Dreams and Visions

Last night I had a dream, whether it is a real dream or not, I do not know. It could even have been a vision. I am not sure which is what now. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. This is because the days have blurred for me; having just lost my Senior Pastor two weeks ago and the uncertain news of my mother's well-being in far away Nigeria, no thanks to GSM, I cannot yet confirm. Whether for real or not, I saw Sista Ngozi contesting elections as the last joker of President Olusegun Obasanjo who is ready to die for Nigeria.

Delta Dialogue

Sista Ngozi went to the deep of the Delta area, to the very area notorious for capturing Oyibos for ransom and was engaging the ‘Delta Youth’ in dialogue: She told them, she did not come as government but as one deeply concerned about their plight, to find out how she can be of assistance in their struggle. I believe, I saw her eat  Boli with them, then wiped her mouth with her wrapper or scarf just like one of them. I then saw her following the muscular leader of this group to the creek on foot, the camera men in tow trying to capture every moment for NTA News. Sista Ngozi turned and asked the camera men to leave, so she may interact with her people privately. At some point, I saw some big old tear drop roll down her lovely cheeks as she saw the waste and devastation of the creeks by the black snake, oil.

Friend to Almajiri

Next I saw Sista Ngozi, in the heart of Kano being addressed by some street urchins as ‘Madame Minster’, she shooed them and asked only to be called Sista Ngozi, because she said, she is like one of them, in but not fitting-in.  She hugs a child whose legs are full of sores and marvels at the future of Nigeria if such lovely people are wasted daily due to neglect. One elderly man in seeking to aggravate her asks, ‘how your husband Babasanjo?’ to which she answers sweetly ‘our husbands dey well well but e go better if we care for the chiidren’ and left with her tooth-paste smile.

Dancing in Tivland

Even if you do not believe me, I think saw this Lady dressed in the Tiv zebra colored wrapper

picking a step to the right,
two steps to the left,
a nice turn-around;

 to the accompanying rhythm of Tiv drums the Jamaicans so popularized in reggae music. The Zaki-Biam crowd is ululating as I see the Pendatyo-U-Tiv lead her to the audience of the Tor Tiv who accompanies her to see the damage done to whole villages by the abuse of Federal Might.  I could hear her say, ‘I am sorry, so sorry; we did not know it was this bad. I will definitely talk to the President to see what we can do about it’. Being consoled, she admires the little girls in little wraps and picks up one into her arms.

Sanitation Day in Lagos 

In Lagos Island on a Sunny Saturday morning, I see again Sista Ngozi among the market women, haggling to buy wrapper.’Dis your wrapa too cost, you no wan make I chop?’ to which the woman retorts – ‘no be una govament come spoil eviritin?’ Smiling Sista Ngozi still asks, ‘how we spoil am?’ She gets an instant answer - ‘PETROL too cost, so Molue dey charge us double’. She again smiles and says 'dat na true talk'. Then, moves on pensively. She joins the women by CMS Bus stop, trying to move the mountain of rubbish nearly one storey-high with their shovels and rakes. She helps with the pan and breaks a sweat; she then picks the shovel and does her own round, all in a day’s job. 'It seems that this mountain of street rubbish can only be moved by prayer and fasting' she concludes; i.e. if Lagos Island people no longer ate on the street.

NTA News

Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Evening, My name is Eugenia Abu and I have the evening News. First the main points:

The Minister of Finance has given her notice of resignation from the Obasanjo Administration. She came to this decision after conducting some listening tours around the country and upon due consultation with her husband and family. She has decided to cast her lot with the Nigerian people and democracy. Dr. Ngozi Okonja-Iweala, popularly known as Sista Ngozi has decided to contest for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

There was jubilation in the streets on the radio, in the TV Studios and the blogosphere upon …

Then NEPA STRUCK.

Haba!

Is it too late for April Fool?

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 28.04.2006 18:20

Omovudu  Villager

# 2 Eric, This is class. Your power of imagination is excellent. How I wish your dream is a vision from above that brings a prophecy that would be fulfilled in 2007. Ngozi as presidential aspirant alone will be a miracle which would sweep away any opposition. May be we should have faith and pray that it comes to pass as we also watch to prevent all those hedonists lurking around from downing us as a nation. Excellent piece and pleas spice us more regularly with such qualitative and refreshing pieces. Rgds. Omovudu Posted by Omovudu| 28.04.2006 18:58

Serious_Naijababe  Villager

# 3 If Ngozi...runs..I go waka go Naija go vote!!!!! Posted by Serious_Naijababe| 28.04.2006 19:01

igwe  Villager

# 4 If she gets to become president, then we will pay debts that were only incured in a vision (dream) like the one Eric just had! Talk of mediocrity ruling in our country!!! We will keep all our money in foreign reserve just to show off, even if our people are dying due to lack of basic amenities. All the half rate intellectuals in the West and East will be imported into Nigeria, as long as they have Nigerian passports and speak with Nigerian accent. Their job will be to make sure we OBEY the masters. Good luck to you Eric!!! But count me out of the madness. Posted by igwe| 28.04.2006 23:32

AUSTIN B.

# 5 Good Job, If Ngozi Contest I Will Not Only Vote For Her I Will Join Politics Because Of Am.i Will Depart America Quick Quick. Posted by AUSTIN B.| 28.04.2006 23:36

salstep  Villager

# 6 If she gets to become president, then we will pay debts that were only incured in a vision (dream) like the one Eric just had! Talk of mediocrity ruling in our country!!! We will keep all our money in foreign reserve just to show off, even if our people are dying due to lack of basic amenities. I have to agree with the above. People lower down the food chain haven't got basic amenities, yet our so called Harvard graduate is paying off a 12bn debt. That sum would have revamped all the teaching hospitals. Posted by salstep| 29.04.2006 08:14

ula-lisa  Villager

# 7 Sirs, I wish the economy of Nigeria was self reliant. But as long as we have not pried ourselves from dependence on foreign goods, there is that little problem of foreign reserves necessary for credit worthiness to import the foreign wines, salt, pins, toilet paper, cars, electric bulbs and all the assortment of things the elite so love to consume. We must need start from that issue to continue to function as an economy while addressing the issue of daily suffering. Regarding the poor, they have always been there, they have always been ignored by the Nigeria Defence Academy trained professionals most of who do not know how to balance a budget nor do they care. Regarding the foreign trained or 'Andrewed' professionals, we had called it a 'brain drain' for good reason, the brains were drained out of the country for greener pastures. Professionals who are professional in outlook would always bring out a professional result if they are in charge. Mediocres on the other hand would want 'yes-men' around to spin their crooked schemes. Some mediocres employ the professionals as a facade, knowing from the get-go that they do not intend to follow their professional advice, but need them to show a semblance of sanity or 'photo-trick'. To every man, his own gang. We have tried the thieving Baby Generals/professional politicians and their cronies - look where it got us: are we allergic to the well-schooled? As an aside, when we were growing up, only dullards went to the military. By this I do not infer that all the Military are dullards. But you can see from results. Res ipsa ... Posted by ula-lisa| 29.04.2006 09:47

emj  Villager

# 8 Asalamalekun---se una just dey wake up(soji)--------- We are ready:wink: Eric welcome. Posted by emj| 29.04.2006 09:53

No way

# 9 Isn't this the controversial minister whose family has been reaping some serious dollars since she assumed office. I beg go and sit down somewhere. I wish her luck in her presidential aspirations but I sure as h**l ain't voting for her! Posted by No way| 29.04.2006 10:03

Palamedes  Villager

# 10 Ula-Lisa, you are getting too obsessed with Ngozi. I just hope that you haven't gone so far as to having a pinup of her in your shower; then again, you are a man of God, but then again it may not mean anything given the sort of things men of God get up to these days. :smile: Posted by Palamedes| 29.04.2006 13:06

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