A Kill and Die Affair

Photo credit: Top Gear Phillipines

What is the meaning of success? Beautiful house, large family, a lot of money, side chics and expensive cars?

This was the question I asked myself this Christmas. I attended a lot of functions and the joy for me was to sit and watch a lot of moneybags throw money around.

I sit quietly, sip my champagne and watch all the drama.

Wives walk steadily beside their rich husbands in a "he's mine" attitude knowing that the lady hustlers are on a rampage. 

It was a competition of the highest number of body guards and I could not stop wondering why our police men would be assigned to protect only the rich who can afford to pay for their services.

Some ocassions turned out to be like a military parade because of the number of security operatives on ground ready to harass and intimidate citizens who unintentionally and intentionally get in the way of their temporary masters.

What stood out this period is the Rolls Royce club. An association of men brought together by a common interest - a Rolls Royce Phantom.

Some of the owners of these sleek vehicles had them shipped all the way to the East just so the bad roads don't mess with the cars before they are shown off to friends. Another reason is to avoid the various check points that would consider them good targets to prey upon.

The banks always claim not to have new notes yet crisp two hundred, five hundred and one thousand naira notes are all you see on the dance floors while the rich try to outdo each other in the spraying of money.

At the occasions, the drinks are served in order of success. Cristal, Don Pérignon, Clicquot and Moët & Chandon champagnes are for the big boys according the size of their pockets.

Then Andre, Laurent perrier and Vueve du verney are for the hoi pollois who want to drink champagne and do not have any preferences.  

The truth is that a lot of people just drink champagne to belong and do not really enjoy them. I also observed that the wines were not in high demand this period.

The lead singers in the high life bands know every wealthy man in the east, their titles and their business names. They hail these men till they part with some money.

These successful men are the targets of everyone and so I look at them with pity sometimes. The Runs girls that Pinkchelli wrote about are batting their eyes at them, the beggars are waiting by their cars, the poor cousins, the village uncles and aunties and even their friends who are not as successful all expect them to "do Christmas for them".

Then the in laws wait for their rich "ogo" (in law) to visit and as usual dole our some cash.

Sometimes the armed police men who guide these men release gunshots to announce their arrivals and I wonder if they give account of those bullets.

Is this what success is all about? I guess so to an extent because this is the only way they know how to enjoy it - showing off!

The festive period has almost come to an end and it's back to reality. These men who have spent millions in just two weeks will now go back to base to recoup. 

It will be a kill and die affair this January;  they will be shrewd in business and go after their debtors with daggers and swords and with very red eyes. (I pity such debtors. Lol!)