Yar’ Adua is sick, Nigeria is sick

Forgive the above title, I couldn’t do better. When you enter Lagos transport, you better get your ears ready to listen. I was in a bus, was all ears, on the mainland some days ago when the following discussion ensued.

An argument started between passenger#1 and the bus-conductor over the extra 10-Naira added to the ‘regular bus fare’. Please note that ‘regular bus fare’ in Lagos state is the fee applicable to everybody. If you have some glutes like these, ‘regular bus fare’ doesn’t apply to you.

The bus-conductor then asked passenger#1 if he wasn’t aware of fuel increase, bad roads, global meltdown etc., and all the rogbodiyan (problems) facing Nigeria.

Thats when passenger#2 asked the bus-conductor how he(conductor) knows about ‘global meltdown’. “So you get money read Newspaper?”, passenger#2 asked.

“If I no read newspaper, how I go know say I suppose add 10-Naira for wetin you suppose pay”, the conductor replied. [If I don't read the newspaper, how am I supposed to know how much to add to what you are supposed to pay?]. “I dey browse for internet sef, if you wan know”, he added. [I even browse the internet, just to let you know].

Everybody laughed. We were all in traffic. The conversation continued and soon the talk began on the reason why basic amenities are a Miracle for the common Nigerian. For example, a passenger added: “In Nigeria we thank God for electricity”.

The comparison between ‘when Obasanjo was there’, and ‘now that Yar Adua is there’, joined the line of thoughts.

It was like an oracle spoke, when Passenger#3, out of nowhere made the following comment: ‘all of you sef wey dey complain say no light, no water, no fuel, no road, no this, no that, see, Mr. President sef no get fuel for hin body, we sit here dey talk say fuel no day for petrol station. The person wey dey find panadol wey hin go drink tomorrow morning, you wan tell me say that guy know say light no dey for ya house?”

[All of you that are complaining, saying no light, no water, no fuel, no road, no this and that, see, Mr. President doesn't have fuel in his own body, we sit here talking that theres no fuel in the petrol station. While he's busy looking for panadol to drink tomorrow morning, are you telling me that the guy knows there's no light in your house?]

It was like one of those things you hear and you say ‘gbosa, I heard something’.

At first, everyone kept silent, looked back one by one at he who made the statement and then burst into laughter. The rest of the talk, until I got down was about how sick Mr. President looks.

8———————8

Nigeria is economically sick, and its not Yar Adua’s fault. But maybe he is coz he knew what he was getting into while he contested for President. He inherited a problem that had compounded for ages, passed down from one corrupt leader to another. And perhaps, Mr. Presido Yardy felt he could solve the problem at the beginning, I won’t know if he’s presently thinking otherwise.

Mr. President is sick, its not his fault either. It occurred to me that indeed, the average Nigerian wants to see a good looking president and the fact that we aren’t seeing Mr. President in a sharp and bubbling physical appearance bothers everyone, just as much as the sick economy.

Another passenger, #4 commended the unique agbada’s worn by the former President Obasanjo, as ‘fine clothes’. He added that even though the whole world knew that the former President wasn’t among the facially endowed, his sharp and crispy appearances as President complemented his short comings. He continued: that the former President knew how to cool down tension with his many jokes, especially in front of the press, was always the main figure at any meeting and generally has a very good body carriage.

“Hes a Military man”, passenger#5 noted.

“Before nko’, a lady butted in”, see what we are talking about here is physical appearance, not military, should you be a former military man before you know how to appear properly in public?”

I was of a similar opinion sometime ago when I compared Obama and Yar Adua, in this post.

He said, “A sick church cannot bring healing to a dying world; neither can a seriously sick leader bring progress to his followers”.

Talking about rebranding Nigeria, shouldn’t Prof. Akunyili first rebrand Mr. President before trying to rebrand Nigeria? He should be rebranded locally first before we carry him on the international.

Is a successful woman always behind every successful man? and is a there a beautiful woman behind every handsome man? I am wondering what kind of responsibilities Mrs. Turai, Yar Adua is bugged down with that she cannot rebrand her husband for the world to see.

the floor is now open. Say all you can.