Every Story Has An End... Goodbye Casillas

Someone asked yesterday why I love Casillas. For the first time in years, I refrained from my standard response and took a trip down memory lane; back to the early 2000s’, when this affair began.

I played football regularly as a goalkeeper in Junior Secondary School. One game is seared into my memory. I arrived school late after the exams were over, and my class was three goals down in a game. I was substituted on once I got close enough to be spotted, and my class cheered as I got between the sticks (more like stones). I pulled off a few amazing saves to keep the gap from widening, and we got our act together and won the game.

On Extractive Industries, Societal Development, and The Looting Machine...

I have long argued that the fact that Nigeria's government earns a huge chunk of her income from extractive industries (think oil) and not tax (and other IGR) means the government has less of an incentive to fulfill the social contract with the governed. A government (Federal or State) that relies on taxes for the bulk of its income is incentivized to grow the state's economy by making it easier for citizens to generate wealth (and employment) by doing business. Intellectual and physical property rights, transportation networks that work, security, cheap access to a steady power supply, and other such factors that support business growth will follow naturally when a government actually needs the people to survive.

One of the central themes of Why Nations Fail is that economic prosperity depends above other factors on the inclusiveness of economic and political institutions. Extractive systems tend to lend themselves to autocracies, as a connected few that control the means of extraction can unfairly enrich themselves and setup high barriers to entry for the majority of the population.

I've recently started reading The Looting Machine, and here's how Tom Burgis puts it; more concisely and succinctly I must say.

"...But more often than not, some unpleasant things happen in countries where the extractive industries, as the oil and mining businesses are known, dominate the economy. The rest of the economy becomes distorted, as dollars pour in to buy resources. The revenue that governments receive from their nations' resources is unearned: states simply license foreign companies to pump crude or dig up ores. This kind of income is called 'economic rent' and does not make for good management. It creates a pot of money at the disposal of those who control the state. At extreme levels the contract between rulers and the ruled breaks down because the ruling class does not need to tax the people to fund the government - so it has no need of their consent.

Unbeholden to the people, a resource-fuelled regime tends to spend the national income on things that benefit its own interests: education spending falls as military budgets swell. The resource industry is hardwired for corruption. Kleptocracy, or government by theft, thrives. Once in power, there is little incentive to depart. An economy based on a central pot of resource revenue is a recipe for 'big man' politics... resource rents concentrate wealth and power in the hands of the few..." - The Looting Machine.

The Looting Machine is a great read and I may post a few more snippets as I go. Go here to view the book on Amazon.

I'm Back! + Thoughts on Aloneness...

It has been quite a while since I wrote anything; exactly a month today since the last hurriedly written post on this blog. This state of affairs has not been for want of inspiration, or for want of time to put 'pen to paper'. I have been swamped on all fronts these past few weeks, and for someone who derives energy from being alone - I haven't made enough 'alone moments' recently.

Having realized it was time to come off auto-pilot, I decided this evening to spend quality time doing absolutely nothing. Nothing. Not chatting, not speaking to someone, not listening to music, not scrolling through Quora or Facebook, not seeing a movie, not typing an email, not worrying about someone or something. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The results so far are amazing. I have done nothing, but I feel stronger, have better clarity about which efforts to continue and which to discontinue, and overall feel more in control.

Life can often speed up into a blur. It is very easy to default to routines: wake, pray, work, eat, sleep, socialize, attend services, rinse and repeat. Routines and habits are great; they enable us to respond quickly to external stimuli within a present framework. However, we sometimes default to them so frequently that we stop living consciously.

If this happens do that; if that happens, do this, this and this.

It is very important for us all to take frequent retreats, to review our plans and confirm our ladders are still leaning against the right wall. According to Andy Puddicombe in this brilliant TED video, all it takes is ten mindful minutes a day.

May the road rise to meet you.

...On Friendship (Wesley College Ibadan)

Picture taken with Nasir Halimat at our 2010 reunion  It's the only picture related to memories of Wesley I have in digital format.

"...You'll find it in the deepest friendships. The kind you'll cherish all your life..."

I am playing my Westlife collection as I drift off to sleep tonight. As the music wafts around my room, I am transported ten years back - to beautiful times in Wesley College Ibadan; when life was simpler and cares were fewer.

I listened to a lot of Westlife growing up. What makes a man. Evergreen. Flying without wings. My love. Soledad. Not the words. World of our own. Uptown girl. Fragile heart. Written in the stars. Mandy. I don't wanna fight no more. Walk away.

It hits me tonight how much influence Westlife had on me. It's ten-plus years, but I still "take moments and make them last forever"; I still "forget what we were fighting for"; and I still notice, compliment, and appreciate "every little thing" my friends do.

This one is for all the great friends I made in Wesley. It's for the great relationships we forged. It's for the fun we had, the joy we shared, the seasons in the sun. It's for the one we lost, who now lives only in our memories. Tonight, across the miles, it's funny how far you all are - but how near you seem to be.

Tonight, I miss you. I hope you all dance.

Happy Birthday - Mosimiloluwa

I once dumped the dirtiest and 'stinkiest' sock I could find in a cup of tea, and smiled wickedly as my victim drank it up minutes after. I was an impish eight year old, and the victim was my sister! When she reads this today, she'll be finding out for the first time.

My mother says Simi could make me cry when we were much younger by threatening to beat my wife - never mind that I neither had a wife nor knew what to do with one. I think my mother exaggerates when she says this - but who knows?

What I know is she would often cry for me when I struggled with severe malaria as a young child, she shared her food with me in Primary School, and she was always incredibly loyal to me - except her own interests were at stake.

It's amazing how much she's grown, how far we've come; from childhood memories to adult dreams... When she's not talking about wanting to go into politics, she's droning on and on about Africa; that from the little girl we once chased around the house before she'd agree to bathe and go to school.

I couldn't have asked for a better sister, and I'm happy to see her grow and come into her own.

Happy Birthday, Mosimiloluwa.

To Nigeria, Our Dear Own Native Land...

I woke up today much earlier than I usually do on work-free days. I find it difficult to sleep when I am excited. I am excited this morning; much more than I was when I found out Muhammadu Buhari had won the Presidential elections on March 31.

I am not under any illusions. I do not expect any magic from Buhari and the APC-led government over the next four years. In fact, I know there will be missteps here and there and there will be many things they will do that we will think they ought to do differently. These are challenging times for our country, and a lot of work needs be done to set Nigeria on the right path again.

A billboard I saw during the campaign season rightly sums up my thinking about the next four years. I do not have a picture, but I remember the quote: “Vote for good governance, not good luck”. I have many hopes and my fair share of expectations from Buhari and Osinbajo – but I am confident of one thing: “Nigeria gets off auto-pilot this morning”.

"I have supported Buhari since 2011 because I believe he will combat corruption, re-unite Nigeria, appoint competent aides and Ministers versus rent-seekers, create an enabling environment for our economy and institutions to flourish, and restore our pride before Africa and the world. I now add ‘defeat Boko Haram’ to that list." - me in an earlier post.

President Goodluck Jonathan has my thanks, and the gratitude of many other Nigerians. He could have made things a lot more difficult for Nigeria by contesting the election results, but he chose the honorable path and conceded defeat. History will be kinder to him than many of us think. I do not believe anyone deserves an award for doing the minimum expected of them – and the call by some for a Noble Peace prize is indicative of how low we have historically set the bar for our leaders.

A last word for my friends and a few social commentators earnestly expecting Buhari to fail, so they can grandstand and say they were right all along. It’s our fatherland – not Buhari’s private enterprise. Should he fail, we ALL suffer for it – regardless of tribe, religion, or party inclination. We have proven at the last elections that the office of the citizen is one that must be respected – and we must work together to build the Nigeria of our dreams.

I look forward to four years of growth and prosperity, of security, of institutions that actually work, of increased respect on the continent and the globe, and of increased citizen participation in government.

Grab your glasses, and let’s drink a toast – to Nigeria, our own dear native land.

Thoughts on Decongesting Lagos...

When Chxta Bee identified "decongesting Lagos" as one of the priorities for the incoming Federal and State Governments, I glanced at it casually and moved on. However, I have returned to an earlier post I shared on this subject after experiencing ONE day of Island-Mainland traffic this evening.

In addition to the solutions I proffered in my post of July 2014, I would now like to add that the most sustainable way to "decongest" Lagos is for the other States to attract more businesses and support them to operate profitably and sustainably. In addition to slowing the population drain to Lagos in search of greener pastures, this will develop their economies, grow State government revenue, and grow employment numbers in the formal and informal sectors.

The current model wherein many young Nigerians from across the country (including yours truly) relocate to Lagos because it offers better opportunities is not sustainable over the long run. At this rate, in only a few years - it will be nearly impossible to get anywhere on time in Lagos.

PS: It took me 4 hours to get home from Lekki Phase 1 (and 2 hours to get there in the morning). Some friends who work on the Island (and live on the Mainland) confirm they spend an average of 4 hours a day commuting to and from work. That is 20 hours a work-week, 80 hours a month, and 960 hours (40 days) a year spent in Lagos traffic!

Please Donate to the Nepal Earthquake Response

I find it very difficult to ask people (on Facebook and offline) to give to supposedly faraway causes like this, fully aware that we face our own fair of issues at home that require our giving and action.

So, I'll ask you instead to spare a thought - and maybe a prayer - for the people of Nepal, many of whom have had their lives upended by an earthquake.

And if you can, please give too. For every $ you donate, various corporations including Facebook will match your donation, such that your $1 will become $30 on average.

We are the world.

A Piece for Mama -- Happy Birthday!

At a funeral for a friend’s father a few months ago, I couldn’t hold back tears at the nice epitaphs in the program. I wished he could read the nice things his progeny had written about him, and hoped they’d told him those sweet things when he was alive. I decided that day to frequently write about my parents while they’re still here to read.

This one is for my mother, who is a year older today. If you cannot read it all, please skip through to the end and please leave a comment. I’ll print them all out, and have a ball reading them to her this weekend.

*****

Beautiful is your name;
Wonderful is what you are to me;
It's you I see in my dreams;
Everyday and I pray for you;
Queen of my life;
You're so beautiful mama;
You're beautiful;

Emi n wa mama kan;
Ta lori yeye yen;
Mama mi o roju ri;
And that's why I'm loving you.

*****

I returned home from junior secondary school one day in a rage. My schoolbag had fallen apart the previous day, and left with no option – I carried my books to school in my mother’s handbag. The humiliation was epic! I was taunted everywhere I turned. Two classmates walked behind me as I went home, teasing me as we went. I dashed into our house, murderous, looking for a knife; and ran into my mother. A lecture about murder quickly turned into a discussion about living within your means and ended with us reading from The Richest Man in Babylon. I have since forgotten the students who made me feel so miserable, but the lessons from that discussion will stay with me forever.

On the Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa...

News media is rife with reports of Nigerians and other African immigrants killed in xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The recent outbreak of violence follows comments by Zulu King Zwelithini that foreigners should leave because they are taking jobs from citizens. Other citizens have expanded this by stating immigrants are undermining locally owned businesses. The pictures and videos are horrifying, showing disgruntled citizens driven by an entitlement mentality.

NANS has threatened reprisal attacks and some have called for boycotts of South African owned businesses. Neither course of action is advisable. In this context, boycotts will not achieve anything we cannot more quickly achieve via diplomacy.  They also have the unintended consequence of harming our economy, as these companies employ thousands of Nigerians and pay millions in taxes. Secondly, harming innocent South Africans living in Nigeria is unjust, signals we are no better than those whose actions we condemn, and may lead to an escalation in the violence.

The Nigerian High Commission will begin evacuating Nigerians interested in returning to Nigeria from today. This is a good start, as we must ensure their safety above all. We must do more for them, however. We must communicate clearly to the South African government that we will no longer treat attacks on our citizens and business interests lightly, and we must pressure them into arranging commensurate compensation for businesses destroyed during these attacks.