COSON chairman, Tony Okoroji.
I knew that my guy Phyno is connecting with his latest ‘drop’. I just did not know how much until last Sunday.
Sunday was Valentine’s Day and I was caught up in Owerri, the Imo State capital and the entire city seemed to be on fire. I was shocked to find out how much and how wide the Valentine madness has spread. Those of us who live in Lagos love to think that everything happens in our city. Sometimes, we grudgingly cut some slack for Abuja and maybe Port Harcourt.
How wrong we are!
Boy, last Sunday, Owerri was locked down. Despite the new beautiful network of roads, there was heavy traffic everywhere. All over the city, provocatively dressed damsels held hands and smooched with their beaus with no apologies to anyone.
Owerri easily has more sassy hotels per square kilometer than any other city in Nigeria and the hotels are well run. On Valentine’s Day, the hotels tried to outdo each other. There was music, comedy and fun everywhere.
In my job, I travel quite a bit. As a result, I have seen top hotel rooms in top cities in nearly every continent across the world. This past Valentine’s Day, I had the pleasure of spending my time in one of the best hotel rooms I ever stayed in. Not in Paris, Geneva, Las Vegas or any other exotic city, it was in Owerri! I am not talking about the well-known Concorde Hotel which today is much better than when it was first built.
Believe me Owerri which not long ago was a glorified village is rapidly becoming an exotic city, remarkably clean with some great roads, it’s own international convention center, it’s own man-made water falls in the city and some smartly dressed traffic control officials.
Owerri even has its own ‘Freedom Square’ where you can go and say anything you want and curse the governor as much as you like and nobody is allowed to arrest you! Exotic houses are springing up all over the city too.
On Valentine’s Day, I invited over my cousin’s wife and her kids. When they arrived, we stepped over to the expansive swimming pool area in the hotel. Mayhem is probably the only way to describe the gaily dressed crowd in the place. It was fun ‘agogo’! It took us quite a while to even get a place to sit.
The music was loud and the stand-up comedy raunchy and x rated. I thought it was a little over the bar for what should be a family environment. I was uncomfortable and glanced at my cousin’s wife, a Christian in every way. She was clearly having a good time with her boys and girls in their teens and twenties.
It became clear to me that despite my significant travels and Lagos residence, I was the bush man. While I was in my cocoon, the world has learnt to laugh at words like f**k and c**t. Sex is now openly discussed in front of mother and kids. That is the nature of an exotic environment.
I had thought that Nigerian Breweries ‘Ace Roots’ was not in demand. In Owerri, ‘Ace Roots’ is on fire and Star Radler is in demand. On Valentine’s Day, I saw people rock to the music of Davido, Olamide, Flavour, 2 Baba and more.
It was however delirium and commotion when Phyno’s ‘Connect’ blasted off the speakers. The people appeared to be in a trance. There is no question that Phyno has connected with ‘Connect’ in a crazy way.
Guys, I have heard repeatedly that nothing is happening in Imo State. It is a big lie. So much is going on. I never was a fan of Rochas Okorocha but it would be insane not to say the truth.
by hotdropz
