This is not Investment Research; this is the TRUTH

Dear Africa interested individuals:

                                                        I dedicate what I am about to write to all those around the world that fearlessly stand up for the truth in whatever sphere of life they operate in and earn their livelihood.  The happenings discussed in this article are all direct experiences of mine and one hundred percent truth.  You are free to remain in denial; this does not change what the truth is and remains.  I am putting this into the public domain to bring certain things to light.  If I did not meet certain people I never expected to meet, this write-up would never have seen the light of day.  

Sometime in May 2016, I was finally able to set up a meeting with a frontier market fund manager based in USA that I had not yet met in person.  He had previously commended me on the quality of one of my articles in the past.  I walked into his office for the first time and sat down.  I felt with his passion for frontier markets investing, I could partner with him in some capacity.  I did not know what to expect and nothing had been discussed beforehand.  

We got talking and I found out there were some developments on his end that I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams.  Our meeting took on a life of its own.  It turned out he needed the experience of someone like me for certain business needs he had.  Then, the bombshell dropped.  The business needs were tied to Nigeria.  I told myself "this is not going to work."  You cannot tell the truth, maintain your integrity in Nigeria and succeed.  I am not willing and have never been willing to 'play the Nigerian game' of deceit, dishonesty and graft that take precedence over everything and everyone.  

We continued discussing about investment philosophy, markets, my Africa research blog etc.  I had a very enjoyable discussion.  Then, things changed and changed quickly.  We rounded up our meeting.  He said he wanted me to meet someone and mentioned a name that sounded Nigerian.  The person was not in the building at the time.  The name did not sound familiar.  It did not matter, because almost every Nigerian in the financial services sector is somehow, connected directly or through twist and turns to the Balogun family members, Aig-Imoukhuede or Herbert Wigwe. 

I decided not to decline to meet whomever this Nigerian is.  Every event is an experience in itself whether the event is palatable or not.  Our meeting ended and I left; I was asked if I could return back to the office at short notice same day if the Nigerian guy returns to the building.  I said I could.  Less than two hours later, I got the call from the American fund manager to return back to the office to meet the Nigerian.  I am not a pessimist but when it comes to Nigerian professional scenarios and myself, optimism does not report for duty.  I returned and then things got untoward very quickly.  

Three black guys walked into the room.  The leader of the three clearly came in with that preconceived dislike and prejudice.  He started asking questions, cutting me off before I could even respond.  Disputing things with me that I had first hand information on and generally acting as if he was on steroids.  I had clearly walked into a room with someone rooted with professional prejudice against me.  To be honest, if not for my respect for the American fund manager who is a class act and was present in the room, I would have ended the meeting and called it a day.  I did not bargain for this.  It dawned on me pretty quickly that this person was out for some pound of flesh and he was not going to let this opportunity slide without catching his fun.  He stormed out of the room within fifteen minutes of storming in without evening announcing his departure.  Nothing new there.  Very few Nigerians exposed to huge sums of money (even if it does not actually belong to them) actually behave in a sophisticated manner.  I thought that was it and I can close this chapter for good and call it a day.  I knew that the 'Nigerian factor' had poisoned the mind of the American fund manager and our fruitful discussions held earlier in the day were now dead and buried.  Then my afternoon took another twist.  Remember three black guys walked into the room, two now remain.

One of the two appeared distantly familiar but not enough for me to say out loud I think I know you. He now said he knows me, that his name is ....  Then, it clicked and I remembered who he was.  He was an acquaintance of mine; we attended business schools in the USA over the same two-year period.  I had met him at a National Black MBA event many years ago while in business school.  I never met him in Nigeria post-MBA though, we were both in Nigeria for a good number of years.  My day took another twist.  I guess he wanted to play catch up and reveal to me that he has been aware of professional developments with me over the years.  Now it  gets interesting; hold tight.

He mentioned to me that I once had a contract (through my company) with the Nigerian Stock Exchange to provide independent research on less visible companies for the investing public.  He said to me, what happened to it?  He now told me that Herbert Wigwe (the current Managing Director of Access Bank in Nigeria and across Africa) said that he will show me, mess me up and destroy my career.  I guess the sudden, unexplained discontinuation of the independent research project is one of the 'claims to fame of Herbert Wigwe and his cohort' as they strive to box me into a professional cul-de-sac for nine years now and counting.  My dear acquaintance was I guess excited to reveal this to me to further buttress the point that this is why Herbert Wigwe and his cohort are revered and not messed with in Nigeria.  Is this news to me?  No, it is not.  When Aigboje Aig-Imoukhouede joined the council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in January 2013, I knew the independent research project was history, no ifs and buts about it.  What is news to me is that Herbert Wigwe has been telling people, who told others that he will deal with me and destroy my career.  It went so far, that even my dear acquaintance heard from a source and decided to relay this message to me during our unexpected meeting.  Let me quickly add that my dear acquaintance was in support of Herbert Wigwe and also put in a heroic effort to discourage the American fund manager from doing any form of business with me.  

I have a message for Herbert Wigwe and his cohort that have apparently given themselves a lifelong assignment to deal with me and mess up my investment career for telling the truth then, now and into the future.  I am sure that there are enough readers of this blog who will happily serve as foot soldiers to get my message across to him and his cohort.  

Herbert and cohort you have made me your assignment because I exposed your bank nine years ago.  If you are so sure, that I wrote a bunch of nonsense and I have no sense, then, why not let me be?  In psychology (I deem it to be intuitive), it is said that people do not bother with people that they do not deem a threat.  Since you are bothering with me, it should be implied that you deem me a threat (to what exactly is unclear) and need to keep me on a leash. 

I will take a short break here to speak to my Godfather and then I will continue.  My Godfather is not a human being like you.  I have never sought a Godfather in Nigeria or anywhere else and I do not want one.  My Godfather bides his time and acts aloof many a time.  When he finally decides to strike, nothing remains standing.  His presence cannot be denied or mistaken.  My Godfather is GOD.  He is the TRUTH and the LIGHT that has inspired me to use the talents he bestowed upon me for his good.  Its a calling I have answered and I am here to stay and I am enjoying answering his call to stand for the truth and not fear MAN.   

My letter to God:

"Vindicate me O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity.  I have also trusted in the Lord, I shall not slip. Examine me O Lord and prove me.  Try my mind and my heart; for your loving kindness is before my eyes and I have walked in your TRUTH.  I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites.  I have hated the assembly of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked.  I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar O Lord.  That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all your wondrous works.  

Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme and whose right hand is full of bribes.  But as for me, I will walk in MY INTEGRITY.  Redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the Lord.  Teach me your way O Lord and lead me in a smooth path because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for FALSE WITNESSES have risen against me and such as breathe out violence. 

Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity; who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their DEEDS and according to the WICKEDNESS of their ENDEAVORS.  Give them according to the work of their hands; render to them WHAT THEY DESERVE because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands. He shall destroy them and not build them up. Lead me and guide me Lord.  Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for you are my strength. Do not let me be ashamed O Lord for I have called upon you; let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in the grave, let the lying lips be put to silence which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Blessed be the Lord because he has heard the voice of my supplications.      

                         All of the above is culled from Psalm 26, a bit of 27, 28 and 31.  

So Herbert Wigwe and cohort, keep rolling the dice in Nigeria and doing and undoing as if the world is under your control.  Your day of reckoning is coming.  Keep trying to destroy my career; you will never succeed.  Nobody can fight the truth and win.  You did not give me my talent and I serve a living God.  Posterity has continually vindicated me and will continue to do so.  O Lord stir up yourself and awake to my vindication.  Herbert and cohort I advise you read Psalm 37: 7 - 20 & 39 - 40.

                     Other chapters may follow in the future as the spirit moves me. 

   Everyone: Do not get TOO comfortable with today; we do not know what tomorrow will bring.  

This blog is a CALLING and this is why I invest time and energy to put together these articles built on integrity and driven by the truth.  No one is motivating me, I am and have been motivating myself even if I do not get any financial support. Nigeria is a very evil place, but, I remain undeterred to continue to analyze markets, economies and companies with loyalty only to the truth.  I have been called and have accepted my calling.  If you do not stand for something in life, you exist for nothing.  I am standing for something, even if I have to stand alone.  I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Tomorrow is another day and I am looking forward to it...