*(His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi as the President of Nigeria)*

*Chief of Staff:* Good morning, Your Excellency Sir

*Peter Obi:* Una with dis una Excellency, can't you just say Good morning sir.

*Chief of Staff:* Okay, Good morning sir.

*Peter Obi:* Good morning my brother, how is your family?

*Chief of Staff:* We are fine sir. Thank you sir.

*Peter Obi:* What's the update my brother.

*Chief of Staff:* I am here to brief you about the preparation for the forthcoming United Nation General Assembly in New York sir.

*Peter Obi:* Ok, go on pls

*Chief of Staff:* Sir, if ok by you, you will be departing Nigeria on Tuesday sir since the UNGA will be commencing on Thursday, this will give you ample time to relax, then you are scheduled to return back to the country on Monday though the General Assembly will close on Saturday. You know it won't be proper to hurry out of America sir.

*Peter Obi:* (Looking at the man with full attention)

*Chief of Staff:* Your Excellency Sir, you will be accompanied on your journey by 8 of your ministers, 6 state governors (1 from each of the geopolitical zones), 5 SSAs, 5 SAs, 5PAs and 15 security personnels. You shall be traveling with one of the finest Presidential Jets

*Peter Obi:* (Removes his eye glasses, feeling agitated)

*Chief of Staff:* Sir, we are also making arrangements with one of the biggest hotels in New York for the reservation of all the rooms in that hotel for you and members of your entourage. All together, SIX BILLION NAIRA will be expended on the trip.

*Peter Obi:* (Jumping up from his seat like a man stung by a deadly scorpion) Six what?

*Chief of Staff:* Six Billion Naira sir

*Peter Obi:* Come my friend it seems that you have gone mad. Do you know what you are talking about? N6,000,000,000 for just a 3-Day General Assembly. Do you know that with that amount (pulls out his calculator), we can build six housing estates in the 6 geopolitical zones for low income earners? Do you know that with that amount we can fund 12 federal universities with N500 million each? Do you know how many kilometers of roads that amount can handle? Do you know with N100 million each, N6 billion naira can fund 60 public secondary schools in our country? Do you ...

*Chief of Staff:* (Cuts in gently) But your Excellency ...

*Peter Obi:* (Angrily cuts in) See young man don't provoke me this morning. This is what will happen. We shall leave on Wednesday night and join them on Thursday morning and come back to Nigeria on Saturday as soon as the Assembly closes

*Chief of Staff:* But you Excellency . . .

*Peter Obi:* (Ignores him) I shall be traveling with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and my Special Adviser on Trades and Investment. Three of us only. Do you hear me, three of us only. The UN will provide security for us. As for Presidential Jet, don't worry about that, I have already spoken to my friend Onyema of Peace Airline, they have reserved three seats for us in the economy class so that I can have an opportunity to interact with Nigerians.

*Chief of Staff:* But your Excellency, what will people say when they see our president traveling on ordinary commercial airlines?

*Peter Obi:* What do they say when the Pope travels on commercial airlines? Yes, as for accommodation. I will call my friend, Mike Adenuga, he has a house in New York, we shall sleep there for three days. I know he will not say no. See my brother, there is no money to throw away, things are hard.

*Chief of Staff:* But your Excellency, what will I tell the governors and the other ministers, they are already getting ready for the journey.

*Peter Obi:* (Smiling) Tell them things are no longer the same

*Chief of Staff:* Thank you sir (Pick his things to leave)

*Peter Obi:* Bia, my friend, when next you bring this type of paper to my office for approval, you will be relieved of your position.

*Chief of Staff:* I am very sorry sir. Truly, truly, THINGS ARE NO LONGER THE SAME

Nice imagination

I like this.

That is why we must all vote for Peter Obi