My boss sent round a copy of the Tatler article, “The Nigerians Have Arrived” today, perhaps to stimulate conversation or thoughts to ruminate upon. I just finished reading it, and my only response is a lusty LOL. (See the details on Bella Naija here: http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/11/12/nigerias-young-moneyed-set-is-upset-read-the-tatler-uk-december-2013-issue-article-everyone-is-talking-about/).

I’m not even sure how I feel. Or how TO feel. The one thing that did pierce through the confused maze in my mind, is the superior ‘shadism’ of the Brits. WOW, these Anglo-Saxons can throw shade to the far east, direct its ricochet from window to wall, and then guide its movement to the wild wild west of the world; like it’s a Little John joint circa 2006! Gosh. Superior Sarcasm Skill, I’m floored. Talk about killing with politeness. I don’t know if any of the ‘Nigerians’ (I think I’ve caught the bug) in the article were conscious of taking punches, beneath all that sugared venom. Btw, ‘Tatler’ is such an apt name for that magazine.

Bless their hearts.

( I definitely caught it).

I’m not even upset by the article, the way a lot of people seem to be. Hell for all I know, if my daddy was a baller perhaps I would be the Cuppy making minx-like faces at Tatler’s photographer. I might be amongst the moneyed set, spending daddy’s dollars with nary a care which individual, family, or nation got hurt in the process. Green is green is green.

No, the article just made me think a bit about legacy and putting back into society a little bit of all we are taking. We need to wonder if what we’re doing in the quest for money is merely rape; of our community, our humanity, our true selves…or if the line has moved from rape to incestuous ravaging.

What are we doing to Nigeria?

It’s been weighing on my mind to write on our general shallowness and this article really brings a lot to the fore front of my mind. I can’t write all I’d like now, as in a few short hours I will be donning my robe as a Levite and joining a band of broken yet expectant worshippers, helping direct people towards God.

But I really think we all need to take a good hard look at our lives and really ask if the quest for continued consumption, the drive for power and thirst for excess is really filling us up and quenching the quiet needs inside. The article made me realise that there is honestly, a need to create a legacy of life; one that benefits much more than just our children, that celebrates more than just ourselves as individuals and exalts nothing else but God.

I said before but it bears reiteration, “Money is nothing but in Nigeria we exalt it to the status of everything.”

God, save your queens. Please.