African big men’s motorcades are an insult to the poor ruled

A video of Nigeria’s President travelling to his hometown over the Christmas period has been trending on social media. The motorcade has motorcycle outriders, massive SUVs with men in black riding outside the vehicles, police cars with sirens wailing, army jeeps full of gun-toting soldiers, buses for God-knows-what, trucks with more soldiers, and more police cars and army jeeps.

There are close to 60 vehicles in the motorcade. Lining the road are policemen and soldiers. The president’s car is surrounded by men in black running alongside it. They, in turn, are flunked by soldiers armed to the teeth. God — or the circus — has come to town.