30 November 2008
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After all the hullabaloo and popping of Champagne for the Methuselah reign of your Royal King, what else can your people offer? We can only go back to our ventilated huts and lick our intestines in quietness. The grapes of this country have become so sour that no amount of pretence or decoration can make them good again.
After the selective scape-goating of some white collar robbers, we have been waiting to see what happens to the others. Or do your people want to tell us that they have not had enough proof against them? The drama your people started came close to reaching climax but only ended there. We are still watching and waiting.
I thought by now the famous Mariologue should have been guillotined or jailed for his unrestricted thievery at the radio and TV house during his Mobutus reign. But the other day, in his charismatic style, he was guest artist on TV singing the hymn of Mama Chantal.
In my opinion, a Professor should be writing and not singing. On that day, he was effectively reproducing his hit track, Mbambe Essai. I think he was making one desperate attempt to get presidential grace since the noose is said to be tightening on him on allegations of public pilfering and pillaging. He knows it is easy to pass through the soft heart of Mama Chantal to get Etoudi pardon.
If our brother Zacheus, who was brought down from the tree, had also composed a special number for Mama Chantal, he, too, could have been spared the humiliation of staying in the hall of shame. To be honest, when I watched the Hippopotamus on TV, I felt sorry for him because his once balloon-like jaws have suddenly fallen like the breasts of a woman attaining menopause. Please, forgive my vulgarity. If my suggestion is anything to be considered, each time he is to appear on screen, technicians should indicate viewers' discretion.
Ngwa, I hear that our Up Country brothers are incensed about their share of the national cake, faulting the Bakingili Chief for the injustice. Someone informed me that since Up Country politicians have since been looking up the hill for the Star Building, the Bakingili Chief too has given his eyes no sleep till he sees that their plans come to nought.
I am yet to know how the Chief hoodwinked the different ministers to allocate the grasshopper's share of the national cake to Up Country, but I know that the Up Country people have some unfinished business with him. I hear that the rat race for the Star Building became so hot that even a renegade Director who lined his pockets with palm oil money was bracing up for the top job.
I am even surprised that he had the audacity to line up for the position considering that he is reportedly the next unhappy guest at the Ondo Ndong residence, following whispers that his hands are soiled.
One must be cautious not to dismiss their grudge as the ranting of a frustrated people. To me, there is logic to the unfolding events. Ngwa, you remember the role the Abakwa politicians played in wrenching their Region from Ni Chairman and his men. You also remember that they sold shame, bought disgrace and suggested that the Etoudi King should do everything to make his reign eternal.
No one can be blind to the fact that they needed due compensation for their brazen efforts. Instead, what happened? Their strong men were pulled down from the plum tree; their baobabs were humiliated like school boys being flogged in public, and it seems that even the Star Building which they have been eyeing is no where in sight.
To add salt to injury, no effort was made to compensate them in the sharing of the national cake. How else did you think they would take it? Who else did you think they will blame?
Ngwa, I sincerely think that the Lion Man deserves another honorary professorship award. Changing the names of the country from Provinces to Regions was like saying that he was giving us the photocopy of a land certificate while he keeps the original and the land itself. I am still amazed that none of your C men sent him a motion of support for his brilliant decision.
The way things are unfolding, we have no other choice than to watch and wait.
Yours sincerely, Mbella
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