Yester night’s win by Kevin Chuwang Pam in the Big Brother Africa 4: The Revolution TV reality show just goes to show the importance of being a people person…people power. There’s no big secret to winning the show or doing well in life. A thousand self improvement books, years of reading the bible or hours of washing your car and keeping it neat is not the secret of excelling in life, it’s simply being likeable. Having a good/kind spirit, being approachable and being able to get on well with everyone you meet. Keeping your cool in all situations and doing to others what you’d want be done on to you. You should be such that when your name is mentioned and the weights are measured people have but positives come to mind. You should be able to hang with the posh, feel at home amongst the poor, kick convo with the religious fanatics and always be a welcomed guest at the house of the neighbourhood whore. Obama is where he is today because we can all virtually relate with him, from Germany to Iran, Tanzania to Peru. Hardly ever booking a nomination without the help of alliances, being swapped 3 times and surviving on all occasions is no mean feat! Sitting in at La Shom Suites Jos amongst friends some of whom schooled with Kev and watching him step out the house with his “JOStified” Tee and the National flag I couldn’t but be prouder. With all due respect in the same vein I would score myself high, my main flaw being some peeps would pass comments about my love for the fairer sex.

Like Kevin, like the Eagles, like the end justified the means. Felt the same way on the evening of the 14th of November sitting down at Steffans amongst my then girl, my man Max and by my far right Mikel Obi’s silver spooned younger bro. as Martins popped in the third goal and we all jumped up in celebrations hugging ourselves I couldn’t but be happier to be Nigerian. The disappointment of September 6th all gone away. When I narrowly missed getting a query for turning into work late the next day; when the Eagles swept the patriotism in all of us to dangerous heights hardly ever been seen before and brought it crashing down at the same speed. I remember how driving around Abuja that night I felt like I was in a soulless city, with a female presenter on Cool FM’s playing of Lighthouse Family’s “high” doing little to raise our spirits. But it’s all changed now, with a visa to Angola and South Africa being the most sought after thing after Yar’dua’s resignation speech.

Wanting a comment from me on the banking issues I’ll only say that we’ve all done dirt like a worm, and that what goes around should come around. P/S: I feel very strongly that we shot ourselves in the foot when we fought against Charles Soludo’s planned currency redenomination. That shit would have done us good on many fronts. Sticking with the flow I remain one of the most avid haters of the Nigerian Police. And having being privileged to work closely with them on that loan recovery front I’ve discovered that attempting to stop corruption in the force is as futile as stopping the next big rapper from America from doing something stupid and going to jail in the footsteps of Mystikal, TI and Lil’ Wayne. Face it, they’re paid a shitty salary, worse still you empower them with the means of force, expectedly they’d abuse it pouring out their frustrations on and trying to augment things via extortion of the good people.

All in all today’s blog post has being brought to you by the words: people and power. Peace!

Finally reading up blog posts which I’ve saved on my laptop for weeks and getting nostalgic made me write this, to just like Matchbox Twenty see how far I’ve come since the last time on TRAE days.

Marketing as a present career niche has been both interesting and boring. Cool when you grow your contacts, meeting all sorts of people and their needs through your product. Boring when at times you run out of ideas and can’t get the itch of a job function change outta ya mind.

Family wise trying to do my bit the best way I can. Pops who’s now fully on ground has gone for another feather; law! Dude’s endless intellectual pursuit is a constant reminder to me not to slack but to get that Masters…and CIBN membership.

I’m still time constrained. Watching TV, leisure reading and getting proper in-house entertainment is still a 9-5 job dream (only realizable on a job that starts at 9 and actually ends at 5).

Loving my crib. Spot’s a real haven, save for my old timer live-in Landlord who locks up by 9. Talk about moving outta home but still living at home. With the curfew in town it's not biting in hard yet.

Regrettable still saving and thinking owning my own car. The current economic downturn truly hit all and sundry. Hope to get there before EOY though.

Ain’t no saint and like Bill Clinton work is work, leisure’s leisure. But got me a stable girlfriend now and really interested in a long thing…“Our” World Cup/Nation’s Cup debut still on my mind.

Romance with the Internet been fuck poor this past year. Visafone 1x in Jos is a far cry to the brilliance of Starcomms 1x/EVDO in Abuja. Funny, reminds me of service complaints as it relates to banks. There’s always a way out though if people’ll wisen up.

Health wise I’m still starving like Marvin. Still ain’t nearing the kitchen on a permanent basis or lifting the irons like I’d love to. Still alive though.

Still aloof politically. Sniffing out the good stuff from the bad…watching from afar.

God bless Nigeria!

Charlie Chaplin - Michael Jackson (in 1979). The mind, humour, knowledge/the Intellectual Property Rights College/.

As written and mailed out to my colleagues on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 11:46 am, but with the names edited for privacy:

Like many before me permit me to quote as follows: “ten children cannot play together for ten years”.

This serves to officially inform you of my redeployment to Jos 1 Branch/CMU/CCU as BRC effective Monday 29th December 2008.

It’s needless to say that I’ll miss Makurdi Branch (especially the under listed) but life must go on and I look forward to the greater challenges/new experiences ahead.

My boss MR BAM, you were an excellent tutor, I’m forever grateful to have had the privilege to tap directly from your years of experience.

To my HOP MR HENRY-Team spirited leaders like you are hard to find, keep up the good work sir.

To my mummies MADAM HARRIET and MADAM ABIGAIL-your resilience in a tough working environment is commendable, keep the fire burning.

To my ogas MR MOSES, MR EFOSA, MR AGADA and MR NIYI, I learnt from your wisdom in many ways than one. Thank you.

DIBAL for your military lingua and ABIOLA for your “uniqueness”, thanks for the laughs.

CANDID from UNN to NYSC Batch B 2006 Benue State days all the way to my first 2 months in Makurdi, thanks for being there.

GAFAR, BUSAYO, AGADA O, RAYMOND thanks for the company; MARTHA, IDRIS you won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

ONMA your helpfulness, YINKA your dedication and NONSO NNAM your industriousness is commendable in deed; well done

Thanks for everything, do forgive all my shortcomings. Much peace, love and respect!

Yep it’s all Jos for me going forward. No worries, the Rock city ain’t no Gaza; just experiencing the curfew thing for now.

P/S: if you ever find yourself in Makurdi try and (1) be at the Places and Times Night Club: had my first real regular clubbing experience there. It’s a four point fiver not at all like those bars where you’ll find people staggering in the name of dancing.

(2) Chill out at the Exclusive Lounge wine bar. Great environment; good spot to chill and feel the Makurdi urban and upwardly mobile life style.

(3) Eat at Treaties Buka. I should know, their meals kept me going. But you might want to avoid there when Lobi Stars Club Footballers are guesting. Men and their stomachs…you should understand.

(4) Get around town, taking in the beautiful road network. Much like Abuja, one of the reason I love the place.


Makurdi Branch, the many months of renovation finally paid off.