It is no longer news that the Instagram celebrity, Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, Aja puppi or Hush has been arrested for allegations of fraud and money laundering. He has been living large and has lived his life in dollops of extras. Designer clothes, fast cars, luxurious and extravagant parties. His arrest was as extra and larger than life as his life was.
Today I present you with thoughts and lessons from the man who kept the media in awe of his extraordinary lifestyle, and even more so his extraordinary arrest. Everything about him is movie worthy but I hope lessons have been learnt. Here are my thoughts and eleven nuggets.
1) The first lesson is to look closely at how people make their money and not try to be like the Joneses. Most people, especially in the younger generation, have the wrong models based on money rather than values. Living large is an aspiration. It is for most not the process but the destination. You do not know what your neighbour does to live like he does. Be content. Hard work never kills and quick money often does not augur well.
2) When we were growing up my mum used to say; Everyone’s aura is different. Be careful you don’t offend someone who God has blessed. That may be all he or she has and you take their simplicity for granted. Persons and companies around the world have different protection modes, some better than others. Nations deal institutionally in different ways with criminals. America will get you or will keep trying till they do. You may evade the law for a long time but a small slip and you are had. You may get away with scamming companies for a long time and just the one with the certain triple level of protection gets you. Scamming is not a job. It is a crime. Full stop.
Read Also: Hushpuppi: US court orders arrest of Nigerian cop, Abba Kyari
3) Note that your digital footprint is not a secret. Look at the sleaze and dirt Hushpuppi is raking in to include a Nigerian top cop described severally as a celebrity cop. It does not matter how the allegations against Abba Kyari ends, his name is tainted in this whole Hushpuppi saga. Phone conversations that seemed private and bank details are now in the public domain. Instagram pages have been deleted. I have known that social media is a public- “no hiding place” – place for a while. The long and short of this is that your private matters are neither for the phone nor your social media person. Learn this lesson for life.
Remember that all that shows off can attract bad karma even in your own family.
4) Humility is a sacred place. When you make money from fraud or even make straightforward honest money, showing off should not be an option. Who wants to know how much gold and diamond you have? The cars in your garage and the designer clothes you have. Part of Hushpuppi’s undoing is his incredible ability to show off. This, I am afraid is what social media has conferred on us all. But humility and discipline can help to manage your excesses. Remember that all that shows off can attract bad karma even in your own family.
5) A simple lesson which may seem innocuous is to live a simple, honest and straightforward life. The pressures of society may tell you differently. But be your own person and live your life on your own terms.
6) Show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. It is all about adjacency. Who are you standing with? You cannot say you are not an armed robber when you are in several pictures with one. Many friends of Hush have pictures with him. Since his arrest, some are quiet; others are loud about how it does not matter. It matters who you are seen with. Be careful how you choose your friends and whose company you keep.
7) Even if you are not on the Internet, remember that nothing is hidden forever. Be charitable and less narcissistic. Everything is not about you. Be selfless and less self-aggrandising.
8) Big brother is watching. There is surveillance in a lot of places and no matter how much you pay in bribe, in Hush money (pun intended) everything will always end up coming back to bite you. Most nations can track you to your grandmother’s house and play back some stupid action you were involved in two years ago. Even a nation like ours which seems short on data and surveillance will surprise you. The world is highly digital and there is a high level of surveillance network across nations.
9) Don’t be dragged into a cesspool of what you don’t understand. Some enjoyments are not worth it if you don’t understand it or if it does not represent your values. If you find yourself in a place where they are bathing with copious amounts of milk and honey and diamond dust, it’s time to run. You must never second guess yourself. As Judge Judy will say, if it does not make sense then it is a lie. A lot of people are living a lie. When you see something strange. Run for dear life. Hushpuppi’s life was certainly not normal but he attracted some people who loved money, luxe and life. Today the story has changed. If it does not make sense…start running.
10) Not everything is blog worthy. Our Instagram, Facebook and whatsApp pages are not for how you slept with your wife or how much you have hidden or the contract you just got. These are private matters. Keep them that way.
11) Money is not everything. Do not turn it to a god and begin to worship it. Live, but remember when you dig for too much and are desperate to arrive, there are consequences. Ask your children how they made their money especially if you are unsure. As the Yorubas will say- Do not eat ‘moi moi’ with the leaves.
Enough said!
