To be or not to be?
That is the question that leaders the world over who have stayed more
than two decades in power must be asking themselves now, after the
avalanche of protests in the Arab world has crumbled otherwise
untouchable demi-gods. Of course, Muammar Gadaffi by now should know
that his days are numbered, not only in Libya but globally. He must be
beginning to realise that he is not invincible and so like the
unrepentant terrorist, is determined to take as many people as possible
with him.
During one of those
sessions where big issues are thrashed endlessly – sometimes leading to
disputes that will not benefit any of us, as the ‘big-big ogas’ being
argued about really do not care and do not know if we ‘small-small
people’ exist – somebody said, “If third term had succeeded, Nigerians
would have seized these worldwide protests as an opportunity to sweep
OBJ out”. Obasanjo did not succeed with that heinous plan and so we
really cannot say if my friend predicted correctly how Nigerians would
have reacted.
Everybody talked
about different protests taking place in their own domain and a good
friend of mine referred to a lady that could not recite the national
anthem but was still given the green light to go on being our
Ambassador without anybody protesting. I quickly cut in and talked
about the protest that is gathering momentum in the hushed voices of
entertainers.
Some comedians and
musicians asked me if entertainers could not file out and begin to
advocate for a Bank of Entertainment, where individuals involved could
go and access loans like is done in the Bank of Industry or Bank of
Agriculture.
One of the veterans
in the business complained about the bank he has been with for donkey
years refusing to give him a loan of just N300, 000 to prosecute a
small entertainment project that could employ about 10 youth monthly,
if actualised. They told him that the flow of cash in his account was
not consistent, so they could not give him the loan. He really was just
grumbling because if he takes up a placard who would listen to him?
Well, I have heard his cry that is why you are reading his protest.
The protest train
was passing by and everybody had to say something, so one woman talked
about how her children decided to protest by keeping quiet inside the
car for the rest of the journey home after school, when she went to
pick them up. After careful and very diplomatic insistence, she got the
youngest who was a five-year-old to talk and he said if their mummy
does not buy them ice cream from the sellers hanging around their
school gate, especially in this hot Abuja afternoon sun, like the
parents of their friends in class are wont to do, they would no longer
be chatting with her in the car on their way home from school.
According to my friend, “Dis kind of protest don wear face cap.”
The young lady said
she quickly had to put on her thinking cap in order to douse the
protest and kill that spirit once and for all. She said she told her
children that she has prepared their favourite meal at home as well as
restocked her fridge with their best fruit juice and she ended with
“all this ice-cream that is being sold on bicycles by these men by
their school gate are meant for the less privileged” adding that proper
food and juice meant for good children like them was waiting for at
home. All the placards on the faces of her children were dropped.
The protest ignited
under my nose was set upon me by the teachers in my children’s school
and whereas I was able to cleverly instruct my three children above
eight years, my little boy who just turned five came home asking
different questions at different intervals as the spirit gave him
remembrance.
“Daddy, how old are
you? What is your occupation? How much do you earn in a year? Do you
steal government money? Do you think I will still love you if you are
caught stealing government’s money? If I call you a thief, will you be
mad at me?” I wanted to make him know that indeed, I am already mad at
that teacher who put all these ideas in the mind of a little boy.
While I was trying to protest to my wife about the little lad, the
boy went to his school bag and brought the written questions and they
were his assignment for the weekend. So are you going to answer the
protesting boy or even the teacher? Or are you not aware that the
freedom of information bill has scaled all huddles?
