Jill Rees: Welcome Press

Dr Lawson studied in Liverpool for a PhD in tropical medicine thank god. It was in 1984 and he left just before the riots. I joked him that he’d set them off then left town quick, which he thought was funny. A Nigerian with a sense of humour, perhaps caught as an infectious Liverpudlian disease who knows? He told me last week that the people here are nice to you at first, trying to please you, then they stop doing what you tell them, so that you have to kind of oversee everyone under you, every day. This is true, I have to go tell the electrician to turn on the generator every morning, despite having told him to turn it on at 7.30 every day. This morning he couldn’t do it as he’d run out of diesel. I had told him to come get the spare the moment he had emptied the first jerrycan. Only three days ago!!!!!! I even had it translated into Yoruba for him in case the English was too complicated.

The workers at school .

He was delighted to hear about my operation when I had ulcerative colitis with the bowel removal, and was in awe of UK wonders, saying the thing about living where we do is that we can investigate, whereas in Nigeria they have to rely on the doctors. I told hm however that the tests they did failed to show up any illness and in the end it was Dr Goldie who just looked at me and said ‘I think I know what it is’. He was quite pleased with that. Anyway I had blood tests and those nurses at Eastover need to know that this Nigerian blood guy got blood out of me without any trouble and very gently leaving no bruises. I handed them a jar of my urine. I got the results on Friday but Dr Lawson had an enormously important national Methodist gathering all weekend so was somewhat distracted then. After a weekend of serious worry about the numbers, which I don’t understand, he said I’m still alive but with an infection somewhere (must be the teeth) and raised cholesterol. I’d taken a bet with Lakan the Taxi driver that he’d just tell me to go to the gym and I won, he did. So I’ll be at the Bodyline gym in town or else Lakan is going to take me to another one at the Bowling Alley complex near the National Stadium, which is just up the road from me. I’m on antibiotics too, like anyone who has money in Africa, it’s a sign of wealth - hey if you can afford it, why not take it? But hopefully my teeth will stop hurting.

Meanwhile Lakan is sweating with a headache and shoulder ache, Kunle was ill so he stood in for him to drive me, only now he’s ill too. He drove very carefully, especially as there’s been a storm, it rained hailstones and there were two beautiful rainbows forming one arc across the western sky. I gave him my last Anadin Extra so hope he’s better tomorrow, he’s a super guy. He’s taxi driving in the week and studying at the weekend to finish his degree as he was ill during his finals last time. His ister lives in Manchester and is very homesick, so if you’re reading this in Madland be nice to any young ladies you see who might be Nigerian as it might be Lakan’s sad sis needing some encouragement. She had to go over because of love, but is hoping to come back soon. They all come home!

I should talk about African Big Brother, the Show Which Never Ends. The horrible guy Richard seems to be winning and he’s been leading everyone on and finally bedded the Nigerian girl Tatiana last night. I can’t bear it!!! We had to watch them sleep. It’s like Andy Warhol 24/7. I avoided it for ages but finally my sheer hatred of this Richard guy drew me in and now I have to watch in the hope he’ll be evicted.

The best channel for news is…..Aljazeera, my god its good. You will see many famliar faces as the best BBC journalists work for them, in depth news and research and very balanced and international, you hear many viewpoints. Just one things…………..no sense of humour at all. When they report drizzle in south wales there’s none of Martin Gorgeous Lewis and his sighs of pity.

At work I have got over being soft and, following Stephanie’s guidance not to assume others know best because they are local, have taken a stand. I had to battle about everything but today - a sign, a parent came in with two little kids and was truly impressed by the preschool, jumping up and down at the tiny red triangles as they are learning about the number 3, ‘They know 3 mathematical principles in one activity!’ he cried as he jumped. ‘No,’ I said,’they don’t know it, but we’re developing their minds so that when they do grow old enough to learn it they will really understand it.’ Then I tried to find the teacher but the entire department had gone off to the market to look for toys, including one woman who shouldn’t have been there at all and had gone off to do her own private shopping. Then she lied about it so instead of a formal reprimand for walking out of school I’m probably going to have to sack her. The teaching staff aren’t very good and what was said at the start about the recruitment is probably true. In fact the huge mess I was left with becomes increasingly apparent every day. So I called Chianson the pastor back after his prayers last week which actually were really spot on and asked him to get marketing for us. How led astray I have been!

Let’s try to upload some photos…………

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