To Gloat or Naah?

For someone considered ultimately anti-government and unpatriotic, it was somewhat refreshing to be embraced yesterday by "governmenters" and vilified for gloating by travellers on the other path. Anyone who took seriously to heart my "patriotic" gloating over Nigeria's need to give Americans a taste of their own pills by extremely screening them before they are allowed into the country, needs a refresher course on "The Person of Jude Obafemi".

Let it be clear: I kid (or better still, "was kidding").

How Nigeria wan do am na? Let us imagine for a second that there even was the will on the part of the government to even try it. I know, I know, it's farfetched, but let's allow that conjecture, the structure of international politics no go gree. Real politick, which is politics in terms of national interests, without fancy idealism or ethics - lies in favour of the US. The implication is that it wouldn't be in our national interests to want to be seen ostracising Uncle Sam. Yimu all you like, Nigeria is in no position to call the shots where America is concerned. As the PhD presido had earlier remarked, "America will know."

Thus, singling out Americans for screening because of the rarity in Texas is as foolhardy as going to look for our crashed satellite in Space using a keke Napep refurbished for space travel by the Directorate of National Planning. Safe journey.

Yea. That was to bring those who sent me messages congratulating me for gloating back down to earth. Now, to attend to those about to gloat that America is sending a team to study Nigeria's containment of the Ebola virus, leggo!

It is highly commendable that Nigeria, with the assistance of the international community and the uncharacteristic efficiency shown by the Ministry of Health and Lagos State government plus the personal heroic sacrifices of a few, contained the virus. The briefings that more than helped to calm public panic from the Minister of Health was a breath of fresh air unlike any we've experienced from government. To call it unprecedented would be stating the bloody obvious. It rekindled the hope of a better tomorrow, if things are done as should be. America took notice. That's how interesting it was. That's where the interesting bit stops.

Let's take a breather and see why. Pause to consider the response of two different mindsets here. The country that pulled it off doesn't stop for a while to ponder how it did it so that it can document it for posterity. It rather sees it as an opportunity to raise it's shoulders like the cock preparatory to mount the hen; an opportunity to walk around the block telling anyone with a listening ear that they beat the bully of the neighborhood black and blue and must nowtofore be greeted as Lord of the Mayor and Master.

On the other hand however is America, always intent to improve, to learn, to be better at it's best and to leave no chance unexplored in it's quest for excellence. It has witnessed a country contain the virus and wants to add the knowledge of how it happened to it's already acquired body of work in that area, so it doesn't just do as well as Nigeria but better. Hence, it chooses to learn and improve upon that which it will discover, if any.

No point saying who'd be better off tomorrow. It's black and white. And you can keep your gloating at home.

So, congratulations Nigeria. Welcome America.

(Note that all conspiratorial inferences about the EVD were kept off this piece on purpose?)