The Thieving Women Of Nigeria

There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.
~Madeleine K. Albright

Patricia Etteh certainly tops the list. In September, 2007, she was accused of spending N628 million on renovations of her official residence and that of her deputy and for the purchase of 12 official cars. Patricia Etteh was the first female to be appointed Speaker in the Nigerian government. She had a chance to be a heroine but blew it.She was eventually forced to resign.

Iyabo Obasanjo. The EFCC is still investigating her role in the N3.5billion contract to the Austrian company Schneider which did not follow due process.And now it is being alleged that the ministry of health gave her a gift of N10 million. I would have thought that with so much negativity surrounding the Obasanjo name, she would have used her place of authority to undo whatever little damage she can to her family name but Alas!

Professor Adenike Grange was until last week the minister of Health. She, too has been forced to resign due to charges of corruption.She is alleged to have supervised the squandering of N300million unspent public funds last december. She is a medical doctor, one would have thought that certain professionals would dare to live above certain crimes. Grange must have taken an oath after medical school to put human lives before all else, and yet She spends N300million on furniture, car etc while several Nigerian women and children die of poverty related diseases. I wonder if this is the same Grange of Grange schools,Lagos -one of the moxt expensive primary schools, if that is the case, I guess it only makes the situation worse as it shows some people's insatiable need for money. Grange like Etteh, could have been a heroine, making changes in the health sector which Nigeria so badly needs but she didn't and instead has dipped her name in the mud.

Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette though not reported to have stolen any money, I could not help but add her to this list because of her obvious lack of intellect as she proposed the infamous indecent dressing bill.


I have been shut down more than once at talks on issues of women empowerment and equality, Etteh and Ekaette are always thrown at my face, now Grange has been added to the list.

However, Dora Akunyili continues to do us proud. She has received several awards including Times award-one of the 18 heroes of our times and an Intergrity award by Transparency International.If she could stand out as one great Nigerian woman, surely there are a few others. We will soon discover them.


On some entirely unrelated issues: I am happy that Oshimole is now governor of Edo state. Congratulations to him and to the people of Edo for backing him. I see change coming.

An aircraft belonging to wings airline allegedly owned by Ibori dissappeared about two weeks ago and has since not been found. If this isn't the height of shame on the Nigerian Aviation sector, then I don't know what is.

Is it just me?

Someone just upset me so bad.

I am chatting with a distant friend on yahoo messenger and he says to me:

'Come home quickly and give your husband a son'. I say nothing and he continues.

'Having a son is a man's pride, I am sure you know that, the moment you give him a son he will love you forever' I am still silent and he adds, 'don't let too much time pass you by'

I just flipped.Is it just this guy I know, or is it Nigerian guys or is it guys generally, why the hell do people just talk without thinking?. Last time I chatted with this guy( I really should stop) he went on and on about this baby issue, why did I leave my husband to come study, was I pregnant?Eventually had to tell him about our last bereavement and silly guy wanted details,imagine. I told him off albeit nicely, but this time I blew my top. If you don't have anything to say, by all means sharrraaap.

A friend of mine lost her baby last year and has since been trying for another. Nothing is happening and when it does, she miscarries.All this is tough on her but the toughest part is neigbours, church members who keep asking her if 'anything has entered, and why they are taking so long'. I know some of these people may mean well, but pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, everyone should know where to draw the line.

Gosh, I am pissed!

A time such as this.

For christians in the house,here's praying that the true impact of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ will be manifested in us.

That the fruits of Christ's spirit which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering,kindness,goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self-control may dwell in us making us better people with each passing day.

Happy Easter

The old and the new.

It always puzzles me when bloggers who do not update regularly ask me to update. Headandaround, take your timeooo.Like comrade, I too do not like to do an I woke up on the wrong side of bed post.(nothing wrong with such postsooo.) Anyway I decided to cite a few differences in the past and in today's as a Nigerian. Hopefully the bad will not surpass the good.

Previously, Nigerian men were very brave. Once, when I was younger, there was loud knocking on our gate and my father went out with his matchete asking who they were.No fears. It turned out to be some long lost uncles looking for a place to sleep.
Last year, armed robbers visited our compound, one of my neighbours, the ony man actually present, offered them his laptop and the only money he had(2k) even before they asked.Inspite of his kind gesture, he still received a butt from the gun on his cheek and still shakes like a leaf if you sneak up behind him today. His wife still teases him(I know guys will attack me for this one).

Most Nigerians studying here paid their own fees themselves. Most of them I know from home-colleagues, school mates etc. We worked hard, we invested hard, and we saved hard and here we are most of us less than 30. Previously, you had to be a military personnel's kid or your parents were in oil or they used their entire or half of their gratuity to sponsor you.Rarely were young ones able to finance their own postgraduate education. There was no booming bank industry, or insurance or telecoms,or advertising, or entertainment. But today, thanks to the emerging middle class, now we can.

I vaguely remember generators growing up. From my life in Ikot Ekpene till I moved in with my sister in the 90's, it wasn't so important to have one. Either it wasn't as hot as it is now, or NEPA was much better but now it's a must have. What with the advent of I better pass my neighbor(the small ones that cost less than 10k).Where did we go wrong?

All you had to do was say you were a christian in the past, and it meant you had integrity, now the devil seems to me living in the church. To say you are a pastor arouses even more suspicion.

Women are so much bolder now. A friend of mine visited the galleria recently, left her boyfriend to use the bathroom, when she returned, a young girl was chatting him up. Shuooo. The good side is that this boldness extends beyond relationships, women are speaking up and demanding better recognitions for their roles at home, and at work.

Children are so sharp these days. Asking very intelligent questions. At a 4 year old's party, a girl asked the boy why he was dancing with another girl, and he asked why she was late for his party. Now, I don't know if that is a good thing, and that is not what I meant by intelligent question.

Thanks to the new media-blogs, saharareporters(where do those guys get their pictures from?),social networking sites etc most Nigerians now have a voice. Change is coming.

Noticed any changes? please do share.

Igwe and the forty thieves and other stories.

Yesterday evening, Igwe went to the 'bureau de change' at Sabo, Yaba. As he was haggling with the money changers, bullets started flying in the air. So everyone scattered. Unfortunately Some people were wounded, and several windscreens broken. The robbers had a field day. The interesting part is that the Sabo police station is about two minutes from the crime scene. According to him, one of the thieves was stationed infront of the police station firing into the station and daring any of them to come out. Typically none of them did.Nigeria, I hail thee. Okiro, I salute you. You certainly are doing great things about the safety of lives and property.
Igwe went back for his car which was fortunately unscathed and was told that some well meaning Nigerians had taken the wounded to chemists as Luth and Igbobi(the govt. hospitals closest to the area) are on strike. They didnt think private hospitals would treat them without deposits and the bleeding had to be stopped ASAP.
I pray for Nigeria as if I owned it, and a blogger friend of mine knows how I pray when I am praying about the corrupt leaders. Someday, God will hear me.

Ben Okri was in Leicester, I bought one of his books so I could get it autographed, gave the guy my name and he asked where that was from, I said Nigeria,why he didn't stop there, I dont know, he asked which part and I said Akwa Ibom, he had no idea where that was, even when I said former cross river, he still loooked blank. I wasn't even upset as I had always thought he was from Benue,I have since found out that he is from Delta. How can you be from Delta and you have never heard of Akwa Ibom?. They call him 'Nigerian born British writer' maybe that explains it.
There is a good part to it though, he is 48,single, goodlooking and quite an interesting character. Interested anyone?

I have finally discovered local chicken. It tastes just like the ones my mum used to rear, those ones that raomed around the compound free until they were old enough. Yesterday as I cracked the bones, I was in high heavens. I had so complained about how tasteless chicken here is, I think they grow them in 5 days. Yes I like food.