i just realized a minute back that i mostly start my blog post by saying "i won't say much today" or something to that effect, and then end up writing an epistle. now, i'm not sure if i do this to get you to read to the end of the post - on the assumption that its a short read, or its that i sub-consciously believe that a 12 paragraph write-up is actually short. either way, forgive me and i'm just gonna keep this really short. that is, if nigeria and its daily offereings of the unbelievable and sometimes downright ridiculous will let me.
on my way to work today, i noticed a molue (huge lorry-like bus often without brakes and used to convey tons of people in lagos nigeria) with the following inscription on the back "model 2010". i guess that was supposed to intimate prospective passengers that they would be cruising around town in the latest breed of this contraption. truth is, i haven't seen a more rickety bus in a looooong time. soon after, another molue went by me with the inscription: "leave and let leave"...and yet a third with "no food for lasy man". i mean, please. is there a law that says that every huge rickety slap of metal must carry an insignia with such terrible spelling? why is there such a desire among among mechanics and semi-literate artisans, to share their philosophical musings with the rest of us, via a truck back? and if they must, can they at least get a nursery 2 child to help them write it out correctly on a piece of paper before they paint it on the truck? o wait, i just remembered the nursery 2 kids are at home cos their teachers are on strike. nice.
speaking of which, as i went by iyana ipaja bridge this morning, i saw a photocopied poster pasted there with the words "join the October 1st protest". somewhere in the midst of all the amateur graphic designs were the words "Egwu must go" (Egwu is the education minister). i couldn't agree more. for the first time in the country's history, all tiers of education are on strike. from primary to university. and he still gets a salary, i'm assuming? if the 'no work, no pay' rule is applied to the striking lecturers, on what basis is their minister earning his salary. who is he administering? if anyone is feeling the current strike action, i am. for one thing, my neighbour's eight year old son is getting more restless by the day. my car has scratches to show for this strike and just the other day he plucked all the low hanging, unripe mango fruits (that i'd been eyeing and waiting patiently to ripen) from the tree in my compound just for the fun of it. if for nothing else, can they re-open the schools to get this little truant out of my hair?
i got to work this morning and went on youtube to watch the offensive sony advert that depicted nigerians in general as fraudsters. it was just one line where some guy, in response to a sales enquiry on the price of a PS3, replied: "you don't believe everything you read on the internet. if i did, i'd be a nigerian millionaire by now". this is a direct reference to our fellow citizen's notoreity for 419. as you know, the minister of information made a whirlwind of a fuss about this and sony wrote to apologize and to ask its foreign parent company to pull the ad. the truth is, and my position always smarts, if you don't want anyone to call your father a thief, then your father shouldn't have stolen. pure and simple. i'm all for national pride and patriotism but in this case, it's misplaced. someone once said that after crude oil, nigeria's biggest export to the world was advanced fee fraud.
there is of course the argument that americans would never allow anyone else around the world to say anything bad about their country (no matter how true - the obese slugs) and that the amount of hype this matter got is justified. well, thats a matter of opinion. i only found the ad completely humourous, and except for the fact that innocent, hard working nigerians who have never sent a 419 email in all their lives are roped into this in this manner, i wouldn't have even made a comment about it. nigeria and nigerians will keep getting bashed by the world until we shape up and prove to them that we're so much better than all that.
finally, i read in Thisday this morning that "Nigerians spend N796 billion" on fuel to power generators annually. i'm not shocked by the figures, i even think its more than that. it only brings to mind the conspiracy theories i heard while growing up about how generator importers and oil companies bribe NEPA to ensure that the power situation does not improve in order to keep them in business. i, like others, waved it off as mere speculation but looking at an annual industry with that kind of turnover kinda makes me think maybe there's something to it. filling stations are making more than half their sales into 5 liter cans and engine oil is sold more for use in generating sets than cars. wouldn't i do anything to maintain the status quo if this huge amount was at stake?
so much for my keeping this post short today. till tomorrow peeps. and remember, "leave and lets leave"
P.S: if you don't see anything wrong with the last quote, don't blame yourself...the education system in nigeria has been bad for a long time. lol
on my way to work today, i noticed a molue (huge lorry-like bus often without brakes and used to convey tons of people in lagos nigeria) with the following inscription on the back "model 2010". i guess that was supposed to intimate prospective passengers that they would be cruising around town in the latest breed of this contraption. truth is, i haven't seen a more rickety bus in a looooong time. soon after, another molue went by me with the inscription: "leave and let leave"...and yet a third with "no food for lasy man". i mean, please. is there a law that says that every huge rickety slap of metal must carry an insignia with such terrible spelling? why is there such a desire among among mechanics and semi-literate artisans, to share their philosophical musings with the rest of us, via a truck back? and if they must, can they at least get a nursery 2 child to help them write it out correctly on a piece of paper before they paint it on the truck? o wait, i just remembered the nursery 2 kids are at home cos their teachers are on strike. nice.
speaking of which, as i went by iyana ipaja bridge this morning, i saw a photocopied poster pasted there with the words "join the October 1st protest". somewhere in the midst of all the amateur graphic designs were the words "Egwu must go" (Egwu is the education minister). i couldn't agree more. for the first time in the country's history, all tiers of education are on strike. from primary to university. and he still gets a salary, i'm assuming? if the 'no work, no pay' rule is applied to the striking lecturers, on what basis is their minister earning his salary. who is he administering? if anyone is feeling the current strike action, i am. for one thing, my neighbour's eight year old son is getting more restless by the day. my car has scratches to show for this strike and just the other day he plucked all the low hanging, unripe mango fruits (that i'd been eyeing and waiting patiently to ripen) from the tree in my compound just for the fun of it. if for nothing else, can they re-open the schools to get this little truant out of my hair?
i got to work this morning and went on youtube to watch the offensive sony advert that depicted nigerians in general as fraudsters. it was just one line where some guy, in response to a sales enquiry on the price of a PS3, replied: "you don't believe everything you read on the internet. if i did, i'd be a nigerian millionaire by now". this is a direct reference to our fellow citizen's notoreity for 419. as you know, the minister of information made a whirlwind of a fuss about this and sony wrote to apologize and to ask its foreign parent company to pull the ad. the truth is, and my position always smarts, if you don't want anyone to call your father a thief, then your father shouldn't have stolen. pure and simple. i'm all for national pride and patriotism but in this case, it's misplaced. someone once said that after crude oil, nigeria's biggest export to the world was advanced fee fraud.
there is of course the argument that americans would never allow anyone else around the world to say anything bad about their country (no matter how true - the obese slugs) and that the amount of hype this matter got is justified. well, thats a matter of opinion. i only found the ad completely humourous, and except for the fact that innocent, hard working nigerians who have never sent a 419 email in all their lives are roped into this in this manner, i wouldn't have even made a comment about it. nigeria and nigerians will keep getting bashed by the world until we shape up and prove to them that we're so much better than all that.
finally, i read in Thisday this morning that "Nigerians spend N796 billion" on fuel to power generators annually. i'm not shocked by the figures, i even think its more than that. it only brings to mind the conspiracy theories i heard while growing up about how generator importers and oil companies bribe NEPA to ensure that the power situation does not improve in order to keep them in business. i, like others, waved it off as mere speculation but looking at an annual industry with that kind of turnover kinda makes me think maybe there's something to it. filling stations are making more than half their sales into 5 liter cans and engine oil is sold more for use in generating sets than cars. wouldn't i do anything to maintain the status quo if this huge amount was at stake?
so much for my keeping this post short today. till tomorrow peeps. and remember, "leave and lets leave"
P.S: if you don't see anything wrong with the last quote, don't blame yourself...the education system in nigeria has been bad for a long time. lol
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