Globacom’s TV series condemns indecent wealth pursuit

The crave to become wealthy by all means among young people is the focus of the next edition of TV drama series, Professor Johnbull, sponsored by telecoms operator, Globacom. The programme runs at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays on NTA Network, NTA International on DSTV Channel 251 and NTA on StarTimes.

According to Globacom, the decision to use the drama to draw attention to the illicit pursuit of wealth was because it is an ill that has brought about so much indiscipline in the society.

In the episode entitled Get Rich Quick, the issue of how youths compromise social order by jettisoning discipline and moral values in their pursuit of money is brought to the fore. One such example, Professor Johnbull says, is  that of emergency road repairers, arguing that in most cases the so-called repairers are actually the ones who dig up the holes on the roads and pretend to be filling them up so that road users will give them money.

To drive home the lesson, Get Rich Quick is centered  round Flash (Stephen Odimgbe), who along with Samson (Ogus Baba) and Ilodibe Makachukwu, goes into gambling to make extra money. The trio also entice Jeroboam (Osita Iheme), a.k.a Boam, into staking Professor Johnbull’s nkwobi money in gambling, and he ends up losing the whole amount.

Samson, who describes himself as the Original, also loses all his money to gambling, goes bankrupt and eventually becomes a servant in the Nkwobi joint owned by Olaniyi (Yomi Fash-Lanso). Boam himself falls into a similar financial predicament only to be bailed out by Olaniyi when his new found love, Nje (Angela Okorie), intervenes by caressing the restaurateur.

Viewers will also have something to learn from the intelligent response of Mai Doya (Funky Mallam) to Jumoke when she criticizes Abadnego’s clownish costume and dancing steps to sell some herbal products to the public. Mai Doya describes Abadnego as innovative, and urges Jumoke to think outside the box.

The lead character in the series, Professor Johnbull (Kanayo O. Kanayo), summarises the negative effects of the crave for wealth by stating that how rich an individual is does not translate to how happy such a fellow will be, as riches and happiness are relative and independent of each other.

He urges youths to pay more attention to whatever they are doing so as to discover the potentials in every vocation, and concludes that “every business has the chance to grow”. He makes reference to his gateman, Abadnego (Martins Nebo), who, in addition to his security job, does petty trading in recharge cards and other commodities to boost his income.