Buns, Fish and Ministerial Mismatch

Nigerian buns

I was thinking this morning...... As we were driving back from church that Sunday, we were tired and hungry after having FaF (Fellowship-after-Fellowship). From the small snack shop in church, we picked up some buns and few bottles of Coke Zero and were munching as we headed home. Suddenly, I observed my wife smiling. In my curiosity, I promised to give her a penny for her thought. She grinned further and said 'I just remembered 'Osayi buns and fish.' 'Who is Osayi again?' I asked. 'Osayi was a lady that prepares and sells a special delicacy of buns and fish when we were kids at NIFOR, Edo state,' She answered. As I shuddered at the strange combination of buns and fish, my mind was literally pulled to my early days in Uniben. Our delicacy was not 'Osayi buns and fish,' but bread and moimoi. Oh my God, those three words conveyed such delight to me in those days. With all the noise of the daily frenzy in the University community of Ugbowo now dead as we go past midnight, the only students left reading in the lecture theatres were the 'efficos,' a group to which I was a proud member. Most nights, as I tried to concentrate, I was distracted by that soft voice echoing from along the earth road to Hall 2 Hostel, which was at least 500m away, announcing 'Buy your bread and moimoi. Bread and moimoi.' That announcement usually signals the end of 'jacking' for that night. It was time to go enjoy the special combo of bread and moimoi sandwich. Good old days.

Today, while bread and moimoi seems a compatible pair to me, buns and fish just ain't a good combo. I dropped the thought of food and went about my week. Then on Tuesday, 23rd July, after about 2 months of waiting for PMB to submit the ministerial list, it finally happened. Everyone was expecting an experienced team well spiced with technocrats, but the majority on the list were recycled politicians. Some with corruption allegations hanging over their heads. There were diverse reactions from Nigerians. While some gave the list the 'ewolokanmi' attitude, others thought it was uninspiring. To me, when I juxtapose the transformation we are looking forward to and the names on the list, what came to mind was 'Osayi buns and fish,' because It just doesn't match. 

From the 'Take a bow and go' sham at the Red Chamber of the Nigerian Senate to the United Kingdom where Kemi Badenoch, a British of Nigerian extraction, was selected into the cabinet of the new UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. I was excited and proud that a Nigerian was worthy enough to be so appointed. However, when I read that Kemi studied Computer Systems Engineering at University of Sussex, UK, and worked as a Software Engineer, but was given the position of Children's Minister, I was like 'hmm! Osayi buns and fish.'

But what do I know? Since I am not an epicure or gastronome (a lover of good food), I may never understand what I am missing in buns and fish nor understand the pure satisfaction my wife had while savouring steaming hot Osayi buns and fish as a child. If in these days of small chops and finger foods, you can mix and match as you wish, and still enjoy the food, I may not know what those that seem like ministerial mismatch would achieve in time. So, let those that enjoy bread and moimoi not look down on those that love Osayi buns and fish. Hence Roman's 14:3 says 'Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.'

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.