Envy
We took a tour round a new friend's new place on the weekend. He lives high on the hill in Maitama, in a US40,000 per year apartment, with shared pool and a large balcony with a majestic view of the city. Hmmmmm.
As one of the deadly sins, I try to avoid envy at all times but just this once, I failed. Returning to our leaky jerry-built box down the hill later, I felt a mild sense of irritation. I like the proverb 'the rich buy death' and firmly believe that wealth surprisingly often tends to reduce, not increase, one's chances of happiness. There's always someone better off and with a better stuff around them than you - so if you take a step in that direction, you can all too easily get caught on a guinea-pig wheel, chasing rainbows. That said, who wouldnt want to live in a room with a view?
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20 comments:
The rent is about $ 3,500 per month- way above the average monthly mortgage payment in the United States. I’m curious to know where your friend works and what he does in Abuja. That rent tag is high and way above the average by any standard, well, may be not.
a blogger friend of mine recently wrote that " Envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins written about by everybody from Chaucer to Pope Gregory XIII to the screenwriters of the gruesome crime film"
I bet his company/embassy pays the rent.
I've been to a detached house in Maitama, Abuja that was rented for $40,000 by the Dutch embassy. It's owned by an ex army General type and who has quite a similar properties all over Abuja
Stunning house by the way
My guy abeg no let d envi kill u.
Having said that, I once went to a friend's place, at Aso Gardens just down the road from Minister's Hill. That visit made me and my dad quarrel for a while.
'Where were you when your mates were making money?'
Chevron, MTN, and a couple of other companies/Embassies pay that kind of money for their Big Boys.
It's a hard knock life Mr.Weate.
All those Apartments are owned by Nigerian Directors in those Companies Go figure!
Can you please modify your blogroll to reflect the change of name, when you can find the time
Will soon move to Abuja. I can't stop imagining where I'm going to stay. Not in a 40-thousand-dollar thing -- that I'm sure.
did u take pictures?
Olujeromi, jealous moin-moin don catch you.
Yeepa.
sorry for the trouble Jeremy...thanks
With my apartment overlooking 2 old and quiet harbours in Amsterdam, I cannot complain, a similar view in London might cost the total GNP of a Bantustan.
If envy fills you with the determination to attain, maybe that is not too bad.
Jay..Here's some food for thoght to make you feel better....
its been quietly(due to the minimal press attention) discussed that the UK gov are may be looking into basing the council tax bill of a property according to the views from the house...! Absurd!, i know!....BUT i jest you not!..it was a topic of 2hr debate on the BBC radio sometimes earlier this year!!!!????
If such a practise existed in Nigeria..I'm sure you'll go back to your humble abode giving thanks!
$40 grand a year rent, and he has to share a pool? That's not right surely:)
Wonder how many beggars his monthly rent would feed?.....
well noted he has to share a pool lol, hmm manybe it is an hotel after all, why cant he just buy the house,or is it 4000$
*fuming* i think i should go back to my country get a job with one of them ;) oops im not oyinbo
sisi oge,
i envy that gele!
I have been into many of these houses, they are not Oyinbos. Many are Nigerians and other African nationals with multiple nationalities who happens to have Western experience or posted here. So if you want to come back dami and you can get DFID or USAID to post you to Nigeria you will get one of those.
I think Jeremy meant to say $4000 per year. innit Jez?
Nope: forty thousand US. That's a lot of amala.
Hahahahaha, a lot of amala and you forgot to mention bokoto! :P
That's a frigging lot much! But what can I say, thinking about it gives me headache, considering the fact that a lot of peeps in the 'burbs are trying to salvage what is left of their beams and aluminium zinc, from El Rufai's rampage.
Naija sha...
40,000 what....
That is serious, mehn!
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