I have decided to borrow the title from the popular song to better illustrate this story about this mercurial man. Mustapha is Gambian but he came to Nigeria and in a short space has achieved a lot in this same economy that we are all lamenting. In a joint venture initiative with the Rivers State government, he created the RIV TAF which today employs 1,200 Nigerians and has provided housing for over 800 families.
Mustapha’s TAF Global has over 2,000 Africans employed spread across many African countries with Nigeria taking the lion’s share. This same Nigeria that we are abusing Buhari and blaming every other thing apart from ourselves for our poverty. Mustapha loves Nigeria and really envies us because of our huge potential. He talks glowingly about Nigeria and Nigerians that in his home in Banjul, his house is the rendezvous of people who want to listen to his many Nigerian stories.
I have had the privilege of working closely with him, followed his processes and admired his never-say-die Nigerian spirit. Irony abi, he says he is too Nigerian to be Gambian but we that are the real Nigerians are sitting down there and bad-mouthing the country that has so much. Have we ever stopped to ask ourselves how Lebanese, Chinese and now Gambians come into the country empty-handed and build empires while we are still here writing articles like me and be saying this is the worst place to live in the world? My brother, well done and keep the good work going. Please, can you spread your tentacles to Shomolu and come and employ us? We need the magic touch.
