I just managed to get through the University education. Having completed my Youth Service with all the hopes of greater things to come my way as a young man in a highly populated country. Although, I was so sure of a good job, I knew it would not be quite easy because, at the camp, the main issue of our discussion and frustration was bad governance in my state, weak government in my country but above all, unemployed youths without prospects of getting jobs to do.
For me, I had two years back on my way to the Northern part of the country where I did my primary assignment; I had jointly travelled together with a highly skeptical middle-aged man in a flight. For two hours, he lectured me on the hardship I was going to face when I might have completed my youth Service. In fact, the way he singled me out for lecturing, I began to wonder if he was God-sent. But quite unlike me who is always very wary of the modern magicians called Pentecostal pastors and their teeming members, this time I believed as if I was a zombie person, so naïve and timid.
This my forced attitude paid off because the man saw me as a young Nigerian who is willing to listen to an elder. This made him to open up his bag of knowledge and wisdom. He told me over and over to learn how to be self-reliant now that I have completed my service year. Honestly, I obeyed him just like a chick under her mother covered with her two wings. The way the man spoke, he knows this country well and knows its social and political inadequacies which have brought a lot of economic shortcomings.
He persistently warned me not to begin to look for a paid employment because, “I am sure that even if you have three new shoes, they would easily wear out in search of a job, yet you will not get the job.” But I told him that for me to begin to attempt being self-reliant, I need a little take-off grant which I had no idea how to get it and where that could be possible. He looked at me with penetrating sympathy but somehow with air of hope. Then he opened up the more. “My son it appears as if you don’t know what is going on in this country, particularly in our State that belongs to both of us but owned and dominated by Emperor Watika. Have you not heard of what President is doing? He has spent much effort in order to ensure that youths like you are gainfully employed.” As he paused in order to continue, I interrupted by adding, “Just like the Emperor of my State is doing.” As if I had poured the man some acid on the face, his countenance changed as he twisted his lips very angrily and tightly. Besides, here was a man who was sitting by my side and facing me, he turned his face almost three hundred and sixty degrees away from me and suddenly refused to talk to me. Indeed, I was amazed, wondering what was it I said that turned him off and indeed off.
Honestly to my greatest chagrin, my passenger neighbour did not talk to me neither did he look on my side again. For me, I was pondering in my deep mind if it was the mention that my Emperor is doing well that could provoke that type of resentment. Then, since I did not know what to say next, I maintained uncomfortable silence to allow “water to find its level.”
After about twenty minutes, to my delight, he cleared his throat twice, indicating to me that he was about to speak once again. Then grudgingly he turned to my side and called me “young man, please until this plane lands, and in the course of your conversation, never you mention your Emperor to me again if you want us to land safely, please,” he uttered with finality. Although I was not in agreement with his statement, at least I was delighted that we could now resume our fruitful conversation from which I was learning something from such a highly experienced person.
He took a deep breath and began to speak. Little did I know that the man has several layers of anger against my Emperor, the darling Emperor of the State whom he has come to rescue. In fact, I did not know that he was about to let off a heap of anger against my Emperor, the man I voted for during the last election.
“Now young man, you live in the State right?” without waiting for my response, he proceeded to lash out. “My son, let me know what your Emperor has done that is swelling your head,” he said. “Free education?” he asked me. Then I said yes. He laughed very briefly. “Do you know that this man has been playing on you people’s intelligence? He gave every teacher money to buy a suit and ten thousand naira for that. That is one suit for every teacher for a week. Have you not heard people calling your State teachers ‘one suit, one week’? Do our classrooms have good ventilation? Do they have fans or air conditions in them? Paying school fees as at when due were previous governments not paying salaries to teachers? Mark my words, all showmanship are mere window dressing gimmicks. When the time comes, most of the teachers particularly those who are traditionally enshrined in partisan politics in other larger and older parties would abandon him. Teachers would do him “akpuruka.” He is hoping on winning their votes. Their votes my bottom and foot. Our teachers which he now calls “my teachers” are well known for political and economic somersault. He should not be deceived.” As he spoke reeling out facts, I listened with rapt attention to hear more. In fact, because of the intensity of his venom and the rapidity with which he lashed in condemnation to the abarakata policy of my Emperor, he did not give me any space to interject a word. So I settled down and then became a captive listener.
Once he paused for a little while, I chipped in a sentence, “what of the massive road construction in my State?” Oh boy boy, the man became highly irritated. “Road construction? with imported con men contractors? Tell me or go round and show me any road so rehabilitated or constructed by your Emperor that has lasted one year without becoming death traps for the people. Which of the new roads that has lasted even more than few heavy down pours? Now he is saying that construction would continue immediately after the rainy season. We heard the same jazz last year. My son, go and rest and pray for your future.” He prayed and wished me.
Having been beaten twice in the discussion, I had to reason out an area where my Emperor cannot be faulted by this Mr. Know it all fellow passenger.
As the plane zoomed higher into the sky with some intermittent bumming, a voice came out from the cock-pit asking every passenger to fasten the seat belts because we were about to witness severe turbulence.
There appeared to be a sudden quietness in the entire cabin. Not quite ten minutes after it was over and the plane became stable. Now, I could resume my interesting conversation. Then I asked him but with caution because it appeared that he was about to doze off. “Sir, what of the several buildings he has been constructing all over the State capitals?” The man had a ready question for me in the return, “buildings for whom? Go and check most of those buildings are lying unoccupied by people. But they have been given out or sold to his friends, in-laws and other colleagues of his business, most of them living in Abuja or in Diaspora.” Then he tapped on my knee very gently and said, “Young man, listen, do you know that the only profitable and thriving business today in your State is mortuary homes? Go and ask questions. People are dying in their numbers now in the State more than ever before because of severe hardship, heart breaks inflicted due to their property pulled down or demolished on flimsy reason to build a park or to erect round-abouts. My son, go and check, who is fooling who? We are indeed in a serious trouble while other State Emperors are doing things to better the life of their citizens, our own is busy punishing the people with or without knowing it.” He paused and resumed, “my son, there is no where I could give him credit, is it in employment where countless thousands of youths have been employed on his State radio? Is it in the payment of pension to retired public servants in the State? Do you know that his Government as at today has more than forty court cases against it, rising from wrongful dissolution, dismissal etc? yet he does not care because he is an untouchable Emperor. Do you notice that today, his Deputy is the functioning Emperor while he has concentrated on trying to become the Vice President under the new party APC – Allied Party of Confusionists. As he was about to pause, we were informed that soon the plane would land. Then for the first time the man asked me a personal question, “my son, where are you going?” He was amazed when I told him that I am going to Sokoto to look for a job. He sighed furiously and asked, “Sokoto from where our people are running away?
“Yes, it is better that I stay there with a job to feed myself and to die a happy young man than stay here hungry, dejected, confused, frustrated, hopeless, jobless and above all futureless. Sir, I am going and I believe that nothing will happen to me and others over there. It’s all politicians rumour to frighten the youths but to keep them in this State to use them in 2015 during the election. Certainly, the people will never be second fools. Watch and see.”
He asked me of what type of degree I hold and from what University. He was delighted to hear me say that I have a degree in Civil Engineering and a graduate from FUTO. Without uttering a response, he just opened his brief case, brought out his complimentary card and gave it to me and added, “come to my site in four days time and if you do well, in the interview, I mean practical interview, count it that you have a job.” Besides, once we alighted from the air craft, he gave me twenty thousand naira saying, “manage this until you come for the interview. You are not definitely going to Sokoto.”
As we parted ways, he looked at me with more brightened face than ever before because I was indeed full of happiness and beaming with over dosage of smiles.
Then I began to wonder, “Could this be in real life or dream?”
Indeed, it was in real life because I am now comfortably employed as a Technical Officer on a good salary. Can I thank my God and my star enough?
“Oh Emperor Watika, will you ever read this as Nigeria turns?”
