A $170,000 DOLLAR WRIST-WATCH FOR A NIGERIAN ARMY MAJOR'S WIFE?

Our beef, writing this commentary is that the "culprit" here, is an ordinary army major's wife. Icheoku asks, how much is her husband's salary or is he a trust-fund child to afford such superlative luxury? How did he come about such a huge amount of money to splash on just a wrist-watch? A whopping $170,000.00 USD for a wrist-watch? That is incredulous as it is scandalous, and it is by a Nigeria army major? However the wrist-watch is not the most expensive wrist-watch ever made, sold and bought; no, as the black diamond-clustered CHOPARD, top left, retails for $1,130,620.00 USD! But for a petty army major's wife to be able to afford such a watch, that is the lead-story here!

Were she Bill Gates wife, Aliko Dangote's wife, Carlos Slim's wife or any of the harems of a Middle Eastern Sheik, Icheoku will not give a damn as we do not begrudge riches. We are a capitalist bunch who strongly believe that such off-the-chart ornamental-valuables, should be made and bought by some people of means. But for an ordinary major in the Nigeria army to afford this piece of luxury, that calls for somebody's head on a platter! It is ridiculously pathetic that such is happening in a Nigeria, where so many people go to sleep every night without food in their stomachs. This is a glaring example of an oasis of extreme extravagance surrounded by abject poverty and want where bread is a luxury for most families. The near state of hopelessness in Nigeria was caused by the likes of this Major Mustapha and yet he finds the temerity to display his ill-gotten wealth in this blingy form? Icheoku says it is shameful and encourages that business man whoever he is, to pawn away the wristwatch and use the proceeds for some charitable work of mercy. He should utilize the proceeds for something more important than an army major's wife egotistic wrist; after-all, it came out of the purse of Nigeria, a product of corruption.

Icheoku says, the EFCC should not involve itself in this private and personal family-friends matter. Why should the government agency be used by the Mustaphas' for privately investigating what happened to their little piece of bling-bling? Who cares if a family-friend breached the trust of a very corrupt woman-owner of a wrist-watch who is married to another corrupt despotic-enforcer? The EFCC should not have arrested the Lagos based business magnate and philanthropist over his alleged involvement in the controversial wristwatch? According to the story, the wristwatch valued at US $170,000.00 (N23.4m) allegedly got missing since 2005 after the major’s wife, Hadjia Hafsat Al- Mustapha reportedly gave it to the business man said to be a family friend for repairs. The business man was to help her replace the dead battery and fatigued strap (band) during his then upcoming overseas trip. But unfortunately, according to the businessman, the wristwatch alongside other of his valuables were stolen at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja during a visit, which burglary was immediately incidented with the police.

The wristwatch's value has been described as ridiculous by one official who, like Icheoku, could not understand the mindset of this army major splashing a whopping $170,000 on his wife's wristwatch? Moreover, how did he or she come about such a large sum of money for such a foolery? In the words of the official, “You mean somebody is wearing a wristwatch that cost as much as that?, that is madness."

Because of the ridiculousness of this Nigerian army major's expenditure on a wrist-watch, Icheoku went to town to research costs of wrist-watches. Our findings however shows that there are very expensive wrist-watches out there; but the question remains, how was this army major able to afford this piece of jewelry? From our investigation, there are some ladies' wrist-watches dripping with jewels which cost a fortune. From premier Swiss watchmakers come such fine masterpieces such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Girard-Perregaux etc. Chopard pictured above, at $1,130,620.00 is about the most expensive wrist-watch presently available. There is also the Ulysse Nardin at $408,000.00; Vacheron Constant at $340,000.00; Girard Perreguax at $280,000.00; Patek Philippe at $240,000.00 and so many other timepieces for the well healed of the society!

According to one critic, such wrist-watch under advisement here is "a mere luxury that has no soul." They are otherwise called "complications found at the priciest levels! Like many of such world's most expensive watches they are produced in severely limited quantities--including infinitesimal editions of one sometimes--and frequently have buyers lined up long before they're finished, often at rates of just a few per year. However in 1999 the most expensive watch ever sold, a 1933 gold Patek Phillipe with 24 complications, was auctioned off at Sotheby's for $11 million dollars USD!

Icheoku says, this exposes once again the rot the northern men of power has driven Nigeria into. If an ordinary army major's wife from the north could afford a $170,000.00 USD wrist-watch, can you imagine what the northern generals' wives themselves own? Or better still, try to fathom what wealth their men of power have personally siphoned from the southern oil wells? It is a pity that the south has left them have their way and for so long; but the EFCC must butt out and leave the Lagos business man alone to enjoy his share of the national cake of Nigeria, courtesy of a major's wife?