I saw a video of Kizz Daniel performing his latest song ‘Cough’ in Sidney, Australia to a packed venue. A close up of those in front showed a sea of rapturous Caucasian faces singing along. I will bet $1 (afterall that is supposedly what is spent at Mile 2 Market now according to our SM Adam Smiths) to every 1₦ that they do not understand a word he is saying. I dont either. But I listen to it on repeat for 30 minutes while on the threadmill. And that is the same with Rema. And Davido and Wizz Kid. And my boy, the African Giant, OluwaBurna. They sing Nigerian. They talk in pidgin. And spice it with Yoruba. And Igbo. Nigeria happened to them. Not a single one was a success abroad before becoming a success at home. It was the other way round. And the world embraced them and celebrates them.

Today, Google celebrates Nigeria Jollof rice. My friend, Olabisi reminded me that it is not only Nigeria that has Jollof rice and I responded that I didn’t know of any other. If it is that concoction that they eat in Ghana 🇬🇭 that they errorneously call ‘jellof’ that she refers to, then she is sorely mistaken. As the Yorubas say, ‘àrùn ojú ni’ (it is a mistake caused by a sickness of the eyes). Just looking at the image used by Google, it is clear that this is authentic Nigerian party Jollof. My Ghanaian ‘bredas’ and sisters, you all know how much I love you but this is a matter of national pride.

Which makes me wonder at the Nigerians whose preoccupation appears to be how much they can denigrate the country. Nothing positive ever emanates from them. It is an endless flow of lamentations like a broken public tap held in place with a piece of rubber. At the slightest contact with it, it begins to leak. And they leak nothing but bile. How they can have so much vitriol in them and still function would make for interesting scientific research. And they are both home and abroad. Nothing ever offered in terms of solutions. No positive contribution to any conversations. Always looking to be the wet blanket on anything that might appear worthy of celebration by the country. And this disease (and that is what it is) is not the exclusive preserve of those who have declared that they belong to another country.

As for me, I will continue to celebrate the little wins. That does not stop me from recognising the challenges we face as a nation. I will not join you in baying at the moon. Own your illness all by yourself. I will not seek to cure you. Continue to agonise over anything positive that has Nigeria written on it. But in the words of one of the greatest jesters Nigerian politics has thrown up for us: “as e dey pain you, na so e dey sweet me”!

Wale Bakare