The dialogue continues at a newspaper stand, located at a busy bus-stop in a major city in Nigeria.
After 'reader 1' left the scene, Baba turned to the vendor....
Baba: I overheard you discussing with Mr. Onyedika, has he finally gotten a job?
Vendor: I pray so, the man has suffered a lot, he said a company is looking for a temporary driver for their Oga whose driver traveled. I pray everything goes well and he is taken, if not for any thing, for the time being.
Baba: That young man is very intelligent, I wonder why people like him will be left scouting for jobs even after obtaining a first degree.
Vendor :(cuts-in) Mr. Onyedika is a first class graduate nah...an engineer by training.
Reader 3: Is that not why I initially dint want to go school in the first instant? I only went to satisfy my father especially, now where is the job? after wasting 7 years of my time for a supposedly '4-year- Biz admin program' due to unnecessary strikes. I wanted to go straight into music, I am now on it though. Very soon you guys will be watching me perform on t.v. (he said with an attitude).
Baba: You studied Business Admin, in a State University and you are about ending up as a musician, your own is understandable, by mere looking at you, one can tell you'r not cut out for a regular 8 - 5 job. Mr Onyedika's case makes me weep for the future of Nigeria. Imagine a very intelligent graduate taking up a temporary driving job just because he can not get any engineering jobs anywhere.
A middle aged Man (Reader 4) enters the scene, takes a daily and flips through...
Reader 4: Let me flip through before settling for one I can pay to read.
Reader 3: Has anyone seen this stealing case on Dasuki, the former Security Adviser?
Baba: Another stealing charges..how much did they say he stole?
Reader 4: More than $2 billion meant to buy weapons for the military to fight Islamic militant Boko Haram rebels.
Reader 3:(mumbles almost to himself) ...and I am here looking for =N=500k to wax my album.
Baba: You are talking about 'waxing album'....what of the likes of Mr. Onyedika all over the nation who cant get a job in their line of study and have to end up taking a job way below their educational level just to survive, is it not one of the effects of corruption in this country? what about the many innocent citizens that died in the hands of boko-haram people, just because the Nigerian Army were not equipped to take them on?
Reader 4: And they will debate this case until it is forgotten...then the accused goes on to enjoy their 'ill-gotten' wealth.
Reader 3: And rub it on our faces ooo. Their children will fly private jets to anywhere...even when they want to go to the toilet, buy properties in the best parts of the most beautiful countries around the world, and then snatch our babes as 'aristos'...We don suffer.
vendor: 'laughs'....then when they are caught and summoned they will suddenly fall ill...then request to be flown abroad...same story.... same pattern.
Reader 3: Or they will fain accident...and fly abroad to be treated of bruises....then they will flood social media with pictures of them in hospital or recovering, generate sympathy, then the ones tasked to go after them will join in the loot too...and case closed...every time, same story..
Baba: But waitooo, why is it that it is only when they are summoned to answer stealing allegation queries that they suddenly fall ill...don't get me wrong, I am not saying that they are not truly ill, but if they had not been charges of corruption hanging on their necks, will they still claim ailment?
'Every one chorused': For where...
Baba: I hope this administration takes this corruption thing seriously and make them return every dime they embezzled or face prison.
Visibly angry Baba paused to catch his breath then continues..."They should return our money and go collect bed spaces at kiri-kiri maximum to serve as a deterrent to the ones planing to follow suite. That is where they should be, with hardened criminals, that place is not only for petty thieves who stole maggi and cigar, stealing is stealing period. Otherwise I honestly fear for our future.
He then puts the newspaper he was holding back to the stand, turns to the vendor and said:..."It is time for my breakfast, I need to run along".
Reader 3: Let me run along as well...I have like a thousand and one things to do. made to bolt...but the vendor grabs his hand...he reaches into his side pocket and hands the vendor a rumbled =N=50 note...then takes off.
Dialogue copyright: Oby Denis
Dialogue copyright: Oby Denis
For our 1st edition see: http://rovinginformant.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/roving-informant-weekly-dialogue.html
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