Shortsightedness

I was watching the news yesterday when I saw him...He has lost most of his black hair to gray or perhaps he used to dye it and since jail does not exactly support that sort of vanity his true color is showing. He has lost some weight (although that is not immiediately obvious as he's a man of considerable weight- maybe as a consequence of chopping up). His face was not shown at first because he was lying across 4 or so cheap brown plastic seats. The first thing that crossed my mind was " That has to be uncomfortable!' At a point he was helped up from the seats and his face showed that he was under some sort of strain. Several people rushed to him to support him even in his sitting position.

It was Alamieyeseigha, often described now as the embattled former governor of Bayelsa state. The news reported that he was suffering from some cardiovascular disease. According to news reports, on about two occasions he slumped while trying to stand on his feet. He rested his head on the table throughout the period of the proceeding.

I tried to dredge up pity for him in my heart, but found that I could not quite manage it. You see, I had watched a report done on Bayelsa State. It was a story of promises unfulfilled, projects left unfinished, the ill gotten gains of politicians rubbed uncringly in the face of the common man. I was dismayed and thoroughly annoyed to find out that even water was not provided for the common man. Majority of the indigenes in the state do not have runnning water and have to spend at least N200 a day paying for water to be fetched for them. This in a country were the minimum wage is N7,500 a month. You try and do the Math. This was when Mr. A was still in the UK. Next thing you know, he appears and claims that it is a MIRACLE! Apparently he slept in the Uk and woke up in Nigeria. No apologies to his people for what stealing money that could have been used to better their lives.

My thinking on this Mr. A issue is that if he had had the foresight to use some of the billions he stole to build a state of the art hospital in his state, he may be flown there now. Instead, taxpayers money will have to be used to fly him abroad for the operation he needs to save his life. No pity because I asked myself what would happen to the average Bayelsan if he developed this condition. He definitley would not have access to taxpayer's money to foot the bill for his surgery. He may well not even be able to afford to register at a hospital. In fact, his fate would most likely be ...death.