaganda that went into the election, Nigerians could not but agree that any opponent to former President Goodluck Jonathan was indeed a God-sent. The veil covering our faces did not drop until after the elections when Buhari assumed office. It started on a very good note with high expectations, as the President’s various “body languages” sorted many things out for us. But it did not take long before we realised that the “beautiful ones are not yet born”.

Tai and many Nigerians like him wouldn’t take this fact and are still preaching that Buhari is the anointed one. They have continuously overlooked the part of the scriptures that says God is benevolent and not a burdensome God who would wish his people to be without a leader for this long. While one sympathises with Buhari for his health issues, right thinking Nigerians believe this should be the collective priority and not his occupation of the office of the President.

My friend, a well-travelled man, has continually refused to rise above partisan and sectional politics, like many of us. The tone of our discussion on this night was nothing different from what I have read on propaganda pages of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) or on the walls of fanatical supporters of “Sai Baba”. The sympathy card played by these Nigerians is that the people demanding the President come back home to resume his constitutional duties are those who cannot stand the heat because “corruption is fighting back”. I told my friend that I find this line of argument rather petty and nonsensical, as nothing on ground in Nigeria has suggested that things have changed for the better since Buhari got into power.

Knowing Tai very well, I was not disappointed at his line of thought but I took consolation in the fact that I had spent some time with him over very good meal. I am praying, however, that one day, like some Nigerians, he will wake up and see issues the practical way they should.

First published on August 20, 2017 http://www.babajidealabi.com/friend-thoughts-reflection-majority/

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
First published on September 28, 2019 http://www.babajidealabi.com/nigeria-majority-citizens/

In a few days, Nigeria would be marking her 59th independence anniversary. It is indeed a time for celebrations as fifty-nine years in the life of a human being is not an easy feat, talk less of a country. This is symbolic, especially for a country that has been through many events that could have undermined her existence. We have examples of countries that are in turmoil since gaining independence from the colonial masters. Let us not forget the fact that Nigeria is a unique country, with various nations, put together by the British colonialists, for their own benefit.

Against many odds, the country is surviving, though some analysts have said it is progressing at an epileptic rate. Who cares? The Independence Day is therefore supposed to be a time of reflection on the journey so far. This is the thinking of rational citizens, but the political leaders, are most times not rational. They have reconstructed the annual event into the celebration of their achievements in office. The incumbent government usually rolls out the drums, the red carpets, with trailer loads of choice champagne and fizzy drinks to celebrate. As may be expected, public funds must go into the preparations and the pockets of some.

Let us make no mistake that it is the patriotic fervour that burns in these leaders forcing them to remember the labour of heroes past. No. The leaders see the celebrations as avenues to praise themselves, “commission” a few rundowns or reconstructed projects, and pretend to relay their visions for the country to the citizens. In most cases, programmes are organised to run for one week, culminating with a lengthy address by the President and the governors of the various states.

The political bosses of the local government councils are not left out of the charade. The unique difference is that they do not have direct access to the radio or the television stations to air their addresses. But they have a way around this – take up newspaper adverts to “praise” themselves. The celebration in Abuja is on the federal level, as the President and his team toast to a country on bended knees. The sizes of the cakes for the occasions do not typically reflect the extent of the woes of the country. Smile! Camera flashes! The governors replicate this in their respective states.

These festive celebrations mask the woes and failures of the country that was once touted as the giant of Africa. The programmes, parties, conferences and symposia are selectively arranged to deaden the pain of the citizens to harbour a vague hope of a better tomorrow. It is sad, that even the speeches by the political leaders have become monotonous to the ears of the citizens. They are used to the independence celebration routines. It is easy to guess what would be the focal point of the President’s address to the nation on Tuesday.

Hope is never in short supply in the country. But at no time is the currency of hope alive than around these Independence Day celebrations. To be fair to these leaders, they have nothing else to sell to the citizenry than hope. In the past, they have offered change, but the citizens struggle to identify any. They ask how long it would take for the promised change to happen as they struggle to perceive any benefits. The leaders must, therefore, sell something extraordinary. This is the time of the year they subscribe to the words of Martin Luther King: “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go in spite of it all.”

The political leaders are smart. They know how to “play the citizens” especially during elections. But they know, no general election is coming up presently, so the hope of a better tomorrow must be kept alive in the hearts of the citizens. The independence day celebration and the new June 12 (May 29) Democracy Day represent ideal opportunities for them to throw down big grammar and advise citizens that tomorrow will be better than today. They do not have to disclose their master plans on how to sustain these hopes. The “sermons” must be delivered to the people.

You can see through the leaders’ insincerity. They do not genuinely care as they know this is just an annual ritual to appease the citizens. The citizens appreciate the game, and they will not let this demoralise them. They know they have nothing to lose. They have a day off work, and this is massive to them. The religious ones spend the day in churches and mosques while the others attend the numerous parties and shows that have been carefully planned for the holiday.

A friend suggested last week that going by the number of churches and mosques in the country, the government could legislate that October 1 is a National Prayers Day. I almost laughed in the face of this eminent Nigerian in Diaspora. But on second thought, I see reason in his idea. It could be an opportunity to gather and pray ourselves hoarsely for the country to be delivered out of the myriad of problems. Maybe it is more divine to leave the “prayer” business to the numerous “warriors” that abound in every street of towns in the country.

No surprises as you recognize that the celebrations are more or less the same format in the diaspora. The citizens, with nostalgia for home, gather to honour the motherland. Fee-paying events are organised by smart executives of various cultural organisations. From London to New York, to Addis Ababa and Johannesburg, we have adverts for “Independence Day Celebrations.” It is all about merriment and no forward planning on how to move the motherland forward.

The country is on bended knees, struggling to stand straight. This is not the result of old age; rather it is the misuse of the resources – natural and human. The reality of today does not reflect the dream of Nigeria’s forefathers. They had dreams of a country with opportunities, jobs, housing facilities, better infrastructures, etc. None of them would have had a nightmare of a broken country that is bled by leaders with no visions. None of the founding fathers who fought day and night to liberate the country from the British colonial rule could have imagined their beloved Nigeria in the position it is now.

These leaders had dreams of a country that would become the giant of Africa and the world. To be fair, the country started off as a giant, living up to expectations for a short time. The leaders wined, dined, partied and forgot about tomorrow and eventually lost their consciences as they dipped their fingers in the commonwealth. This signalled the start of the woes of the country as individuals become comfortable diverting riches of the country to private pockets. This was the beginning of the end of a great nation. This was not helped by the khaki boys who took over and had no respect for either human right or the rule of law. Regrettably, they became laws on their own, as they launched the beginning of the conquest of a great nation.

All we do presently is pray for divine intervention. These political leaders are incapable of accomplishing anything. Individuals touted severally as messiahs and given mandates have become liabilities. The citizens worship the “messiahs” as “gods” and loudly chant “round and round” we go.

Happy independence anniversary, Motherland.

As written for the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/09/nigeria-59-no-joy-for-majority-of-the-citizens/, September 29, 2019.

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
First Published on June 15, 2019 - http://www.babajidealabi.com/begging-side-london-reality-kicked/

Continuation from The Diary Of A Freshman In The UK

As the train set sail from the Kings Cross Train Station, London, my mind was more preoccupied with the thoughts of London than my destination of Edinburgh. In fact, I had no idea what was in stock for me in the northern city. Other than the impromptu lessons my wife gave me on how to pronounce Edinburgh, the city was a mystery. “It is ‘Edin-bra’, and not ‘Edin-bug’,” she said repeatedly

I looked out through the window of the Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) train that was slowly and steadily moving out of London. I had not seen much of London but there was this disappointing feeling that hung over me. A question continually ran across my mind – Was this “the” London, England? It looked like any other city. I would later get to know that my thoughts were manipulated by the unpleasant scenes I saw. I had come in contact with a side of London I never imagined in my wildest dream existed and because it conflicted with my perception had created confusion in my head. And affected my initial judgement.

Coming from Nigeria, a country the western media love to describe as inhabited by poverty-stricken citizens, I had set a high standard in my mind for the European continent. It was typical to think that the streets of England were paved with gold while the citizens pick as they wished. It was my first visit to the Western world but I was not that naive to think that this was the reality.

Walking to the train station I noticed some homeless men and women all hanging around. Some had cardboard inscriptions in front of them to “advertise” their “wares”. They were practically begging. A few read “homeless and hungry”, “help me” and some indecipherable words. I had read about homelessness and begging in the Western world before this journey but seeing it in real life brought the story home for me.  I stood rooted to a spot for a few seconds that seemed liked eternity watching these individuals. Begging? Begging in a country that is often described as one of the most stable economies in the world. This did not add up for me.

I turned around sharply when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  Standing next to me was a dishevelled middle-aged white man. I looked at him from head to toes and thought to myself, “how could he dress like this in London City?” His jacket needed a wash while his trainers could have been picked off the garbage bin. I stepped back from the overpowering smell oozing from him. One of my false ideas about the Western World kicked in again as questions raced through my mind – Why would anyone dress such as this in London? What could be wrong with him, I thought to myself.

My wife pushed me on, as the kids tugged at my trousers and wondered why I gave the man an audience. But I was a newcomer, trusting and too-believing in the story of London. Noticing he was about to lose my attention he quickly made his begging pitch – “Could I get a few coins to eat?”

“Wow,” I said to myself, “in London?” My wife read my mind but did not allow the thoughts in my head travel to my heart before she forcefully pushed me on. “We have a train to catch”, she said. I regained my composure and moved on with the coins in my pocket jiggling loudly. I was not used to coins. I wanted to ask, “Why couldn’t I just give these coins to that guy?” But whenever wife made a decision, she had thought it through and therefore no room for error or questioning.

The jingling of the coins became louder and embarrassing as I walked faster to catch up. I was soon to realise that the coins are as valuable as the paper currency. My mind could not go off the “begging” guy. Then just outside the entrance to the station, I saw a young woman “hunting” half-finished cigarette butts on the floor. I looked at her in disbelief, and said to myself; maybe she was a staff of the environmental sanitation agency. I followed her with the “corner of my eyes” and I could see her light one of the discarded butts.

“What’s happening here”? I muttered under my breath. This London seemed like a crazy city. My wife noticed my distraction and she sternly said to me, “in this country you only face where you are going,” I needed no warning again as we boarded the train to Edinburgh. The four of us got ourselves around a table seat. I was tired but the thoughts of the homeless, the hungry, the dirty and the cigarette butts picker did not go away.

The sudden realisation that poverty has no barrier, that hunger is no respecter of colour or territory weakened me. Begging is not the national identity of a particular race or location. I thought in my head as the train pulled out of the station that these individuals, begging for sustenance, had been pushed to the wall and had no choice. What about the famed “owo baba” (a term used by Nigerians to refer to state benefits)? Are they not qualified? I understood the stories of these men and women not too far in the future and learnt the various paths to begging and sleeping on the streets. I also got to know how lucrative begging could be for some.

I looked around my train coach, the tranquillity and peace gave me the assurance that I was actually in the UK. There was no one standing or crouching on attachments crudely fitted to accommodate more passengers. Momentarily, I flashed back to my college days in Nigeria. At the time Nigeria pretended to operate a semblance of functional train service.  The train commute from Lagos City to Mokwa (a town in the northern part of Nigeria) or vice versa was always a journey to hell. I shook my head vigorously to clear the thoughts off my mind. But it was no use. All the bad memories came flooding back.

I remembered how commuters had to “fight” to get on the trains, how we struggled to get seats and how we always battle to get off the trains at mid-way stations. The government agency that operated the train, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had no respect for orderliness. The operators were more concerned with profits than the comfort of the commuters. They sold tickets, not on the number of seats available, but according to the people willing to buy. The result of this was that tickets sold always triple the number of seats or spaces available.

It was the commuters’ responsibility to find themselves seats or spaces. They had to force themselves through windows so as to get seats. A sizeable number of these commuters were fare dodgers. They were too smart to commit their hard-earned money to buy tickets. The trick was to tip the ticket collectors, lock themselves up in the dirty toilets or climb the roof of the train to avoid payment. It always worked, either way.

The seats on the train to Edinburgh were different. They were comfortable, not benches and they were numbered. The train had enough leg room for passengers to consider a nap. The commuters got on and off easily at their designated stations. All was seamless. It was totally different from my idea of a train journey. I remembered a particular journey in 1987 from Jos to Lagos. We had just gone past Buruku and the train broke down in the forest. There was no announcement by the driver of the train. There was no public address system for the train. We endured almost thirteen hours on the same spot asking each other what happened.  The commuters only got to know that a new coal “head” had been “ordered” from somewhere down south to replace the faulty one after we nosed around for information.

The NRC could not be bothered for an explanation. Did I hear you say we could have asked for compensation? Funny. We were in Nigeria! In Africa. Our inconveniences and safety risks were extras on train journeys in that part of the world. I couldn’t imagine what could have happened if it is now that kidnapping and armed robbery are the “things” of the day.

As the train journeyed through England to Scotland, the thought of a breakdown was far from my mind. There was confidence clearly written on the faces of every commuter that the train would turn up at the destination without any problem. And it did.

It was a big relief to get off the train after almost five hours. The cold breeze welcomed us to Scotland. I had heard about a lot about the legendary Scottish cold, but I never expected the intensity of what I got at Waverley Station, Edinburgh on this date. Prior to this trip, I had visited the famous Yaba “bend down” market to get myself a designer parka jacket. I had been advised to dress appropriately for the October weather.

My used Lagos jacket was no match for the Scottish weather, as I got billowed left and right by the winds. As I breathe into my hands to keep it warm, I remembered the words of the Ibo guy that sold me the jacket: “Nna, (friend) buy these used winter gloves, you go need am (broken English).” I ignored him, but now I realised I should have listened to him. My hands, lips and ears were all frozen within the five minutes’ walk to the taxi stand.

We huddled into the cab. The driver looked through his inner mirror and said: “Welcome to Scotland.”

The unedited version of the piece in the column, Diaspora Matters, Sunday Vanguard, June 16, 2019.

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
Published on June 2, 2019 - http://www.babajidealabi.com/diary-freshman-uk/

A continuation of the series published on May 19, 2019, titled: With Love From Homeland To A New Home.

The aircraft taxied to a stop at the well-lit Kotoka International Airport. The brightness of the light in this airport was a contrast to what I experienced at the Lagos International Airport. I was almost blinded by the intensity of the lights and it was with a strong restraint that I did not bring out my dark coloured sunshade.  The officials at the airport were very efficient and courteous as they checked our travelling papers and boarding passes.

As the aircraft lifted into the air, I looked out of the window and watched the city slowly disappeared. The skyscrapers, the tall buildings retreated as I wondered what was going on inside these buildings at that particular time. I imagined myself with mystical powers and could penetrate through the roofs and see the atrocities, hates, loves and unspeakable things people do behind closed doors. Sometimes, we need to get a good grip of our minds to prevent them from running wild.

Apparently, because of the bad experience of travelling through an international airport that was in total darkness, I indulged myself in the luxury of mind roaming and wondering.  There is no harm in playing god, I thought as I positioned my head on the window and stared down. The good people and the baddies of this world were all hidden under these roofs. Down there, I said to myself, someone was being murdered, another was possibly raped, and a husband beat a wife, while a married man was getting down with his neighbour’s wife. Some people were turning and tossing in bed without any sleep. Not for anything but being troubled for the atrocities they had committed in the daytime. Some African leaders were scheming how to steal from the commonwealth, in the dead of the night.

As we gained altitude I became religious, and imagined God in his position above the earth, watching all of us doing our “things”. I pictured him as He sits above the clouds and watching the happenings below including the thoughts of our minds. My heart skipped a beat as cold sweat ran down my spine.  Despite the awareness that nothing is hidden from God, we still indulge in secretive things thinking we are smart. God is indeed patient.

Various thoughts ran riots in my mind without restraints and I couldn’t advance any reason for this. Could it be the high altitude that messed with my mind?  Could it be the excitement of the final destination? Or could it had been the uncertainty in the certainty of a journey that was meant to change my life? Whatever it was, at that point in my journey I cared less. I didn’t take my eyes off the dark space below where the earlier bubbling city had disappeared into a dark void. The shining lights had retreated and, where available, were like candle lights flicking at the mercy of the wind. Is this how we are at the hand of our maker?

It was dark. Very dark, just like the minds of some African leaders. And why is the colour black associated with bad things? Oh, slow down, I said to myself. I had to get my mind back to the present. I looked away from the window and looked around the cabin. I realised everyone was deep in their thoughts. Some of them were on a mind trip as I was, while I asked myself, maybe some of these were silently praying for God’s forgiveness (for whatever reason).

As I settled back in my seat, I couldn’t but notice that my seat partner had become a bit restless. He had something else on his mind. He looked at me, smiled and said in a deep Nigerian accent “when are they going to start serving food?”

I suppressed the smile that welled up inside of me as I looked into the window again. I thought to myself, “food, sex, wine are some of the problems of this world.” I sank deeper into my seat, drew the window blind and drifted into sleep. I had a dream. It was of me flying in the sky. Funny? Not long after, I was nudged back to life by my hungry “neighbour”. I opened my eyes slowly and he was smiling at me while pointing to the tray the air hostess held to me.

I managed a nice sleep after the meal and downing three mini-bottles of red wine. I had been advised to drink as much red wine as I could grab to relieve me of any nasty air sickness. By the time the plane landed in Zurich, I was bursting for a toilet. As a “freshman”, I couldn’t manage a “number two” in the “tiny” toilet of the plane, so I suppressed it till I got off.

The journey from Zurich to London was very uneventful. It was a smaller aircraft. The passengers were less jovial. They had hidden their faces behind broadsheets of newspapers, and by all means, avoided eye contact.

The touch down at Heathrow Airport, London was smooth and within minutes I was out. (Read – With Love From Homeland To A New Home). I had to find my way to the Holiday Inn Express at Dockland where my wife had stayed the night for onward journey to the destination – Edinburgh city. This freshman did not arrange for any pick up from the airport, I had thought I would be able to make my way; thinking if I could master the act of jumping on molues (rickety buses used for transportation in Lagos) I would survive anywhere.

I walked to a forex shop and changed my dollars to pound sterling. I moved in circles, “studied” the various transport signs but I could not make any meaning of them. How do I get on the famed underground tube? I was lost.  Sensing my confusion, a few African brothers walked up to me to ask if I needed transport. I dismissed them out of pride, and shock. At this point, I located a payphone and spoke with a friend who advised that I should walk towards the car park and I might be lucky to get a “kabu kabu” (a Nigerian word for cheap unregistered taxis coined from “cab” but pronounced twice). He reckoned the underground tube would be too tough for me to navigate as a “freshman”.

As I walked towards the car park, I ran into one of the guys who had solicited my business earlier on. There was no telling him I was lost. He introduced himself as Kojo, a “Ghanaian-British”, he said, for reassurance.  I was very impressed with his polished London accent, and at that moment, I allowed a thought of how long would it take a freshman like me to “acquire” same. Not that my Nigerian accent is that deep beyond comprehension. We agreed on a “reasonable” price which I later got to know was more or the same as getting on a black London cab. The life of a freshman in the city of London.

To compensate for the high price, he took me on a freshman (tourist) tour of central London. We travelled through Westminster to Trafalgar Square and many other historic places all in a bid to justify his high price. Kojo was a very chatty man in his late thirties. He told me he emigrated from Ghana to the UK in 1994 after his first degree in Accountancy from a university in Ghana. His trip was facilitated by his sister who had married a white man and got her citizenship within a “reasonable time”.

He had resorted to operating “kabu kabu” when he started struggling to make ends meet after getting on the property ladder. He warned me to be wary of the good things the country presents as some of them are traps and if care is not taken could lead individuals on the path of destruction. No doubt, Kojo had experienced the rough side of the country.

I waved Kojo bye and got reunited with my wife and children. And together we started our journey into the hinterland of the UK. A family friend, Tope, dropped us off at Kings Cross for a train ride to Edinburgh. This is the final lap of a journey that started thousands of miles away, with just me the freshman. It is now a team.

Read how we managed and the people we met along the way next week.

Published on June 2, 2019, Diaspora Matters, Sunday Vanguard - https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/the-diary-of-a-freshman-in-the-uk/

By Morak Babajide-Alabi
First published May 19, 2019 on http://www.babajidealabi.com

This is the first in a series of articles I have done on emigration (immigration), racism and life in the diaspora. Some of these topics are written on my own personal experiences, supported where necessary with events witnessed or told to me by those concerned. My aim is to draw attention to certain issues that the majority of us in the diaspora go through, the fun and the silent tears. I hope you find them entertaining and educative.

Arriving at the Heathrow Airport, London as a first-time traveller to the United Kingdom, in October 2003, was a bag of mixed emotions for me. Immediately I stepped off the plane, as a Nigerian Christian, I muttered a few prayer points that this new land shall favour me and yield me good fruits.  I said “amen” but didn’t know I was loud enough for the white man walking next to me to take a glance. I smiled at him, but he instantly looked away and quickened his pace. He must have thought to himself: “Another crazy one had arrived”.

But to be honest I cared less about him. I had just landed in the land of the Queen, the mother of “Charlie”. Before I left Nigeria I was thoroughly educated by many (some of whom had never visited any international airport before in their lives) that the UK is a land of opportunities. I was told I should never let any opportunity pass me by, as it could come only once. As I walked towards the immigration desk, I looked right and left if any “opportunity” would smile at me before I even “checked in to my new home”.

The atmosphere was good. As I walked away from the immigration desk and towards the exit, my mind instinctively flashed back to the “home” I had left behind in Nigeria. I felt strangely happy, with a twinge of loss. My mind went to my friends, school mates, colleagues and family members. I realised that it would be difficult to maintain the type of close relationship I have with some anymore. I shrugged my shoulders and thought, maybe I won’t need them afterwards. At least, I am a “Janded Boy” far from home now. (Janded is a coined word for a Nigerian who lives in London).

I arrived in a totally different environment. A society which obviously is the opposite of the home I had left behind. There are new bridges to be built, new friendships to cultivate and a shift in thinking and behaviour. I had no clue how it would work out, but there was something remotely in the air that assured me that all would be well.

Emigrating to another country is a decision that is not taken lightly. There are so many things that are sacrificed to achieve this. It takes a lot of careful, long term planning or else it could be a journey from homeland into a void “home”. The result is usually emotional and physiological trauma. There are so many reasons to foster the idea of emigration from a country of birth. For some, it is a matter of life and death. For these individuals, the decisions are made for them by the situation of events in their home countries – wars, conflicts and poverty.

For most emigrants from Nigeria, the major reason is the disillusionment arising from the directionless travel of the political and economic leaders. Many people had packed their bags because they could not discern themselves in the narratives of the leaders. They see no opportunities ahead of themselves, as a result of the inability of leaders to lay solid foundations for the future.

Coming from home (Nigeria), a country that was struggling to get the most basic thing working, you will understand why everything seemed a big deal. The night before I had left a country that was on the brink of collapse. I had departed from a nation where nothing worked and suddenly transported into modernity and civilisation.

A few hours ago (on the date), I was at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (my home airport, so to say). I had travelled through an “international airport” that was in total darkness for days. It is not unusual for electricity supply to be temporarily cut for a few hours, but in the homeland, this was the week the notorious Nigerian electricity company (NEPA) took a decision that many travellers’ lives must be made difficult. The company cut the power supply to the main airport over non-payment of millions of naira in bills.

It was a national shame to a country that has, in the past, been touted as the giant of Africa, and the sixth largest producer of oil in the world. To make matters worse, the management team of the international airport made little or no effort to provide backup electricity generators to ensure smooth operations.  That was the country I had departed from, a few hours ago.  The confusion in the departure hall was unimaginable as airline officials screened passengers with candles and torch lights. It was hot. The humid air in the hall was so thick you could cut through it. Travellers bumped into each other, children cried, thieves posed as airport staff to dispossess travellers of their valuables.

It was a distressful scene as passengers were hurriedly cleared into the historic last flight of the Swiss Air in Nigeria. You would definitely understand what I am describing here if you had ever tried to get on a moving danfo bus from the old Oshodi Oke to Iyana Isolo bus stop.  To compound your situation, imagine trying to do this with two suitcases and a backpack. You would have so many things to contend with – the touts, pickpockets, impatient drivers and mobile policemen looking for innocent bystanders to extort.

As I made my way to the gangway in the commotion, a Nigerian Swiss Air staff harangued me with “find me something to chop”. In the Nigerian way, she was clever to mutter it under her breath but clear enough for me to understand. I had a glance at the robust looking woman and said: “Madam, next time, I will settle you”. For non-Nigerian readers, “settle” is a replacement word for a  tip.
I couldn’t really see her facial expression, but I sensed her anger to my reply. She let out a long hiss (just like a snake) and this was a warning that I should move on. She raised her voice this time around and said “na your sister you go come back meet here. As if you no know say this na Swiss Air last flight for Nigeria.”  There was no point trying to explain anything to this woman.   It would be an exercise in futility.

I finally made my way to the plane after being frisked and travelling documents checked, once again. I said out loud, to no one in particular, that no doubt there was a curse on Nigeria.  I noticed a few foreigners cowed into their seats, praying for the plane to taxi off the dark space in the middle of nowhere. Their fears were boldly written on their faces.

Some Nigerians discussed loudly and apportioned blames to every government agency in the land.  They were angry and very disappointed in their leaders.  A particular deep London accented voice kept repeating, “until we kill all these leaders, Nigeria is not going anywhere.” The frustration really got to him.

It was a sigh of relief as the Swiss Air aeroplane taxied off and lifted into the night sky. Just as I was getting comfortable in my seat, the pilot announced that we would be stopping over at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana, as the departure from Lagos was just to get out of the darkness that pervaded the airport. I muttered to myself, “who cared? As long as Accra is not as dark as Lagos.”

To be continued next week.

Published in the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/with-love-from-homeland-to-a-new-home/, May 19, 2019.

By Morak Babajide-Alabi,
[i]First published on http://www.babajidealabi.com on June 28, 2015.[/i]

Nigeria is a very unique country. So also are the citizens. They are regarded, all over the world, as very special. If you are a Nigerian and in doubt of the last sentence, I implore that on your next holiday, pick up your green passport and make Indonesia or China your choice destination. The “royal”‘treatment you will receive will convince you that you are from a very UNIQUE country. No thanks to the Nigerians who have been able to convince the world we are good at hiding illegal stuffs in the cavities of our bodies.

Aside this, Nigeria in recent years has become a source of real concern for the international community. This is not borne out of hatred for the citizens or the country, but the way the leaders run the “estate” called Nigeria. As a result of this, they view Nigeria as a typical example of how a country should not “progress”.

A country once regarded as the Giant of Africa is on her knees begging for survival. A giant that should have everything going for it, but has nothing working because its leaders’ agenda run cross purposes with the “ingredients” that can make it great.

In the recent past, Nigeria was once the toast of the world. It was an emerging power from the sub sahara of Africa and a leading light in the continent. Unfortunately, the leaders that were meant to make the light glow are the ones that are bent on putting it out. The supposed leading light has been dimmed by corruption, mismanagement, ethnicity, terrorism and unpatriotic acts, among many.

The world look on in dismay as the fortunes of the country are decimated by those who are supposed to protect them. The world leaders shake their heads in pity as the Nigerian leaders who should guard the honour of the country are daily “raping” her with reckless abandon. They marvel at the fact that the greatest enemies of the country are not external forces, but the people entrusted to defend her dignity.

They are in shock of what had become of a country of hope. They offer sympathies to the people when all they see on their faces are despair, hunger and sadness. The community of leaders think they are helpless and can only do little to wake up the sleeping giant. Apart from the fact that they know Nigeria is a country with a lot of potentials, they always factor mismanagement and lack of transparency as reasons for staying aloof.

They look into a vast land blessed with natural, mineral and human resources and shrug their shoulders at what had become the fortunes of the people. They can not reconcile the fact that despite these resources, the common men cannot afford three square meals, access good healthcare and basic amenities. They see the queue for fuel everyday, everywhere in the country and they cannot put this side by side with the fact that Nigeria is an oil producing country.

Seeing all these, they salute the resilience of Nigerians, for keeping on appearances despite their situations. They know some shining stars had emerged from the country, leading their peers in chosen professions. These Nigerians are dotted all over the places and are making names outside the shores of the country. They ask why cant these “geniuses” come back home and change the system. But little do they know that while these eminent Nigerians are making their individual marks in their fields, the leaders are struggling with each other on who is to deliver the final blow that will incapacitate the country. This is what frustrates the Diasporan.

While the world looks on in pity, Nigeria’s fore fathers who fought with their blood, sweat and tears for a better tomorrow are turning in their graves. They are asking themselves what happened to their dream of a viable, strong and united country?They are crying and asking when did the wheel of progress go off Nigeria’s cart. They hurt because the modern age leaders carry on without a bother of what happens to “the labours of our heroes past”.

Unfortunately, they are “feasting” on the labours of the heroes past. They have turned the dreams of the forefathers into nightmare. The fate of Nigeria has been on the downward slope for many years now, and it seems all the supposed leaders have in common is totally in contrast to the dreams of the forefathers. They mouth the national pledge “to serve Nigeria with all” their strengths and “to defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory”, yet they do otherwise.

Nigeria, the most populated black country in the world, with over 150 million individuals, is struggling because it lacks visionary leaders who can take her out of the woods. The present crop of leaders are more concerned with what loot they can get out of the system than making genuine contributions to the governance of the country. They have sound bites that will melt the electorates at the knees without an idea of how to take them to the “laboratories” for actualisation.

These “chop I chop” leaders would do anything, including punching, kicking and killing to get their selfish ambitions realised. They have no moral fibre in them that can “tune” them to do things that will improve the lots of the masses.

Many times, we wonder who a leader is in the Nigerian context. There are many leaders but none fits the bill of a national leader. Experience has shown that being the President or Head of State of Nigeria do not confer the title of leader on the occupier of the post. This is understandable as the occupier’s loyalty is first to the ethnic region he is from and secondly to the country.

We can therefore understand the desperation in the jostling for the elective national positions, especially the Executive arm. Nigerians would be deceiving themselves if they continue to deny the fact that ethnicity and regionalism are still high on the political currency in Nigeria. The country needs a leader who can detach himself from regional politics and become a leader of a country, rather than allow ethnicity rule his head.

I wrote in this column some time ago that what the country needs was not the chant of change, but the re-orientation of the individual. A ‘re-tuning’ of individuals from the family unit to the national level. Without a re-programming of systems, a Nigerian politician will still be “wired” to think that elective office is nothing but an avenue to enrich himself and family.

As long as the individual politician is not taken through a “deliverance” programme, Nigeria will continue to travel in circles, without any hope of success in governance. When the individual politician, aspiring to be a councillor or a Senator, is injected with a dose of civility and the desire to serve propels him more than the monetary gains, the country will progress.

Published in the Sunday Vanguard June 28 2015.[b][/b] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/help-the-giant-of-africa-is-in-a-coma/

By Morak Babajide-Alabi
[url]http://www.babajidealabi.com[/url]

This piece was first published in the Sunday Vanguard of 29th November 2015, a couple of months after Nigeria’s President Muhammad Buhari was sworn in. It generated a lot of criticism from supporters of Mr President and the All Progressives Congress (APC). But not much seems to have changed till date.

Enjoy.

Dear Mr President,

May I seize this letter opportunity to congratulate you on your success at the last General Elections (2015) in which you won convincingly. Pardon me this is coming late.

This is the first in the series of letters I shall be writing to you, first as a Nigerian with the love of the country at heart and secondly, as a Citizen in Diaspora. I should, however, let you know that in my reasoning I shall take the position of a diasporan more than that of a citizen living in Nigeria. This is not out of disrespect for a country of my birth, but to express my views from the perspective of a “voluntary outsider”.

It is fair to say I represent a large number of Nigerians in Diaspora who saw hope for a better future for the country in you. Our reasoning at that time was that you had the opportunity, though short-lived, of ruling Nigeria before, with enviable records among former leaders. So by logic, you knew the enormity of the job you were applying for and the fact that it takes more than mere desire. Although many from the opposition warned us that times and situations have changed, we were too “loyal” to believe them.

Your Excellency, there is no doubt that the support you had in the Diaspora was unequalled in the political history of Nigeria. Although we knew that, technically, we are disenfranchised because of our locations, we did all we could to sensitise the Nigerian masses. We did these through blogs, social media posts, etc that it was time for a change. Our access to an uninterrupted power supply and cheap broadband made it very easy for us.

Some of us did not limit our support to the internet. We followed you every time you ventured outside Nigeria. One of such occasions was on the 26th of February this year (2015) at the Chatham House ([url]https://www.chathamhouse.org/file/prospects-democratic-consolidation-africa-nigerias-transition[/url]) where we stood outside the doors (in cold) to support you. On this day, there were three groups of Nigerians at the periphery of the venue. The first group was the APC sympathisers, the second was concerned non-partisan Nigerians who believed in your Change Agenda and had come to support you with their presence. The third group was the unruly crowd that was allegedly “recruited” all the way from Manchester to disrupt your presentation.

Immediately after the programme, a friend rang me to reveal his plan to go back to Nigeria and contribute towards her development. He was so confident in you and your change agenda that nothing could dissuade him from carrying out his plans, he said. His optimism for a new and better Nigeria was infectious.

My friend is not a politician. No. He is, on the other hand, a technocrat. He had ideas in his head that can move Nigeria forward. According to him, the atmosphere at home (Nigeria) had not been conducive for him to explore these ideas, but his confidence in you knew no bounds. He was not the only one in this category.

Your Excellency, your campaigns ideas were “powerful” for anybody not to be persuaded that Nigeria is in for a good deal immediately you were elected. You were suave, well-spoken and knowledgeable of what the people wanted to hear. You knew what Nigerians were complaining about under the incumbent government, and all you did was promise them everything Goodluck Jonathan could not provide.

Mr President, we could not stop loving you when you stated that security and corruption would be your focus, while steady electricity supply would be top on the agenda. For us Nigerians in Diaspora, there is nothing that keeps us away from the shores of the country mainly than these three “evils”.

Sir, it is over (or almost six months) but nothing seems to have changed at all. I realise the fact that you warned us that you are not a magician, therefore Nigerians should not expect any “miracle”. We are not demanding for much, but what you promised us during the elections. However, these promises seem to be taking “so long” to be fulfilled.

Your Excellency, I ran into my friend last week, after so many months of no information about his relocation plans to Nigeria. And it is sad to tell you that he is no longer relocating to Nigeria. He told me a few weeks after your inauguration he wanted to visit Nigeria, but his family advised that he should “chill for some time and let the President settle down” before coming. When he consulted with his family and friends on the ground in Nigeria a few weeks ago about his plans, they told him he must be mad if he is still nursing the thoughts of coming back to Nigeria, as nothing has changed.

Mr President Sir, my friend is no longer coming to Nigeria, so also are his ideas not coming. His people told him nothing has changed in the country. They told him electricity is still as unstable as the availability of fuel in the country. He was told that the dreaded Boko Haram is still killing people in the north, despite your assurances that the group would be history immediately you win the elections. What about the endless queue at the fuel stations? The cabals are still operating.

Sir, what are your plans for the country? Thousands of Nigerians abroad are asking this question. They need concrete answers to security challenges, power generation and distribution, jobs for all, Boko Haram, corruption and many more. But all they are hearing on a daily basis is how much the past administration had plundered the country’s economy. They are, also, wondering if you or your party did any proper “homework” before drafting the manifestos? They want to come home and assist you in developing this great country, but the basics of life must be present before they can venture into it.

Sir, the only returnees now are the 500 Nigerians “allegedly” deported last week by the United Kingdom government. What was your reaction to the number? Did you laugh it off or you shook your head and asked: “Is there any Nigerian left on the streets of UK?” Nobody has been able to explain the number, sir. But the “foundation” for it was laid by Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to the UK, Olukunle Bamgbose, a few weeks ago.

Did you read his interview with the media after your deputy, Yemi Osibanjo visited the UK? He said the UK government was hounding Nigerians in their hundreds and desperate to send many back to Nigeria. He disclosed that a total number of 29,000 Nigerians were Lagos-bound forcefully, courtesy of the UK’s Home Office. Some of them were reported to have lived in the UK for decades. Obviously, they would have picked up one trade, career or the other that they can apply to the Nigerian situation.

In conclusion sir, many countries may be rejecting the “asylum” applications of Nigerians not based on fairness, but your promises of a “dreamland” called Nigeria, after May 29. Unfortunately, your dream is not coming through, on time. Based on your elections manifestos alone, these deportees need not worry on how to survive in Nigeria. But we have to understand the fact that reality is different from promises. Your manifesto has refused to leave the dream stage to reality.

What’s happening, sir?

http://www.babajidealabi.com/letter-mr-president/
Published in the Sunday Vanguard https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/letter-to-mr-president/

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
This article was first published on August 7, 2016 (Still relevant today)
http://www.babajidealabi.com/nigerian-project-redeemable/

The Nigerian blood is a special one that flows under an equally thick skin capable of taking all sorts of shocks, blows and embarrassments. It is this special blood running in Nigerians that distinguishes us from citizens of other countries, especially in Africa. We are born to absorb shocks, and accept whatever is thrown at us without any complaint.

When the legendary late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang "Shuffering and Shmiling"'in the eighties, he indeed captured the image of average Nigerians. In our sufferings, imposed mainly by the actions and inactions of our political leaders, all we manage as a reaction is to smile, and muse to ourselves that "this shall also pass".

We are complacent in all things that happen to us. We, most times, believe in the superficial, rather than face the reality that may stare us in the face. We celebrate when the world is laughing at us. We dance around when the world stands in awe at our shame. And worse still, we "high-five" each other when other countries wonder why we are so different and satisfied with the inglorious state that we are.

This is how we are wired. So also are our leaders. They are actors who find themselves on stages without scripts. They are thrust on the citizens by their tribal, ethnic jingoisms and the ability to deceive the electorate. The Nigerian blood runs deep in them.

The leaders care less about the future of the country called Nigeria. They run parallel projects, that are not in the interests of the country, and line their pockets with the proceeds. These leaders, bold and confident, are like junior gods, who are accountable to nobody.

Make no mistake that the citizens are not aware these politicians have no genuine wishes for them. But the Nigerian factor of worshipping those in authority for a few crumbs from the table has sentenced most citizens to lifetimes of poverty. We hail our representatives when they, rather than legislate, exchange blows on who gets the “juicy” posts in Parliament. Or when asking each other "who dunnit?" when budgets are padded. Unashamedly, they protect themselves from the prying eyes of the masses, by visiting courts, in solidarity with corrupt officials.

For a Nigerian, it is okay when politicians make so many promises before an election, but sing a different tune after. Despite all the pre-election promises, we nod our heads in agreement when our leaders remind us that they are not miracle workers, so we should not expect anything different. We shrug our shoulders in resignation when these leaders, contrary to reality, tell us that our lives are better now than it had ever been.

What makes Nigerians, as a people, so resilient and willing to take whatever is thrown at them is still a mystery that will take decades to unravel. It is unbelievable that the educated and well-travelled citizens of this once Giant of Africa can stand aloof while their country is run aground by clueless leaders.

No doubt, the problems confronting the country is a derivative from the type of leadership we have. The transformation of a Nigerian politician is a study of how not to represent the masses. They have little or no iota of patriotism in them

This is why they never flinch whenever they put us in embarrassing situations. And they do often. These leaders, do all they can to put the country top of a compilation of the Most Embarrassing moments in history. They have no scruples in having the best entries for the Guinness Book of Records. For these administrators (including leaders), improper or no plan, mismanagement and corruption are part of the features that make the Giant of Africa so great. From time immemorial, we have not ceased to amaze the world.

How do we explain to a rational mind that a country such as Nigeria, with so much natural and human resources, is one of the poorest in the world? We are indeed one of the wonders of the world. Nobody has been able to explain these complexities in the life of Nigeria as a country. Over fifty-odd years after independence, our leaders have permanently made us the laughing stock of the world. It is so sad that Nigeria that should be the shining light of the African continent is, unfortunately, the butt of jokes in the comity of nations.

The bungling of the appearance of the Nigerian "team" in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was indeed a shame on the nation. Nigeria is noted for her shambolic and haphazard ways in preparing for major sporting competitions in the past. However, we have never had it so bad as what happened at the time.

When the news of athletes soliciting funds to sponsor themselves to the Olympics first broke, many of us were quick to defend the government and the sports administrators involved. This move, on the instruction of the sports administrators, was unfathomable, and a disgrace to the country Nigeria.

Where did we get it wrong? I know it is very easy for the present leaders to blame past administrations for the woes of the country. This has been the sing-song for over one year since the inception of this administration. Nigerians can now identify with the logic of the administration that promised change but have been challenged to deliver.

It is disturbingly obvious after one year that the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government is no different from what we have had in the past. Nigerians are tired of the excuse that it will take a while for things to get better. As things are, it is becoming a reality that the "beautiful ones" to save the Giant of Africa are not yet born.

Nigerians may be quiet now, but history is judging these unpatriotic leaders who play "hide and seek" with the good of the country.

Published in the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard, August 7, 2016 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/nigerian-project-redeemable/

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
First published on the blog, Morak http://www.babajidealabi.com/

The events in the Nigerian political circles in recent times have been profoundly depressing. There is nothing cheery about the news coming from the motherland. From the north to the south, the east to the west, they are sad stories, without any exception. The politicians who are supposed to be the carriers of good tidings represent the models of how not to be good citizens.

The desperation of this class is worrying and concerning. The ploys and scheming to gain political controls are damaging to the development and progress of the entity called Nigeria. The pattern is becoming standard - the governor falls out with the deputy, the local government chairman and market union leaders. The party chairmen at all levels disagree with democratically elected officials. The state assembly members have become pawns in the hands of governors to achieve their ambitions. The decibels of the screams and shouts are getting louder and without any control.

The lawmakers have turned lawbreakers as they line up behind whoever butters their slices of bread most. They are willing to turn the laws upside down for the benefit of their benefactors. It is therefore not surprising that governing laws are stood on their heads to promote passages for those paying the “pipers.” The hallowed chambers that should be for lawmaking are now places for boxing and wrestling tournaments. What is democracy when there is no decency? Ask me again.

In these days, the executive members of the drivers and motor park touts gain unrestricted access to government houses. It is not surprising. As usual, it is getting nearer to when their services would be required. Going by history, they play essential roles in selecting political candidates who contest elections. They are equally beneficial in the outcome as the mighty muscles and “hot rods” under their dashikis intimidate the people. They are the enforcers who suppress the wishes of the masses.

The most worrisome of these developments is the lack of difference between the players in the two mainstream political parties. They are two sides of the same coin - six and half a dozen. The camps work with the same set of values. You could merge the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with no clash of ideologies. The players would effortlessly blend into each other and co-exist.

Do you wonder how they will manage this? The two parties lack defined ideologies therefore nothing stands one apart from the other. The propelling force is the desire to grab power and control the financial resources, at the federal, state and local levels. It is, therefore, no surprise that the members align with the forces that can enhance their pockets best.

You will think the decamping and “re-camping” of candidates from one party to another should be of deep concern to all reasonable Nigerians. But cross carpeting has come to be part of our political culture and no surprise to anyone anymore. It is, unfortunately, a bargaining chip to get to government. Lamentably what this portrays for the country is that these politicians prioritise self-achievement over the interests of the citizens they profess to serve. Cross carpeting is not new in our political culture. Most of our so-called leaders are political vultures who scavenge from one party to another. The people running the country's affairs had in the past hopped from one political party to another in search of how to achieve their dreams. Ideology is not an attraction to any of them, as there is none in the country.

How do you explain serving governors, senators, ministers or house of representative members dumping the parties they got elected on and nevertheless retain their offices? In Nigeria, a sitting governor is free to walk over to the opposition party and sign up for membership. An elected official can cross over to another party without a care for the manifestoes of the party he got elected initially. Do you wonder on what platform they will complete projects initiated? It is only in a country called the giant of Africa that a politician walks over to the opposition party to pick up a nomination for the next election. Who cares about the loyal party members that had been jostling for the nomination all the years before? There is no pretence as we know that these nominations are for the highest bidders. Who cares on what platform as long as they acquire the instrument of power?

I do not know how to say this without sounding critical. Nor do I know how to write without being disrespectful to the motherland. But whichever way this is perceived, I do not think it matters in the scheme of events. I am, however, pressed to air my views based on a quote by Alan Arkin. He said, “you’re growing or you're decaying; there’s no middle ground. If you’re standing still, you’re decaying.” When a thing is rotten, you cannot cover the stinking odour.

It is not out of place to describe the political system we operate in Nigeria as a big joke. To say it is a disaster would be extreme, but to be frank, this is the how best to illustrate it. How do you describe a system that delivers nothing but pain and discomfort to the society it is supposed to serve? If you think otherwise, please enlighten me on how the political system we are running is not an abnormal and a clog in the wheel of progress.

A system that denies millions of Nigerians access to essential infrastructures, education, health and many more is as good as useless. I will happily submit myself to teaching by any reasonable person willing to outline how the common men and women benefit from the system. The cost of running the system, borne by the masses, has produced no direct impact on the populace. The system is so skewed in favour of the political operators that all the benefits accrue to them. To believe my claim, have a look at the huge wage bill of the “honourable” senators, the house of representative members, down to the local government councillors.

The political system is a misnomer as it has brought no gain to the citizens. You are probably wondering why I am making a sweeping conclusion here and thinking there is nothing wrong with the system. Just like me, you wonder why a system that is a success in other climes is a failure in the motherland. It shows that it is not a faulty system, but the individuals operating it are not abiding by the rules. They did not read the operation manual or they read it upside down.

I appreciate the history of the choice of the political system. The supposedly political system the country runs on is a “word for word copy” of the USA Presidential System. It was a wholesome import. As a youngster, I was an onlooker, but a keen follower of events, during the “search” for the best political system. It was not a cheap exercise. I recollect vividly when the military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo set up a 49-member Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) to fashion a constitution for a return to civilian rule. There were many suggestions, but the proponents of the Presidential system convinced us all that it was the best. The military regime abolished the regional governments in 1967.

Regrettably, the operators of the system have adapted it to suit their individual or group yearnings. The imported presidential system has been altered that the Americans would not recognise it is tailored after theirs. Although the system is a part of the constitution, we do not need any constitutional amendment committee to change anything. Changes are effected at the whims and caprices of the political class. It is Nigeria.

Do we still wonder why nothing works?

Read more here http://www.babajidealabi.com/scammers-the-political-class-and-the-future-of-nigerias-image/

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
First published on MORAK http://www.babajidealabi.com/scammers-the-political-class-and-the-future-of-nigerias-image/

There are, not few, things happening within the Nigerian political institution that one cannot but wonder aloud what is wrong with us as a nation. We often ask “who cursed Nigeria?” not for want of something to say but our frustration at things going on in the country. Maybe we should be asking “what causes Nigeria’s lack of progress?”

The situation is hopeless. The children who we see as the future leaders of tomorrow are beginning to question the reality. The disillusionment is obvious as the future looks infinitely bleak for them. They have heard many times over that tomorrow is for them, but they cannot relate the reality of today, which they are living without bare essentials, to a decent future. They try to see beyond today, with all the disappointments and lacks, but there is nothing cheery in the horizon. The “every man for himself” of the present crop of leaders is not in any way encouraging for them. In the current circumstances, they wonder if there would be anything left of the motherland by the time the future arrives. Where’s the hope of an enduring building, they ask, when there is no stable foundation in place?

We cannot condemn anyone disappointed with the stagnated state of Nigeria. There is no respect for the country outside the borders either. The battle for her soul between the internet scammers and the political class has dented the image the founding fathers worked so hard to establish. These two classes of Nigerians are working assiduously to rub mud on the faces of all Nigerians. By their activities, all citizens are tarred with the same brush. Needless to say that it is a dirty brush.

While the internet scammers are making money off old age pensioners (OAPs), companies and lately governments in the Western world, the politicians are stealing from the common wealth. These two groups are ruthless and wicked, as they do not mind who they hurt in the process of getting rich by all means. The scammers would go to any length to fleece people of the legitimate rewards of their sweat. Most of these people are smart and intelligent, but above all, they are Nigerians. They work round the clock, detailing plans and strategies to hoodwink their victims, and also tarnish the image of the country of birth.

On the other hand, the politicians are not a smart set of people, at least not in Nigeria. Being intelligent or wise is not a criterion for “selection” to political posts. The key to a political career in Nigeria is money, loads of it. If you lack this, you must have a godfather willing to pull your hands up. No one cares how the politicians make money, as poverty has blinded the masses to accept the pittances passed to them. They would line up behind these politicians to ensure they get at least one square meal in a day. Would you blame them? The politicians invest money to get into the government, so they could “corner” the people’s funds. The online scammers rarely spend a penny to get money out of their victims. They are hardcore and brutal.

It is how far the differences go. But we have separate indices to measure the activities of these two groups. When online scammers make “hits,” we say they are involved in “illegal activities.” Fair enough. But when politicians steal from government coffers, accept kickbacks, award contracts to their cronies, the law enforcement agencies look the other way. Disappointingly, the masses praise them and hail them as messiahs to gain access to crumbs. It is an unusual arrangement. With the brazen bravery of the politicians stealing the masses dry, you would expect the masses to stone them when seen in public. No, we prefer to hail them.

A British friend asked me why not many notable Nigerian politicians have condemned the arrests of some high profile online scammers. I expressed as a matter of fact: “Because they have no moral basis, as they are in the same category. Have you ever heard a thief condemn another thief? No, as it is not an acceptable ethic of the profession.” My friend, like many other foreigners, is aware of the email scams and the high level of corruption in the Nigerian political system. To the world, Nigerian online scammers and politicians work hand in hand. Fair enough, some scammers had legitimised their gains by blending with the political class. A few had governed states while some had become legislators to make laws for the honourable Nigerians. Imagine how dented the image of the country is by the activities of the scammers and the political class.

The Nigerians in the diaspora bear the brunt of the dented image. They had to live with the fallout of criminal behaviours of some of their compatriots. They endure the jokes of their foreign colleagues who humour themselves with the content of the Nigerian prince’s emails. These are Nigerians who stutter in their bids to explain why essential infrastructures are lacking several years after independence from the colonial masters. They are Nigerians no one believes in because they see them in the mould of these online scammers and politicians.

Nigerians in the diaspora are in “double jeopardy.” Firstly, they are discriminated against for the colour of their skins and also for being a Nigerian. They are the carriers of the image of corruption as exemplified by the online scammers and politicians. How can they breathe when their hosts tell them “hush” stories of “puppies” who scam foreigners and politicians who do nothing but embezzle people’s money? It is hard.

The online scammers display their wealth on social media, while the politicians oppress their constituents with the massive buildings and arrays of cars parked in them. The scammers may be intelligent, but they lack common sense. Without any legitimate means of livelihood, they allow the world into their flashy and opulence lifestyles. They are foolish. It is indeed true that there is no honour among thieves.

The politicians seem to enjoy a bit of what the scammers lack. They prefer to oppress the people who voted for them and whose money they spend lavishly. These guys rub their wealth on the faces of the local people. They display their transformed lives to the dismay of the ones that voted them in. The politicians are arrogant, and they do not care if their houses are the only ones with electricity or pipe-borne water. Who cares? The locals “admire” the transformation of the politicians. They pray to their gods to transform their lives just as it did for Mr XYZ who, until he was elected a member of the state House of Assembly a year ago, was a jobless tenant who delighted in travelling on the back of “Okadas.” Mr XYZ has erected a mansion and also bought a few latest car models.

Let us not deceive ourselves that it is only online scammers that are undermining the integrity of millions of honest Nigerians. When politicians sidestep their campaign promises and instead award contracts only to contractors willing to pay upfront kickbacks, Nigeria’s image will continue to swim in murky waters. As long as development is not a point of agenda of the political class, Nigeria will purely be a giant on paper. Nigeria’s image will forever be dented as long as members of the political class run abroad for medical treatment, send their children to universities abroad and stash their wealth in foreign accounts as ordinary citizens lament their daily living. No one will take the country seriously.

[i]As written for the Diaspora Matters column, Sunday Vanguard, July 5, 2020http://www.vanguardngr.com[/i]

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
http://www.babajidealabi.com

The ongoing protest against racism fuelled by the anger on the unlawful killing of the African-American George Floyd has spread worldwide. It has allowed the black folks to lay their racial experiences, and stories open to the world. Everywhere you turn to the discussion is on racism and the injustices meted to the blacks in every corner of the white world. Many notable blacks and mixed-race individuals have come out to share ignoble stories of how they are treated because of their colour. The overall understanding of these stories is that it is not always an easy journey for the blacks in the white world.

Undoubtedly, the killing of the 46-year-old Floyd has ignited, once more, a race argument that has been on pause since the death of Martin Luther King. Floyd's death has become the catalyst for a radical movement to highlight the challenges of black people. Floyd, committed to earth last week Tuesday, died after a white Minneapolis policeman, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. He died on May 25. It was supposed to be a normal high-handed arrest of a black man but went wrong, thereby highlighting the injustices suffered by black citizens in the hands of security agents.

The reactions to the death have been unprecedented worldwide. From the US to Israel, Syria to London, Australia to Hong Kong, the outcries against racism and police brutality had been loud. It is unique with everyone on all divides trying to get into the good side of history. In the present situation, it is unfashionable to support racism or be perceived to be racist. Even the alt-right nationalist groups and individuals respect this and had to retreat. A few individuals, such as President Donald Trump of the United States, have not hidden what side they are. The likes of Nigel Farage in the United Kingdom, whose career fed on racism and nationalism thought it was an opportunity to reinvent himself. He soon realised his voice was lost in the sea of reasonable opinions.

The whites have been vocal in their condemnation. I saw a video clip of some American celebrities taking responsibility for racism by their past acts. It was skin-crawling to watch the clip that was put together to ride on the bandwagon of the present time. But it was a mistake as it was too cringy I could not watch it the second time. Give it to them; the acting was perfect, but they were unconvincing in the new commitment to rid the planet of racism. I don't grasp what informed the decision of these white individuals, but it was comical more than the truth it was supposed to convey.

At least we know where the Trumps, Farages or Robinsons stand in a world where people are falling over themselves to show solidarity to “Black Lives Matter.” In a world where “taking a knee” to depict the cruel way Chauvin snuffed life out of Floyd is now a way of life. People of all races have abruptly woken up and "taking knees" as a form of protest against oppression. But wait a minute, where are the racists? And where are all these “soldiers” coming from, you may ask? The herd mentality prevailing now is seriously giving me concerns.

It is funny but true. With several white folks (some of them racists) raising their hands and voices to condemn racism, we wonder how many racists are left in the field. As they do this, the question of how long they are going to “take a knee” keeps tugging at our minds. Will they rise and go back to their “vomit” of racism immediately the camera turns away? Or the world would change for good after all these? It is puzzling but worth a thought.

I get goosebumps when I see employers of labour that have inbuilt systems to reject black and minority applicants based on their names come out to condemn racism. How sincere are the executives of 99 per cent white-populated companies denouncing racism? How seriously do we take companies asking black employees to come forward with past grievances? They had the opportunity to deal with these cases when they occurred but chose to look away. It is funny when bosses that had fettered promotion of blacks or ethnic minority colleagues are sending email messages out with a promise to redress the situation.

Imagine, individuals who could not tolerate black colleagues, neighbours, classmates a few months ago are now the unusual champions of anti-racism campaigns. Corporate institutions that were a few weeks ago active promoters and supporters of racism are tongue in cheek, lining up to say "Black Lives Matter." The white bosses that barely regarded their black employees as human beings have suddenly repented and are talking about racism in uncomplimentary words. They are no longer looking for the tails hidden in their black employees' trousers. Funny, this is.

There is no doubt that the death of Floyd is one too many. It had prompted a closer look at the endemic evil practices of racism in the western world. The protests and anger expressed by people in all corners of the world are understandable. The spotlight on policing in the US reveals the racial discrimination that has been part of the system for decades. What this death has done is to imprint the age-long practice of police brutality towards black African Americans into the world consciousness. The video recording of Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Floyd while pleading "I can't breathe" has become iconic.

To think that America is the only country that blacks are racially discriminated against is to trivialise the evil called racism. In the western world, racism is part of a society where blacks are mistreated. The society turns a blind eye and sees nothing wrong in these treatments. The only difference between racism in the USA and other white populated countries is that it is more confrontational in the US. While in the UK, it is subtle but make no mistake that this is "fairer" than what is obtained in the US. No.

I am beside myself when white individuals think blacks sometimes take “this issue of racism a bit too far.” It is a wave of anger I have suppressed many times in my years of living in the UK. I am outraged not for their audacity to think this way, but the feeling that probably blacks exaggerate their racial abuses than they actually experience. I am more angered by the casual way they interject the thoughts into discussions.

Racism has become an endemic part of day to day living in the UK that some white people see you as odd if you complain about it. It is understandable on their part to think this way because most of the racial abuses have become institutionalised. It is offensive to white colleagues when blacks complain they are systematically denied promotions because of their colour. Promotion over black colleagues is white privilege, and they wonder why they should share these with black folks.

I am amazed and amused when white colleagues or “friends” in their wisdom try to understand the effect of racism. It is worse when they relate to you trying to show they are not racists. It is annoying when some of them start the conversation with “I have a black friend.” I have learnt to decode this “tale” as a defence mechanism by the racists, so you could lose your guard and think they are not racists. I assume the opposite way when colleagues start weaving tales about their “black friends or neighbours.” They try to convince you without any prompting that racism is not in their blood.

Yet, give them an inch; thinking they ought to have learnt one or two things from their “black friends or neighbours.” But you will discover that these black friends are figments of their imaginations. They love yearning stories of how they stood against racists on behalf of their friends. They always end the story with: “I am not racist. I can’t stand them.”

You laugh because this is a familiar story that you have heard many times all over. No matter the setting or the city, they are the same. White folks trying hard to convince you that they are not racists. But unconsciously their actions and “slip of tongues” reveal their real selves. It is a “joke” that is played on all black folks in the western world. The only assurance we get from racists is “I am not racist. I can’t stand them” even when you call them out. I guess now it is “I am not racist, black lives matter.”

First published on the blog MORAK http://www.babajidealabi.com

As written for the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard,http://www.vanguardngr.com June 14, 2020.

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
http://www.babajidealabi.com`

Once again, the death of the 22-year-old Nigerian university student Vera Uwalia Omozuwa has shifted the discussion about rape to the forefront. Uwa died on Saturday, May 30, three few days after being physically and sexually assaulted by unknown individuals. According to reports, the student had gone to a quiet church near her residence to study. Unfortunately, a place that was supposed to be a sanctuary for all, was where the activities that led to Uwa’s attack and death in the hands of low life criminals started. Her death is another number in the statistics of Nigerian women sexually attacked and killed.

Unfortunately, a death as gruesome as Uwa’s has to take place for us to initiate another discussion on rape and sexual assaults. It is saddening that a subject that should be an everyday discussion on the lips of all Nigerians is only brought up after avoidable incidents. Rape and sexual assaults remain everyday crimes in Nigeria, yet, it is the least discussed in the country. The absence of official statistics should not be an excuse for these crimes not to be kept on the front burners of national priorities.

The thought of being raped or killed in a church could not have crossed the mind of this young lady. She thought of the church as the safest of all places to be at that time. None of us would think otherwise, as the church represents a shelter from all the evils of the world. The tranquillity of the building and how we reverence the physical church rather than divine words could have confidently influenced Uwa’s choice of place of study.

Uwa made a sensible decision, especially in a country where public libraries are non-existent. If there was a public library on a street not far from Uwa’s residence, she would have preferred this. But as an ambitious lady who knew she had to push herself to make any mark in a country where the leaders think of nothing but themselves, Uwa had to “sort herself out.” She knew advancing herself is the only way to be respected. She lived in a country where success is expected without any support from the government.

It is a harrowing story to tell, and one that has sparked sympathy and demand for actions from all over the world. The death has brought us together to talk about these crimes in our villages, towns, and cities. The anger and discussions currently going on are amazing and quite symbolic. The words on the lips of every Nigerian are “Justice For Uwa.” She has become the platform of justice for all victims of rape in a country where silence is still the norm. The national outrage and condemnation of rape and sexual assaults should signal an “end of the game” to all the criminals. The first step to show commitment in stopping rape in our society is a show of commitment by the police to apprehend the killers of Uwa and bring them to justice as swiftly as the possible.

Rape and sexual assaults are two under-reported and least solved crimes in Nigeria. They are rampant crimes, but we express surprise every time a rape case breaks. The call to arms every time is astonishing. It has always been the same cyclical situation and at the end of it we quiet down and life continues until another victim becomes a major story again. If we look into history, we will see that this has been the same pattern. No key step has been taken at the national, state or local government levels to commence a journey to see an end to these dastardly acts.

We should advance a step further this time around by making sure Uwa’s death is not in vain. We should sustain these discussions and campaigns and ensure it does not end here. This is how we can deliver justice to the victims. They are not only crying for justice, but they also want to see action plans drawn out and laws sponsored and enacted to make these crimes unattractive to everyone in the future. They are calling out that all must be done to bring this crime of passion to an end or reduced considerably. Justice for Uwa is justice for all unborn girls, ladies, and women in society.

I agree with the perception that it is never late to take action. When we merely talk about the crimes and feebly express anger the more emboldened the perpetrators will become. The death of Uwa is unfortunately sad, and it will be an understatement to say the action that caused her death is reprehensible. Rape or sex crimes are by themselves attacks that ruin the lives of many victims. For Uwa, these criminals not merely took advantage of her sexually, but they also terminated her life in a bid to keep her mouth shut forever. They made a mistake this time around. Uwa may be quiet, but many people are screaming for justice on her behalf all over the world.

Rape is rampant in our society because of the level of poverty. Sexual assault is commonplace at every stratum of the Nigerian society. There is no age restriction or barrier as it is inflicted on children in kindergarten classes to students in universities, employees of government, private and multinational companies. The lines between consenting sex and assaults are blurred in Nigeria and the victims barely recognize their rights.

It is no secret that millions of Nigerians endure sexual assaults to keep their jobs. They undergo these daily in the hands of their employers, bosses, political office holders, etc. but they have to keep their mouths shut if only to hold on to their jobs or to continue enjoying favours. They have to bear the pain silently because nothing is clearly defined in the laws of the country. Ask the few ones that dare to raise their voices; they narrate you shameful stories of their “rebellion.” The stories are full of oppression for speaking out.

For want of not repeating myself, I will conclude by an excerpt from an article titled “Let Us Talk About Rape,” published in this column on September 17, 2017. http://www.babajidealabi.com/talk-rape/ I wrote: “Rape is a serious issue that needs the urgent attention of every reasonable man and woman. Human beings are created to be just and rational, but atrocities, such as rape have indicated otherwise. If being reasonable is a demand for living rape figures should be nose-diving. One, therefore, wonders, if we are losing the war on sensibility or something is simply wrong with the thought process of individuals. The rise of cases suggests that rather than use brains some individuals are controlled by their sexual cravings.”

“While governments, especially in developed countries, have made progress, the journey is yet to start with developing countries. These governments have sensibly criminalised this act, and the question is, are they doing enough compared with the scale of the occurrences? The consensus, however, is that no matter the prevailing culture supporting or encouraging rape acts, governments, leaders, and all right-thinking human beings should campaign for tougher sentences.”

“There is a hope rising in the horizon though, as individuals, charities and non-governmental organisations are giving voice to the victims of rape. They have, in their capacities, been waging wars on rape. These are not vigilante groups to stop the perpetrators, nor are they parading the streets looking for rape victims. No. They are kind-hearted and patriotic citizens using their private resources to campaign for a change of perception towards rape victims. They are determined to ensure victims of rape get justice.”

This is a good start to getting Justice for Uwa.

As written for the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard http://www.vanguardngr.com Sunday, June 7, 2020.
Published on the blog MORAK http://www.babajidealabi.com

By Morak Babajide-Alabi

There are many questions the protesters on the streets of the United States of America (USA) are demanding answers to. They are disappointed and angry at their county’s system that promotes a different set of rules for the races that inhabit the land. They are enraged at the system that treats one race as superior to the other. The fact disillusions them that in 2020, policing in the most powerful country in the world is defined along racial lines.

There is no disputing the fact that violence is not the solution to societal issues. We may argue that fights for social justices are never won on the streets, but we need to understand that the process for the change could start there. If we put ourselves in the shoes of these protesters, we would relate to their pains and why they vented the anger on the streets. There was frustration on the part of these protesters who expected much more than what the society offers them currently.

These protesters have recognized so many injustices and momentarily threw caution to the winds. Some of them probably were part of similar protests in the past. They had seen fellow citizens congregated to denounce police brutalities towards the black population. But what they have not witnessed is a change in the approach of the police. Despite the history of protests demanding an overhaul of the system to treat all citizens the same, these protesters are frustrated there has been no change. It is one law for the black folks and another for the other race.

They realise the heaviness of their actions, but they equally know that without a scream, their protests would not achieve anything. As they gathered in Minneapolis, Georgia and other cities, they recalled the extensive list of citizens of black origin that have been wasted by the system. The names of the victims killed by officers who were supposed to protect them laid heavily on their minds. They cannot blur these out of their consciousness because they see themselves in the images of the murdered compatriots.

As they gathered in protest to the latest death of in the hands of the police department, they ask, how long shall these continue? For how much longer can a black man walk the streets without fear of a police bullet in his back? Or when will the heartfelt cry of “I can't breathe” be a thing of the past? These protesters see themselves in George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man whose life was snuffled last week Monday by the officers of the Minneapolis police force. Three policemen had gripped Floyd down, with Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck, while the fourth man kept “intruders” at bay.

The video clip of the process leading to the death of the defenceless Floyd has been watched and shared millions of times on social media. The protesters know this is not a pleasant way to die. They imagined themselves as Floyd as he gasped for air pleading with his captors that “I can’t breathe.” In their minds, they replayed the clip of Floyd fighting for his life in the hands of these policemen. One can understand the anger of the protesters.

They wondered what part of “I can’t breathe,” the policemen did not quite understand? This inhuman behaviour of the four policemen is not out of character. The landscape of policing in the US is littered with pieces of evidence of how white police officers treat black people with iron fists. Floyd was, unfortunately, a victim of this high-handedness. But to Hal Marx, a Mississippi Mayor, it was no big deal. He tweeted: “If you can say you can’t breathe, you’re breathing. Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack...” It is in the same line with President Donald Trump's tweet of “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Comments such as these are what get the protesters fired up. In situations such as the present, you would expect utmost caution in the choice of words from both sides. The commander in chief decided to reach into his history book to tweet a quote from the sixties. It has been ascribed to a Miami’s former police chief, Walter E. Headley, condemned by civil rights groups for his racist inclination. But this is the new America as defined by nationalism and alt-right movements with no regards to race relations.

It is a little comfort that Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The protesters still have their reservation on whether the same system could be trusted to serve justice. They are sceptical because history abounds of officers being let off the hook after incidents such as this. The Rodney King beating by LAPD officers on March 3, 1991, and the subsequent trial and discharge of the officers are still fresh in our minds. Just a few weeks ago the world was discussing the needless killing of Ahmaud Arbery. He was shot at a close range by Gregory and Travis McMichael a father and son who claimed they mistook him for a burglar. His death brought about a round of condemnation as the killers almost got off without, even a slap on the wrist.

Only God knows what went on in the minds of Chauvin and his colleagues as Floyd screamed: “I can’t breathe.” If only we could see through their minds as Chauvin bring to bear more pressure on the neck of Floyd. Could it be that Chauvin’s hatred for the being of the man underneath him deafened him to the pleas? Did the officer blank out and did not realise he was kneeling on the neck of a human being? His demeanour did not indicate a man who cared if the black man lived or died. While this lasted, Chauvin had his left hand in his pocket. Do you wonder as I do what he could be handling in his pocket?

That is a mystery that has to be solved. He looked intent at physically wounding the man. It is also worrying none of the other officers could caution him to relax his “grip” on the neck. If these officers studied police history, they would realise the cry of “I can’t breathe” is not a particularly good one. Regrettably, none of them seemed to have heard about Eric Garner and what their colleagues did to the young man. A cry of “I can’t breathe” represents a desperate call for release.

On May 29, 2016, I wrote a piece titled “Policing A Hard To Reach Black Men” - http://www.babajidealabi.com/policing-hard-reach-black-young-men/ Although this article was mainly on the relationship between the black and minority ethnic groups and the police in the United Kingdom, I slightly delved into what was happening in the US. I had written: “The disparity in the treatment of black young men and women by the police in the United States of America came under intense scrutiny in recent times when some overzealous white officers went out of their ways to target unarmed black young males. These officers, who overstep their bounds on many occasions particularly, picked on black folks for no obvious reasons.”

Things are not looking good in race relations right now in the US. You are right on the money if you wonder when race relations have been any good in the country. Unfortunately, a country that is supposed to be a model as a multi-racial society had continued to fall the hands of everyone in the world. Racism seems to have become a familiar issue in a country where nationalism has taken a wrong turn. It surprises no one any longer.

As written for the Diaspora Matters column, Sunday Vanguard http://www.vanguardngr.com, May 30, 2020.

Published on the blog, Morak http://www.babajidealabi.com. [b][/b]

by Morak Babajide-Alabi
http://www.babajidealabi.com

In the article, titled “What is It?” Much Information, But No Answers, published on April 5, this year, I had written briefly on my encounter with a long-lost friend of mine. This friend, who for anonymity, I will refer to as Tony, had taken me to task on why I think Nigeria is not moving forward. His opinion on development is, no doubt, different from mine, and I should have “remembered” the disparity in opinions even before picking his call.

Tony is a long-time friend whom I communicate with on and off as the need arises. However, in recent times, we seemed to have lost the urge and enthusiasm to ask after each other. This is not unusual, it is because as we grow older our opinions on issues became opposite poles. We have always experienced our differences, but we usually patch with the belief that opinions do differ. It became challenging, especially for me, when Tony's views about development, and every other subject I hold dear, became “wayward.” Gradually, we have found ourselves drifting apart so as not to hurt the feelings of each other. But I am certain he nevertheless thinks of me, once in a while as I do.

We all have this type of friend whose shadow just flutters across our minds once in a couple of months. Sometimes, we pick up the phone and call, but often, we tend to ignore. We assure ourselves that we will call, one day very soon, but we never get around to do it. You can say there is the wish, but the will to carry through is lost. I believe this is something we can all relate to.

Some friends that fall into this category are typically irritants by all standards. Well, maybe for the sake of a better choice of words, they are friends that don't see the other side of arguments. Most times, we had preferred the sleeping dog lie rather than a waste of breath on unnecessary arguments. It is often easy to engage in a conversation with someone you are on the same path with. Not that you expect every one of your friends to swallow your opinions hook and sinker.

Tony falls into the mould of the description above. Trying to make a point with him is akin to getting water out of the stone. I met Tony at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Yola, the capital city of the former Gongola State (now Adamawa State). We were in the same hostel and platoon. I found him, at the time, very nice and charming. Fresh from the university, we all had high hopes of a better tomorrow for our country. We dreamt of a future where we would pick and choose from many opportunities, enabled by a functional Nigeria where everything works. I remember sitting in clusters, discussing ideas that we think will change the destiny of our motherland. We believed the NYSC discharge certificate was a licence to the good world.

While Tony was always part of the group, his approach could be a bit off point sometimes. It did not take long before I realised that my friend was a “convenient” talker who will do anything to have access to the good life. For ease of passage, Tony was a willing tool in the hands of the camp commandant and the officers.

All of Tony’s life would follow a similar pattern after the NYSC. Through the military regimes, the democratic experiments, and the modern-day republics, Tony is an apologist for various administrations. And the pattern is the same till date. He is one of the people you will refer to as the kitchen boys of the administrations. They look over the entrances to the “dark rooms.” Tony is a willing tool in the hands of any influential personality in government.

He is one of the young individuals who work behind the scenes propping up the old order. They go the extra mile to make sure the status quo of the government in power is maintained. They know they are not the best for the country, but it is convenient for them as they appeal to their objectives. Above all, they are comfortable just walking the corridors of power, as they pick the substantial crumbs from the powers that be. They are the young men and women who carry out the bidding of the visionless and tired leaders. In essence, it is the likes of Tony that deceive Nigerian leaders that they are doing exceptionally well when in fact they are ruining the lives of fellow citizens.

Tony, like many others, is a brilliant Nigerian with leadership qualities. The problem is that these qualities are given up easily to be subservient to individuals who are not as half-intelligent as they are. It is an irony of life. But some call it the Nigerian way of life and explain this is the reason the country has refused to move forward.

Tony is enjoying life. He is made legitimate with a board appointment or giving an advisory role, or better still pushed to the house of assembly or National Assembly. This is the reward for the years of portfolio carrying. Tony’s vision of a better Nigeria, dreamed in his prime, is weakened by the long-term association with his mentors. He is a carbon copy of the same set of people. He goes to his elective or political office with a blurred vision of a Nigeria with excellent infrastructure; good health and education for children, great road networks.

Yet, we shout every day that the veteran leaders are not leaving the stage.

Tony is a supporter of Nigeria’s ruling party - the All Progressive Congress (APC). He is angered by impatient Nigerians who complain daily and thereby not allow time for the party to turn the country around. I did not get his point, but I was willing to hear him out. “Could you imagine some dumb Nigerians saying that President Muhammad Buhari is too slow for the country?”

Here we go again. A lecture on the capabilities of the President, how Nigerians have not valued the “greatest President” that the country had ever had. I could visualise the conversation in my head, but I felt I should allow him to vent his frustration and anger with his fellow citizens. “I read comments of some Nigerians about insecurity, lack of infrastructure, jobs, and I wonder what planet these guys live in. Maybe they are blind or something else. Imagine some complaining about the exchange rate.”

Tony is one of the numerous APC supporters who wonder why people do not celebrate the achievements of the Buhari administration. I repeatedly say because they can’t see them. I have found wisdom in not arguing or disputing their submissions, as it is usually of no consequence. They argue that Nigerians should be grateful to APC for rescuing the country from the verge of destruction. If you ask them for the shreds of evidence that the government had improved the lives of the citizens, they conveniently go into long seminar discussions on how the previous governments had plundered the economy of the country for sixteen years.

Tell them to show you what the APC-led government had turned around since it came with the CHANGE slogan, and they lecture you on the qualities of the President. “He is a disciplined detribalised Nigerian. He is not after anything in government, but the welfare of all Nigerians. Which government has fought corruption like his?” How do you argue this? It is always the same story.

As written for the Diaspora Matters column, Sunday Vanguard, http://www.vanguardngr.com May 24, 2020.

Read more stories on the Blog - Morak - http://www.babajidealabi.com

By Morak Babajide-Alabi

“We are all damaged. We have all been hurt. We have all had to learn painful lessons. We are all recovering from some mistake, loss, betrayal, abuse, injustice or misfortune. All of life is a process of recovery that never ends,” Bryant McGill.

In a world full of contradictions, the pretence to love in the midst of so much hate, injustice and inhumanity are therefore commonplace. In a world where we say “this” and mean “that”, the two words, injustice and inhumanity are most times “misdefined.” We confuse these two words because the dictionary meanings are quite different from what we see in the larger society. We rarely bother to cross-check the definitions with what we see or hear. What we do is jump on the bandwagon, talk about injustices and inhumanity, so we can fit in.

Most of us talk about these words as often as we can. Some of us have made careers out of injustice and inhumanity. If you doubt me, watch our politicians speak about injustice and inhumanity on the soapboxes. You will be swept away by the orations, and instantly dream of a better world where injustice and inhumanity to mankind is history. As followers, we shout “end injustice and inhumanity.” We all pretend to seek the same goal - eradication. But we know deep inside that the leaders are as inspired as we the followers. It is a drama of going round in circles.

This is a cruel and dangerous world, full of evil and conscienceless individuals. Some of them occupy the highest positions in the world, while others are at the lower rung of society. No matter the level of power, these individuals attain (or do not attain,) their thoughts and behavioural patterns are the same. They care less about justice, or how good humanity can be. They present a facade to the world that they really care, but in their closets, they are monsters with no atom of human compassion in them.

John Hartung wrote: “There is a difference between what is wrong and what is evil. Evil is committed when clarity is taken away from what is clearly wrong, allowing wrong to be seen as less wrong, excusable, right, or an obligatory commandment of the Lord God Almighty. Evil is bad sold as good, wrong sold as right, injustice sold as justice. Like the coat of a virus, a thin veil of right can disguise enormous wrong and confer an ability to infect others.” This is an apt description of the world we live in.

If not, how do we explain the killing of the 25-year old African-American Ahmaud Armery in Georgia, United States of America (USA) on February 23? No matter what tale father and son Gregory McMichael (64) and Travis McMichael (34) may spin, there is no justification for the killing. We have, however, learnt that evil can be generational or relational. If these two could conspire to kill an innocent man out on a jogging exercise, we should accept that the society is breeding clusters of evil families.

The killing of Ahmaud is another milestone in the delicate race relationship in the US. But let us not get this wrong thinking this only applies to the US. No! In every society defined by the colours — white and black — it is just a matter of time before the hate brewing underground boils over. It is, nevertheless, disheartening that the most powerful nation in the world has failed in every aspect of race relations. The level of racism in the country is disturbing. The emergence of the Alt-Right movement following the election of President Donald Trump has dangerously fired this unacceptable “nationalism.”

There is no race in as much risk of unprovoked attacks or injustice as blacks. In this age, the black skin colour enrages some individuals. The “unspoken” violence against blacks on the streets of the UK, Russia, China, Estonia, etc. is unusual in comparison with other races. It is unfathomable why there is so much hate against a race that is impoverished by the actions of the forefathers of the racists.

The white supremacists need a lesson in history to understand how injustices were done to the black race. Why are they angry with a race that they forced to slavery? Why the hate towards a race brought to its knees, with guns to the heads of their great-great-great-grandfathers and shipped to sugar plantations? These crimes were committed by whites against blacks. Tell me why hate is the other way round.

My heart goes out to the family and friends, especially the mother, of Ahmaud. It is sad enough to lose a life, but worst to know a close person had been murdered intentionally, not for anything but the colour of his/her skin. The pain of the mother is unimaginable coupled with the injustice she suffered. The double jeopardy inflicted on her is enough to kill any mother, especially one who had done everything right, endured much racial profiling and discrimination to raise a good Ahmaud.

Losing a child is a pain, but to know that the killers would walk away without justice is torture. This is inhumanity, at its best. This was the pain of this woman in the weeks following the murder of her son. The two heartless individuals were almost let off by the system. Not for anything but the fact that they are whites and had “merely wasted” a “worthless” black man.

This is the pain of society. The operators of the system have their rules, depending on the colour of the victims or perpetrators. They are privileged to switch the rules at their own time and pace without any recriminations. Ahmaud practically became a victim of the system. The killers claimed self-defence for the killing of a defenceless individual, whom a neighbour had called the police on for a burglary on a construction site in the area. A review of the closed-circuit television clip showed an individual that resembled Ahmaud had stopped by at the site, looked around and continued on his run.

The CCTV images showed Ahmaud had no stick or stone or knife on him, yet these animals claimed they were defending themselves. The operators of the system, paid to deliver justice, supported the claims and said there was no justification for the arrest of the McMichaels. They concluded the killers had acted within the provisions of the State of Georgia’s citizen arrest statute. Please note that the senior McMichael was a retired investigator in the same police department. This may explain why the police or the District Attorneys were not in a hurry to bring him and his son to justice.

But Ahmaud’s god was not asleep. From nowhere the video recording of his killing surfaced. It was graphic with no holds barred. It is not clear yet if the “undercover” cameraman was a part of the “hunting” group. He could have been recording for the viewing enjoyment of the group. His recording position was too vintage to be coincidental. Let us, however, leave this to the prosecutor to think about. But we know for certain that his recording started the process to reverse the injustice to Ahmaud.

There was no hiding place for the operators of the system. The video clip went viral and even the blind could see the inhumanity of the father and son. The killing of Ahmaud might have been planned in the front porch of their home, but the execution was public. The world witnessed how this defenceless young man fell to shots from racists, inflamed by anger at the sight of a black man.

Ahmaud must not suffer injustice. This is the sole way this young man's death can be avenged. It will be a massive fight, but it must be fought with all that is there. The McMichaels must not be let off lightly. The system is associated with injustice. If you doubt, watch the new docuseries on Netflix, Trial By Media. Reference Bernard Goetz who shot four black teenagers on a New York City subway in 1984. He was acquitted on the back of self-defence. Injustice is a new humanity.

As written for the Diaspora Matters Column, Sunday Vanguard, http://www.vanguardngr.com, May 17, 2020.

Published on the Blog - Morak - http://www.babajidealabi.com

DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, a health information management company with a desire to bring the technology that has transformed health information management in the developed world to Nigeria, is recruiting for Government Relations Executives.

Position Title: Government Relations Executive (2 posts Abuja and Lagos)

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer and Director, Business Systems Development.

Functions:
He/She shall be responsible for the management of existing and new DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited portfolios with the Federal and State Governments.
Developing strategies for increasing opportunities to meet and talk to contacts in the health sector.
Act as the link between the company and government functionaries.
Responsible for all correspondences between the company and government.
Liaising with the health ministries and agencies to ensure DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited's affairs are handled efficiently and on time, and also maintain good relationship with the departments.
Shall continually research into government health policies and how the company can contribute to formulating new ones.
Provide in real time latest information and updates gathered from government offices or contacts that may benefit the company.


REQUIREMENTS
]Minimum First Degree Holder, preferably in the Social Sciences.
Have a well grounded knowledge of the Nigerian healthcare sector, the operations and management.
Experienced in developing business and sales plans, time lines and milestone targets.
A team player.

ESSENTIALS
Good Oral and Written Communication Skills. Be able to write clear and good reports or put ideas on paper in minutes.
Ability to read and understand simple instructions.
Well groomed and presented.
Be able to sell “ice to the Eskimos”.
Good knowledge of most Microsoft programmes.
Ability to take initiatives.
Be flexible.

REWARDS

Generous commission/pay.
Opportunity to grow with Nigeria's pioneer health information management company.
Staff Rewards.

START DATE: February 2012.

Method of application: Send an email to government (at) demitaghealthconcepts.com with a page summary of how you fit the requirements and professional experiences.
Deadline: January 16, 2012.
Website: http://www.demitaghealthconcepts.com

Nairalanders,
Word of Advise: Take Yawa-ti-de's websites reviews seriously (if you have not already been doing that). The man/woman sure knows what he/she is talking about. A competent 'mind'.
Yawa-ti-de, abeg help take a final look at the finished work, and after i wont bother you again, I promise. Kudos to you.

http://www.ekitigene.com

Thank you.
I note your observations. Will work on them.
I am using CSS this time around. Am a novice though. No idea of website design before this. That was why I hung on to all your advises.

yawa-ti-de,
Pls can u help have a look again and see if its improved. Though still working on it
http://www.ekitigene.com

thanks

yawa-ti-de,
I took your advise. I have decongested the homepage. It was after doing this I realised how truly congested the site was before your review. The thumbprint was utterly disgusting and unneccessary. I have also 'reworked' the Contact Us page.
Do I need to tell you, how much your review is appreciated.
Thanks

Yawa-ti-de,
Thanks for the review.
Will try and decongest as suggested.
The contact us form do validate.
However, the website is not a commercial venture. It is just something I do by the side to bring Naija news closer to my people in diaspora. Its aim is just to get a collection of news links that I think are topical. Check out the Vanguard website, it is top of the tops compared with The Nation's.
Anyway, appreciated.

ekitigene