The week gone by had barely ended and this new week did not start off on a good note too for Africa as a continent. On one day the Kenyan president was in the headlines for all wrong reasons, sparring with Nigerians for picking a bone with their lack of ‘good spoken Énglish’. This incensed the Naijas so much that they, in solidarity with other nationals, censured the Hustler, as he is known for his archaic colonial mentality. I cannot take sides, suffice to say that his earlier assertions and the fact that those opposed were expressing themselves in the same language, is outright laughable. If we are to be honest about our colonisation and mentality we have, we need to take the blame. We have inherited and continue to inherit so much that is never really ours.
The more depressing news headlines were those of recent attacks in South Africa by a group of locals on what is termed as an attempt to correct the wrong that foreign nationals have grabbed job opportunities from them. I once discussed this in my entry ‘Kwa weni kulibe mkuwe’ in that if I was given a choice, I believe that we would all love to earn our bread and butter here at home. No one migrates for fun and economic migration is no laughing matter. If anything at all, we should really be concerned with bettering our country and stop playing the victim in this matter.
A delegation of Nigerian tax officials visited the country earlier on and paid a courtesy call to the head of our tax body in Blantyre. As is the norm, they took time for a photo-op and the officials proudly donning their khaki grey uniforms filed along with the Commissioner General. In that article only one comment stood out for me and it was the content that I perhaps expected to make more sense. One contributor asked what we do right to attract such a huge economy to come and learn from us.
The rest was garbage. I was appalled, not surprised that many had a lot of negatives to say about the uniforms our visitors were donning in direct comparison with what our officers here wear. This is where the hypocrisy lies, because when Malawi Revenue Authority also introduced uniforms, a lot laughed it off as a mere imitation of airline pilots.
I know we often wish to opine on everything, but it would be refreshing to pause and reflect on its value. Nigeria for instance, is significantly close to the equator with some areas having deep humid weather. Their choice of attire including uniforms must be influenced by those factors and their comfort. If you would also like to pick on our contrasted uniforms, white in colour, they are no good fit for some areas where the tax collector’s offices are stationed.
Does the uniform distinguish us as a whole or could we focus on something better for the economy? We cannot tell off the cuff but we must embrace the fact that in this part of Africa we have the poorest state of infrastructure and we do not seem to be getting anywhere near improving it. However, many people have travelled in the region and beyond, we cannot replicate these standards anywhere within our borders. At a personal level, yes most wish to develop houses that are of good standards. It is kind of the same thing when you walk into workspaces.
The CEO’s office will be the plush one and expensively assembled, a huge contrast with the factory premises on which it sits. I know that marketers will tell you the image sells but I am one human being who is impressed with a complete picture. I would rather have a modest office with a smart factory.
This is why It is common to find expensively dressed folks with filthy homes or cars just because we wish to stand for the pictures. As people, we are swayed by different things and honestly it isn’t just the photographs only. A pig with lipstick remains a pig, we are better off dwelling on things that matter.
