I Got The Energy!!!

What’s really good people?

Man, I was all set to cover and post a story on my all time favorite athlete as part of my Black History month tribute until something referred to as “Thunder Snow” happened here in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia). Let’s just say the past 48 plus hours have helped re-emphasize how much we take the simple things for granted like people, time and the ever so important “Electricity”.

First and foremost, hope everybody is safe and doing well out there and making the most of out of their respective situations.  I must say; when trying to operate a mobile phone with limited power, you become creative and selective on what phone calls to answer, text messages to send/open and any updates via Facebook or Twitter worth uploading.  

Speaking of Facebook and Twitter; I finally got on Facebook so you can now follow me on that as well.  Just type in “Myomo Naija” in the search box... Also hit me up on Twitter@myomonaija.

Irite; let me get focused….

My start in the “Thunder Snow” was in my car commuting home during rush hour traffic (Go-Slow) a few days back.  How shall I put this, a typical 45 minute drive ended up taking almost (5) hours and several episodes of road rage later to complete. One in particular, had me getting out of my vehicle and walking up to the driver in front of me and I just lost it. Here I am going off and screaming at this a** hole of a person (am not going to reveal a gender or race) all because the driver was in the wrong lane and refused to merge onto the adjacent one. Mind you, I am a dark skin Nigerian male in the middle of the road covered in snow doing all this. LMAO!!! As I finally get to my house, the “Electricity” in my entire neighborhood goes out. Dammit!!! 

I am willing to bet that many Nigerians back home are totally clueless and are not even aware that power outages even take place in Europe, United States and other western countries to begin with. Unlike back home where generators in private residences are in style like skinny jeans these days, they are typically reserved for places such as hospitals, hotels and other essential service buildings in the states. Now for many Nigerians out there, when you bring up the topic of “Electricity” in any conversation, you more than likely have struck a nerve and really touched on a sore subject.  But you know, I am gonna talk about it… 

A great basketball playground legend one day was held at gunpoint by a robber and all he could muster up and say to the person attempting to take his life at that moment was; “Yo, you can take my money, my car, my woman and my jewelry but please don’t take away my dribble”. Take your time to figure out the message behind that quote for a minute.  Having a power outage and taking away electricity from me is like taking “my dribble”. And you know what, when we Nigerians experience a power outage, it’s a very agonizing and traumatizing experience.  So I know if there is one thing that unites all Nigerians out there, it is our stand against the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), now referred to as the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).  But I have news for you all, Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) here in the DMV must be a sister company or have stock in one another because they both truly operate the same. 

Here is a quick rundown of things that transpired in the past 48 hours living without electricity in my home:

  

• I received a text about the only black person serving in the Polish parliament. John Godson, a Nigerian born Polish member of parliament.  Pretty cool stuff; I told you all, we Nigerians are everywhere…

• Nelson Mandela was rushed to the hospital. The doctors believe things are looking better and he is back home resting.

• Egypt has been put on a digital ban (no internet or mobile phone usage).  That is going to be a problem!!!

• Tiger Woods is back to playing golf and now must deal with having a “Baby Momma” like must black men out here.  I guess his more black than he thought huh?

• Obafemi Martins “Oba Goal” is back in the English Premiership League playing football for Birmingham.  Show your support, the guy plays hard when on the pitch for Nigeria. 

• Both Rafael Nadal (favorite tennis player) & Roger Federer are both out of a Grand-slam tennis tournament before the finals.  Look up the last time that happened?        

• Oh yes, one of my teams in the National Football League, the Tennessee Titans finally sacked their coach.  Finally… Vince Young is still my dude!!!! 

So all these things happened and I missed it. 

However, the whole experience was worth it because I got to kick it with my family and we sucked it up like the “True Warriors” we are.  My brother told me that the Nigeria way is to “hope for the best but expect the worst”.  People, that is demoralizing and difficult to stomach as reality but unfortunately it has become the status quo for many of us. Change is necessary if we intend to improve and better our nation, how do we raise the accountability and demand better performance from our energy source?  The difference for me now is at least I know when the repairs were completed and the power returned in my household; it was for good unlike for those of my compatriots back home.  My uncle once told me a story; he says, “Son you know back home in Nigeria, people don’t even get excited about running electricity or power in their homes”. I said, “Really”? He says, “Yes!!!  Hello!!! When the power ever so often is cut on, as people begin to rejoice and celebrate, when they say NE the power is out again before they can say PA”. LMAO!!!

True Story…