nitially, laughter couldn't allow me to begin this write-up. I laughed and laughed till I was exhausted while tears of confusion were gushing out from my two eyes. Then I washed my face with mild cold water and took one bottle of mixed stout and malt in order to regain my lost amusing energy. After these unforeseen protocols, I set my laptop on my two laps and started to think and to write. The Angels of wisdom sent by the Alpha and Omega stood behind me in a semi-circle in order to guide my thoughts and actions towards achieving the goal of this simple and serious topic. How can someone or something be big but has nothing to show?

It is not the size of the pot on fire that matters, rather it is the contents. In other words, it is not quantity but quality that matters. My people say, "E lelia nwa ite, o gbonyuo oku." This literally means that the overflowing boiling water from a tiny pot can extinguish the huge fire below it. Goliath the giant despised the little David at the battle field. By the strength from above, David defeated the giant and cut off his head in a twinkle of an eye. During my boyhood school days at Our Lady of Fatima Primary School Jos, a ridiculous incidence happened. I was in primary two while my junior brother was in primary one. One of his classmates was beating him mercilessly every day. He reported the matter to me as his senior and taller brother. One day, I furiously accompanied him to his classroom to show me the troublesome boy so that I would finish him up. We stood at the door of his classroom and he pointed at the boy who was standing up at the moment. I was older and taller than he. But when I saw the frightening muscles on his legs and hands, I was terrified. I just managed to warn him to stop beating my brother. When he reacted aggressively, I took to my heels. Later I advised my junior brother to endure the beating because fire was over.

Stupidly when I returned home to live with my grandmother, another surprising encounter took place in my primary five. It was during recreation. A small boy in primary three was in the field conquering his bigger opponents in wrestling as small as he was. I couldn't bear the ugly sight and I told myself that the devil is a liar. Because I was bigger and taller than he, I proudly pulled off my shirt and entered the ring to show him pepper. The wrestling started with my over presumption that victory would be mine. Before I knew it, the small boy lifted me shoulder high and threw me down like a log of wood. The spectators shouted, "Tufiakwa!" which means shame to me. Shamefully I stood up with sand all over my body and ran away through a bush, abandoning my shirt behind. Because of the shame I did not come to school for three days. I asked myself, "So I am big for nothing?" From that day I learnt my lesson not to look down on anyone. I was wiser at Jos than at home.

Nigeria competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024. The flag bearer at the opening ceremony was Tobi Amusan. The competitors were 88 and they participated in 12 sports, which were: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, football, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling. President Bola Tinubu approved the sum of N12bn for the country's outing at the Olympics and the Paralympics. N9bn was earmarked for the former while N3bn was budgeted for the later. They went out with high hope of winning medals. Unfortunately after spending the whooping nine billion naira they returned home empty handed. It was a shame for the Giant of Africa. Indeed we are big for nothing. If you remove Gi from Giant, then the rest is what we have metamorphosed into, that is, ant. Even the minor African countries clenched medals at the just concluded Olympic game. Glance at these: Kenya 11 medals, Algeria 3, South Africa 6, Ethiopia 4, Egypt 3, Tunisia 3, Botswana 2, Uganda 2, Morocco 2, Ivory Coast 1, Cape Verde 1, Zambia 1, and NIGERIA zero. In fact, if there is reincarnation I shall never be a Nigerian. If possible I shall relocate to any of the uninhabited planets and begin life afresh there with those who shall be interested.

It is a pity! What a waste! After squandering such scandalous amount of nine billion naira, we couldn't win a half medal or even a stick. The nine billion naira should have been used to alleviate the current hunger mesmerizing the Nigerian masses. At least the huge amount spent for nothing would have provided numerous bags of garri that would feed the starving masses. President Tinubu must do something urgent to alleviate the scorching hunger in the land. Hungry Nigerians cannot wait endlessly for his expected harsh long term economic policies. All we are saying is: "Give us something to eat before we all slump and die!" Again and again, the cost of governance in this country especially, at the federal level is too high. Both the leaders the led must make some sacrifices.

Our country will bring home lots of gold medals from the Olympic competitions if corruption, embezzlement of public fund, election rigging, poverty, nepotism, banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, herdsmen menace, marginalization, armed robbery, etc. are included. God blessed Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources, but bad leadership set us many years back. Instead of progressing, we are retrogressing. After sixty-four years of Independence we are still wallowing in acute darkness due to electricity power failure.

The failure of the federal government to repair the four moribund refineries in the country is nothing to write home about. Even the new refinery built by Alhaji Aliko Dangote is being sabotaged by the corrupt cabals in the presidency and in the NNPC so that they continue to enrich themselves illegally. The Bible clearly states that whatever is hidden must be exposed some time and some day. We produce barrels of crude oil daily and export them to foreign countries to be refined. Later we import them with billions of money. I do not know if it is true that one of our leaders at the highest level has a refinery in foreign land where he exports and refines our crude oil. Later we import it with billions of money. He thereby robs Peter to pay Paul. Who is cheating who? A child that refuses to walk can never run. Instead, he would be crippled and remain in the state of disability forever. Nigeria, we hail thee!!!

The sudden removal of fuel subsidy by the President, its effects and the floating of the naira, has brought untold hardship and hunger to the masses. If the fuel subsidy was removed, then a lot of people are asking, "Where does the huge amount go into?" The subsidy removal should have been done gradually and systematically, which would not have caused the excruciating hardship and hunger we are experiencing nationwide. Even some ethnic groups are hungrier than others due to the extreme poverty in their regions. Lack of transparency and lack of accountability continue to weigh our economy down. The masses are waiting for the return of the fuel subsidy or reduction of its price. If something drastic is not done to alleviate the present hunger and hardship in the country, then we are sitting on a keg of gun-powder which can explode at any time. Our leaders must check the pulse of those they are leading in order to ascertain their health status and body metabolism. The popular folklore narrated and sung by Mike Ejeagha has come to fruition. This is a season of "Gwo gwo gwo ngwo!" The tortoise represents the cabals and the few corrupt politicians sitting on our backs and enjoying life while are bearing the burden and betrayal. Nigeria, we hail thee!!!