This is an uncommon absurdity. Kalokalo, Yoruba word for gambling, is changing face. It’s happening here in our eerie clime. From the blues, its narrative is taking a strange dimension. Worried?
Nigeria is one huge betting mall. The gamblers are rash and thoughtless. That’s their deadly stock in trade. They badge into our lives without restraint.
All sorts of pool stakers are on the prowl. They’re devouring us with relish. They prey on us like never before. Help, our collective future is in great danger.
The gamblers are different from the ones we know. They come in various shades, modes and shapes. They are staking their weird and wild luck.
With stubborn uncanniness, they display the hard stuff they are made of. And that comes in reckless abundance. They stake everything. They showcase their dexterity with even greater heedlessness.
We are the ultimate victims. They don’t care a hoot. Even if our ox is gored or brutally bruised. The means justifies the end.
We have witnessed some queer turnaround. Ours has become one awkward gaming arena. Betting has become a pastime for our rulers. We are being bashed, battered back and forth.
These devils are not even clever by half. Their gambling instrument is not our heavily injured naira. No. Neither is it the dollar or euro. They would rather opt to mindlessly stake our lives. And it’s awfully skewed on lies, deceits, self-denials and falsehoods.
They insist we must accept all is well with us. Heartless gang! They are wilful, uncaring and unperturbed.
They cite the absurd: Insecurity; unending hike in petrol price, aka subsidy; skyrocketing energy tariffs; unbearably heavy multiple taxation; near-collapse of infrastructure; et al. They claim they have “performed extremely well” in these weird areas.
If this is not pool betting, what then is gambling? They are even blaming us for not hailing them for their misdeeds. They detest our unending wailing with passion.
President Muhammadu Buhari trod along this path twice recently. He was again in “friendly” Imo State. Like the first, he went, saw, but… Did he actually conquer? Hmmm! No, he was in deep pained agony. He refused to hide his anger.
He couldn’t conceal his angst. It was real, written all over him. And he exhibited it with fury. He made fruitless attempt to rattle us with his discomfort. We refused to submit.
Come to think of it. Is it not laughable for Buhari to tell us he’s pained? Pained over what and for what? You may want to ask him.
Buhari could not bury his utter distress. He was forced to showcase his excruciating pain this appalling manner to his selected audience: “It has been very unfortunate. The price of crude oil went down from $28 to $38” (emphasise mine). Really?
He couldn’t even recognise the huge gap. He carried on with his annoyance as if nothing has happened.
They want to bet us out of existence. Our lives are at stake. By the time they’re through with us, we will not be the same again. Nothing practically will remain of us.
We will have to start from scratch. To build our lives back from the nothingness left. That is the ground zero they are preparing for us. It is a cruel legacy they want to bequeath to us.
Buhari wouldn’t be curtailed or contained. He raved on unrestrained: “Relative in terms of time and resources, this administration has done extremely well.” Yes. Agreed, for the wrong reason!
He roared: “I have to say it because those who are supposed to say it are not saying it. I don’t know why.” Another gambling. We can’t be swayed.
If Buhari is still amiss why Nigerians do not trust him, this is just one reason. Courtesy, Debt Management Office (DMO): “Nigeria’s debt profile hit N41 trillion under the watch of Buhari.”
This regime’s urge for loans is insatiable. It plans to borrow fresh N11 trillion to fund the 2023 budget. By the time he’s done, Buhari will bequeath to us over N50 trillion debt. Help! Professional gamblers at work!
In 2018, Nigeria took over from India. It became the world’s poverty capital, so claimed a Brookings Institution report. It’s yet to be controverted. It stands tall.
Buhari was not to be disturbed by these glaring failings. He barged into our lives again on Saturday, October 1, 2022. It was intended. We just clocked 62 years.
He was honest to himself alone: “Today’s address would be my last on an Independence Day as your President.” That’s a monumental relief. And that remains the only valid statement in that speech. Others were fallacies, pool staking and gambling.
His utterances were at gross variance with the stark realities confronting us in the face. Samplers: “I share the pains Nigerians are going through.” Fake news! #Loriiro! Pure gambling.
He won’t give up easily: “I assure you that your resilience and patience would not be in vain as this administration continues to reposition as well as strengthen the security agencies to enable them to deal with all forms of security challenges.”
False hopes, jaundiced assurances. This has been their sing-song for the past eight odd years. Very fictitious, deceptive, flawed and distorted! Certainly not meant for us. We have had enough of these confused and spurious outbursts.
He gambled on unabated: “I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system.” Pained, really?
But their privileged children are graduating from foreign countries unmolested. They dominate every space of this our absurd clime. They’re flaunting their pictures carelessly on our faces. Taunting us all the way.
Yes, including the President’s. And you have that bizarre audacity. You showcase this in the media, mainstream and social! We dare you, if this is not gambling, what is it?
The President won’t stop insulting our intelligence: “There is hardly any ward, village or local government in Nigeria today that has not benefited from one of the following: N-Power, Trader-moni, Market-moni, subsidised loans, business grants or conditional cash transfers.”
Buhari meant every word that proceeded from his mouth. The free money usually came during electioneering. So it was in 2019.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo led the band. He distributed windfall feigning it to be Trader-moni and/or Market-moni.
And they feasted on it to the fullest. No proper account has been rendered till now. And they are at pain that we do not celebrate them.
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye wouldn’t allow that to go unchallenged. That would be a misnomer if he did. He is General Overseer, Worldwide, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). He put a big lie to it. He simply responded:
“Don’t let anybody deceive you, we are in a war.” He has his unassailable reason: “If a governor cannot go to his farm and feel safe, despite bodyguards around him. When we talk about security, the governor should be secure. When a governor utters such a statement, then you know the situation we are in.”
One thing we must then do: Pastor came on board again: “We need to keep praying for our leaders. The hearts of kings and rulers are in the hands of God.” Did he need to say more?
See how these uncharitable characters are tossing us around. We are at their beck and call. They are playing murderous kite with the only lives we have. It’s unhealthy.
They have turned us to one massive gambling mall. We’re unfortunate prey in the hands of these professional gamblers.
Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Are we on the same page, using same template?
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