Tales About Nigeria - Part 4

These are the final parts of the installments but they will be split in two. Feel free to catch up on the others. Here's the first part of Part 4


When you go on social media, most times what you see is the end result of something. For example, when someone posts "To God be the Glory" for a new luxury vehicle, all you are looking at is the end result. Most times, we, the audience, have no idea what was put into acquiring the end product. We assume that because we have jobs, and are hard working, these people also have jobs and are hard working. Well, we all know that sometimes this is not the case. 

When you are in Nigeria, you see Range Rovers and G-Wagons at the same rate that you would see a Toyota Camry or a Honda Civic in the states. You sit and wonder, how on earth can these people afford these expensive vehicles? Strangely enough, what I noticed was that my friends that I see in offices working hard spending 24/7 at their jobs are not the ones with these kind of cars. Most times, it's the bottle popping, designer clothes wearing, guy that clubs from Quilox Wednesdays until Elegushi Sundays.

You have to wonder what these people are doing for a living. And it's not just the guys. I've seen just as many girls with Birkins, Rolexes, and G-Wagons. And these same females will be the first one to judge you, that has job and are very comfortable with your life o! It's this same judgement that people fear that causes them to change character in Nigeria.

Years ago there was a guy that I knew that lived in the village. His eyes had never seen Lagos and we all knew him to be calm, nice, and extremely bush. On holidays when we were younger, he would dance with our uncles during masquerade festivals and teach us things that we didn't know about Nigeria. 

As we got older, he decided to leave his family behind and move to Lagos. His older brother had been living in Lagos for years doing business and made a name for himself selling cars. One day he followed his brother to a dinner for one of his brother's customers. When he arrived to the dinner, he saw cars that he had never seen in real life before. He examined every man there. Designer clothes, expensive watches, shiny shoes, everything to him looked like treasure.

There were some men there that he had recognized from the news as people in government, but he wondered, how did their assistants also have these expensive things? He wanted this life for himself and was willing to do anything to get it. The money, the cars, surely if he had these things, women too would follow.

He was sitting outside the dinner day dreaming about the lifestyle that he wanted when a guy came to meet him. He introduced himself as the personal assistant to Alaji. Personal assistant asked him why he was wasn't enjoying the party. The guy replied to PA that he doesn't belong here. Even he, as PA, is wearing the best clothes. He wants these things too. PA told him that if he really wanted the luxury life, then they should meet for a meeting. If he shows up for the meeting, then he will know that he is serious. PA gave his card to the guy and went back into the party.

The next day, the guy called the personal assistant and they arranged to meet that evening at Brown's Cafe in Victoria Island. After passing the place a few times, the guy finally arrived at the cafe and went inside. The place was dimly lit and he recognized some of the men from the dinner sitting down with cigars chatting about oil. He walked past them and there was PA sitting down waiting for him.

PA welcomed him and motioned him to sit down. Feeling very excited, but nervous, the guy started rambling his life story. He started explaining that he just recently came to Lagos to make a life for himself. He wants to be stinking rich and he will do anything to get the money. PA very calmly explained to him that to get the life he wants its very easy. After all, he was once in the very same position. But, he warned, this way is not clean. Your life will never be the same. You will be rich and have the power to do everything you want, but this way is not clean. The guy asked him what he meant by "not clean." He only said, "Money and power will never buy you happiness. But if you really want it, there is a way." 

"How can money and power not make you happy?" said the guy. All those things will get you women and anything thing you could want on earth! PA only told him, "once you go this way, it's difficult to turn back, the deeper you go, the more you must do." The guy was getting impatient and said, "I don't care what it is, money is what I want." PA smiled at him and said, "then let's go, we are late for our meeting."