Something happened about a month ago which I still cannot get over. I am in the advertising business, and we pitched a new business with other agencies. Feedback was that we performed best and had even been informally advised how the business would be shared etc; all we needed was the appointment letter. The consultant then arranged for us to meet about a month ago. I first sensed something was amiss because of the way he started the meeting...clumsily, and not in his usual confident way. He finally came out with it after a couple of "hmms" and "emms".
It turned out the group CEO of the organisation whose business we pitched wanted to know if I would "take care of his interests" (I must admit a new expression to me, just when I thought I'd heard everything: Oh! Nigerians are so creative!). Of course I knew what that meant but feigned ignorance. He then said something about the CEO being interested in a percentage of the budget and needing an assurance that we would play ball when appointed.
I explained to the consultant that we don't do this; and funny he said he knew, but just needed to pass across the CEO's message. He then went on to advise me to think it over and let him know if and how we could manage it; he even suggested a meeting between the CEO and I, so we could "talk". A couple of days later the consultant called me and I said he shouldn't bother about arranging any meeting, since we wouldn't play ball anyway. He then waxed religious and philosophical about the Nigerian factor etc. Two days ago, I got a call from the consultant: the organisation had decided to call fresh agencies to come pitch for the business all over. Interpretation: because you won't play ball, the business is gone!
Now a couple of things bother me. One, the group CEO who wants a kickback is already so rich; I know this for a fact. OK, let me give you an idea how rich: his annual salary cannot be less than N60 million ($460, 000), apart from other perks; he is in the financial services sector. I can't help but wonder how much his organisation would have spent with us that he would be interested in what...10%? of the budget? So it really isn't a case of someone who has a need, but who is simply greedy. Period.
Two, he is a well know Christian leader of the pentecostal mould. He is very well known in this respect and is a symbol of the church. If you are a Christian and are wondering whether I shouldn't have exposed this about him, then you are wrong. We need to expose these shameful behaviours so that others can learn from them. And I am not doing this in a judgmental way either.
So my sad commentary is: when will things begin to really change in this blessed nation? The conventional wisdom is that people steal because they have needs. This one is very full. So what is his motivation? Two, he has deprived us of legitimate business and a measure of prosperity for his selfish end.
Where are we headed in this nation where everyone believes money is all and will do anything to sustain this deceit?
1 comment:
Its obvious that this CEO clearly didnt make his money from legitimate means!!! A greedy man can never be satisfied. He sees every opportunity as an avenue to get richer, even at the detriment of his reputation and integrity. The worst part is that, there are so many of these so called rich influential Nigerians with solid educational and professional background, whom a lot of us look up to and even pray to be like. We look at these people and assume they climbed the ladders of success through hardwork and divine opportunities. But again, I dont blame them, as far as they are concerned words such as legitimate are relative. what might be legitimate in the western world might not be the case over here and vice versa.
You know what is most depressing? the fact that such Nigerians are been looked up to and worst still, many are fast learning from him.
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