NO MATTER HOW LONG YOUR MONEY IS...

 

I was thinking this morning... Some years ago, I was negotiating to buy a property in Warri and could only afford about 60% of the asking price. While still pleading with the owner of the property to consider my offer, I was told a week later that someone had offered the seller 300% of the asking price. My friend helping me with the deal just asked me to walk away because according to him, "the person money long." Though I was annoyed with the arrogant show of wealth, I wasn't surprised because that is Nigeria for you.

That memory came rushing back on Friday when Elon Musk became the world's first ever trillionaire in dollars and has $2 trillion at his fingertips after investors flocked to buy shares in SpaceX yesterday. Let me help you understand. One trillion dollars is one million million dollars. Laid end-to-end, two trillion dollar notes could wrap around the equator 3,890 times and reach the sun from the Earth. Yet, one poor man in Warri is harassing me saying "im money long." Rubbish!

What about the fans of Manchester United that will not allow us Gunners rest, because they claim to support the richest club. Yet one man, Elon Musk, could snap up Manchester United more than 281 times. Abeg sports fans, make una let us breathe.

Imagine me attending an event in Lagos recently and parking my 2020 Lexus SUV in one corner, feeling good. Just for someone to come and park his brand new 2026 Lexus beside mine, turning my car into a welfare case. If that is not oppression, then I don't know what is. That guy should go and flex muscle with Mr Musk, who could buy the world's most expensive car, a Rolls-Royce Droptail, for £25 million and even splash out on a new one every day for the next 163 years. Or he could purchase 14,000 Boeing 737s. Mtcheww.

Even more annoying is how Nigerians oppress you with joy. At another event, we were required to bless the celebrant. I went out with my hard-earned change in crisp notes. Before I could do anything, I observed one guy dropping bundles running into hundreds of thousands that made it look like I was there to sacrifice to an unknown god. He didn't see his mate, Mr Musk, who could pay off Nigeria's total public debt ($110 billion) several times over and still have enough left to tackle world hunger, na my body e dey get power.

But beyond the jokes, perhaps the lesson is that there will always be someone richer, stronger, smarter, or more influential than us. The race to impress others never ends because the finish line keeps moving. After all, no matter how long your money is, there is always somebody whose money is longer. Comparison steals joy, but contentment multiplies peace. Hebrews 13:5 says "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,.'"

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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