The big, bold inscriptions beaming in front of the building read: “ROBIN’S’ PLACE”. It was situated in Maitama, a suburb of Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria. The human traffic around the building was heavy even late at night. Patrons were coming in and going out. This restaurant was cozy.
I sat down munching on some delectable when two men walked in and approached my table.
“Are you Mr. Fola Ojo?”, one of the men, dressed in simple brocade, asked.
“Yes, how can I help you?”, I replied.
“My name is Abdulahi; The President wants to see you now”.
It didn’t catch me by surprise. I had been expecting these august visitors. I immediately swung away from around the table; and followed them. A big black SUV was waiting outside. They waved me in to the back seat. The other guy who was dressed in suit hopped behind the wheels while Abdulahi sat in the front. A few minutes later, we arrived the Presidential Palace.
Some mean-looking soldiers stationed at the entrance pointed us in a direction. I found myself in a small room that didn’t look like the usual palatial presidential office. And there he was, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, standing next to his desk; and all by himself.
“Are you Mr. Fola Ojo”, the President asked.
“Yes I am, Sir”.
“What is all that nonsense you have been writing about me? Why can’t you find out the truth before you start writing rubbish about us”, the President complained angrily.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Sir. I have never written any nonsense about you”; I responded.
“I don’t know anything about nuclear power business. I didn’t borrow any money from America for nuclear power…”, the President continued. Then, a man’s voice from like out of space cut in.
“No, Mr. President. Not him. It’s the other man who wrote about nuclear power. All of them write nonsense all the time. But not him this time, Sir”. The voice defended me.
“How do you think my government is doing, Fola? What are the people saying”?, the President continued in his inquiries.
“Well, many people are not happy with you, Sir. They are very hungry, Mr. President. They are very hungry. Some of them are even trying to exchange their children for food, Mr. President”. I said.
“Is it my fault for them to be hungry? Am I the cause of the hunger? They were hungry before I came. I am here to feed them. I am doing my best. It’s not my fault”.
“Before now, Sir, it was not your fault. But today, it’s your fault.”
“What do you mean? He shouted at me.
“What I mean, Mr. President, is that you are in charge now, Sir. We must stop blaming other people. You have to release money into circulation. All the money you seized from those people; Sir, please spend it on food. People are hungry, and many of them like you very much”.
“Where is the money?”, he asked.
“You have the money, Sir. Spend it, Mr. President”.
“So, what can we do now; Is it all about money”?
“No, Sir. But money keeps the current going, Sir. That is why it is called currency, Mr. President. When you spend money, Sir, it goes around”.
“Okay, what again are the people saying?”
“Sir, people think your appointments are one-sided, Mr. President. They think you have appointed more people from your village. They think you should balance it and make everybody happy, Sir”.
“No, it’s not true. My appointments have been fair to everybody. Look at everything. I even gave one man three big desks and he is not from my village. Is that not good enough?”, he wondered.
“Well, Mr. President, it can be better. It’s what the people are saying, Sir”.
“I appointed people I know and trust. I have known many of them for a long time. These people will not steal a kobo from Nigeria. They are people I trust. What is wrong with appointing people you trust? Many of these people you people want me to appoint are thieves”.
“I understand that, Mr. President. There are thieves everywhere, Sir, including your village and it will surprise you. But there are still many people from diverse backgrounds you can trust in Nigeria. They just need the opportunity to be trusted, Sir. There are good and intelligent people in this country, Sir, who like to help you”.
“What again are the people saying?”
“Well, Sir, they are saying many things; your people here in your office know what the people are saying. For example, Sir, this budget padding problem was too bad. But what the people are saying is that a padded budget does not become law until it is signed. They are just wondering who signed the padded budget. They think if men who padded the budget are guilty, what about the man or woman who signed it? I don’t know who signed the budget, and this is not my own opinion, Mr. President. It’s what people are saying, Sir”.
“What again are they saying?”
“I don’t know how to say this, Mr. President; many people working with you too are not happy. And they have already formed another party. They are just keeping quiet now because they think you will chase them with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. They are having meetings after meetings how they will leave you alone with your party”.
“How can they do that to our party? Who are these people you are talking about? Tell me their names”.
“It’s not me talking about the people; it’s what the people are saying. I don’t know the names, Sir. But I recognise some of them when I see them on television. They think you are using an analogue approach to many things in this digital age. I don’t know what they mean by that, Sir. It’s just what they are saying”.
“Am I not doing my best for the people? Why must they form another party? What do you think, Fola? Am I a good man?”
“Yes, Sir, you are a good man. Personally, Sir, I like your modest life. Since 2003, your cows have not been more than 100. You only have two houses, one wife, no girlfriends, no oil rig, and you don’t rig elections. You are not a greedy man; and money means not much to you. But some people don’t think you are a good man. They think you just like people from your village more than others. Mr. President, they think you now belong to somebody. You no longer belong to everybody.”
“Kai, stop that! Walahi, I belong to nobody; I belong to everybody”.
“Sir, many of these people will leave you because they believe you are for a certain group of Nigerians. But some of them like to work with you. They think you can change the system. They believe in you, Sir, but they also believe you don’t trust them, and they have decided to leave and join the new party. But you can limit the number of big people in your party who will join the new party. These people helped you become President, Sir”.
“Is that all the people are saying?”
“They are saying a lot more, Sir”.
He kept on looking at me for a long time. He didn’t say a word.
I then asked: “Can I pray for you, Mr. President?”
The annoying and obnoxiously screeching sound from my bedside alarm went berserk! I took a quick look at the clock as I woke up. It was 4. 45a.m. American Central Standard time. My God! So, I have been dreaming!
END
One replay
You must not dream to be with the President of Nigeria
to argue.
Conversations are hard down blaring and inner conflict of thoughts.
But if you’ve got goals in the mind, you can some achievement.
Now, the questions are not that after the feeding of the population
an umpteenth in Nigeria – Africa.
The splitting of atoms is a chain reaction in the acceleration of
Particles called protons, and neutrons.
The mass of speed and energy is the energy efficiency.
Unfortunately, the experience of abuse of power is a valuable
to use rods of the burning of plutonium in the water of the
Response of reactor energy mass and strength.
But the core is the source of tremendous energies for the people.
So much for atoms and energy.
Hunger is food in the form of food in the quality of the product
for each of us humans, food should however
be valuable also for stomach and digestion. Specifically designed to
Get different products in good quality lots of vitamins and
be so beneficial to health.
What more budget would be is a matter of investment, where they installed
is, to questions, makes budget sense already, class may also be race all mahle. Waste is also budget however caution only in
Quotes to put ‘Budget’ who in quotes
the budget underestimated comes easily in trouble or
Deficits of were a feel of cleanups in the overhead
the budget and the questions of investment may not exclude…
The dreams are restless and diaphoretic be this affects
turn on the health of.
Food is that healthy but in this case, the diet which can
Vitamins in turn to further nightmares do, or weight
Relocation of bodies and the fullness of a fusion of protons
would be attached to the reduction of Earth by energy.
You already realize that it might be difficult to
Conversations to communicating in complete conformity to a precise
Lead target.
So our President is present not only in the dream and by God he can
Rant and it’s the Division cannot always be easily wiped to keep
of cores to meet.
But goals are there around you to reach.
Thank you Luther Jens-Uwe