The State of the Nation

by

Patrick Ogungbola
MD/ CEO, BLUEHEDGE REALTORS

We sincerely welcome you to the beautiful month of June 2018, the last month in the first half of the year. We also wish all Nigerians a Happy Democracy Celebration in arrears.

Our article for this month is titled, ‘The State of the Nation’, and it reflects the condition of the common Nigerians, as well as the current happenings in the nation.

Paulo listening and reciting the below song, while Callistus walks in:

“Food e no dey, Brother eh water no dey
And our country no good o, Every day for thief, One day for owner e
Poor man wey thief maggi, Omo! dem go show him face for crime fighter [crime fighter]
Rich man wey thief money, Omo! we no dey see their face for crime fighter
Tell me something now…”

“(Callistus cuts in) Omo, which kain song you dey listen to so. Wetin warrant the singing of this song”

“Cally, my man. How you dey now. Don’t interrupt me yet, the music just dey start. Just listen on”

“Fuel e no dey, Brother eh transportation no dey
And our road e no good o, What about the NEPA people o, we no get light
Everybody just dey halla, fuel no dey, na how we wan survive
Many youth ready for work, but as work no dey, na how dey wan survive
We be giant of Africa, but to get visa enter Ghana, na WAEC [oh my God]
Policeman go see white, e go tell you say, I say that thing na red
Tell me something my people, Make una lead us well, no let this nation to fall inside well”

“Oh boy, na true talk this song be o. I don dey hear this song tey tey, I no no say e make sense like this. There’s no better time wey this song dey relevant than now”

“You can say that again; that time wey African China sing the song, Nigeria dey bad. But the situation now is even badder than then, or sorry, I meant to say worse. For say he know, he for postpone the release of the song till this period”

“Paulo, you talk true. How about the one wey Eedris AbdulKareem sing for 2004: Nigeria jagajaga. Everything scatter scatter. Poor man dey suffer suffer. Gbosa, gbosa, gun shot inna di air”

“Ha! Ha!! Ha!!! I hear say the then President Obasanjo abused Eedris Abdulkareem when the song came out. He was said to have told Eedris that na him papa and mama be jagajaga, no be our obodo Nigeria”

“This country never seizes to amuse me, there’s no freedom of speech again? I hope police no arrest the guy sha”

“O boy, no be small fight between them o. The ex-president said in one of the interviews then that ‘How could a sane man dare to call his country jagajaga? Referring to Eedris Abdulkareem”

“You know what, that guy too looks like a prophet o, the country is even more jagajaga now than then”

“No be me talk am o, abeg, I no dey there o, wall get hear”

“Bros, you dey fear. Okay, abeg think am now. How much is dollar to naira in 2004 and now (2018)? The killings by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in Benue and elsewhere is becoming an everyday occurrence. I heard recently that one of the new generation banks reduced their staff salary by 50% even as inflation is increasing. To survive in this country is by the grace of God my brother”

“You’re right my guy. Have you also listened to FalzTheBahdguy’s latest song, ‘This is Nigeria’. He pinpointed each problem ranging from JAMB Animal theft, Fulani herdsmen issue, Lazy Nigerian Youth, Yahoo boys to the Chibok girls, and other matters arising”

“Na today monkey dey go market wey e no dey return. To me, all these songs no dey get any effect on the people leading us, oh sorry, I meant to say people ruling us. You know since the time Abami Eda 1 – Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been singing about the state of the nation even till he died, what has changed? Things are really getting worse. People are just suffering and smiling”

“My good friend, na true talk you talk, and na wetin bring me come your house be that. I seriously need your help, I wan make you borrow me money, just N10,000. People dey owe me money but they no gree pay. Abeg, come to my aid”

“If I tell you say your condition better pass my own, you no go believe. At least, you get transport money come look for me. The reason I no fit commot for house since morning na because shi shi no dey my hand. In fact, you are God-sent to me; I know you must drop something for me today”

“Are you joking? Na me come meet you for help, na me go come still help you, this is a paradox!”

“Bro, you are speaking English; abeg bro, no amount dey small. Even if na N1,000, I go take”

“(Callistus opened his mouth in disbelieve and couldn’t close it for sometime). E be like say you serious o”

“Callistus, no be joke, I serious die … things dey hard for me. You know one thing I observed about life is that if you know what others are passing through, you will but thank God for your own condition, at least you dey go places”

“Oya, take this N1,000 manage am. But wait Paulo, I be wan ask you, when you wan marry Ada, age no dey your side again o”

“If na joke, abeg stop am. I never feed myself, you wan make I add to my problem. No be you dash me N1,000 now now”

“What am even thinking is a situation where both of you can come together and help each other as couple. As a matter of fact, it was my wife, Chioma that assisted me with the transport fare to get here; that’s also from where I gave you the 1K”

“I understand, but no be money we go take do wedding ceremony? Abeg, person wey no get job no dey think of marriage. No shaken, I be 37 now, by the time I’m 40, I get hope say I go don make am”

“Have you forgotten that a fool at 40 is a fool forever”

“So, what does that mean? If I didn’t tell you, do you know my age (S’omo age mi ni)? Just because you gave me N1,000; please I deserve some accolades!”

“Bro, na joke, you no dey take joke again”

“But have you heard about the feud between the ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and our current president Buhari; omo, no be small fight and exchange of words”

“Leave that one, all na politics. Don’t be surprised that if there’s a high class social gathering tomorrow, you will see them together talking, dancing and hugging. Honestly, nothing fit surprise me again for this our obodo country. Wetin eyes never see”

“Okay now, how about the recent statement made by the Honourable Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi”

“What did he say?”

“He said, ‘If President Buhari is not returned come 2019, Nigeria will be taken 10 years backwards”

“But that one better now, because I know that Nigeria of 10 years ago is far better than Nigeria of today”

“In fact, someone did a proper analysis. The person said 10 years backwards brings us to 2009; of which at that time, petrol (premium motor spirit) was N65 per litre as against N145 per litre today, rice was sold at N7,500 per bag as against N17,000 per bag today. Naira was N150 to $1 as against N360 to $1 today. A bag of cement was N900 as against N2,700 today. Food stuff was so cheap and affordable in the open market. We were still using N5 to shop then. Also, there were no herdsmen and boko haram terrorists destroying and burning farm lands, maiming and killing innocent people all around the nation. No ghosts or dead people were appointed into federal government positions. 89 year old people who should be retired and enjoying their family and grandkids were not ambassadors of Nigeria, and so on and so forth”

“Honestly, with the above thorough analyses, it’s better to vote for the person that can take us back to 10 years backward, the period can even be referred to as the good old days”

“I tire for this country o, it’s just as if things will continue to go from bad to worse; things no fit improve for better here?”

“O boy, since them born you, have you ever experienced a better today? You will observe that the past is always better than the present”

“That’s true; meaning that what we are experiencing today may even be better than what we will experience in 5 years’ time”

“Gbam!!! Na so e dey be. That is, all things being equal, in 5 years‘ time, a litre of petrol may be sold for like N500 per litre, a bag of cement will be sold for like N10,000 per bag, Naira will be about N1,000 to $1, and …”

“(Callistus cuts in) Stop it! are you a prophet of doom? Which kain bad predictions be this. It won’t get as worse as that by the grace of God”

“Ha! Ha!! Ha!!!, Human beings hate to hear the truth.  If anyone had told you 5 years ago that things will be what it is today, would you have believed?”

“Well, let’s just hope for the better, the Lord is on the throne for His people”

“Amen, I believe too”. Whao, see time! How time flies when you’re having good conversation. See you next time bro!

“Thank you sir, and thank you too for the money. I really appreciate”

“Don’t mention, what are friends for? See you next time. Dalu!!!

As usual, we want to remind you that we care so much about you, and that when it comes to your real estate investment and advisory, we are always here to give you the very best service you can never get elsewhere. That is our promise, and will always be.

Meanwhile, please find below the links to the powerpoint presentations of our current properties for sale in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Affordable Properties For Sale in LAGOS

Affordable Properties For Sale in ABUJA, FCT

Affordable Properties For Sale in PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

Thank you.