Why boozers hate red carpet?

          Although many people, especially the high and mighty in the upper echelons of power love red carpet, I must admit.  Boozers hate it due to the fact that its presence and the pride it emanates have caused a lot of miseries to boozers, especially, in ever-and-over-begging countries. When it comes to abusing and doting red carpet, African potentates are second to none. Wherever they are, there’s a red carpet. It is different from our former colonial masters to whom red carpet is a thing of the past. Look at the president of the most powerful nation on earth, US, Barack Obama. He sets foot on whatever’s on the floor whether it is black or yellow carpeted. Atypically, when these carpet lovers die, aren't buried with their beloved red carpet.

          I know. Many people’d like to know why our ever-begging tops love the red carpet. Firstly, they want to be recognized. Don’t say that they’re suffering from inferiority complex or colonial carryover. Nay, why shouldn't they show off the same way colonial governors used to do? They’re enjoying the beauties and goodies of power. Even when they fly, they fly in the first class in order to enjoy their phony grandeur and showcase the difference between them and common bin-Adams.

          Another important factor that forces our biggies to love red carpet’s the fact that colonial governors used all such abracadabra to inculcate fear in our people. Who doesn't want his subject to fear him so that they don’t endanger his power? Power must be feared and felt. Don’t you see them accompanied by tens of unwanted body guards and convoy of vehicles wherever they go pointlessly? Unwanted body guards spend a lot of our dosh. Who are they afraid if they always tell us that they’re in power for our good?

Why paupers whose rules depend on donors buy and use the red carpet? It can’t be me. Any sane mind can’t stomach or espouse such indignation or self-seeking. It boggles mind to find that 50 years after independence we’re still doing the same things as if we don’t learn. Who wants to learn something that diminishes or looms his power like spending wisely? Why spending wisely while you've a lot of paupers to pay tax for your enjoyment?

Oftentimes, red carpet is purely a sign and symbol of self-seeking, selfishness, ignorance, corruption, better than thou and colonial mentality not to mention lack of self-confidence as a people. For, if you ask red-carpet fans the logic behind using and loving it, the answer they’ll offer is: This is how it’d be. Why? For, when they took over from colonial masters red carpet as one of the trappings of the game. This shows how we still slog under the aftereffects of colonialism despite cheating ourselves that we’re independent. If we’re, it is but theoretically. Practically we’re still colonized even if this colonialism is manned by black colonialists. Colonialism is colonialism regardless to who’s on the helm.

Let’s think together.  Ask yourself. How much money Africa’s already sank since independence buying the red carpet for our potentates? How many schools or hospitals this money’d build. How many megawatts such money’d produce? How many lives would such money save and serve? How many kids such money’d see go to school and better their lives? Again, who cares? Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely? Since power became an eating-for-free frenzy, who cares or bothers if at all power if about, “This-our-time- to- eat madness?”

As the days go by and the so-called democracy shrives. So too, the love of tapis rouge for the rulers of former colonies is surging. Why? Is it because people say one thing and do another as far as politics is concerned? Before being elected to presidency they used to rub shoulders with us.  They used to walk on dusty roads, roads whose carpet is red dust. After being sworn in they become Behemoths that are afraid of us so as to misspend our dosh to let them ensconce themselves amid intimidating body guards.

Oddly, while beggars feel good to trample on the red carpet, their donors feel shame to do the same same simian business. For them, no red carpet befits them like to see their people’s lives improve than they turning themselves into demigods and Middle East sultans and emirs with petrodollar windfall.  This is why I hate red carpet especially if the said red carpet is loved by an earthling whose power emanates from the paupers going with empty stomachs as he enjoys the carpet.

Source: Guardian.