By Boniface Chizea.
I just stumbled on David Hundeyin’s characterisation of the Nigerian ELITE! I hope we all must have encountered David in his many interventions in the public space. He is more or less a human rights activist interested in highlighting many under hand dealings in our environment and goes the extra mile to back up his presentations with hard facts. He usually speaks to his presentations and has a clear and lucid diction. He is of the same feather; to a large extent as your popular gadfly Sowore.
The crux of his argument is that the Nigerian money bag; millionaire or billionaire lives in mortal fear of becoming poor. He sarcastically says that the Nigerian ELITE is afraid of not eating from a wheelbarrow at mile 12 Market! I disagree with this characterisation.
This is not completely true. Yes, money in your pocket could grant you access and respect in Nigeria. But it is pretty much the same elsewhere.
Because of entrenched poverty in the land and the reality that ones you are relatively well off, you start catering for many others due to restricted welfare opportunities; there is therefore the need to struggle to avoid sliding in this respect.
But there is much more to an elite in Nigeria besides the money in his pocket and the worry of sliding to the terrible situation of being in want. In the first place those who have earned their money don’t suddenly become poor. We agree that you could become less comfortable but not to the extent of living in abject poverty except for unusual calamity
In my books, what defines an elite are his values; his preferences, and therefore the choices he makes. There are locations you can hardly find an elite in Nigeria no matter the extent of lack of resources
. An elite cannot live in a dungeon or squalor. He is concerned about what he eats and its quality. He is interested in having downtime, taking a rest to recharge, and has an idea of the meaning of spending quality time with loved ones.
In short, an elite is not a money miss road. He uses money but would not allow money to use him. He places a premium on having fun and enjoying himself. In summary, that is my understanding of who an elite is.
Therefore, I don’t know where David Hundeyin got his perception of an elite as depicted in this write-up except if it is really a satire. Shalom.
