Naija is always on a two-week cruise

Catching cruise is a street lingo that is comfortably sitting in the lexicon of the Generation Z.

The natives of the generation are quick to sum the Nigerian regular melodramas- ‘Naija is a cruise’.

Talking seriously, Nigeria is on cruise control. While you are still chewing an issue, another has come up ‘as e dey hot’, pushing the former down the throats.

An average attention span of drama in Naija is two weeks, after which another topical ‘kasala’ is birthed.

For this edition, simply put- SOROSOKE TIWA SAVAGE.

Yes, it is what it is, but not what you think.

Now, let’s try to separate Paul and Barnabas.

Today, being 20th October, the first anniversary of the #EndSARS movement that ended in tears, sorrow and death, I will want to start with the struggle.

It is so sad and worrisome that, despite the whole crisis that almost grounded the country, and equally led to the destructive campaign against Nigeria Police, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Absolutely, nothing.

No reform has been done.

Condition of service is yet to improve.

Welfare of the police remains the same.

Strategy of operation still remains obsolete.

Manner of approach is below average.

Intelligence gathering is away from expectations.

They still remain unrepentant, uncultured and disgruntled.

One dead-drunk officer attached to Sagamu Road Police Station, Sabo in Ikorodu, almost shot at me on the night of 6th August, 2021. My offence? I was NOT smiling while he was harassing the Uber driver that drove me.

If this was the best lesson we could learn after the October 2020 threats to lives and property, I don’t see this #EndSARS or #ReformNigeriaPolice movement ending anytime soon.

Do I support continuous protest at different levels until we achieve a better Nigeria? YES.

More importantly, we MUST protest with our votes. We shall vote and make sure our votes count. They will attempt to rig us out, we shall writhe ourselves in. It is going to be a long tortuous journey, but victory is sure if we are ready.

Do I support killing, maiming and wanton destruction of our commonwealth? CAPITAL NO!

If you do that, you are not better than the police that are blinded by impunity and power of gun.

You are not different from a man that needlessly hits his wife for the offence committed by his children.

Therefore, you don’t deserve a place in our dream society. You don’t have a place in our Eldorado.

Let the mobilization start now.
Sensitization of eligible young voters is now.
Get your Voter Card, don’t sell your conscience, else, you are not protesting.

TIWA SAVAGE

I have never been so confused on what to say in a matter like this Tiwa’s case.

Perhaps, parasocial effect is having a great toll on me.

This is not the time to sympathise or empathize with Tiwa. It is a time for you and myself to review what we do at our ‘COMFORT PERIOD’.
Ask yourself, can you be proud of your actions and inactions when the veil is removed?

Lots of brick bats flying around:

It was a deliberate stunt to push her stardom and make money from her current musical efforts;

It was a blackmail from a relationship that went awry;

Her spin doctor was incompetent and ill advised her;

She released the video herself to face-saved her career;

In the last 24 hours, her single ‘Somebody’s Son’ featuring Brandy has gained millions of eyeballs on YouTube; she is ‘pathologically’ promiscuous; the video was doctored to smear her image;

She is gonna lose lots of brand ambassadorship; etc.

Let me simply put.

By the time the dusts settle, another ‘cruise’ emerges, all the fans and ‘frienemies’ return to their hustling & bustling of life, and only internet remembers – Tiwa Savage will be the gainer.

Jamal would be the loser.

Just before I go, this whole ‘yanponyanrin’ has a criminal colouration. As Internet archive is serving Tiwa’s ‘breakfast’, the long arm of the law must exhume the blackmailer and his or her co-travelers from wherever they are refuging at the moment.

How I wish today is ripe to harvest words.

I dey come.