CURSE OF 'THE ABROAD'

CURSE OF 'THE ABROAD'

Do you remember that Classic Nigerian song 'Nigeria go Survive' Sang  by Veno From back in the day?. I don't suppose many Mid - Late 80's babies will know of it even though it dropped in 1984. The song is a song that still gives me Hope till today. In the song a Man named Andrew was being Implored not to leave the country because of how bad things were getting at the time, He was being encouraged to stay because things were going to get better. Over time, this became a metaphor to describe Nigerians looking for greener pastures in other countries.

The Question However should be : If 'Andrew did 'Check out' out of frustration and in quest to make his life better and grow himself, Does that automatically means 'Andrew' should no longer have a voice or a say in anything pertaining to the country he checked out from?

AM i the only person who has noticed how Fellow Nigerian brothers and sisters try to guilt trip you into feeling ashamed or bad because you live in 'The Abroad?' .  I'm sure You're wondering : 'What concerns a Wheel Barrow Pusher with Petrol Station?'. I know there's no relationship between a Thong and Back-Pocket, but Like an Unwanted pregnancy between Teenagers, we need to talk about it.

Why is it that If you're a Nigerian who lives Abroad, you cannot in any way have any Opinions, Views or express your thoughts, disgust, worry, anger etc about On-goings back home just like any other average Nigeria who is based in Nigeria. Your Crime? You live Abroad!

The other day i expressed my anger, worry, disgust and despair at the New Rate of the Naira to the Dollar and i wondered out loud on my facebook page what independence we are all spending money we don't have to celebrate and before i could Blink twice, one of My facebook Friends challenged me on why i would have anything to say and ended with those famous words 'Shebi you Live ''Over there''?.

Like a Man who cannot afford to pay rent amd who has been told his wife is sleeping with their landlord, What could i have said to this? How can a man who Spent the larger part of his life in the deep trenches of Lagos namely Surulere, Amuwo odofin, Lasu Ojo, okomaiko, Not have an opinion on what is happening in his Country? because he now lives a few thousand miles away?

I remember how i and my mum escaped death at the hands of Hausas at Alaba rago, just before okokomaiko in lagos when M.K.O Abiola was murdered and tribal clashes was happening all over Lagos. We had to lay flat and hide under a 'Danfo' Bus for 12 Hours till the whole thing died down, while people dropped like flies all around Us

When we Hit rough patch and My mother lost all her Life saving to the Forum Home savings and Loans Scheme which later turned out to be a Fraud and a sham, My family resorted to Moving from a Mansion to a face-me-i-face-you Room, We had no Electricity for about 4 years straight and i remember how we would huddle around our Radio to listen to Kola Olawuyi on fridays, Ray Power Top ten Hits and Livi Ajuonuma's 'Open House Party' on Weekends... Oh how i Lived for those Programmes!!

During these period in My Life, I worked as a casual Labourer for almost Two years in the blazing Sun, doing back breaking work while my Mum (of Blessed Memory would sell what Yorubas call 'Wosi-Wosi'', just so we could make ends meet. I also worked as a Bus conductor along the Amuwo odofin, lasu oJo iyana Iba route in those days..

During my time living Abroad, i have met friends and colleagues who have similar stories to mine. A colleague of Mine actually got shot while protesting the annulment of June 12 Presidential results back in the day. Are we now to say because he now works for the Biggest health care provider in the world as a doctor, he shouldn't have a say in what goes on back home in his country?

Most of you forget that whatever happen back home still affects us one way or another. Just 3 days ago a cousin called me to help with his University school fees which have now been Inflated due to the 'Naira Situation', I had to get it for him because i am his only Hope. Have i not indirectly been affected by Situation back home?

The other day, a doctor friend of mine was telling me how he had to send half of his salary to help a friend get his wife who was kidnapped back home to pay off her ransom. Has he not been affected Indirectly?

What some of you need to do is take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself why you react so negatively towards your fellow brothers and sisters whenever they try to contribute to or have an opinion , express theirr views/disgust/anger/hope/frustration exactly the same way you do, just because they dared to better themselves and grow their lives by Moving to another country?

Who says the oasis in the desert is happy because of its hidden spring of water? Do you think Living Abroad means i am happy about the situation back Home? When i have relatives and extended Family there?

If a person who used to Live in Lagos moved to Abuja, does that mean that person must never have any views or opinions about anything happening in lagos? Am i the only who sees how stupid this is? those Nigerians that Live abroad, did they just find themselves there? because you can be sure that most Nigerians in Diaspora left Nigeria at some stage to better their Lives and grow themselves. The fact that they have now spent a decade abroad doesn't in any way mean they never experienced what you are experiencing now, or that they don't understand what you are going through

I would also like to say to me fellow Nigerians in Diaspora who have lived a sheltered life, Let's try as much as we can to offer Hope to our brothers and sisters back home. Let's be sensitive and show Empathy to what people are going through. A Nigerian proverb says 'A child doesn't breast feed from a stepmother if its mother is still alive', No matter how long we live Abroad, Our Home is still Our Home.

If we do not come together as One, how are we going to effect this 'CHANGE' everyone is talking about when all we do is segregate each other all the time? It is High time people stopped this Negativity directed at their own people. Remember, If the owner of a calabash calls it a worthless calabash, others will join him to use it to pack rubbish.

 It is said that Opinions are like armpits, everybody has one.

This is Mine on This Matter.

''I JUST WANT TO PUT THE TIP IN....''

''I Pledge to Nigeria My Country, To be Faithful, Loyal and Honest....'', in My book, is the same as how Guys back in the day used to tell gullible girls 'I Just want to put the Tip in...'.

I remember back then when Girls caught unto that,  some Guys even took it a step further with ''Let me put it inside, i won't Move...'' and the absolutely amazing thing is that like Dominoes, Girls fell for those Lines The way Millions of Nigerians over Decades have fallen for empty promise after empty Promise from Different Political Parties, Administrations and Leaders who have only been after The Average Nigerians ''Apple''! the way a Player is after a gullible woman's 'Apple'.

 I care about being Patriotic to a Country that has let me down time and time again, to a country that has robbed me of everything i Love, the same way The Nigerian Football federation cares about Super Eagles, the same way Telecommunications Companies care about you Enjoying your Data and call Minutes. I can go on and on but i think you get it now so let me stop.

They care about you how PHCN care about supplying you Electricity after charging you for it

Where do i even start?. For you to understand why i feel how i feel i think i should explain that i was born in England which means i am of dual nationality. I left with my Mum to Nigeria when i was quite young, and got introduced to the country called Nigeria. It was exactly how you felt when you fell in love for the first time with someone you later found out was a cheater and Abuser.


My Mum was a single mum who wanted me to know my roots and understand my culture. She brought me up with christian values, morals and ensured i lived with my Granny of blessed memory who ensured that i understood what it meant to be a Man and how a Man should treat and respect Women. I attended Primary, secondary and Even studied for  a Degree at one of the State Universities


The realisation of the fact that This country i grew up loving just wanted to ''Put the Tip In...'' Hit me when My Mum gave birth to my younger Brother and He fell ill One Night. We rushed him to the nearest Hospital and doctors refused to touch him because we did not have money on us to pay for his treatment. Now this was mid 90's when there was no ATM machines and it was in the middle of the night and there was no one to call on at that time. This was how a child died from  having just a seizure.


As a kid coming a place where Treatment was free for all, i wondered how any one could be so heartless to watch a child die when they had the power to save him. I wanted us to leave Nigeria immediately but apparently my Mum at that time had fallen for the ''I just want to put the Tip In....'' yearns that Nigeria was whispering in our ears




Is it the time some Nigerian Policemen beat the ''Innit'' out of Me for refusing to  ''Enter the Bus....'', in broad day light and for no reason whatsoever that i should talk about? I was minding my own business and only wanted to buy recharge card down the street we lived at the time, when this bus full of people handcuffed (probably for no reason too) and policemen with Guns, pulled up beside me and One of the officers who looked like he could kill and get away with it told me to ''Enter the bus...''



When i tried asking why i would want to do such a thing, They formed like Voltron and proceeded to dance kukere,  Panda and shoki all over face, back and wind pipe. They beat me so much till today i still have problems with my left eye. I hear this is something that happens a Lot, that innocent people get arrested for no reason so the Police can make money off them when their Families and friends go to Bail them out.

They Formed like Voltron Bro

I have seen Old and vulnerable people with dementia get accused of being witches and beaten to death, I have seen kids with Autism get taken to churches where they get the ''Evil spirit'' in them out by beating the kids with Brooms and Canes. I have seen women who have been raped get accused of following the rapist to his apartment in the first place. I can go on and on..


The ''I just want to put it in, I won't move....'' worked on my mum until sadly she lost her life to a drunk driver in a country where there are over 120 million people who ply some of the worst roads you will ever see. A country where there are no speed limits, no drink driving laws and even if these Laws existed, there is no one to enforce it. The people meant to do any Enforcement care more about Lining their Pockets.

She had just left my Family and i in London to go back home for some Sun because it was winter in England at the time. I spoke to her that very morning of the incident and apparently a drunk bus driver who was over speeding, drove into a big Port hole, his bus rolled twice and landed on my mum's car, killing her.


That was the only time my eyes finally cleared like Apollo after using Vicine, and The ''Put the tip in....'' scope just sounds like the Lies that it is and has always been. I packed clothes and rushed down to Nigeria and the events that later occurred became the last straw that broke the Camel's Back for me.


I got to The Mortuary and after paying the usual fees,  before my mother's body could be released to me, i was forced to pay a Bribe. i use the word 'Force' because the gatemen would not open the gate to let us out if i did ''Drop something......''

En route to the Burial we were stopped several times by policemen who saw us crying, asked us what was going on and then still went ahead to ask us to ''Drop something...'' before we could be allowed to proceed to Bury my Mum.


After the Burial, I wanted to put her Affairs in order and to do this i had to get a High court to grant me a Letter of Administration which shouldn't be a big deal. what if i said at every level, i had to ''Drop something....'' in order to get this done?


A country that has lied to it's people for decades, Lied to get them to Love it as a Player would,  raped them over and Over again and still Blame them for it. A country that has forced it's people to Hate each other, To be heartless and lack compassion and Empathy for each other. A country that has forcefully instilled the ''Drop something...'' Mentality on it's people  while Starving them and asking them to change.


This is not a Country that deserves my Patriotism?


For those who will read this and damn me to hell, You need to look deep within yourself and ask if you are willing to die for a country that is making your destiny do a slow motion? Everywhere i look i see Intelligent Nigerians rotting away at home with nothing to do, the ones who have accepted their fate are being forced to do menial jobs and the ones who can leave are willing to go anywhere but stay in Nigeria. Athletes from Nigeria representing other Nations are increasing in Number



You want to know what the irony is? a bag of rice in Nigeria is more expensive than the Minimum wage and despite getting pissed on daily like a pregnancy test kit, people will still curse you out for opting out of the whole Patriotism nonsense. it's obvious that Nigerian leaders are still using the ''Let me put the Tip In......'' yearns to get millions to hand over their future on a platter.

Don't worry, They just want to put it in, They won't Move LOL