UPFRONT DECLARATION: Femi & Gbaja and His Wife Sal are my friends and have been so for a long time. I also share School backgrounds with the Majority Leader. HOWEVER, he knows I will knock any ill-conceived actions or errors on his part while still having his back.

SO HERE GOES….

FIRST, Femi Gbaja DID NOT DISPLAY either his Private Party or his Gift to his wife to the public. He did not brag about the cost of his outfit nor of the car gifted to his wife for her 50th birthday.

SECOND, the ONLY REASON we are aware of both the party and the gift is BECAUSE pictures found their way onto Social Media. It certainly was not Femi who put those out there.

ON THE OUTFITS, our reactions have been opportunistic. The party was a THEMED event called THE MADHATTERS BALL. Dress code was predetermined. Some may call it a FANCY DRESS party. We have all been to at least one AND we probably dressed up looking as ridiculous as is unusual of our NORMAL mode of dress.

BECAUSE some at the party, in the typical Nigerian manner of accepting invitations but not following prescribed Dress Codes because they feel too BIG or struggle to find anything that fits, did not adhere to the code, does not take away from the FACT that it was a THEMED party.

So let’s set the outfits aside however pricey, colourful or ill-fitting we may subjectively feel they were.

BUT HOW DID WE GET TO KNOW about this party?

BECAUSE some OVERZEALOUS, some may say jealous, GUESTS in their usual exuberance rushed to post pictures and a video of the event AND the gift on Social Media. Some do this to promote the notion that they “Belong”. In today’s world of self-promotion, everything goes out on Social Media pages… Invited or not, one cannot tell. In this instance there is NOTHING to show that Femi Gbaja put the pictures and/or videos out there.

WITHOUT OVERZEALOUS GUESTS, we probably would not have been debating this.

HOWEVER, it is all out there and there is a debate. So what are the REAL issues?

The argument has been made as to whether Femi can afford the gift. For what our legislators earn, he probably can. You can take that up with the NASS on the cost of governance in Nigeria.
The arguments on the outfits and cost of such are largely irrelevant. If you can afford what you like, you will buy it and proudly wear it.

BUT it is THAT GIFT and the ASSUMED price tag that has driven the storm, in my opinion.

WHATEVER Million Naira the car is said to be, the CURRENT MOOD of the country backed by our constant distrust of politicians has fuelled the reactions out there.

Politicians in Nigeria are presumed thieves even before they get started. A burden they have to deal with before, during and after their participation. Their burden, not mine. Comes with their territory.

But does perception make them all thieves? To the point where their expenditure habits are almost always measured in that context?
Furthermore, once we “disagree” with any expenditure, does that immediately nullify ANY good work they may be doing in their positions? You tell me. All because we ASSUME, as a jump off, that any and all monies accessible by them MUST be from the Treasury and criminally so. Fair enough, if that is our predisposition.

IF FEMI GBAJA made ANY MISTAKE, it would be in inviting overzealous Guests, probably wannabes, to his PRIVATE FUNCTION at his residence.

CONSIDERING THE POSITION he holds today, gifting Sal that car should have been done PRIVATELY and QUIETLY away from prying and curious guests. We would not have known different. Scratch that! We would have been arguing over how much his suit cost and what colours would have better suited his wife… Duh.

IN MY BOOK, Femi Gbaja remains one of the FEW bright lights in our present day politics. I follow everything he does and will kick his arse if he does not represent us as would be expected.

Dude, in this day and age of Smartphones and Social Media, you smile wrongly and those waiting to get you will come after you. The way it is. Your Reality. Lesson learnt? …. Lwkmd.

By The Way, Who the heck is Yemisi as reported by Vanguard and typically widely-circulated by other non fact-checking “news” outlets?

Anyway, I am done with the subject. Hope Sal had a memorable birthday…….. before The Storm.

YOU PEOPLE PLAY TOO MUCH!

#GoodEvening