“Hate And Other Misdemeanours”
The President is pouring the Minister tea and laughing but she is fuming.
-how do you stand such people?
-I do not even know him. I know he writes a lot about how I will crash the Republic
He sits down across from her and looks at her drink with the tip of her tongue. The one running my government, he says to only himself.
-everyone says you were good with him
-I wanted to punch his smug face. I can’t cuss like you. I kept thinking: wetin I do this one now?
-hahaha
-next time, take a few of his questions
-I think we have done some interviews. He is who he is. He seemed uninterested then. I was at the back of the line.
-I still don’t know how you won the primaries
-I lied
-to whom?
-everyone. Well, more accurately others lied on my behalf. They made promises and deals and some financial things I do not want to get into.
-na wa oh. I could never do politics like that.
-well, we are what we are. I want to change things not wait for them to change for me. I have to swallow some rage and do what I can.
-ha
-anyway, what did you want to approve?
-we need to borrow more
-I know
-those talks we need to have with those people that we just paid off. They need to happen soon. Or all those things we were approving will have no money to actually do them and your year-end budget is already in trouble. We do not expect oil prices to rise and though your new head of taxes is making promises he will not be able to fund the deficit. I know revenue is for Maryam, but I need to spend her money on fixing the whole mess.
-have you always paid your taxes, Goz?
-Please don’t call me that. And yes.
-I only paid to qualify to run in elections. I had a thing against taxes before I was in politics.
-please don’t ever say that in public
-ha
-why did you tell me that?
-to say that I agree with you. Most people won’t pay taxes and the bracket of those who can is very small. Yes. Have those meetings with Maryam and those clubs but no promises till we decide.
She does not finish her tea. She stands up. She does not consider him a friend anymore or even find him impressive now, at the height of his career. He has something but she does not know what it is. It is something primordial, that old oppressive phrase, ‘leader of men’, she almost resents him for it.
She turns to address him as he walks her to the door.
-Mr. President, anyone that thinks I run your government may hate you, but he does not know you.
The President does not smile back at her at all. She realizes in that moment that he may resent her too.
Dramatis Personae
Richard E. Williams-President
Ngozi Nzeribe-Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Supervisory, for Economic Development, Innovation & Diversification
Article in Daily Chronicle
Security Alert As Militant Group Threatens Escalation. Presidency Says, ‘No Cause For Alarm.’
Excerpt
Anthony Nwabunor
“‘…many security operatives are beginning to worry if the President is simply naive…he may not have the stomach to face this rising problem. He looks lost in security meetings and some of the Service Chiefs resent how much the Chief of Staff talks in security briefings, simply because he has a few years of service in the Nigerian Army and would normally be a few ranks below them’…on the record the military brass is tight lipped and loyal to the President…it is hoped that this is not at the risk of our collective security…”
MEMO: Polling Figures
Internal Use Only
Restricted
Approval Rating of the President (Overall): 76%
Approval Rating of the Senate President: 81%
Approval Rating of the S. Minister: 96%
Sample size: …………………………………………………
