Is it not obvious?

Kindly indulge me, it is not obvious to me.

Because you are a Nigerian or what?

Is that the problem?

What is your problem?

My problem?

Yes, your problem. What is wrong with you?

With me?

Who do you think ‘am referring to or is there another person here beside the two of us?

Is there?

Now, you are beginning to irritate me.

How?

So you cannot see how?

How what?

Holy Guns! Now you are beginning to push me.

Push you? I am sorry, but you were going to tell me the problem Lewis Hamilton was referring to.

Oh that. You asked me to indulge you. I will. Hamilton was referring to racism. This whole George Floyd matter. His murder and the protests, rightly, that followed. You cannot tell me you didn’t hear or read about the most unfortunate incident.

I read about it.

And you don’t think the protests were justified?

Did I say that?

I almost thought you did.

You said the problem is racism.

And you don’t think it is? Of course, it is racism, pure and simple.

I didn’t know racism is pure and simple.

Don’t be a knucklehead! It’s only a manner of speaking.

I see, what is the manner of speaking about racism?

Racism is gross, wicked, condemnable and despicable.

Aha. Despicable Me. Wait a minute. Gru is a white guy but he is always attired in black! Have you seen Despicable Me 1, 2 and 3? My children love the series, especially the Minions.

Mine too. But why have you moved the subject to Despicable Me?

Because, my friend, the problem is deeper than racism. It is much deeper than the colours of skin. It is a problem of the heart. Hamilton knows too well that acts of racism exist only because the heart of such persons contain the roots for racism. One is the shoot, the other is the root.