Photos: #ThisIsNigeria, #PrayForNigeria!!!!

I am very pained as I write this.

Last week, it was the news of the death of two children from the same parents that went viral and shook the nation and this morning, it is the assassination of one of my ex-bosses in GLO Telecoms that I woke up to!
Before then, in between those two scenarios and after then, so many other heart breaking things have happened,
Which way Nigeria?
What exactly is happening?

Blessing Timidi lost two of her children to fire last week and this could have been avoided. If the fire service had gotten to their house on time and if they had had water to quench the fire, the 2 kids would have survived!
I remember when our house in Alaka Estate, Lagos also got burnt many years ago and the neighbours called the fire service which was just like 10 minutes away, they said they didn't have water in their tank, and by the time they eventually got there, a whole detached house (villa) had burnt down from the roof to the ground!
Thankfully, no one was home.
Even Dubai that is a desert never lacks water in situations like this one.
Kudos to the Dubai police and the fire service.
They are well equipped and skilled and are always on time to quench the fires that occur in the city and rescue the victims.
Hardly do they record any death, hardly.

For those who don't know this, Nigeria is a VERY beautiful country blessed with human and natural resources and with lovely, talented and hard working people home and abroad.
But we must have missed it somewhere along the line.
With our leaders, perhaps?

I recall when the power supply at the Dubai Mall was cut briefly (was it last year?), the
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his team went back to the drawing board and rectified the issue ASAP and ever since, the incidence has not recurred.
In my country, when there is power supply, Nigerians rejoice, it's a big deal.
In Dubai and in the Western world, when there's no power supply, people are surprised and confused, it's a  big deal.
What an irony!

Before I relocated from Nigeria to the UAE a few years ago, I was only going on vacation to the UAE, the UK, Europe, Lebanon etc for holidays (maximum, 2 weeks each trip), I never lived abroad and was loving everything about Nigeria.
I used to say 'I love Naija, I don't wanna relocate jor' because I had a good job and a good home!!!
But now, having lived here for some years now, and being in a system that works, I can now deduce that I was not living back home, I was only existing!
My life may not be perfect here in the UAE, but there's nothing as good as peace and security.
Now, let's talk about security.

The killings in Plateau State, Jos, Nigeria are just pathetic.
One of the former Executive Directors where I used to work in Lagos was shot yesterday (details emerging).
The citizens are not protected.
There's blood everywhere.
Even though I'm not in Nigeria, I feel the pain.
People whose deaths could have easily been avoided are just dying anyhow back home.

I know the Dubai King is a busy man, running his own show here, I just wish he could give the Nigerian leaders some advice on how to walk the walk and talk the talk.
I also know Nigeria is a much bigger country with more massive population than the UAE, however, if when I am honoured to meet His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, one of my questions to him would be, If he were to rule Nigeria, what issue would he tackle first and HOW would he do it?
Initially, I wanted to ask why the Dubai Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who loves to tour and vacay hadn't been to Nigeria as there are soOoo many places he would enjoy visiting and would be welcomed by the very warm Nigerians, but for now, I would advise him to chill and visit much later, when the storm is over (soon, Insha Allah).

The latest news is Nigeria has overtaken India as headquarters of the 'World’s Poorest People'!
Can you just beat that?
A country rich in milk and honey, voted the poorest in the world???

Honestly, I'm just tired!
I know no country is perfect, but I'm just tired!!
Can Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum adopt me already?

Nigeria needs prayers and sound management.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Long live the UAE.
Long live Toyeen B's World.

Cheers,
Toyeen B. xx