I read on Friday that a yet unnamed person opened an account with TEN U.S. Dollars at Ecobank that swelled into ONE MILLION Dollars.  What a marvelous increment by the stretch of any imagination, no matter whose.

The story gets better and yet twisted though.  The account, supposedly bearing the names of powerful players; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President, Tarnue Mawolo and Alfreda Tamba, two very top officials of the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank Governor Dr. Mills Jones and Justice Minister Phillip A.Z. Banks.


The account holder, now said to be locked up at the National Security Agency, whose name is still being withheld by security authorities bravely attempted to withdraw EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS from the account at Ecobank.  His transaction was delayed by a smart bank teller while authorities were notified and the culprit apprehended and locked up for some economic crime, I guess.  Nice ending to this saga so far.  We are now looking forward to episode 2.


Well, until that's written, let's begin the discussion on the new script;

ü    How much does it take to open an account at Ecobank?

ü    What kind of account of did the suspect opened?

ü    How many signatories were to it?

ü    Who were the beneficiaries?

ü    If a business, what is its nature of operations?

ü    Who are its board members?

ü    Are they government officials, corporate or mere private citizens?

ü    If the account was actually opened with TEN DOLLARS grew into ONE MILLION DOLLARS or anything substantially high, what was the source of such funds?

ü    Finally, what really happens now?  An investigation of substance or just another one that will run for two weeks or so and die down without tangible results like the Dunn Commission?


Please don't be quick to answer, take your time, be thorough, but remember that the public waits.

Okay Minister Banks, this red blooded son of this soil wants you to bring that Oga Chief Valentine Ayika here to come collect his money.  Have you done it yet, Sir?  Aah, you are going a little too slow for my blood.  


Anyway, how dare the Chief, if he wanted his money, it would have been in a bank in Nigeria to begin with, but once he decided to illegally take it from Nigeria, stripped it onto his body as though he was a mummy, or stuff it in his socks like he was preparing Christmas stockings, that loot was no longer his.


Just a minute, Chief, get on the plane like you did before and come for your money.  Liberia is a friendly ECOWAS country with relative good legal system (in fact it works much better for those with money – just ask our former Chairman and his cohorts).  We are endowed with good lawyers, most of who studied in America and are therefore trigger happy to sue anybody for anything associated with a fee (sorry counsel, if you are reading this, you are an exception). I am very certain, Chief, that you already are aware of these facts about this tiny Liberia country.

In closing, Chief, please permit me to ask you, how are you coming this time?  Loaded or not? With white Powder or not? Stuffed, Wrapped or Plastered?   Which ever way you decide to come, my ECOWAS brethren, we will be awaiting you with our usual Liberian hospitality.  What would you like to eat upon arrival? GB, Jollof Rice, Potato Greens, Cassava Leaf?  It really doesn't matter, you have enough money to eat anything you heart desires – even the biggest bowl of eba.


See you soon, my fellow ECOWAS citizen.