Extreme Makeover

Some days are slower than others. Yesterday I spent the afternoon following the rigged presidential elections in Nigeria, and the evening catching an episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” on Ghana’s Metro TV. After reading all about Nigerian politicians who, with access to over 90% of oil revenues, have wasted billions of dollars on parties, helicopters and fancy homes abroad, I saw a poor Mexican-American family of 11 win a brand new three-story luxury home.

I’m not a big fan of reality TV – my interest in it waned considerably after Joe Billionaire and the beginning of grad school. But on a lonely and humid night in Accra, my eyes were glued to the TV for that half hour, and I was admittedly moved to the point of tears. Their moldy house was entirely demolished and a brand new one was designed and built in its place in six days. I swallowed this extreme makeover stuff because it was half an hour of things made right. One needy family. Hundreds of volunteers. Public broadcasting. And big men with money. A combination that changed eleven people’s lives entirely. It all seemed so easy.

And I thought to myself… if only there were an “Extreme Makeover: African Government Edition,” we could wipe out a whole lot of rotten political foundation in just under a week! Sponsors anyone?