MEMOIR OF A DREAMER

''My friend, oya leave this place now, I'm expecting very important dignitaries''

came the voice of my father.

''I dont want any of you to come roaming this arena''. He continued, refering to the
living  room.

Our living room has played host to very important personalities over the years.   A fourty by

fourty four feet room with exquisite furnitures most of which were imported by my father

from Italy. He has a thing for white and as imagined, the furnitures are predominantly

white.  According to him, white is prime.

Minutes later, my entire neighborhood was barricaded by fierce looking security operatives

and in their characteristic show of affluence, they filed in according to their importance and

cadre in the political clime as though they all had briefings on who had arrived.

As always, my young mind was drawn to the highly revered figures attending the meeting

or 'fraternity' and how relaxed and in control they are.

First it was the so called 'small fishes' and then the mighty.

It became dawn on me that this isnt like every other gatherings I've witnessed as three

former presidents walked in. First it was Gen. Abdulsami Abubakar then Gen. Ibrahim

Babangida and then Alh. Shehu Shagari.

''Wow!! Shagari is petite, frail and old''. I whispered

Ofcourse I've seen quite an army of important people but under one roof and mine for

that matter, Ofcourse not!

My excitement was near-tangible, I almost disobeyed my father by running downstairs to

catch a closer glimpse of these mighty men.

I couldnt help but eavesdrop on their conversations.

The core of their discuss was on national security and cohesion and intermitently would

deviate to personal issues which, surprisingly went by without the usual ranchor

associated with political gatherings

Hours went by and I became less interested in what they were discussing, the realisation

suddenly hit me on the enormity of power and influence at my disposal. I thought of all the

important personalities my father interacts with; presidents of countries, first class world

business leaders and academia and a host of other powerful men around the world.

''I could, as a matter of fact, get any thing i want'' I thought aloud

I thought of the cars at the garrage (including nine bullet proof SUVs), chains of businesses

and properties around the world.

''Wow!! I'm blessed''

I snapped back to the moment by a thunderous sound filtering through my door from the

living room

'' No way!! No body can use me as a pawn, I refuse to have anyone imposed on me. Anambra

is my constituent and I decide what happens there''

''Chris! Chris! Chris, sit down! came the voice of my father

''I'm going to sit down because of you sir but no one can change my mind about my

candidate'' Chris Uba retorted

''You're a small rat'' came another voice that sounded like Pius Anyim's

I ran to the door and through the lens I saw Alhaji Shehu Shagari beckoning on Chris Uba to

sit down.

Momentarily, a deafening silence engulfed the room and after what would pass for the

perfect description of 'eternity', a tender, more subtle and ever re-assuring voice of General

Abdul Salami Abubakar echoed through the room.

''We can not keep fighting ourselves and expect to make a difference in the lives of the

common man, please let us put a stop to this hostility and seek a better path to entrench

peace and progress in our dear nation''

The meeting ended an hour or so later and then General Babangida asked.

''I know madam is in the US currently but how about your very intelligent boy Debo?''

''Oh, he should be in his room'' my dad answered''

''Dont tell me the young man is around and you didnt ask him to come and say hello to us''

Pius Anyim said.

''Debo, Debo!.....come say hello to our guests''

I jumped down almost sliding through the rails and they all practically stood up to say hello

to  me one after the other with different foriegn currencies greesing my palm.

''Baba is on the phone, I'm sure he wants to have a word with us'' my father exclaimed.

Through the speaker phone, we could hear the voice of Mr. President, Chief

Olusegun Obansanjo

''I heard that you people were fighting. Andy, I hear that you are the architect, well,

somebody should come and give me the full briefing sha''

''No problem sir, we shall do that in a bit'' my father responded.

Minutes later they were all gone and quiet returned to my home and time again to think

about great things.....soooooooo many great things..............



Beautiful story huh?

Na wa oooo! This probably would be true if my Father had

not retired a 'bloody' millitary man who never saw the gate of a government house.

IBB, Abdullsalam and Shagari ko, Ngige and Tinubu ni........(hiss)