Nigeria: Division of Suffer

( A post from 2014... still applicable. Mostly)

If I have to endure another southerner run off at the mouth about the virtues of APC or PDP while human beings die by the hundreds in the north..........

Everyone wants to make a valid point about the political intentions of two people no sane person should vouch for. One of the candidates has really tried for over half a decade and we appreciate his impotence. The other, in my opinion is a wild card. But we need a change so we are changing.... But what are his thoughts on the insurgence? I know he will end corruption, remove the office of the first lady, will have no bias for religious beliefs, is broke, will not steal, everybody loves him but where has he been since BH started their madness  about 2011? Thats the thing about public servants in nigeria, they normally serve for more personal reasons. (If you didn't get that, stop reading now!)   

If I see one more photo up by politicians, showing political togetherness, when the obvious issues of the insurgence of BH continues at geometric progression......

As if endorsements by a Nigerian politician is the overwhelming evidence of a trustworthy nature. Why don't they go to community leaders in Baga or Potiskum or Chibok to seek endorsements? These politicians are not concerned by the north. Their immediate concern is the election then they will sort out our little terrorist problem as a nation? All I am asking is how? The Nigerian armed forces used to be renowned in Africa. Now our military bases are been seized by......the english language has not given me enough adjectives to describe these people . International news stations are more concerned with our terrorist status than we are! While we celebrate and comment on who stole money last and how much? Or who is married and who bought new car?  or who is more of an orator? Talk never tire us?   

Why is this nation so divided? The issue of the south does not seem to be the issue of the north. Just like January 2012, while the south battled hike in fuel prices, the north were burying their dead...... 

Nigerians! and our blatant disregard for that which does not affect us.

My Fellow Nigerians...

Nigeria as an economic society has grown over the years to become world recognized for its enormous possibilities. I actually read an article from IMF that basically states that Nigeria has the potential of being the new China! I was impressed and proud to be part of the generation that is changing Nigeria as an economic society.

Other countries have noticed the investment potential in Nigeria. Different multinational companies are setting up 'shop' in Nigeria and different Nigerians are partnering with individual / companies to create better products/services in all sectors of the economy. In fact, the presence of 'expatriate partnership' has become synonymous with better services/products.

Interestingly enough, there is a downside to our increased popularity. On one hand, we have foreigners that have come with a large amount of money paid to a silent Nigerian partner to bring in substandard goods and services. With enough advertisement, promos and beautiful colours (otherwise known as branding), these companies convince the buying public that their products are the best in the world when a simple Google search proves different.

On the other hand, many Nigerians are employing expatriates as senior staff. This new employment plan , upon study, can be very interesting. They have some of the best jobs despite the qualifications of their Nigerian counterparts. In all fairness to their employers, they still give the role that their title deserves but the foreign employees have brand new made up prestigious posts just for them. (please insert Yipee!).

There is an obvious advantage to employing expatriates.  You see, once they appear at a meeting for whatever purpose, it becomes suddenly apparent that the employers are amazingly competent. Expatriates are what we call an 'ace in the hole'. Unfortunately, a board of Nigerians only will not have the same effect. This is not RACISM because we are all Africans and not to believe an African capable of a particular skill set would be insulting even to ourselves.

What I am in insinuating here (in case you did not get it) , is the edge in our business society today is the employment of expatriates. There is a community of them in Nigeria now, moving from company to company like pawns. They have the official car, official house, official wife and such. These guys are living large! Their counterparts, i do not think, live as 'large'. Some do. But that's a different article..........

These expenses are justified by the amount of money they bring in. I could be wrong of course.

So what are we mere Nigerians to do? Skin peel anyone???

Hardworking Reality TV Stars

I, a modern, logical, professional, forward thinking woman of the 21^st century, watch reality TV.

Yes, I can see the implied oxymoron but I swear it was a learning experience for me and I will tell you why.

At first, it started when I was younger and had a lot of free time. It not only seemed very entertaining but I actually thought it was real. Bored young woman that I was, this was fascinating to me.  Slowly but surely I realised how fake it all was…. Who wears full glam make up 24/7? Who fights like this in real life? Then I realised watching reality TV just became a bad habit for me. No one around me could understand why I watched it. I tried to explain the storyline to get others interested but I could hear myself….it was pretty sad. Honestly.

One day while watching one of real housewives pick a fight over some trivial issue, I asked myself,

‘who watches this shit? And wtf for ?’

At that moment, my logical brain kicked in.

These reality TV stars had become relevant because of familiarity. They are all over our TV screens whether you watch their shows or not. Always impeccably dressed, speaking ‘their minds”, maximising every opportunity, writing books, getting brand deals, even attending events for cash! The trick is if you see me often on different media platforms, you subconsciously think I have something to say.  So you watch and listen. Unfortunately, this trick happens with so many celebrity these days, we find it difficult to decipher who actually has something to offer.

Don’t get me wrong, these stars work hard and we, the intended audience, have to acknowledge that. The sacrifices they make to stay relevant. They have to keep up appearances, basically selling their brand, whatever it may be at any time. Take a minute and try to imagine yourself branded at all times…. Because truly, we all have brands. This is the image we perpetuate to the public. The difference is I get to get rid of that image after a long week when I  just want to get a drink down the street. . The image I’m projecting at this point is hobo chic!  The chic is silent…..

The difference between us and them is our job description. That’s why its hard for me to empathise when they are criticised. They are just being criticised for being bad at their jobs. This happens in every work environment, only their work environment is the world. While the rest of us get to switch off, they do not. If they want to, it comes at a huge cost of protecting their privacy. Side effect of this well paying job  is losing relevance. See, catch 22!  Not only do they have the worse work environment, their clients can be quite fleeting and they have several competitiors just lurking, ready to pounce on any vacuum their sudden need for a regular life might create.

Staying relevant to their clients is key. It takes a lot to keep someone’s emotional attention while offering no real gratification….