Interesting conversation sometime ago while we were watching the underwhelming soccer match between Nigeria and another country.

Educator: “How would the players perform well when they are not chosen by merit?  Instead, they pick players by ethnicity not skill.  And it is who you know…”

As with most discussions about Nigeria, it strayed to politics.

Educator: “Our so called leaders are puppets of western governments. Everything is by who you know, not merit.  Take for instance someone wants to run for office.  S/he goes to Azo Bank to borrow money to fund his race using as collateral, the promise to deposit the state’s federal allocation at the bank.  When he wins the election, he makes good by routing the state’s allocation through the bank.  The bank takes its cut, passes the rest to the governor who takes his cut, pays off his handlers, and puts some away for the race for a second term.  By the time he’s done, there’s little left to invest in development of the state.  Thus, it isn’t till he wins a second term that he has anything to invest in the state.”

Me: You said they steal from their own people to stash for themselves, where does the West come in?

Educator: “It is America and Europe that aid and abet these leaders who keep us locked in a cycle of underdevelopment!”

Me: “How?”

Educator: “They allow them to stow away their ill-gotten gains in banks, real estate, and corporations on their shores.”

Me: “Why don’t we catch them before they go abroad to deposit their loot?  After all, they walk around us day in day out.”

Educator: “You see, they use the first rash of money they get, to build a fortress so though the live amidst the people, the people cannot reach them.”

Me: “So, they never leave these fortresses to take their ill-gotten gains abroad? And if they are just puppets of western powers, why do we have some who serve their people well?”

Educator: “Those ones are just somewhat good guys.”

Here’s to the “somewhat good” guys!

#Leadershipbeginsathome.