by Cheta Nwanze

 

… I have every sympathy for the boys. You see, they, and you, and me, come from a society where people are routinely denied their dues because someone, somewhere does not feel the need to pay, even after a job may have been done. 

So, for those of you who like me, are football addicts, this is the time to begin the expectation management routine. Nigeria plays France on Monday in a World Cup Round of 16 game, and expect the following: later today, the Prez will phone the players and assure them that he’s behind them; tomorrow, one of the Prez’s birds will be dispatched with a few million dollars in cold, hard, cash, to again entertain the Brazilian public; on Sunday, a pic will emerge of one of our defenders kissing his share of the loot; then on Monday, the players will be promptly sent home by the Frogs, with the first goal being an own goal. That, in World Cup terms is the normal progression when things like this happen.

But on this one, I have every sympathy for the boys. You see, they, and you, and me, come from a society where people are routinely denied their dues because someone, somewhere does not feel the need to pay, even after a job may have been done. Rather, that someone, somewhere will prefer to use such monies to engage in other, err, uplifting activities, such as closing up the shops in Rio. The truth is this: the NFF, like against the Ivory Coast a year and half ago, had already lost faith and didn’t think the boys will make it beyond the group phase, hence the non-release of funds for anything further.

So when you consider that Big Boss himself used to be a rabble-rouser in his playing days, his decision to deflect the attention to those pesky journalists is as Machiavellian as they come, and maybe, just maybe, could work. But he ought to remember something: even those journalists have likely not been paid. But as a final consolation to all those who may be unhappy that the World Cup jamboree is about to end, anything the Ghananese can do, we can do better. Expect our drama to be bigger.

Bits and Bobs

Those expecting our security services to stop the current wave of terrorism will be disappointed. The SSS have to defer to higher authorities.
In other, less important, news, the National Jaw-jaw thinks that we should do state police. Not that anyone is listening…
The script writers at the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Ekiti Edition have decided to do a rewrite.
In Okota Ifeanyi was shocked when his mouth called a teenage neighbour to his flat and his hands undressed her.

Right of Reply
Nkiru Emodi wrote,

Is it not proper for the police or army to act on intel given to them by the arrested boko haram members first and see if resuce operations can be carried out than to publicize their stories?

Ify Uraih wrote,

With military pensioners not being paid their dues, are we still wondering where BH get their recruits?

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.