Very interesting article by Reuben
Abati. Read below...
“What a relief,
my friend!”
“What are you
relieved about?”
“It is this
David Adeleke and Sophia Momodu soap opera”.
“I tell you. It
is a perfect subject for a good home video. But what is your own?”
“No. Nothing. I
am just relieved that the parties involved have agreed to let peace reign”
“This will be
about the third time I would hear of that matter being resolved.”
“Well, I think
the Momodus and the Adelekes should just spare us.
They should not
forget there is a child involved. They have suddenly made Imade Adeleke, the
most famous victim of Baby Mama-Baby Papa palaver in Nigeria. Both Davido and
Sophia and their supporters’ clubs should please protect the baby, and not make
her a poster child for that kind of subject.”
“But me, I am
enjoying the story oh.”
“Of course, too
many sadists in our land enjoy other people’s misery.”
“But really, it
is a simple matter. “
“If it were
that simple, the drama wouldn’t be so entertaining. “
“What Davido
wants, Davido gets. His father is rich. He is a famous musician. Davido says he
wants custody of his daughter.”
“By taking her
away from her mother by force, and giving her to his half-sister, and
threatening to travel out of the country with the baby for medicals, without
the mother’s knowledge or consent? A seven-month old baby, abducted at two
months?”
“He gave
reasons for that. He is talking about the biological mother taking cannabis and
risking his daughter’s life”
“Cannabis?”
“Yes. Igbo”
“You seriously
mean marijuana?”
“Yes, gbana as in Indian hemp. And Davido
provided a medical report to confirm his claim.”
“You saw the
medical report. You are sure it is genuine? Because I understand Sophia
Momodu’s lawyers have written the lab to produce the original report of proof
of drug abuse.”
“This their
matter sef.”
“That’s why it
is the child that is most important. I don’t like the way they have
turned the young girl into a trophy to be fought over in a blood sport. We are
in the age of the internet. Twenty years from today, someone could print out
these funny details from the internet memory bank. A father, grandfather and a
half-sister fighting a mother and her family over a baby and making sordid
claims: It is not a fight that can be easily won.”
“I hear Davido
says the Momodus cannot force him. He may even release a special song to make
his position clear: No
be by force.”
“Nobody is
forcing him and his family to marry Sophia Momodu. They are just saying custody
should be mutually agreed upon.”
“And he and his
family are saying they want their daughter properly brought up. They too have a
point. You should not take sides.”
“Ok. He is
talking about Marijuana. When he was head over heels in love with the Momodu
girl, he didn’t smell marijuana? I am sure if he was given Marijuana before he
was allowed to inhale, he would willingly exhale?
“He insists he
was just 21 years old. And that he was seduced by a full-grown woman who took
advantage of his youth and innocence.”
“Innocence,
indeed. Was he raped? Did he not have a relationship with her, and did he not
showcase her everywhere? He was 21. If he could be tricked at 21, then he
should live with the consequences. “
“You are taking
sides. I know why. You are Dele Momodu’s friend.”
“I am making
uncommon sense. I am saying why is Davido asking for Sophia Momodu’s birth
certificate after the fact? When
the thing dey sweet them, they no dey remember say na the thing wey fowl chop,
him go shit.”
“But you can’t
force any man to marry a woman. Why
the girl too go carry belle for him junior brother? She suppose know say Davido
sef him na pikin. You no see as him papa they follow am, make dem no carry big
yansh, big chest, fine face, cheat him son for Lagos”
“Him try well,
well. But Davido, your boy, him no sabi use rubber?”
“That girl look
like person wey go gree rubber?”
“You dey craze”
“My own
is that fathers should just keep an eye on their sons and daughters. Let
mothers also keep an eye on their daughters. To avoid stories that break
the heart like this one, fine girls should just know that you can’t detain any
man with a baby. Er beg.”
“The values of
the younger generation are different.”
“Some strict
parents will still never have allowed this to happen.”
“Some of these
children are beyond control.”
“But we all
suffer for it. This is why Ghanaian ladies insist that Nigerian men are
unreliable. They say they use and dump women.”
“They say
they…?”
“That’s what I
hear.”
“They or we?”
“They.”
“You mean you
have tried the Ghanaian market too? Tell your brother something about ECOWAS
romance?”
“You are an
incurable gossip. Ashawo,
somebody.”
“But talking
seriously, it won’t be fair to condemn Nigerian men. I think this is a thing
about Nigerian musicians. Those people too like women. Young women, old
women oh…any woman. Even the
women musicians sef, any man wey stand well… fiam”
“That is more
important to them than their art? No wonder many of them sing such trashy
songs”
“There is even
one of them who has seven children from five women or so. And there is
one they call Whizkid”
“Superkid?”
“Whatever. But
there is this kid musician who also has a child from an older woman. There is
this joke that when his parents heard, they quickly took charge of the
situation, by telling the Baby Mama that while they would accept the baby,
everyone could see that the Baby father is himself still a baby, too young to
take care of another baby, not to talk of a grown woman. They pleaded that no
woman shouldpakurumo..ko…”
“ Nice joke. I
laughed. Him sef na pikin, he
never grow finish to take care of pikin. The
girl fled.”
“That’s why I
say it is a simple matter. Davido should have consulted his seniors in this
matter. That one that has seven children from five women did it so well, today
all his Baby Mamas married or single, are friends.”
“Wow. That’s a
real Baba of the matter. Who is he?”
“I can’t
mention his name. He is happily married now to one of the Baby Mamas. I don’t
want to be accused of disrespecting another man’s wife.”
“Let Davido and
Sophia just make peace for their daughter’s sake. And when the matter is
settled, Davido knows where to go for tutorials if he really wants to fish in
this type of troubled waters.”
“But our
musicians sha. They can fight?”
“Who
again is fighting?”
“Olamide and
Don Jazzy.”
“That face-off
over awards at The Headies event? But they have apologized”
“No. You don’t
get the point. Why should artistes or producers or label owners fight over
awards? What I have seen is that our young artistes are obsessed with awards.
They seem to be more interested in being given a plaque than developing their
real work. It is this same problem with Nollywood actors. Any small award is
treated as if it is the Nobel Prize.”
“I see that
too. It is the Grammy award disease.”
“No true artist
should work with an eye on winning a plaque. The best award is the acceptance
of the market place, not by a group of biased judges. If you are good as an
artist, you are good, nobody can take that away from you.”
“Quite true.
But it helps to have some plaques on the wall, I must say.”
“How many of
those musicians who were called the best new acts on the block in the 80s and
early 90s are still making any impact today? When a work of art is good, it
will be evergreen; when an artist is good, his talent will endure.”
“Some of these
new kids are great though. World-class talents. In the last few years, there
has been an explosion of real talent.”
“I want to hear
more about talent. Great art. Not drama kings and queens, not Baby
Mamas and Lab Reports.”
“You are just
old-fashioned. Controversy is part of art. Life itself is about controversy.
Controversy produces great art. In the world of artists, all things work out as
raw material.”
“That’s why
people insist artists are mad.”
“But it is not
only artists that generate or attract controversy. Politicians do.”
“I know.
Controversy is the soul of politics, but here it produces stress and
oftentimes, tragedy.”
“I’ll give you
one example.”
“Which is?”
“In Oyo State,
Governor Abiola Ajimobi is trying to embarrass the Olubadan in Council by
trying to determine how existing vacancies within the hierarchy are filled. He
is introducing INEC guidelines to Ibadan Chieftaincy affairs!”
“How can he
possibly do that?”
“He is asking
for certificates of mental, physical and marital fitness before Ladoja and
Balogun can fill the Otun Olubadan and Osi Olubadan vacancies.”
“Marital
fitness?”
“When people
ask for physical fitness, don’t you know it is all encompassing?”
“All that is
politics. I am sure it will be amicably resolved. Ajimobi is smart enough
to know that you don’t fight the traditional institution. Governors will come
and go, the Olubadan is the owner of Ibadan”
“Don’t tell me.
Go and tell Ajimobi”
“Don’t worry.
He knows. He just dey
make body. Body language,
they call it.”
“But what
is happening in Bayelsa is not body language oh. When the people of Southern
Ijaw go to the polls tomorrow to determine who will be the next
Governor of Bayelsa state, they won’t be joking; the state will be at war.”
“May be not
real war; let’s say blood sport.”
“You are
speaking grammar. I just hope the election won’t be inconclusive again.”
“It is a combat
for political supremacy.”
“Put it like
this: the outcome may determine the future of Bayelsa state.”
“No. Put it
like this: the outcome will determine the future of the PDP.”
“You are
quibbling.”
“Dickson is
core Ijaw. Timipre Sylva is Nembe.”
“I don’t get
it.”
“The mind of
the core Ijaw voter will make the difference. We pray for peace.”
“I have an idea
now. Yes. All things being equal.”
“That’s
politics for you.”
“But there are
other forces.”
“That’s why
there is so much at stake, and a question of where the stakeholders stand.”
“I know.
Stakeholders matter. They have just allowed MTN to buy Visafone.”
“Really? Is
that a reward for the fine MTN is supposed to pay?”
“It is a
business transaction, nothing about government.”
“Everything is
about government. Has MTN paid its fine, before being allowed to take over a
home-grown company?”
“We should
study what happened. Why do Nigerians get licenses and approvals, run a
business for a while and then sell to foreign interests? HiTV. Now Visafone.”
“One glaring
failure of local content!”
“Look, let’s
discuss that after MTN must have paid the fine.”
“I hear they
have sacked 2, 000 Nigerian workers at Visafone, already. They have taken
over.”
“What?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Oh no”
Too long a story,interesting sha
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