February 28, 2022

"Bigmanism in Africa renders time subservient to the big man and deploys it in constant service to him. In other words, whenever the big man comes to an event is when the event begins."

"The big man arrives late to catch trains... flights and comes late to events, believing that his bigmanism will come to his aid."

Wrote the columnist Festus Adebayo, quoted in "Nigerian emir’s attempt to delay plane causes row over ‘big man’ attitudes" (London Times). 

Aminu Ado Bayero, the emir of Kano sought, unsuccessfully, to get Air Peace to delay his connecting flight after his late arrival at the airport. The late arrival was the fault of Air Peace, which has a lot of delays, but airlines don't wait for ordinary people to make their tight connection.

The London Times offers this photograph of the emir:

68 comments:

Paddy O said...

"airlines don't wait for ordinary people to make their tight connection."

Southwest Airlines sure seems to do this. More than a few times I've flown with them.

Though, they seem to build in flexibility with their schedules to allow for leeway.

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

Not about travel, but years ago I did some work for politician who said: if they've invited you to speak, arrive five or ten minutes late. They won't start without you.

Ernest said...

I've witnessed this in both Africa and Asia. We sometimes see it here in the US as well. Think of President Biden's lateness to key speeches.

Temujin said...

Didn't Bill Clinton used to do this, only on a larger scale? Like getting a 'haircut' or having an illegal meeting with the Attorney General of another administration on a jet on the tarmac, leaving that area unusable by the rest of the airport?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Aminu Ado Bayero, the emir of Kano sought, unsuccessfully, to get Air Peace to delay his connecting flight after his late arrival at the airport. The late arrival was the fault of Air Peace, which has a lot of delays, but airlines don't wait for ordinary people to make their tight connection.

Well, that more or less not true. I'm a frequent flyer, and I've been o more than one plane that was delayed to wait for a late connecting flight.

Heck, I've been on a plane where the re-opened the cabin door to let in passengers from a delayed connecting flight, which meant they had to move a bunch of passengers out of the better seat's they'd taken.

So in this case it's the writer who's an ignorant boob, not the emir.

I'm going to take a wild guess here, that there's no mention of Biden's routine lateness. Because he's a white skinned "Big Man", so that makes it ok

Patrick said...

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small...

Rory said...

The very African Irish have a saying: "The Priest is never late for Mass."

rcocean said...

He was broad at the shoulder
And narrow at the hip
And everyone one knew you didnt give no lip
to Big man Aminu

rcocean said...

Big, Big men
Don't fly commerical.
They own private jets.

Robert Marshall said...

Hard to believe they wouldn't hold the plane for someone as magnificent as the photo depicts!

Bunny ears, peacock throne, Covid mask, Muslim veil on a male, cassock apparently borrowed from an Anglican bishop ... what's not to like?

tim in vermont said...

"Southwest Airlines sure seems to do this. More than a few times I've flown with them."

Now try internationally. But this story sort of like "Gas Stolen from Bugtussle Tractor."

Wince said...

The “Big Guy” Joe Biden is often late, leaving others waiting.

Scott said...

Working at a large bank in Malaysia during the early 90s, I noticed that people in the managerial classes were physically taller and bigger than the bank tellers, security people, maintenance staff, etc. and that this differentiation was repeated everywhere in society. A politician, high-standing member of the bureaucracy, or a director of a large enterprise in Malaysia is literally a "big man" more often than not.

Howard said...

As a big man, I just hope for leg room.

ga6 said...

Looks like a Chicago carjacker.

Ficta said...

What "Paddy O" said: Southwest frequently holds planes to wait for delayed flights with connecting passengers. I'm not sure what the exact algorithm is: how long they hold the flight or how many passengers need to be affected, but I've definitely seen them do it several times.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

"Every journalist covering The Big Man should really, really look internally. This is why I say we should stop pretending we have objectivity and... instead acknowledge our biases so that we can report against them. Many of us see the racialized analysis and language."

Fixed ☺️

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Remember when Obama was always said to be late to everything… little did we know it was his African bigmanism showing.

Wait… here comes the Obama was born in Kenya contingent 😧

exhelodrvr1 said...

'cuz female celebrities never do this type of thing.

JAORE said...

Whenever the Big Man's Aderall kicks in fully is when the event begins.

Christy said...

I suffer from the same. The party rarely starts until I arrive. Unfortunately, bosses rarely saw it that way.

Owen said...

So what time will the Biden press conference begin?

Joe Smith said...

I just knew the Easter Bunny was real.

But the black thing kind of threw me : )

Witness said...

height supremacy

PM said...

1. Maybe a decade+ ago, an Indian airline was 'pre-poning' flights - leaving an hour or two earlier than scheduled. Always loved that word.

2. Happy Easter, Emir!

BoatSchool said...

Pretty sure AMTRAK used to hold train departures for The Big Guy.

No malarkey.

DanTheMan said...

>> I did some work for politician who said: if they've invited you to speak, arrive five or ten minutes late. They won't start without you.

What a dick move.
I grew up with parents who taught me being late was rude and disrespectful, as you are telling others your time is valuable and theirs is worthless.

Readering said...

Delayed flight from same airline? Seems like big man attitude at the airline.

tim maguire said...

He looks like the bunny rabbit pope. Except that he's sure to spill over onto my seat, I wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes to let him sit next to me.

Rabel said...

Easter is April 17 this year.

John henry said...

Why the bunny suit? The ears are a cute touch.

Speaking of Nigerians, there seems to be a scandal at the Polish border. The poles are basically letting everyone through except blacks. The reason given by the poles is that there are a lot of Nigerian women who have been trafficked into Ukraine as whores. (Ukraine is #1 in Human trafficking of women for sex) along with their pimps (Minders, managers whatever).

Poland says they have enough problems without admitting a lot of Ukrainian trafficked whores and wanted to keep them out.

Nigeria says it is straight up racism and made Poland cave.

Well, some of those women could be in Ukraine legitimately. Sure they could.

I'm with Henry Kissinger, albeit very rarely, "It is a shame that both sides can't lose."

John LGBTQBNY Henry

John henry said...

I've been on a number of flights, perhaps 1-2 a year, where there are some delays in closing the cabin because they are waiting for a connecting flight to arrive. Nver a long wait but perhaps 10-15 minutes.

I don't enjoy it but am OK with it because I might be on one of those connecting flights.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Aminu Ado Bayero, the emir of Kano sought, unsuccessfully, to get Air Peace to delay his connecting flight after his late arrival at the airport. The late arrival was the fault of Air Peace

"The big man arrives late to catch trains... flights and comes late to events, believing that his bigmanism will come to his aid."


I assume I'm about the 10th person to point out that this is about as far from "big monism" as you can actually get, since he did not chose to arrive late

I thought the London Times was supposed top be a competent "news" organization

rehajm said...

Big Man does not fly commercial...

Dave Begley said...

Easter Bunny wearing a priest’s garment.

He’s enjoying $100 bbl. Thanks Brandon!

Iman said...

Big Bunnyism

Leon said...

First of all there's a reason when westerners go to Africa they talk about "Africa time."African time runs on events and conversations and not the clock.

15 years ago as at a harvest celebration in Zambia and the chief arrived well after everyone had assembled. He entered the enclosed area at the meerest of shuffles. He was surrounded by an entourage and they were singing a song about how the chief arrives slowly slowly.

Some weeks later as at a wedding and they had the knife to cut the cake decorated with a ribbon. There was a long dancing procession to bring the knife to cut the cake. I don't know how long I just couldn't stand it and I got up and left the room.

The Africans like the sense of procession more than we do here in the states.

walter said...

Easter is just around the corner.

TheOne Who Is Not Obeyed said...

In the West, it's expressed as "DoyouknowwhoIam?-ism". It infects a lot of people who really don't have any reason to think so highly of themselves.

I'm waiting for the leftists to decry the racism in calling attention to tribal ways of knowledge and power.

walter said...

Easter is just around the corner.

Sheridan said...

Something about that picture.... I got it! If a giant bunny demanded that a plane be held, if I was the airline gate supervisor, I might just do so if only out of curiosity. Do emirs have bunny harems?

tastid212 said...

@Lloyd W. Robertson at 9:29:
former NYC mayor DiBlasio (most decidedly a "big man) was routinely late to all sorts of events and engagements. Prez Biden must be a big man, too, as he is usually late to speaking engagements. I suspect Robert Reich must consistently arrive early when he gives a presentation...

Sydney said...

The bunny ears are a nice touch.

BarrySanders20 said...

'Tis a shame - he was all masked up and ready for his flight. So virtuous! However, one of his handlers should have told him the bunny ears were a joke and to take them off before the photo-op.

Duke Dan said...

Looks like this also applies to Joe Biden public appearances.

Andrew said...

He looks like a rabbit.

Martin said...

@Lloyd W Robertson - 2/28/22 0:29 AM

A politician that does this can never be then allowed to call themselves a "public servant".
They are a ruler and they mean for you to know it.

Fernandinande said...

I gather they don't celebrate the Easter Bunny in Kano so he doesn't know how stupid he looks.

Laurel said...

He looks like a typical rapper.

Quaestor said...

Looks like the subject is bigbunnyism.

The big bunny is the master of space and time, gravity and inertia; the laws of physics were drafted in his personal interest. When the big bunny is late for an event, everyone else is expected to jump to it. McKimson, Clampett, Jones, et al. have made that abundantly clear.

Big Mike said...

Feminists want to replace “bigmanism” with “bigwomanism.”

Tom T. said...

He's apparently not big enough to charter a private plane.

Rt41Rebel said...

Bigguyism is the subservient time granted for press conferences and SOTUs.

ThatsGoingToLeaveA said...

Is that the Easter Bunny?

Earnest Prole said...

I’m so old I can remember when an American Big Man assumed his bigmanism was sufficient to delay the peaceful transfer of Presidential power.

Lucien said...

Is “Bigmanism” height supremacist?

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Putin: Bigmanism the size of Smallmanism...

Iman said...

Echoes of teh Bunnymen…

Quaestor said...

Andrew writes, "He looks like a rabbit."

He whooks whike ah wabbit.

FIFY. Huh-huh-huh-huh.

Quaestor said...

Earnest Prole writes, "I’m so old I can remember when ..."

I must be older because I remember when a Big Woman tried the same trick much earlier and is still at today.

BudBrown said...

The Big Hopper

Beasts of England said...

10% for the bigmanism guy.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Earnest Prole said...
I’m so old I can remember when an American Big Man assumed his bigmanism was sufficient to delay the peaceful transfer of Presidential power.

You mean like when outgoing President Obama conspired to have teh FBI spy on incoming President Trump, and lie to him about it?

That kind of "delayed peaceful transfer of Presidential power"?

Earnest Prole said...

I must be older because I remember when a Big Woman tried the same trick much earlier and is still at today.

Equating Donald Trump with the Shrilldebeast may not be the slam dunk you intended.

Quaestor said...

The Times is guilty of racism.

Focusing on the foolishness of a musical comedy African chieftain is racist when much more egregious examples of bigmanism are committed by some of The Times' favorite people. Just a casual glance at the private luxury jets that swarm into Davos for a "climate change" summit ought to suffice. Just a last week, John F. Kerry, the entirely useless Biden's entirely useless "Climate Czar" flew in a chartered jet to London to denounce Putin for distracting the rubes from his bogus (but extremely lucrative) bailiwick.

The climate change charade is bigmanism writ large in miles-high granite letters legible from geosynchronous orbit. Would John Forbes Kerry, Mr. Ketchup himself, fly into Kyiv (Kiev, whatever) to rag on Putin? Of course not. It's fucking dangerous. He might bark his shins and demand another Purple fucking Heart. But danger is what Danger Man is all about these days -- manbearpig will either roast you or drown you if you don't stop emitting CO2. That's the Kerry portfolio in its essentials. To avert this danger you must:

1)Shut up.
2)Shut the fuck up and obey, or else.
3)Live like a Neanderthal.
4)Work like a Trojan.
5)Fork over the cash.

However, these edicts apply not to Big Man Kerry or his Big Friends. Big Man is privileged to devour and emit more than any of you Little People will in a lifetime just to gab inanely at one of the BBC's tame camel jockeys and then fly home in time for Jimmy Kimmel.

Quaestor said...

"Equating Donald Trump with the Shrilldebeast may not be the slam dunk you intended."

It's a three-pointer compared to you're calumny, EP

RigelDog said...

Pretty obviously a case of BigBunnyism.

Daniel Jackson said...

It's a bit early for Easter; but, for Purim--now THIS is a costume!