Courageous fingers

IN MEMORY OF JANUARY 27TH 2002 BOMB BLAST VICTIMS

2012-01-27T05:40:00.000-08:00

Exactly one decade ago, some bombs accidentally discharged at Ikeja military cantonment leading to a massive loss of lives that day. Today marks the 10th year memorial of that sad day. One of my classmates then went missing for two days because she ran to take cover, but ran so far away that she couldn't find her way back home. Another classmate of mine lost her mum that day.

This post is in memory of all those who lost their lives on that faithful day and also to encourage and remind their families that they will never be forgotten.

May the souls of all those who lost their lives that day, as well as the souls of other faithful departed, rest in peace through the mercy of God. Amen.

CHEERS TO THE WEEKEND: MUSIC!

2012-01-27T03:42:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, how una dey!
So the weekend is here again and I know many of us are warming up for it. Its another Friday and just like the Friday before this one, we'll be clicking our glasses to the weekend.

On today's edition of Cheers to the weekend, we'll be celebrating music. Remember I told you this segment will be about great hang out spots, events and/or music you can enjoy that weekend? Well with the help of a friend of mine, Chudy Ogbuabo, a collection of new releases has been put together for your listening and viewing pleasure. It is with great joy that I also announce to you that Chudy has equally offered to help compile songs for you all to enjoy every week. In other words, Chudy and I have become partners in that area. Yay!!!

Below are the song titles with the links to where you can download them from:

(MUSIC) BasketMouth ~ Where You Dey ft eLDee et Wizkid ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kT

(LEAK) DAVIDO ~ EKURO ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kK

(VIDEO) Muri Thunder – Kasakasa ft 2face Idibia & Abyhano ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kp

(VIDEO) Sound Sultan – Temporary Turn Permanent Ft Baba Dee ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kj

(VIDEO) 2 Face – RAIN DROPS ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kv

(VIDEO) Chidinma – KEDIKE(HeartBeat) ~~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kz

(VIDEO) D’Banj – ENTERTAINER ~~> http://wp.me/p1KTM7-kC

There you have it folks, go right ahead and rock your weekend! I'm definitely going to make mine count.

DIVORCE: A CROSS OUR GENERATION MUST BEAR?

2012-01-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, I hope your week has been fruitful and blessed so far. My week hasn't been anything much but I'm happy and grateful for the way things have played out so far.

I would like to discuss the issue of divorce, separation and single parenting. I will use hollywood as my case study in this piece because it would afford me a chance to make practical examples.

The news of Seal and Heidi's pending divorce must have grown stale to our ears by now, although a few people are yet to recover from the shock. Seal and Heidi were one couple who looked like they were determined to make their marriage work at all cost. Its sad and somewhat strange for me to understand what might have really caused them to grow apart as they explained in the statement they released concerning the issue. My friend Myne Whitman who is a seasoned romance fiction writer and expert on relationships posted about the issue, highlighting some reason why many couples grow apart. (Here's the link to the post for those who would like to read: http://bit.ly/yuCIrW )

For a long time now, I have constantly wondered why the percentage of broken marriages have risen to incredible heights in recent times, especially in hollywood. With cases like Marc Anthony and Jenifer Lopez, Brad Pitt and Jenifer Aniston, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore as well as the very controversial Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian, the rest of us are left to wonder if there is really any hope for marriages in hollywood and the world in general. You hear more stories of cheating spouses,irresponsible parents, fighting couples and a host of others. Marriage has grown to become a war zone to many.

We forget or take lightly the fact that the real people affected by these broken relationships are the children. Many of us aren't willing to tolerate our partners as there's lack of forgiveness and tolerance in many relationships these days. People keep searching for the perfect spouses without trying to make themselves perfect enough for that perfect person. Many of us also expect that our relationships would stay rosy forever and we forget that every relationship has its sour points. Even among our family and friends, there are times when our relationship with them hits the down road but after some time it heads back uphill.

There is no doubt however that some relationships and marriages are very sour and cause a lot of hurt for those in the relationships. As much as in some marriages divorce is the only probable solution, there are a few others where seeking help through counselling from a spiritual director or psychologist, mediation and other forms of dispute settlement would help get the marriage back on track. For a few, giving each other some time apart, a romantic outing and some other spontaneous acts might be all you need to get things back on track . Certain problems in relationships do not deserve abrupt termination of the relationship.

I'm worried about the children of the next generation. How they would grow up to interpret these things, what kind of advice we would be able to offer them when they need relationship advice, and all what not. I'm worried that our children may not really understand the principles of tolerance, persistence, faith and sacrifice. I worry that many of them would grow to be so confused. My worries might be wrong anyway but they are still my worries.

With all these said, I urge us all to try to make our choices more carefully. Our lives are definitely ours to live any way we want but every decision we make doesn't only affect us. Those around us have a cross or a crown to reap out of it as well.

THE ALTER EGO STORY...

2012-01-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

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Hello everyone, welcome into the new week! I have something really interesting to share with you today, a unique gift I've never shared with you before.

Today, I'll be sharing a piece from a branch of art that I consider very daring and most challenging. Many of us grew up watching cartoons, reading comic books and stuff like that. It was something most of us really enjoyed at that time and a few still do till date.

The person I'll be introducing to you today is very skilled in that art. I'll be showing off one of his works eventually as well. His name is Kelechi and here's what he has to say about himself;

I was born Kelechi Tochukwu Nkele, last of three kids to Dr and Mrs Chi Nkele. I Spent a lot of my childhood on the move because I was born in portharcourt then my family moved to warri. In Warri, we moved houses thrice before we moved back to Portharcourt. I'm a graduate of Geography from the University of Nigeria. Since I'm the last I grew up as a loner, learning to play on my own and having a deep love for cartoons, comic books and science fiction. I honed my drawing skills copying pictures of popular marvel and DC characters like Spider-man, Superman etc. Embarrassingly I even used to act out my favorite episodes of Jonny quest,Pirates of dark water and stuff. Later on I started collecting comic books of different brands and eras all through high school and university... During my university days I spent my nights creating my own characters, story lines and boards. Currently I'm trying to tie them all in to a single interrelated universe. My major Influences are; Stan lee, Geoff Johns, Alan Moore and peter David.

So folks, now that you've met Kelechi, its time for you to enjoy his work.

For those who had problems seeing the text, here's the story without illustrations:

From left corner; dusk, the children's hour... Some recline, some dream.. Others prepare for a gauntlet of activity; some more provocative than others. While the seemingly respected and fortunate masses hide at home, a few dark denizens stalk the night.... Out about and beneath the stars, our damsel of the damned earns her keep as she lightly sways and twists to the black rhythm alongside others of similar form and grace. The light flickers off, the show's over, doors shut; she gets paid but she's hurting Page two From left corner; The day opens it's eyes and night rims... Morning brings with it's renewed hope and eagerness, unassuming, unsuspecting. No one would notice her transformation from the sexy dancer to the smart looking, beautiful everyday-girl on the morning jog and at the coffee... There's a saying, "..it's more blessed to give than to receive"... She pays a unique visit fortnightly to the forgotten progeny.. Judge for yourselves, is she good or is she sent from hell to rip out men's wallets?... Despite her nocturnal escapades, she has a mother's heart... She has to hustle but willingly shares her loot. remember, we're all guilty in some way..
Astro out.

I hope you all enjoyed it!

UPDATE: MY GRATEFUL HEART...

2012-01-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, hope we're holding up tight.
Today is the last day of the weekend but the week ahead is one that holds great prospects and opportunities for us all. Some of you might already have an idea of how most of your week will play out while some of you have no clue. I just want us to know that no matter how things might be right now, there's always room for hope.

On friday this week, I'll be two weeks old at the hospital I've been staying (Don't get scared, I'm not infirmed or anything like that). I must confess that my stay here has been a very wonderful one and I've been able to learn a lot within the short while I've been here. There are one hundred alternative places I should be right now but I am pleased that my decision to stay here is one I have no regrets about.

So Cheers to the weekend finally got launched on Friday and I also shared an interview with you yesterday. So far, people have expressed very good thoughts and responses to the articles so far and I've felt really encouraged. I'm exteremly grateful for everything and I pray I never lack the inspiration and energy to keep up with the work on this blog.

This post is dedicated to all my readers. Thank you all so much and May God continue to bless you enormously!

MEET NAZY ONWUEGBUNA.

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Hey people, how's the weekend kicking? Faboulous I hope?
I hope you enjoy the weekend through and through.
So everyone, I'd like to share my interview with someone I consider heavily talented with you. I like to call her Nazy Posh anyway. Lol. Read the interview from the next paragraph.

For what started off as a hobby then a duty to family, Nazy Onwuegbuna has made a big deal out of what most people would have considered as child's play at first. With a flair for making people beautiful at almost any cost, the CEO of "Buzz n Sparkle" is determined to save faces with her art.

(Nazy Onwuegbuna)

This graduate of Geography from the University of Nigeria Nsukka is on a mission to make the world a better place through her art but how she hopes to achieve this is one of her biggest secrets which she'd prefer the world to watch unfold. She however hopes to move makeup artistry to greater heights by developing young minds in the art, making them ambassadors of "Buzz n' Sparkle", then introducing her makeup and hair extension line by the Grace of God.....

"When I see someone who needs a make over I immediately make a mental calculation of what the problem is; an over tweezed eyebrow, breakouts, discolouration and so on. Then I think of how best to achieve an awesome make over for them" says Nazy.

Many who have had their make over done by her testify to the authenticity of her services. With a ton of brides, fashion shows, beauty pagents and celebrities like Vixen of STV in her clientele, Nazy is definitely unstoppable. Below are some of her works:

Nazy believes that beauty supersedes physical looks literally but it emanates from within in the makeup world. She also strongly believes everyone is beautiful so all she does is enhance and redefine it. Catch Nazy on twitter @NazeePosh

@NazeePosh

CHEERS TO THE WEEKEND: ROZZAY LOUNGE AND BAR!

2012-01-20T10:05:00.000-08:00

The weekend is finally here!!! Whoop! Whoop!!! I'm sure you're very excited about the weekend, especially those who don't get to go to their offices on weekends. As for me, I'm super excited that I get to launch Cheers to the weekend with something juicy today.

Like I said in the post I put up about this segment lastweek, cheers to the weekend will feature great hangout spots and good music that will rock your weekend. I'm launching out with one of the hottest spots in Abuja right now.
(I already started showing off pictures of the place)

It's one of the most amazing lounges in Abuja right now. They've got a well stocked bar with sisha, cocktails and mocktails that will blow your mind while their parties are a blast! The name of the place is "Rozzay lounge".

Rozzay also has karaoke sessions which hold on Sundays and Wednesdays with an after party at the end of each session. They'll be launching their kitchen and wifi in febuary.

There is so much to enjoy and look forward to at Rozzay. In the words of my dear friend Fiz, "Rozzay is a Place of comfort,relaxation and partying and its ambience is one of class and top - notch."
You'll find Rozzay at 44 Gana street,Blinkers Plaza Maitama.
So dear, go make your weekend rock at Rozzay. You'd be grateful you did!

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WEEKEND!!!

2012-01-19T12:25:00.005-08:00

The weekend is almost here!!! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!!!! I've been anticipating the weekend all week and I'm happy almost here. I'll be reeling out interesting stuffs from tomorrow till Sunday.

"Cheers to the weekend" will finally be launched tomorrow, some interviews will be published as well as a one of my latest literary works. I'm still trying to decide if it will be a poem or a short story.

There you have it folks, I pray we live through the weekend and enjoy the week ahead with all our hearts!

POETRY: DARKEN TRUTH

2012-01-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,
I told you I had loads of stuff lined up for you this week right? Well here's the first. I watched a movie last night which really spured my emotions. The movie is titled "EVA". I won't go into details about the movie so go get it if you can. Lol.

I wrote a poem after seeing the movie last night. I haven't written poetry in a while and I totally enjoyed writing this one. Its titled "Darken Truth".
Read here:

Words held close to heart
Words nurtured like wounds.
Words that scald the soul
Words that heal the suffering of souls.

Fortified by anger,
Crushed by compassion.
Slain by lies
Revived by hope.

When a promise becomes a tale,
When a lie stands bold as true
When word of mouth metes pestilence
And listeners die from hearing.

When repetition causes memory to fade
And distrust leaves us wet, lonely and cold.
The torture of a lying friend, lover or sibling.
A torture of enormous filth!
-Chizitere

UPDATE

2012-01-18T05:02:00.000-08:00

(My new look. You like?)

Hello everyone,
I'm back! Yeah and I came back with a new hair do. This year is about doing wonderful things and enjoying them as well(so I wove my hair which is something I used to hate and I'm staying back in the east for a while). Its not necessarily about doing entirely new things, its about doing things in a better way so I can fall in love with them. I hope someone missed me while I was gone cos I'm grateful to they that did. I'm really sorry for the short break but I promise that I'm back for good now.

The last four days I spent on retreat were exteremely therapeutic for me. Gave me some good space to think, pray and sort out some things in my life. I definitely feel more energised and ready to do handle my responsibilities.

Before I went off last week, I promised that two new segments would be introduced to this blog (Cheers to the weekend and The week in summary). Sadly, none of them was launched before I set out on my break but I promise to make up for the lost time. However, the segment "The week in summary" will no longer hold as planned. I took time to consult and decided it would be better to just say what I know when I can. This is not a news blog so I don't necessarily have to post news updates but I'm free to blog about issues and still share some news lightly.

On that note, "The week in summary" is cancelled out as an independent segment but I'll try to keep you informed on happenings from time to time. "Cheers to the weekend" will run as planned anyway. I have so much packed for you this week so stay tuned and enjoy!

The unveiling begins tonight....

NO MORE PAIN!

2012-01-13T11:17:00.002-08:00

Hello everyone, hope your week has been good so far.

I'm writing to appologise to you guys that I might not be able to blog this weekend. I just lost a close reletive tonight and I'll be going on a retreat from tomorrow. I promise to be back in full force from next week, by God's grace. I wish you all the best in the week ahead

MY CONCLUSION ON THE FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL ISSUE.

2012-01-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days, the fuel subsidy removal issue has sustained its controversial nature. Protests across the country have continued as the government stil struggles to maintain its stand on the issue. The Senate having sat over the matter on differnt occasions has finaly come to a conclusion and instructed that the president suspends the subsidy removal till April.

Nigerians have however hit the streets and social network media to express themselves on the issue. While many continue to term the protests against the subsidy removal as peaceful, a few others have decided to convert the opportunity to steal and commit acts of violence against innocent citizens. The police in their bane to curb the protests have taken to shooting and other forms of illegal acts/killings.

Lives have been lost as well as properties while many poor people whose livelyhood depends on their daily earnings have been forced to fight and starve.

The history of protests against petroleum price increase in Nigeria has shown that no good has ever resulted from protests. In the past as well as today, these protests have only led to unneccesary blood shed, lawlessness and pressure on government decision which eventualy causes them to make hasty decisions that are usualy not in our good interest.

Protests are not entirely bad as long as the reason for which they are embarked on is good and in the interst of what will benefit the masses but prolong protests such as what we plan to have in Nigeria will reap no sensible friuts. The poor we fight for will suffer more from the strike as many of them hardly have enough money to feed for a day, let alone an entire week or longer. Many of these people depend on their daily income which they don't get when the entire nation is on strike.

Security wise as well, it will harm us to stay at home on strike and wait for our government to agree to our demands while those of us who expose ourselves to these protest put ourselves in harm's way as well.

With this said, here is what I suggest as a more rational approach to our present situation.

The government should heed the voice of the people and the advice of the senate and suspend this fuel subsidy removal for the time being so stability can return to the nation.

Government should then enter into negotiations with NLC and other organized groups that would represent different sectors/categories of Nigerians. During these negotiations, the true interest of Nigerians must be protected as it would serve as an organised forum for the government to understand why Nigerians would not agree with them on the issue of subsidy removal and what we would have them do instead. Alternative measures and ideas should be suggested at these meetings as well. Reprentatives should make sure that they concentrate on the real reason they are at these meetings and not allow themselves to be bought over by the government.

While the subsidy removal remains suspended till further notice, the measures that the government has previously agreed upon to serve as cushioning effect to help Nigerian's economy stay fairly stable irrespective of the price of petroleum products, should be embarked upon. This will help Nigerians access the progress of the government and help the government win the trust of its citizens.

The three suggestions I have made above will help solve our probelms better than the measures we are taking now will. The truth is that, the removal of the subsidy on petrolem products will definitely instigate developement in our economy and eradicate one of government's (as well as some individuals) biggest avenue of loothing over the years. The removal of this subsidy will definitely create more jobs and increase efficiency in our industries as long as the government stays true to implementing the policies that will help spur these improvement but they must ensure that this move of subsidy removal is made at the right time and with proper measures taken.

I hope and pray that the present crisis sparked by these prtotests will end and serious negotiations and meetings will begin so that reasonable progress can be made in our country Nigeria.

I therefore summarize by saying, strikes and protest will only further complicate the problems of Nigerians just as government refusing to go back on their decision for a while will lead to more instability in my opinion. It is only punishment to help a man who has no idea what good your help is to him. Let us set our hearts to make neccesary (positive) sacrifices for our country to progress.

UPDATE: GREAT NEWS!

2012-01-11T04:51:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, its me! (Yeah of course, who else would it be? Lol). Well I have news for you all and its good news actually.

I took the last two days off to brainstorm on some new ideas, write ups and prepare for the next phase of my year. My family's long christmas vacation ends tomorrow and the rest of my family woulbe headed back to the city. I'll be staying back in my village for a couple of days or months, (not sure which yet) to prepare for a couple of exams that I have this year and to work on a novel. I pray I get to finish my story this time.

This week has been quite emotional for me as I've been battling with myself over how much I'll miss my family while I stay back here working. Its always a huge emotional tussle for me whenever I have to leave home for school or any reason at all.
Anyway, I'll get over it eventually so over to my big news.

I'll be introducing two new corners on my blog this weekend. One of them titled "Cheers to the weekend" will be launched on Friday while the other titled "The week in summary" will be launched on saturday.

"Cheers to the weekend" will feature great hangout spots where you can relax that weekend, events stated to hold that weekend, new songs as well as general tips on how you can make that weekend fun for yourself. This corner will run at least once every month on Fridays.

"The week in summary" will feature a general review of the week. Stuff that made headlines, news, gist and gossip from the week and many more. This corner will run weekly on saturday. I'm positive that you'd enjoy them once I start.

I promised myself that I'd be more dedicated to my blog this year and for what I can say, so far so good! I pray God sustains my energy and helps me so I never get to starve you of my write ups any more. I hope this is great news for you as much as it is for me anyway because I've been excited about it since yesterday.

(L.G.H.S)

On a final note I'll like to say a big congratulations to My Alma mater, Louisville girls high school Ijebu Itele as she celebrates her 14th anniversary today. I owe a large chunk of gratitude to my principal and teachers there for the formation they gave me. Louisville Girls high school is definitely one of the best secondary schools in Nigeria. I'd also like to congratulate Jay Z and Beyonce on the birth of their baby. God is indeed awesome and merciful.

(Raising women of integrity since 11th January 1998)

ERIMERI: COCONUT WHITE RICE WITH SHREDED CHICKEN SAUCE AND VEGETABLES

2012-01-08T03:29:00.002-08:00

I got an idea to start a new corner on my blog. I decided to name the corner Erimeri which is a word in my language, igbo. The word translates into enjoyment or feast in English language. In this corner I would feature different dishes, teaching you how to prepare them. This corner will be featured at least once every quater.

I'll be launching the corner today with the sumptuous meal of Coconut white rice with Shreded Chicken sauce and vegetables. I prepared this meal on easter day 2011 and my family really enjoyed it. Coconut white rice with shreded chicken sauce is not difficult to prepare at all and it is one very balanced diet.

To prepare Coconut white rice with shreded chicken sauce and vegetables, the following ingridents are important
Rice,
Coconut,
Carrots,
Cabbage,
Spring onions,
Green peper,
Peas,
Onions,
Tomatoes,
Peper and
Chicken.
Those ingridents are only basic as you can mix your desired vegetable combination. As soon as you have your ingridents ready, cooking this dish would involve the following steps:
Grate and extract the milk from your coconut. This can be done by soaking the grated coconut in lukewarm water for some seconds then squeez and seive the content to separate the liquid from the chaff.
Once the milk is ready, pour it into the pot you want to cook the rice with and boil the rice with the milk. You can use normal clean water to make up for the rest of the rice's water requirement. I usually sprinkle some of the coconut chaff on the rice so that the norishment in the chaff is not totally wasted.it also serves as garnishing for the rice.
Once the rice is ready, the next thing is the cooking and shreding of the chicken.season your chicken and allow it cook till it is done. After that, slice the chicken into your desired shapes.
Next is the sauce. For the sauce, you'd need your chicken stock. I usually prefer to used the chicken stock and a little water without any extra oil. The chicken stock contains enough fat/oil. Your vegetables should also be chopped into your desired shapes then pour them in one at a time, starting with the tough ones like carrot. Allow them cook a little before you add your shreaded chicken. It is important to ensure that the vegetables are not over cooked, else the vitamins in them become useless. The vegetables should not be allowed to cook for more than 7minutes.

Once your chicken is in the sauce and your rice is ready, you have your meal of coconut white rice with shreaded chicken sauce and vegetables ready! This is an easy and straight foward method with which you can improvise with condiments you have around you and prepare something you can enjoy.

"2012 CUSTOMS"

2012-01-07T07:07:00.003-08:00

The new year is already seven days old yet some of us haven't gotten a hang of it. I called a friend to wish him a happy new year a couple of days ago and he wasn't enthusiastic about the new year at all. Another friend said she was confused about how to go about this year so she didn't bother with any new resolutions.

While a few of us are confused and unenthusiastic about this year, a few others are excited about it and living it up as much as they can. Although things in Nigeria might not look or feel friendly at this time, I'd like to encourage everyone to embrace this new year with hope and optimism.

I thought it would be a good idea to share a few traditions of mine which I have adopted over the years to help me settle well into every new year.

The foremost is prayer. Those who appreciate God, know that the power of prayer cannot be overemphasised. Committing my year to God helps prepare me to face the year. There's no feeling that beats that peaceful feeling that comes after praying.

Another routine I compulsorily perform is re-organisation. This isn't about being disorganised, it's about changing the look of things a little so you can get a new outlook to things. Re-organising helps me view things differently, see the mistakes I might have made previously and learn new ways to handle them. Re-organising or redecorating your home, office or any kind of space has a magical way of getting one set for the tasks ahead.

My third fetish is shopping and its usually the fun part. Shopping for accessories, clothes and even books help fuel my energy for the new year. The joy of having new stuff pumps my adrenaline nicely. Don't get me wrong anyway, I'm not saying you necessarily have to change your entire wardrobe or collection o. All I'm saying is that a few new items would help improve your perspective on the new year.

The fourth is food. I love food and there's no denying that good food helps with mood swings generally. I always start my new year with my most craved dish. If its not something I can cook, I buy it. It's grand to start my year with a good treat.

Most people believe that every new year presents new opportunities and it is important that we prepare ourselves to embrace and expolore them. Form traditions for yourself and try your best to keep to them every year. They can be anything; a new book, a new dress, a new apartment, a grand feast, anything! There is no limit to what you can do, as long as it helps get you ready to enjoy the new year.

Resolutions are not compulsory in my opinion because some of us make tons of them and before new year day is spent we find out we have broken most of them and we feel devastated. Rather than task yourself with promises that you end up breaking, adopt other habits that will help you handle work better through the year.

I wish everyone a happy and fruitful year ahead and I look foward to sharing many testimonies and great stories with you this year. It is going to be a wonderful year.

KAFFY'S BABY IS NAMED.

2012-01-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

Nigeria's dance queen and Guiness world record holder, Kaffy christened her new born son on wednesday 4th Jan 2012 at her residence in Ajah, Lagos. He has been named Kamal Sean Oluwatosin Ameh. Congratulations to her and her family!

BLOGGERS GET BLUSHED

2012-01-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday 5th December 2012, the blogger behind Neks2U.com, with the Blush Nigeria beauty brand held a wonderful networking event for bloggers at the Blush saloon, Tiamiyu Savage Street, VI. It was an exciting evening for both bloggers and non bloggers alike. Unfortunately, I didn't get to attend but I got a few pictures from the event. Pictures below;

(Dami, Noble and his cousin at the event)

(Some bloggers at the event)

(Yes, bloggers eat too. :D)

Those are the few pictures I was able to get uy can visit www.dangeleyez.blogspot.com for more. I hope there'll be another edition and I'd attend.

WE MUST SEEK TO UNDERSTAND

2012-01-06T01:24:00.001-08:00

Most of you might already know about Anti-subsidy removal protests which have grown wide spread in Nigeria over the past few days. Nigerians have gone out of their homes, offices and comfort zones to make the government understand that they would no longer tolerate bad governance or reckless policies.

So many arguements and reasons have been made as to why many Nigerians stand against the subsidy removal but the head point still remains that it is as a result of lack of trust for government by citizens that many Nigerians refuse to believe that this fuel subsidy removal, as economical right as it might appear on paper will bring the promised developement and improvement.

(Protesters in Minna)

This dis-trust has led Nigerians to profer other solutions to the country's current economic situation and encourage that the government should lead by example. That is, cut down on their individual expenses, allowances and all other forms of expenses funded by the Nation's income.

Government should not however be carried away by the surface picture of these protests but should dig deeper and understand that what Nigerians really want is for them to renew their credibility. Show that you have the interest of your citizens at heart and not just make too many promises like your predecessors. Lay foundations for proper infrasturctural development where they are absent while maintaining what is available. Agriculture, Education and tourism are three of the best alternative soures of income the country can capitalize on with Education and Agriculture as those that deserve the most attention.

Most importantly, government should ensure that they learn the very important lessons from what is going on today and realise thet proper plannin, research and dialogue are essential for the success of a democratic government worthy of emulation.

(Lawyers protesting)

I however implore that all of us who seek that our voices be heard by government should remember that the intention behind this is not rebellion or thoughtless subborness for cheap popularity but a movement to ensure that the future generation does not indeed suffer for the mistakes for today and for our country to attain its full potentials. We should seek to understand what policies are really about so that we fight for the right cause.

Our efforts should therefore be carried out in peace, for unity, justice and good to prevail.

(Protesters in kano)

UPDATE

2011-06-13T03:03:00.001-07:00

Hello, Good morning!!!!
I've been working on a couple of stories for sometime now and i'm excited to announce that i'll be uploading some new stroies soon. Watch this space o.

I wish you all a beautiful week ahead.

NOT YET A BLOG ADDICT... PROBABLY GETTING THERE... LOL

2011-05-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm "blogging hungry" right now and to quench my hunger as well as yours for reading, I have uploaded two poems from my archives here. The first is just spare writing while the second which is also spare writing is one of humour. Do enjoy.

JOKE OF WORDS...

My vaccum filled heart is at rest.
At long last, i passed your test.

One war is over, another battle has begun.
Calm and sober, a new song is being sung.

You are my element, fill up my hearted vaccum.
You are my element, spill out in your quantum.

FILLER OF MY DREAMS...

My first erotic poem... LOL

My lip gloss melts
Once thy taste is felt.
At one strike my tongue’s blow is dealt
As i suck, bite and undo your belt.

Tugging and tearing, i let loose of your covering
Striping you bare with my fingers hovering.
I lick, bite and suck,
Savouring your taste to the very last stock.

I nod slowly...
My tongue licks boldly...
With a firm grip, i clutch you hard
Till reality slips in and leaves me sad.

The alarm goes off, bringing me back
But i lay still in bed feeling like a slack.
Each time i have those dreams,
I am lost in what it seems

Wishing it was real.

If you were human,
I shall reject all man
And love thee dearly, ignoring all pan.
Oh sweet chocolate, i will give all i can.

If wishes were horses,
Beggars would ride.
If chocolate were human,
I would be its guide...

QUOTES BY ME!!!!!

2011-05-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

I just went through my facebook page and noticed that I've been putting up a lot of sensible quotes lately. I decided to pull some of them together and share here on my blog so i get to preserve them as well. Quotes begin with the next paragraph, do enjoy...

"At one point, all things in one's life might seem to come have to a halt. You feel your life is crashing and all you want to do is runaway or die? Nah my friend, don't think that. See it as a period when your life restarts and you finally get that chance to do things right, just like you have always wished to. Retrace your steps calmly learn from your mistakes. Don't forget to let God take control this time."

"Definitions are unnecessary sometimes. The minute you give something a name, you give it life..."

"Perfection is an illusion but it doesn't mean we can't keep trying to attain it..."

"Be yourself and stand for the principles you uphold. Don't let the misdeeds of others against you make you act wrongly. Revenge is a true waste of time. Take time out to heal and live."

"Get your mind off sorrow. Dwell in happiness and drown in grace. Shed those tears and get them over with cos suppressing emotion can kill without symptoms."

"A fighter never gives up or fades. We may give away, relax or even stay defeated for a while, but Give up? We don't. Stay defeated? We don't. Fade out and never come back? Never!"

"The means is what justifies the end. Its what make the crown worth it or not..."

So those are all the ones i could pull up for now. I think i'll do more blog posts like this from time to time. Too much thinking goes on in this little head of mine and it's hard to shut them all up in there you know? Lol. wWho wants to have their head exploded kwanu, not me sha. Let me know what you think of them. Do you agree with me? If not, please share why.

TWO, THOSE EYES.

2011-05-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

I have just written a short poem with the eyes descirbing the pictures i have posted with them. Do enjoy...

Look at me.
Look at me.
Put your face before mine
And look into my eyes.

Pierce through my eyes with yours,
And brush against my soul with your stare.
Let your stare linger upon my eyes,
Long and calm till I memorize it.

Look at me.
Look at me.
Turn your gave upon my face
And look into my eyes.

See what my heart bears.
Feel what my soul carries.
Let your mind be wrapped,
Focused on the content of my eyes.

Look at me.
Look at me.
Deprive yourself not of me
And look into my eyes.

Process my mind in yours,
And suck up all my tears with your stare.
Let my pain be smelt in your eyes
Pinch by pinch till you memorize it.

THE UNKNOWN SIDE OF ME

2011-05-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

Its been a really long while i blogged.
These days, i just open my blog and keep staring at it. Its not like i don't have things to write about or discuss, i just don't want to type. I've been too lazy to do any academic or literary work and house chores have consumed me therefore.

I've been doing plenty of reading meanwhile, even though its hard to read a story to the end these days. I guess I'll just summarize the last few months I've been away as my "i don't know what i've been doing period". The good thing about this period however is that I've taken good interest in fashion. I've been visiting a couple of fashion blogs, amongst which www.stepford-wife.com; www.kilonsparkles.blogspot.com; www.dangelola.blogspot.com put up most of my favourite fashion posts. I've been reading a lot of fashion magazines and fashion articles as well and my interest in fashion has just continued to increase. My entertainment firm is still running by the way but this year hasn't been very good for us as a result of lack of funds and failed promises. Its a sad thing that a hardworking lady like me, full of amazing ideas, is kept shallow and useless because of lack of funds.

That sad part aside, I talked to my mum about the fashion bit and she says I should find a fashion school and be enrolled before the end of this month so i can start real classes. I might have to postpone it till July because of work though but lets see how it goes for now.

On the literary scene of my life, i got writing today and I'm working on a new short story. The good news is that its something different and I really hope i get to finish it and publish it soon. Haven't come up with a title for it yet though.

I'm hoping that i get to blog more from now on. I'll monitor myself and see how this month plays out. I'll try to blog about anything i want (good stuff ofcourse). My gift to you today is this you tube video i stumbled upon. Funny but nice tutorial on how to pack your hair. For those with thick curly hair though. Enjoy.

2011-02-16T03:51:00.001-08:00

LUCKY GOOD LUCK

2011-02-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

LUCKY GOOD LUCK

Your mother had finally given up to the cancer cells that had eaten her blood cells and cervix for five years. When Ikenna your five year old brother asked you what had happened to her, you told him that she had gone to meet your dad so they could be happy together forever. The poor five year old boy had no idea what you really meant by this but he burst into a loud cry when he tried waking your mother up and she didn’t respond. You held him in your arms, rocking him and consoling him while you did.

You remembered how she stared at you with a smile earlier that evening as she sat on a low stool in the kitchen with her back rested on the wall. She usually came into the kitchen every evening to keep you company and whenever she did she sat on that same low stool with her back rested on the wall. You held her cold palms in yours which were warmer and rubbed your fingers on the back of her palms. You sobbed silently while you did, murmuring both prayers and ordinary words.

You also remembered her last words and how she called your name softly while she said, “Isioma, be strong when I’m gone. Take good care of yourself and your brother and make sure you thread the right path no matter what”. Although you barely heard most of what she said that evening, you knew exactly what it was she might have said because she had recited the same lines to you over five times that week. You had imagined that she would die lying on her bed, comfortable and peaceful. That evening she left her wheelchair and crawled to the kitchen to meet you, she died. The anger the filled you heart later that evening as you thought it through was enormous. You were furious that she betrayed that one fantasy of yours. Furious that she made herself suffer a long crawl to the kitchen all because she wanted to keep you company. You wanted to hate her for letting herself die that way but you couldn’t.

You couldn’t even if you tried because you loved her way too much.
You blamed yourself for not taking her back to bed to rest immediately. You blamed the doctors for her death. If only they had researched well and found a cure for cervical cancer, your mother would still be alive. She would have lived. You even blamed God for not giving her the miracle she prayed for.

Your mother’s funeral came and went and her grave was dug beside that of your dad. Their tomb stones were exactly the same. Throughout the burial, you wondered how life as an orphan would be. You thought it would suck so much that you would one day wish to be dead too. You were only sixteen years old and you had a five year old brother to look after.

Your father’s older brother took you and your brother in so you had to leave your house in Lagos and move into his house in Asokoro, Abuja. Micheal is his name but you and your brother called him Uncle Mikey. You never really liked the slow and quiet life in Abuja but you had to settle down and get used to that life as you would be staying there for a really long time. Your new school wasn’t exactly bad and the new friends you had made were equally nice people. Life didn’t give you many reasons to miss you parents but you did. When you went to bed, you couldn’t sleep till you had cried yourself to it.

At school, your friends told your you were lucky and blessed to have an Uncle who took you in as a daughter and gave you a chance to continue the good education you enjoyed while your parents where alive. You understood what they meant because you had read stories of people who were turned to slaves by the families that adopted them after their parents died.
You soon started to learn to be happy and comfortable with your new life but your night rituals continued. Your pillow continued to drain your tears and you never stopped seeing your parents in your dreams. You were both willing to live and willing to die. Your name Isioma which means good luck manifested in your life but your parents didn’t share in it. You spent a better part of the year grieving over your parents’ death and ignoring your brother Ikenna who needed your attention and care

One morning, your Uncle called out for morning prayers. Everyone else showed up except you. Your aunty came into your room to wake you up but found you cold-stiff and pale in bed. You had gone to bed the night before complaining that you had a slight headache. Headaches were usual so you took a pill and went to bed. The pill sure did work too much because it took care of both the pain and your life. Both left by morning. Your lifeless body was wheeled to the hospital where the doctor confirmed you dead before they took your remains to the mortuary.

MARRIAGE TO RE-MANAGE.

2011-01-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

NOTE PLEASE: This story hasn't yet been edited. Its just fresh out of my head....

Vera sat in the coffee shop that morning sipping gently out of her hot cup of tea and coffee. She was wearing the same purple floral gown Jola had bought for her on her thirty eighth birthday. She usually came by the coffee shop every Friday wearing a pretty gown and a pair of simple slippers and always sat at the left corner of the shop beside the small window adjacent the main entrance, sipping from her cup and working on a new poem or story.

Jola always told her that her fingers did magic with words on paper and that her writing could capture the heart of the stiffest person on earth. Jola worked as the chief editor for one of the most popular magazines in the country while Vera worked as a freelancer for different big shot magazines across the country. Jola and Vera shared a lot of things in common and they were both successful at their jobs.

They met in 2006 at a book party organized by the National Writers’ Guild and their love history began its story from that day. Jola was Vera’s longest relationship after her marriage to David her late ex-husband failed. David and Vera had both just signed their divorce papers but David died in a ghastly motor accident on his way back to his hotel room. Vera mourned David for one year but moved on with her life right after then in 2003. Since she had no children with David, she took to dating men casually and taking time out to hang out in clubs, attend parties and prosper in her writing career. David’s death afforded her an opportunity to enjoy selfish living, a life she craved for all her life but never got a chance to live. Vera swore that rather than have a relationship or marriage cause her sleeplessness, she would live and die single. She swore never to bother a pin about any man.

Vera became a little more tolerate when she and Jola started dating one year later. She let herself believe he was a good man so they got engaged after eight months. Jola was pleased that Vera didn’t turn down his request when he proposed that she married him. Vera still hadn’t gotten over the distasteful experience of her first marriage so taking any man seriously after then was more difficult for her than any other thing she had done. Jola carried her patiently throughout their relationship hoping that he could serve her hope and get her to believe that she could still enjoy a good married life in her life time. Vera soon grew fond of Jola and in no time, she fell in love with him.

From good looks to a kind heart to a very versatile beautiful mind, Jola was a man any woman would dump her man to spend a day with. He fulfilled every description of the perfect gentle man most love stories described. He seemed to good to be true, yet stayed true.

Still at the coffee shop writing, Vera’s attention was fixed on the notebook size laptop open in front of her when a tall dark young man walked into the coffee shop. The gentleman had the same body frame as Jola and had walked in with a slim dark skinned lady who wore heels that helped her measure up to the gentleman’s height.

Vera’s attention got slightly distracted and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the gentleman, who was now looking in her direction. All vera could make out of his face from where she sat was a side view of his face that replicated Jola’s. Vera couldn’t understand why Jola would walk into the same coffee shop he knew she liked to hangout in and not bother to look for her and say hi. She infact wondered why he would walk in there holding another woman and caressing her waist like he owned it. Vera’s thoughts soon engulfed her that she saw herself walk up to him and tap him on the shoulder.

He turned back to see who it was that had tapped him, and the smile on his face faded as soon as he turned back and his eyes met Vera’s. “Yes ma’am?” he said, replying her tap with a questioning look.

“Yes ma’am? Did I just hear you say yes ma’am?” Vera asked, squinting her eyes with her back slightly arched.

“You tapped me, so I ask if there is something I can do for you” he replied, looking calm and warmly at Vera like he had no clue what that tap meant or if it had any meaning at all.

Vera stepped back slowly, holding her head in her hand like a one who had been hit unexpectedly by a migraine. She roamed in her thoughts for a while until she was slapped back to reality by her phone’s ringtone. She slid out of the thought she just had and looked at the counter to see if the young man was still at there but he was gone. Neither the young man or the young lady he had come in with were at the counter. She never got to look at the man’s face and although she had imagined the guy was Jola, haven seen his face in her short trance, she chose to believe it was someone else instead. Vera decided to forget about it and go back to what she was writing and her phone rang again. It was Jola calling with his cell phone. Jola only called with his cell phone when he was away from the office. Vera let the phone ring to it’s limit then she picked it up, switched it off and went back to what she was writing. She wasn’t sure what she would do or what she wanted to do. She decided to forget the entire episode and continue what she was writing….

THE LAST UPPER CUT

2011-01-18T16:17:00.001-08:00

This story has been published on www.ynaija.com

I curled up at a corner in the room close to the living room and peeked at my parents as they spat curses at themselves.

“You’re the biggest mistake I ever made!” my mum screamed out in a high soprano voice.

Her neck veins were all out and obvious, protruding from under her skin like they were about to tear themselves out of her neck. Mum continued her rant saying, “I should have left you at the altar on our wedding day and ran to Englandwith Austin. You’re nothing but a big silly mistake!”

Dad ran up to her with his fist clenched, about to throw a punch at her. Mum took quick steps back and hit her back on the wall behind. She shielded her face with one arm and waved her fist in the air with the other arm.

My father was standing over her at this point with eyes as red as mine were whenever I has conjunctivitis. He breathed in a heavy-quick manner that made his chest broaden and push out so obviously that it made him look like the cartoon character named Johnny Bravo.

“You think you can cheat on me and file for a divorce to get out of the marriage whenever you liked abi? I will kill you with my bare hands today and send your corpse to your father, you shameless whore.”

My father wore no single line of a smile or anything close to it as he spat his words out. He was dead serious and dead ready to kill my mother. He slapped her head against the wall severally, lifted her off the ground and threw her on the couch. Mum wrestled herself up the chair and staggered up to a standing position. She threw a couple of uncalculated punches in dad’s direction but only one made it to his nose.

For over 20 minutes, I stayed curled up at the corner where I was, watching my parents argue, throw punches, drag each other by one part of the body or another and throw things around. It was like a live wrestling match was being played in my living room. The kind of fight I saw in movies was taking place in my own house yet my thirteen year old hands couldn’t summon the courage to stop the madness.

An idea had come into my head that I should film the entire episode so I could play it for my parents to watch later on. I wanted them to learn from it so that they’d and never let it repeat itself. I wanted them to stop, hug each other and love themselves again. I wanted them to stand in that living room and realize the mess they had made of themselves and their home. At some point, I wanted them both to slump and die. So many thoughts ran through my head and pictures slid pass my mind whenever I closed my eyes.

I remembered dinner on the dining table two days ago and how my parents, my older sister and I sat at table together eating, clinging cutleries, sipping, drinking, laughing and chatting like a bunch of united happy people. The contrast between then and now was so sharp it made the thought of the possibility of any happiness existing in my family as blur as the vision of a man who had large boils hanging down his eyelids.

My older sister soon barraged into the living room from the market, panting like a dog that had spent all its energy barking. I was sure the sound of chaos blasting its way out of the house must have made her run like a confused lion from the gate. She struggled with my dad and managed to retrieve the figurine he was holding from his hand. She threw it as far as she could and ran up to my mum who was now holding a piece of broken glass in her hand.

Adanna my older sister soon got overwhelmed with rage. It had taken over her so quick that she didn’t realize when she blessed my mother’s cheek with a slap and yell at my father to sit his shameless butt down. Everyone soon froze and stood where they were staring at themselves. The chaos had mellowed down and what now went on was a battle of heavy breathing. Tension had overtaken the cold air from the air conditioner and heated the room such that sweat rained down our bodies.

Bloodstains painted the walls while pieces of broken wares scattered themselves everywhere, covering the living room like snow. The television was the only lucky thing that didn’t get hit. The aquarium was smashed to pieces and the tiny beautiful fishes in it did not survive to see the end of the fight. Dad walked out of the living room and since he always had his car keys in his pocket, he zoomed off in his Toyota Camry saloon car without saying a word to any of us. Mum slumped at a corner of the living room and begun to cry. She didn’t care that she was lying on piles of broken pieces of glass. Adanna stood at the centre of the living room, staring straight into my eyes like there was something she had to make sure she memorized in them. Her face wore no expression, neither did her legs move.

I sat curled up like I had been with my lower lip bit between my teeth, rocking myself back and forth at one corner and praying the fight had ended for good. I had no idea that I had a cut at the centre of my head which bled profusely with blood tickling down my back like sweat. I soon became cold and passed out.

ECLIPSE

2011-01-18T16:09:00.000-08:00

If you search round the world, I assure you it will be extremely difficult for you to find up to ten persons who possess the kind of impressive and pure talent Nkasiobi Chukwu A.K.A Eclipse has. Joggling between a job as radio presenter of one of the most listened to radio programs, “cruise easy” on 91.1 Lion fm UNN, school work as a 300 level mass communication student, music production and graphic designing, Eclipse is an example of a jack of all trade and a pro in all.

Born on the 23rd day of July 1991 as the 3rd child of 5 children, Eclipse was raised under the guidance of Pharm and Barr Chukwu. Eclispse’s father is a pharmacist while his mother who is a lawyer by training is a Reverend heading a Methodist church in Imo state Nigeria. Both parents have contributed immensely to the wonderful training that has formed this strong young man. His first experience in education was at Airforce Nursery and Primary school Kaduna where he received his Nursery and part Primary education before transferring to UNILAG staff school, Lagos to conclude his primary education. He proceeded to Federal Government College Kwali Abuja, Nigeria to receive his secondary education and University of Nigeria thereafter for his Bachelor degree which is still running.

At a young age of 19, Eclipse is bringing the revolution we have waited so long for. With a pure delivery of rap lines, smooth harmonious music, breath taking punch lines and rhymes, Eclipse is one rapper whose music will get you listening and thirsting for more. Eclipse apart from being one of the freshest and best rap talents from the east is also a very good graphic designer and music producer, producing over 10 tight beats, music concepts and other forms of artistic bombshells every month. He has earned so much respect and won over many hearts, breaking non and pleasing all. I advise that you get yourselves ready for the revolution cause this young dude is set on exploding your minds for real. Eclipse is rap music’s next rave.

VIDEOMAIL (Take your twin seriously)

2011-01-13T16:12:00.001-08:00

THE UNN SEX TAPE…

It has become a reality that things or people we do not know can come around to harm us and even destroy us if we don’t get lucky.

Exam period in the University of Nigeria Nsukka is usually quiet, boring, annoying, frustrating, agonizing, and monotonous, in fact every other thing you can think of that best describes the opposite of good. The school becomes a practical ghost land once exams begin and many students begin to live from classroom to library, thereby cutting away every other aspects of their life. Except the religious aspect sha, and of course it is no longer news that UNN tops the list as the most religious school, school with the largest population of religious students or school with the highest number of religion students outside the department of religion. To cut the long explanation short, more students are involved in religious activities in UNN than you will see in many other universities in Nigeria.

In February this year during the heat period of exams in UNN, a sex video found its way in some students’ phones. Sex tapes have of course become a normal thing to see in anyone’s phone and they have become very normal that people have started to make videos of themselves in the act. I really don’t want to go into any moral argument about this issue but I’ll simply leave us with a question. How much has pornography helped us as individuals and as a generation? There! That does it, now back to my story. This sex video school UNN in a new way. Even bookworms and exam freaks stepped out of their shells and flowed with the new season. The sex tape became a “must see movie” with everyone discussing its contents in the hostels, in class, in the library, at eateries, in church and everywhere else people gathered. The guilt people usually felt when they watched porn disappeared and like a 4 unit load assignment, people made sure they saw that video.

What was so special about the video? Aha! I’ll tell you.
Many of us human beings will rejoice over someone’s downfall more than we would over their success and it is very sad. As soon as the girl in the video was identified as a UNN undergraduate, it became the justification students gave themselves to watch the video and store copies of it on their phone which they were willing to share. Most people who saw the video suddenly became saints and Judges, blaming the lady for being so stupid for allowing herself to be put on tape in that manner and raising there noses in disgust over how she had shamed God for indulging in such a sinful act. No one bothered about the man in the video or his own sin, or about themselves who had equally just wronged God by allowing their eyes behold such evil. We all blamed the poor girl and clamped down on her to destroy her psyche and ruin her with dirty words. Everywhere she went, people pointed at her or stared at her awkwardly but her friends still stuck with her.

Days after the video and its story had circulated the school, facebook, youtube and some other social network sites, the suspected lady in the video took courage and denied that she was the lady in the video. The school administration set up a panel some weeks later to look into the issue and find out the truth. Testimonies then came from people who claimed to have seen the video four years earlier and a friend of the actual lady in the video was even contacted and she confirmed that the suspected Unn student wasn’t the lady in the video. The suspected UNN student was however taken through series of cross examinations, one of which involved her being examined naked (by some females on the panel) and compared with the lady in the video.

At the end of the investigation, the young woman from UNN was found innocent and was recommended for counseling sessions with a psychologist.

YOU SHOULD KNOW BIONIC.

2010-12-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

Courage, focus, strong will and determination are some of the most important spices needed in the life of anyone headed for stardom. These characteristics are however not easy to come by at all as they take real hardwork and persistence to build as well. A couple of months ago, i was privileged to meet with one of the most amazing and talented rapper on earth. Adopting the name Bionic as his performing name, Bionic is indeed superhuman. His style of rap which infuses a unique igbo style of music into the normal hip hop style of rap is mind blowing and fascinating at the same time. Bionic's music is rap like never before, a fantastic style that keeps you addicted to his music.

Let us take a short stroll through the life of this artiste whose recently launched 13 track album titled "Breaking the silence" is sweeping like a hurricane across this Nation.

Name: Ikenna Onwuteaka-Mbah.

Date of bırth: November 17th.

Place of bırth: Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

Education background:
Prımary Educatıon: Command Chıldren's School, Ann's Barracks, Yaba, Lagos state. Fınıshed up at Command Chıldren's School, Dantuku, Kaduna.
Attended Command Secondary School, Kakurı, Kaduna.
Studıed Socıology & Anthropology ın Enugu State Unıversıty of Scıence & Technology, Enugu. As a chıld, Bionic wanted to be a pılot when he grew up but changed his mind when he grew older.

Short Pıece About his Past Experıences:
He has lived what he calls the "WaZoBıa" life, moving from one state to another across Nigeria and changing schools between those journies. He had to travel a lot because his mum was ın the army his 3 sısters and him loved the adventure that came with the contınual change of houses, school and general scenery. Music has been his life and he has won so many talent shows from when he was really young that he has lost count. Bionic's 1st bıg concert was at an openıng for Plantashun Boız & the Remedıes in 1998 at Rothman's Groove ın. He also won the Benson & Hedges "Grab-the-Mıc" competıtıon ın 2000 (Hostd by Junıor & Pretty).He says his music is basically inspired by Good thıngs, God thıngs.

His first personal experience with death was when his close frıend got dıagnosed of cancer on hıs leg. The doctors his leg had to be amputated for him to live because the cancer had spread hıgh up to hıs thıgh. His friend still lost his life after the surger a few months later and this made him loose faith in Nigerian doctors.As a chıld, he wantd to be a pılot when he grew up. The happiest day of his life is one day he could live over and over again as soon as he lıstens to a great song.

Bionic grew up ın a sıngle-parent household, wıth his mother as the only parent he knew. One person who however made a great impact on him was his SS3 Ghanaıan teacher, Mr. Prempeh.

Bionic says that if he wasn't a rapper, he would prefer to be a tree ın the zoo somewhere ın Taıpan.Like his name implies, Bionic is not just superhuman, he is a revolution that has come to sweep us all.

THE MELODY OF MELONY...

2010-12-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

Most R&B artistes/ singers are envisioned to be calm, soft spoken and gentle people who have a strong sex appeal, Melony (real names: Maduabuchi Victor Josephson) has all these characteristics and better. With a physique that reminds you of America’s R&B singer J. Holiday, Melony gives the ladies something to fantasize about while listening to his smooth voice. Born May 3rd 1982, he hails from Ndiowu town in Orumba North L.G.A, Anambra state. His father Archbishop D. I. C. Josephson is a Clergyman, an archbishop to be precise while his mom is businesswoman. The second child out of five children, Melony began his primary education at Allen Nursery and Primary school, Mile12, Lagos before proceeding to Ijesha-Tedo Comprehensive High school and later Chasy Comprehensive Secondary school. He finished at Mushin Boys High school, a school is proud of and presently he is studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

With over 20 tracks to his accolades, Melony who has worked with a lot of top notch artistes like Sound sultan, 2face Idibia, Santero, Nico gravity, A.J of Da Natives, Raphzy and an airplane load of other cream talents in the Nigerian Music industry is set to steal our hearts with his music. Talented in many forms of music genre, Melony explains that his decision to work more as R&B artist was borne out of his belief that R&B is a smoother medium to pass the message. Tracks of his like “Roll”and “I no fit wait” ft sound sultan are all time party bangers, while “she won’t let me go” Will reach into your soul. Melony possess incredible music talent and has a vocal ability that is beyond measure.

With an expanded experience which he has gathered from shows like AY show live, Star Trek as well as many campus shows and street carnivals he has performed at, Melony is endorsed a good artistes who will definitely blow your mind. The stage is set for yet another promising and accomplishing artiste who is taking the world of music like a volcanoe.

Introducing Suranu: The next big thing.

2010-12-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

The harmattan had begun to caress Abuja city mildly but the sun’s heat was annoyingly harsh. Asokoro took its usual calm “busyness “as people went about their businesses in their own way. I had started my morning off on a lazy foot but hoped that some weird rush of positive energy would surge through me by afternoon. I had a date fixed with someone I had never met before but was supposed to work with. I had no intention of missing that date, at least not after all the energy I had invested in preparing for it.

I laid in bed watching music videos on Soundcity and waiting for any miracle to get me out of bed. The sound of cars honking, speeding past my house and people chattering filled my heart with guilt yet I laid on. At exactly 11:26 am, a text message barged into my phone and disrupted my flow. It was a text from Suranu, my date. He had texted to inform me that he was on his way to Mama Cas, the restaurant we scheduled to meet in. I sprung to my feet from my back in a style that could pass for a lazy Chinese get up dance move. It was like my wish was granted as soon as I read that text because the rush of positive energy I needed pumped me up. I was dressed up and out of the house in 55 minutes, then I boarded a taxi to the restaurant.

I walked into Mama Cas cafeteria and straight up to their upper room where Suranu had told me he was waiting for me. It didn’t take too much time to guess which of the people in the room was him and I stood by the stair case staring at him for a while. He had a bottle of soda which he didn’t seem very interested in on his table and his attention was drawn to his phone. He had looked up to stare at something when he saw me. I walked up to him with a smile and shook hands with him before settling into the seat opposite his. We introduces ourselves and started to talk generally about the weather, his trip, my trip, his life, my life and so many other things.

Suranu Atiku Maigadi who goes by the stage name Suranu which means” finished” in his language Buji , is a rapper and song writer. Born somewhere in the city of Jos to the family of Rev and Mrs Barje Maigadi, Suranu who was raised partly in the United states of America and mostly in Nigeria has a love for music and flare for hip hop which powers his talent. The young dude whose life has been split between Kentucky state USA and Plateau state Nigeria , says Jos remains his favourite place in the world. He hails from Bassa LGA in Plateau state and was born on the 1st day of May 1990.

20-year old Suranu who recently got signed on to Timeless music record label is one of the freshest and most authentic rap talents the Nigeria music industry and the world must embrace. With a unique style of what he calls Hip hop/ RnB rap, Suranu’s mixed tape of 19 tracks which was released on the 25th day of November 2010 will make you marvel. More to this is that his mixed tape features five equally talented Nigerian artistes; Kiche of Pincode, Christine, Endia, Kahli Abdu, Verbz and Echo thereby giving his music a sweet spice up. Although in his third year of studies in Law at the University of Jos, Suranu still believes he can handle all his responsibilities perfectly and manage his career well too. Suranu can be compared to popular artistes like MI, Jesse Jagz and P-Square, who he shares similar musical characteristics with and of course, the same Jos growing up history.

Suranu is definitely the next big thing that has hit the music industry and like the title to one of his tracks suggests, he has no limits.

GETTING SET..

2010-11-25T22:56:00.000-08:00

My journey is finally over. After four years of heartbreaking studying, i wrote my last undergraduate exam on Thursday. Although the school hasn't made it official yet with convocation and all, I want to give glory to God that I am now a graduate and thank him so much for see me through these great four years.

I am grateful to him for all the beautiful people he brought my way during this period and all the beautiful things i got to learn as well. Its finally time for me to roam free and do the things I've always craved for; handle the jobs I have at hand, go abroad (India) for my second degree in Mass Communication, run my art consulting firm, and of course start my own family with the man whom i love very much.

I believe i am prepared and still being prepared to face what lies ahead. I'm ready to face my future and bring it to pass too. I believe I'll have more to keep you updated with as my new job involves a lot of writing so my blog is going to suck in a lot...

Stay tuned friends, i promise you'll enjoy the journey...

Courageous fingers: LIST OF TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG NIGERIANS UNDER 20..

2010-11-08T05:47:00.000-08:00

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Courageous fingers: LIST OF TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG NIGERIANS UNDER 20..

LIST OF TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL YOUNG NIGERIANS UNDER 20..

2010-11-08T05:38:00.000-08:00

Onyeka Nwelue’s “10 Most Influential Young Nigerians Under 20” | Y! Online
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I Could Be My Shoe

2010-10-12T07:42:00.001-07:00

I COULD BE MY SHOE (The Shoe Psychology)

It is important that we clothe our feet. When humans came to understand this need, I’m pretty sure they had no idea a much deeper need will stir up within them as a result of this discovery. We no longer just clothe our feet these days, but say who we are, what we do, what we like and even get others to know how our feet are shaped by the kind of foot wears we rock.

Foot wears can tell what weather it is, the story of our culture, where we’re going, if there’s an emergency, the kind of job we do, what festival it is and even how much we’re worth. A person’s shoe can tell you a whole lot about them and even go a little further to tell us a bit of what they think. Ok, I know I might have gone too far with my hype and talk about “the shoe psychology” but if you take an honest look at my statements above you would agree that I tell no lie.

Many Nigerians are fashionable fashion lovers who could give their last penny to come out right. Although some might choose to disagree, an average Nigerian would surely be dressed sweetly to church, a wedding or any other occasion. We all have our unique styles and though not all of us attend church, those that do grace the church with their presence. You’d have women in fancy slip-ons, sandals, shoes and slippers with a clutch bag, purse or hand bag to match or fit. Ladies in flat ballerina shoes, wedge heel sandals or shoes, stiletto heels, gladiator sandals or bootie shoes will have you stretching your neck to catch a glimpse. Guys on the other hand grace their feet with palm slippers, converses, chocks, high tops or any other kind of snickers laced with different colours of ropes to jazz up their appearance.

People wear different kinds of foot wears and tend to express their selves in them. Some women like me who have big flat feet (many Nigerian women do) prefer to walk in flat shoes like ballerina shoes, matted sandals or any simple cover shoe that would hold each foot together and allow us experience comfort in them. The story is however different for the hot chicks. They prefer to follow fashion trends and would wear nice chic flat sandals or slippers for casual outings, stiletto or wedge heeled shoes/sandals to work, weddings or parties. A few other women would wear anything (even a guy’s palm slippers or shoe) as long as they feel comfortable in them and can walk as haphazardly as they want to. They last category of females love fashion and want to look stylish but don’t know how to so they most times find themselves breeching one fashion code or another.

Nigeria is a place wear people like to get creative a lot and dare fashion. Boots hardly sell well here because the weather wouldn’t make you look sane wearing them. Ballerina shoes aren’t a crazy here either because unless its worn with a pair of socks (which many ladies feel odd wearing by the way,) no one really likes to see their toes stick out of their shoe. Besides although ballet is popular amongst us, we hardly really get the time, reason or opportunity to dance it anyways.

High heeled shoes and sandals work okay here but many ladies still find it hard to walk in them because of the topography of stony, bumpy, pot holed and generally bad roads. Those that rock heels against the odds remember to carry an extra pair of flat shoes or slippers in their hand bag or car as insurance.

Pink Chocloate

2010-10-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

I had my first baby when i was 16 years old and lost her a year later to pneumonia. I wished i had aborted her nineteen months earlier when my parents asked me to.

Loosing her tore my life apart cos i dropped out of school to have her and i couldn't go back after wards because i contacted an infection during child birth that crippled my legs. The doctors said i would walk again after three months (or less) of treatment, but a year passed and my butt was still slave to the wheels.

Four private teachers were employed and i was home-schooled for nine months so i could take part in the General certificate exams (o-level GCE) later that year, october precisely. My teachers did their best to take me through the syllabus for that session and i did good learning fast.

The trauma of loosing my baby and my legs creapt in once in a while, almost making me go nuts, but my brave spirit always rose above it and built its wall.

Two years passed after i had my baby, i had completed my lessons, written my GCE and was waiting for my result. He came to my house to collect his salary. Dad had told him over the phone that he'd be back home in less than 30 minutes so he had to wait for my dad. We were home alone that afternoon, waiting for my dad to return.

...TO BE CONTINUED...

Stretched Mark...

2010-10-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

Say it again.
Don't just say it.
Say it and mean it.
Like it was in the begining.

The days of our love's youth,
when we had so much to talk about,
so much to laugh about.
So much to enjoy each other's company for.

I fear what we are now.
I hate what we've become.
And the worst is, you have no idea.

You cringe when i hold you.
Back out when i kiss you.
Avoid my eyes when we i seek you.

Do i bore you?
What's wrong?
Tell me.
I want my wife back.

Bring her back.
..............................................
I see now, i know too
I know i treated you bad before
I'm different now.
Don't pay me back.
I look back now and i see it.

I see how insensitive i was.
I see how selfish i was.
I didn't see the woman in this human.

A woman with needs.
A human with emotions.
A partner in need of love and care.
A woman who gave me all she gave no one else.

I know all that now.
I understand your anger.
Don't play me back.
Lets settle this.

NOT IN MY PLACE

2010-10-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is the first poem i've written in a while. I promised my self i wont do any writing in while but is guess my head will never stop writing lines by itself. I'm having a great vacation with my family so i thought i'd share a few lines with you my friends. Yeah go on and read it now.

Not in my place.
I'm in this place,
Some place,
an easily lovable place.

There's no reason at all,
To not fall in love with here,
No reason to hate,
Cos here reeks of peace.

I'm not in my place,
I'm a fresher here.
Everything is new and i care not.

Here in this place,
Reality lives,
People survive,
Life is made.

I'm new here
with familiar people.
Getting old here
around unfamiliar people.

I might not be in my place now,
But i'm glad i got missing
To be around the sweetest people.
Family.

An Evening with Wille.

2010-10-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

The evening was warm and quiet as the sun’s heat had reduced in intensity. Classrooms were virtually cleared as many students who were done with their lectures for that day sought after other activities to take up what was left of their day.
I sat in Chitis restaurant that evening with a note book open on the table in front of me, my mobile phone lying beside the note book, a pen in my hand and the straw with which I sucked the content of my coke bottle between my lips. I was waiting for my date to arrive and I prayed he did so on time.

At exactly 5:06pm, my date walked into the restaurant wearing a red striped shirt which was tucked into his jeans, a black leather belt on his waist and a pair of black snickers on his feet. His majestic strides were very well coordinated and the handsome smile on his face made my heart drop as he walked up to my table.

It was my first up close experience with Williams Uchembah an undergraduate student of the department of History and International Relations, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). The three time best kid actor awardee (in 2002 for “Oh My Son”, 2003 for “Beyond Belief” and 2005 for “Dorothy My Love”) whose career in Nollywood started when he was 11years old has not let his fine achievements in the industry prevent him from living a responsible normal life or pursuing his education to the highest level. Haven gotten most of his high school education from Federal Government College Enugu state (FGC), Williams preceded to Jimgrams Secondary School for the remainder of his high school education then to UNN afterwards, for his Professional degree.

Though in his 2nd year of study at the University, Williams is one of the few young men his age who have a clear vision of what they want out of life and are working hard to get it. Education and career aside, Wille (as he is called by his friends) is also a devote Christian and active member of New Covenant Family Fellowship, Nsukka (Dominion City Church). He believes that, “people should act in accordance with their purpose and discover the real reason they want to get involved in anything”. He also says good morals should be brought into movies because what people see in movies have a way of affecting their approach to certain issues in life.

Added to his enthusiasm for education and dedication to God, Williams has a burning desire to enlighten and empower young people of this generation to engage in aggressive self development. With an experience of 11 years and 76 movies to his name, Williams is convinced that anyone can do what they set their hearts to as academics can be combined with a good job. “…the human brain is capable of a lot of things yet we underestimate it… family support is also important my dear, it is…” he said as he sipped out of his glass of juice. Born to parents who are both politicians, Williams apparently inherited the political inclinations of his parents heading Teens’ Network Foundation as president since 2007.

Although he has had a fair share of failed relationships, Williams is very optimistic about the future and has no doubt that he would meet the right woman for him when the time is right. Williams has made his imprints in the sands of time yet wants to continue his smart work till he dies as he still has big dreams he is yet to achieve. He hopes to be apart of Hollywood someday and is willing to put his best to grow Nollywood as well.

-Chizitere Ojiaka.

Sucide Note

2010-04-27T23:50:00.001-07:00

Her dead body was found on the kitchen floor, soaked in a pool of her blood. On the kitchen slab, a note was also found. It read,
"I took you in with open arms
and stuck you in the centre of my heart.
We believed what we had was good
and truly it was".

Ten days earlier.

You: i have two days left.

Her: i know babe, please hold on for me.

You: can i do that? My energy is far spent.

Her: be strong my love, be strong.

You: *too tired to speak so you nod and look away*.

Next day (in the phsychologist's office).

You: i'm very weak Doc, i can hardly breath.

Doc: i understand my dear but i know you can hang on a little longer.

You: i wish i could Doc, but i feel dead already. I'm tired of pretending!

Doc: the lawyer will soon be here with the papers. Are you sure you want to do this to her?

You: Daniel is waiting in the car for me. He has endured and hung on for too long already. I'm sorry i'm doing this to her.

Her: *walks in looking pale and sad* so you're still going to leave me? What did i do wrong.

You: you did nothing wrong. I've been bisexual since we've been married. I realised i was really gay when i met Daniel. I'm tired of decieving everyone. I miss his fine body eveytime we're not together. I love Daniel a lot.

Her: so you've been cheating on me and lying that you loved me?

(lawyer walks in with the documents in a white file folder).

You: *read through the documents and sign*

Her: *reads through and signs*

You: thank you very much doc, *waves to the lawyer, pats her (his ex-wife) on the shoulder and walks out to meet Daniel in the car*

(she looks out the window and tears roll down her cheeks when she sees you both talk, laugh, stroke yourselves and start kissing).

The Familiar Stranger.

2010-04-27T23:32:00.001-07:00

I am your one true friend.
The only friend who waits
patiently and faithfully.
Watching all your pain and gain.

I am your one true friend.
The only one who keeps coming
over and over, not minding
how much your family hates me.

I am your one true friend.
The only one who takes you in the end.
The only one you rest
with in peace.
The only one everyone cries for.

Why have you despised me?
Everyone sees me as the enemy.
Everyone thinks of me as cold and dark,
Everyone hates me.

I am your one true friend.
Yet everyone forbids my name,
and dreads my arrival.

I am your one true friend.
True to my promise
which i keep no matter what.

I am your one true friend.
The compulsory end that greets every being.
The only reason you
have funerals and cemetaries.

I am not your enemy.
I am one of the few names
no amnesia can erase.

My name is death but
i wont come to you
till the right time comes.
(whispers)fear not...

Stretched Mark.

2010-04-27T23:24:00.001-07:00

Fulfilment.

2010-04-27T23:22:00.003-07:00

As i sprinkle these grains of sand,
on your closed casket from where i stand,
i spit on your grave.

I curse you deeply with words
that bear my pain.

For those mornings, evenings and nights.
They passed on painfully while time moved on
selfishly, paying no heed to my pain.

Time ignored me.
Time healed me.
Time was what i held on to.

On those damp nights.
Do you remember?
I was only eight years old.
Have you forgotten?
Already? Ha.

Remember when you tore me wider.
Poking in and out of me,
between my soft innocent thighs.

I wailed.
You moaned.
I screamed.
You smiled.
My bitter pain.
Your sweet relief.

My body knew you as
mine for eight years.
I became your sperm deposit bank.
I was your available body.
Overpowerable and submissive.
I endured and enjoyed your passion.

My young body knew you.
All of you and none other.
You took me against my will.
Was i to love you?
No way.

Revenge is sweet my darling.
I'm happy i got mine.

Dear enemy of my linage,
please rot in hell.

The Funtastic and Fearless crew

2010-03-21T05:36:00.001-07:00

At long unwanted last, my 9 days road trip has come to an end. My eyes are as wild as an ocean but i'm trying hard to stop my tears from flowing.

For a while before now, Joan, Arinze, Chika and Eromo have just been my friends. I'll be extremely wrong if after my experience with them these 9 days, still refer to them as friends. They are now my soulmates, my bestfriends and my siblings. I love them so much.

Like i already told you in my note titled "Roadtrip" my crew and i left Nsukka for Enugu town, then to Owerri town where we louged for three days in the company of my newest set of friends, Shawn, Ana, Dikachi (ex-hubby), Obinna (model hubby), Enyinna, Austin and Carl. These guys made Owerri an excellent experience. We hung out in many bars and beautiful resturants, went swiming in exquisit hotels and they also organised a wild house party to bid us goodbye on the night before we left them.

On monday afternoon my crew and i hit the road to Uyo. We hung around the city for some hours and then boarded a bus to calabar when we got bored with Uyo. Our calabar experience was heavenly.

We arrived Calabar late in the evening and to the glory of God our saviour was Nd Obi, a wonderful friend whom until that day, i knew only on facebook. Nd help us get accomodation at Sankara hotel calabar, paid our bills and hosted the five of us for two days. Our stay in calabar won't have been as much fun as it was without Nd and Dele (Choko m).

We got to hang out in the popular Tinapa resort in calabar where we went shoping, boat cruising, photo shooting and so much more!

From Tinapa we headed straight to Atimbo where we were treated to a delicacy of boil plantain, scent leaf sauce, bush meat and palmwine. That palmwine was the sweetest i have ever tasted in my entire life.

On wednesday afternoon we went to Marina resort with our new friend Williams Etim. We enjoyed a horse ride, cooled off in a bar called Cal-a-bar with cups of chapman, saw the slave museum and took a couple of pictures too. Wednesday night was wild too. We went clubbing at Bay's bar club with Kingsley, Floyd, Samy and Edet.

I fell deeply in love with calabar after my experience there. The city is beautiful, well planned, calm, sane, oh my! Calabar is paradise. The best part is that the people are very warm and accomodating as well. I won't mind settling there with my family.

The F^2 crew stormed Portharcourt next. The city utterly betrayed our expectations. Leaving Calabar for Portharcourt was a harsh way to be welcomed back to reality. The difference between the two cities is so wide. I blunty have to say that portharcourt is an ugly place. Our host this time was a 400level medicine student of Uniport. Yep i forgot to mention that we were also hosted by Doctors too in Calabar. Honestly, i have never met any doctor like Kingsley, Floyd, Samy, Edet and Will who have so much fun and still top their class. Those guys are just too funky!

Ebubechi, our Uniport host was extremely sweet. He prepared a larvish breakfast all by himself for us every morning and made sure we drank boiled clean water too. His course work gave him little space for himself, yet he sacrificed a great deal of his time for us.

Our hang out points in Portharcourt were majorly in Eateries like Sammies, Big bites and Genesis cinemas where we not only saw a movie, we ate Chinese dishes there too. Our last night in Portharcourt was restful and smooth although we got home a bit late.

Sunday morning was basicly quiet and moody. We all feel sad that the roadtrip has ended and we have to get back to our normal lives. I'm happy that i got to break out, explore, do crazy things and enjoy myself a lot during the last 9 days.

To all those who thought we were just lying and trying to pull an "oti" on them, i hope you now see that we weren't playing. So sad that you didn't get to join us. Pictures from the trip will be uploaded soon on facebook.

Roadtrip!

2010-03-13T23:19:00.001-08:00

Life in the life of an adult being is complicated but when you're confused like me, no longer a teenager not yet an adult, it gets a lot more complicated. Nigeria is not like america where a child becomes independent of their parent at the age of 18 and totaly free by 21. Its different around here cos at 18 your parents want you to understand you are grown and should act mature, but will hardly allow you make a decision for yourself or even trust your decision when you make them. Many parents want their children to act older to their benefit. That is, in situations where they want the child to show maturity (only). Enough of this rant cos i don't think it really connects to the story i'm about to tell.

My friends and I are out of school touring states in Nigeria. The overstreched 2008/2009 session finally ended technically on the 8th day of March 2010. Technically cos that was the last day i wrote an exam. My last paper and practical exam was moved to next session. We have been scheduled to write them as soon as we begin the new session.

First year students resumed on the 10th of march while returning students will resume on the 19th of march 2010. With most students going home to enjoy the break, me and some of my friends who stayed back in school cos our homes are far decided to embark on a roadtrip. We took out part of our pocket money and hit the rugged Nigerian roads. I won't tell you what the tour plan is, but i'll tell where we are now.

Owerri. Owerri is one of the cleanest and most beautiful cities in Nigeria. It is the state capital of Imo state "The eastern heartland". Owerri is a small city full of Igbo speaking Nigerians and home to five higher institutions including one of the best Federal University of technology called FUTO.

As students, my friends and I believed that the only way we could enjoy our stay in the city and get to know a lot about it was to stay in the company of students like ourselves. Our host is a FUTO student who is a cousin to one of us. We've been here for almost two days and so far we've been having a great time.

We've had a great time mixing up with FUTO students, touring the beautiful city of Owerri, hanging out in bars, hotel, eateries and clubs and ofcourse eating and drinking a lot. My only fear however is that i might get too fat but considering that i'm an expert at loosing weight, i know i'll pass.

Our next stop is calabar and we'll be joining in the Geology conference there too. Living in Nigeria or anywhere else can be a lot of fun, but it all depends on how well you pimp it. I'm blessed to have friends who make me happy and give me a reason to want to stay alive.

Yeah yeah one more thing. I've just met an amazing new friend whose name is Durga Sengupta. She's been a wonderful person to me and we're a lot alike in many aspects. She crazy, fun and creative like me. We call ourselves twin sisters and we're happy together. I'll keep you posted on how the trip goes. Bye for now friends"

Filthy Curse.

2010-03-05T23:05:00.001-08:00

Racism is a curse. And i say to you again, racism is a curse. Racism is a curse that also drags along with it a more irritating curse that is definitely destructive.

It beats my understanding why anyone would look at a fellow human being as less human for any reason. Why should you deprive anyone of something on the basis of skin colour? Its crazy!

Recently, the author of "the Abyssinian boy" Onyeka Nwelue was deprive of a Hong kong visa. Onyeka was invited to Hong Kong to participate in the Man Hong Kong literary festival. Mr Nwelue who was invited to seat on the panel with some other beautiful authors from around the world was denied a visa yesterday and no reason or explanation was given to him. Suspision however, is that he was deprived a visa on basis of skin colour discrimination.

The very pleasant part of the entire issue is that some Hong Kong people along with the organisers of the event Mr Nwelue has been invited to attend have publicly condemed the actions of the embassy. The embassy's refusal to issue Mr Nwelue a visa is indeed a slap in the face of the organisers of the Literary festival.

An intelligent young man is invited to share ideas with you and inspire youths like him to better their lives yet you ask him to say away? Thats actually very dumb my friend and it makes no good sense.

Dear people of this beautiful Planet Earth, let us flee away from the "entices" of the dumbest evil called Racism, and our prosperity will know no bound.
Don't say i didn't tell you o.

DON'T HATE ME COS I'M GAY.

2010-02-23T08:43:00.001-08:00

Love is a command from God to every human being. When God commanded us to love our neigbour as ourself, he made no distinction as to whether we choose who we should love by race, class, status, sexuality, age or any other form of classification.

Christ made it clear to us on many occasions that he came to save sinners and give new life and renewed hope to us all as long as we follow his light and do his father's will. During the lifetime of Jesus, he laid many good examples that teach us that through our struggles everyday, God's grace sustains us and replenishes us too.

Recently, a lot of crazy ideas have found their way in, and a comfortable home to stay in the world. People now justify their actions in everyway possible and make you believe even the wrongest of wrongs is totally right. Many people raise questions about morality thereby making certain concepts and resolutions about life a white sheet with a small white dot that smears round the sheet slowly.

Many revolutions have occurred and people have come up with even the most stupid arguments to backup their decisions and ideas. Its hard to distingush between good and evil sometimes and when we apply nothing but human wisdom to achieve this, it takes only time before we loose grip totally.

One new trend that has baffled me for long however, is the issue of Gay people and their rights.

I will never condem anyone for being gay but the truth is that it is wrong in every way. Firstly, my background as a Christian has made me see it as a sin and i support the bible very much for its stand on this matter.

Secondly, the act of same sex relationship totally alters the natural course of reproduction and procreation. No offspring can ever come forth naturally from such a union.

Thirdly, a lot of people argue that some people are born gay. It hasn't been proven yet anyway, but i stand to say today that whether it turns out to be true or not, it still doesn't make it normal. A child born with autisim, organ disorder, brain disorder and even a hemaphrodite never grows up to claim that it is normal to be born that way. Rather, the childs parents seek professional help for such a child on his/her behalf. You might be born gay but remaining gay is a choice we make by ourselves and it doesn't make being gay good or normal.

On the issue of whether killing gay people will stop people from being gay (laughs) that will never work. Killing them will only be a wicked act of selfishness and self centredness, as well as injustice to humanity.

Gay or not, we are all human beings who deserve to be loved and cared for. Killing me cos i'm gay will only make the rest like me hate you and fight to live against all odds. I honestly think all they need is love and help.

The funny thing is, if we don't do something wise soon, we'll have people going 'monosexual' and resorting to masturbation and self love and attraction claiming they feel they are attracted to neither men or women but theirselves.

For me, i've taken God's word (the bible) as my own yardstick for measurement and standard. I judge my actions by its teaching.

He Touched Me.

2010-02-21T03:09:00.001-08:00

This is a true life story. It happened to me.

I fell in love with someone smooth and special many years ago. Our love and relationship has been quiet yet it blossoms and grows beautiful as days go by. He makes me feel loved and beautiful even when i find it hard to believe i deserve such.

Jay always treats me like a little princess. He listens to me when i speak, holds me close and comforts me when i am sad, forgives me when i hurt him or break his heart and keeps loving me ceaselessly.

At many points in my life, i have gotten invovle with new friends or relationships and I ignore him and treat him bad. No matter how bad i get or how much i push him away, he still stays close by waiting for me to return to my senses and run back into his arms. There are times i call him nasty names and tell him he loves foolishly, yet Jay is the only real and enduring friend i can ever have. He just wont let go!

For many years i've battle with migraine and breathing problems, i even had some issues with my heart at some point. Jay was the only one who stood bravely by me and helped me through my crises. On those days i was too weak to walk, he carried me in his arms. Whenever i'm lost, he calms me down and helps me locate my path.

I've been selfish, wicked and totally ungood to him. I take him for granted and betray him over and over again. I've pushed him out of my life yet he still calls to know how i am and sends me presents too. I've been in real love with him since i was twelve years old and although my unstable emotions have kept me in a fluctuating mode from then till now, Jay has never stopped loving me.

Ok, last year i was sick on his birthday. Jay called to know how i was and even helped me get better by evening. I didn't wish him happy birthday cos i forgot, and i know he didn't like it. I appologised after many days but he had already forgiven me before i did. This year, i've been reckless with money and everytime i'm broke, Jay sends me money before i even ask. Jay is always there!

I've decided to go back to him for good and stand by him no matter what. He has proved himself worthy over and over again so what else do i want? I know i might loose some friends in the process and face big problems from Lucif, but i don't give a hoot. Devouting myself to Jay is one right thing i have to do and i don't regret this decision. I'm going back to the only man i know that loves me and i'll live for Him, and die in Him. Finding Jesus Christ (Jay, JC.) is the most beautiful experience. I pray you all experience him and stay with him someday and forever.

Ahuru m Jesu n'anya ofuma!

2010-02-19T03:29:00.000-08:00

My exam was cool. I'm glad my last minute revision paid off again.

I'm hanging out with my friend Naomi and we've been talking a lot. I don't think i'll be completely wrong to say that those of us who appear happy all the time and do a lot of funny things are the ones who get depressed the most. We know how to make other people laugh and be happy around us but find it hard to do the same to ourselves.

I'll start counselling sessions with a shrink this weekend so i can get over this sickness. I just hope this therapy works this time! I feel happy now sha. Thank you Naomi. Ti amo.

2010-02-18T23:45:00.001-08:00

I'm getting set for my exam. Still doing my last minute revision with my friend Nonye. I don't take last minute revision for granted o.

Right now, my head is full of Economic equations and Balance of Payment figures.

I feel better now that i've seen my friends and talked to my room mates about how depressed i felt last night. To think that i felt so much hate for everyone including them? Wow how funnier can life get!

I'm off jare, see you soon.

2010-02-18T19:22:00.001-08:00

Why is it that once a person becomes a celebrity, a lot of people just want to antagonise them.

I uploaded one of my boyfriend's blog posts on my booksie, and on Ghanian chic who claims to be a fan of his posts a query as comment. (i wonder how her voice would sound when she's speaking the pidgin she wrote sef. Ha ha ha. I know it would have sounded funny)

I saw sense in what he (my Bf) wrote so i decided to share it with joy but after i read her comment, i got angry so i had to delete the post. I admit that what she said was quite sensible but... Nevermind jare. What ever sha. Lol.

Let me get some sleep so i can smash an 'A' in the exam i have today. My head feels like it will explode.

Final Year in Third Year

2010-02-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, i guess many of you heard about the riot in my school, UNN, on the 16th day of January 2010. The good news is that it earned all the students a 4 week long forced holiday which i tried all that was necessary to enjoy.

We got called back to school on the 15th day of febuary so 2nd semester exams for 2008/2009 session could commence on the 19th day of febuary 2010. All students were asked to resume with two letters of undertaking, one from their parents or guardian and another from them, to be of good behaviour throughout their stay in school as students of the University.

With all that said and done, i think the idea of writing and submitting the letter is dumb, but i did anyway. The truth is that such documents are useless and baseless in Nigeria. I remember i signed an undertaking form when i got admitted into the University and even swore an oath to be of good behaviour, but who go remember am? Its not that i'm comfortable with violence, but the our VC asked for it! All we students did was to stand for our rights and defend it. I know we went through extreme measures which were quite uncalled for but in the end we made our point for good. I just hope he learnt a good lesson sha.

My exams begin tomorrow and my first paper, International Economics (ECO 342), has been scheduled to begin by 9am. I wish myself the best and I'm working towards that too. Well what more can a final year student in third year wish for?

Considering that i can now update my blog via my phone, i'll be writing stuff frequently here. I just hope my blog will be an effective Antidote against my Facebook virus. I want to quit facebook for good and though i can say so far so good, its not been easy o. Lol.

I have to go now but i'll be back soon so dont shed tears yet you hear? He he he. Lol. Byeee...

FOR AS LONG AS I AM.

2010-01-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

FOR AS LONG AS I AM.

One hundred and eighty seven people. There were one hundred and eighty seven people at my funeral. Eighty seven of them were those who were dead and already buried, while the one hundred were the living souls who showed up to pay their last respect to me.

My spirit had grown very weary after a hard five year long battle against cancer. I had to give up because I could not keep up with the fight anymore. I was ten years old when I was diagnosed of cancer and fifteen years old when I died. I was the only child my mother had bourn but they lost me any way.

My parents loved me very much and they showed it in every way they could. I never knew who I really looked like because a lot of people said I had my mother’s eyes though I looked like my father, while some said it was only my father’s nose I had inherited. My father said my eyes gave him peace and made him calm whenever he looked at them but he was jealous that my mother and I shared the same eyes. Mum and Dad loved each other very much and they had a very strong bond too. They always teased and played with each other a lot. They were the best people in the world as far as I was concerned.

For five long years, while cancer ate me up in bits, I got an endless never dying rain of love from them. I died of leukemia. The wicked cancer cells ate my blood cells up and left me for dead. The doctors believed it was a miracle that I was able to live with the illness for as long as I did. I woke up every morning grateful to God for a new miracle of life. We might never understand the value of life until we come close to loosing it everyday. I went to bed each day for those five years, waiting on death. It was no august visitor when it came I took me away.
Waiting for death made me appreciate life better. It made me love every strand of the sun’s rays that penetrated my skin, and every rain drop that slid down my body. The sound of the wind became good music, while heat became necessary combustion. I realized how much I was going to miss them when I was finally gone.

Mum and Dad were with me always. They became the evidence that God is.

On those days I passed out or went into a coma, they stayed there with me till I came back. They never gave God a break because they prayed ceaselessly. On the day I died, I passed out for a couple of minutes and came back again. Mother had been falling in and out of good health herself so she had a test done the day before the day I died. Her result was ready that morning. She was pregnant. She was two moths pregnant and she had no idea she was. At least one prayer had been answered. Dad told me about it just before life was sipped out of me. He said he hoped it would be a baby girl this time, and I told him her name would be Chiwetara. Death took its pond of flesh that day, and all that was left of my sick blood went with it.

I was buried after two days and I was happy my little sister was there at my funeral. We never got the chance to see each other though. There were ninety nine people clothed in black, and she was the hundredth person clothed in ammonic fluid.

The choir chanted hymns, the priest preached and prayed, while the rest of the people listened and cried. No interment followed so many people went home after the funeral. A few close family friends escorted my Parents home to console them, while I stayed back in my new box. The box smelt of fresh paint and lavender. It was hot and stuffy inside when it was closed, but I stayed inside it anyway. They dressed my cold lifeless body in a beautiful suit and laid me in the box to rest.

That year was tough for my family, but I had hope that they would pull through it in one piece. Chiwetara was going to be born to the finest parents who would give her the best of all they have. I knew I could trust them with that.

As for me, my flesh and life were gone but I hoped that the memories of me that people had would live on. I have lived while I could and will be dead for as long as I am.
-Chizitere

WITH ALL MY TEARS.

2009-11-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

This poem is for you Henry. Sorry about all the wrong words i used against you while you where here. You were very special in every way.

YOUR ODE...

Words cut deep
but this sorrow cuts
in deeper.
tears stroll down my
rough face and flow
into my pillow
like rivers empty
into the sea.
My saliva is sticky
and soft while
my constant drooling
has marked a white
lane across my cheek.
I'm weak from my
crying but my heart
mourns till my very
own life is exhausted.
I have cried over everthing
and the thought that you
will never be here to
console me, tears me to
shredds within.
There was so much
I had to talk to you about,
and so many kisses left unkissed.
My body longs for
your touch and caress.
My nose longs to smell
you strong sweet scent
again.
Where are you my love?
Will you be back?
How long do i have to wait?
I'm willing to wait for
your return but everyone around
tells me i have to forget you.
I can't do that baby,
why should i forget you?
No one is stronger than
death.
Nothing is.
I had thought the
love we had was,
but i was wrong.
death deceived our love
and took you away from me.
Honey,
How long will you be gone?
Forever?
Should i wait?
I can wait forever
if you want me to,
but i dont think i would.
I will not wait.
You did not wait.
You shouldn't have left me.
I still love you baby,
and thats why I'll live.
I'll soak my pillow
every night mourning your death,
and drain it all up
by morning, living for you.
I live loving you,
and die happy i was your lover.
-Chizitere
*I worte this poem for my friend who lost her Fiance. This poem is for you Nonye but i dedicate it to Henry Nwosu. Rest in peace dear friend.

Long time no write!!!!

2009-11-10T05:51:00.000-08:00

I hate cyber cafes. Its not that I do not want them to exist but the time constraint is too annoying.

Ok I'm in one now, and apart from the fact that their servers are usually snaily slow, the heat (which can kill but i haven't die from yet) is davastating!

School has been so choked up and hectic that i haven't been able to write even a single simple poem. I feel like my brain is stuck.

Well it hasn't been so bad though cos I've been having good fun and bad fights with a lot of my friends (Drumliners take note).

I'm still working on my novel (can you imagine such laziness?) and I must say I'm really enjoying the job a lot.
The past week has been for school and work with the newspaper I work with (Drumline). We recently hosted a booktrek which although it went successfully is causing wahala between all my friends on the board. Sad right? Well I hope all the scores get settled today or tomorrow cos i want to see all my friends happy and together again.

Enough of that gist now cos it s your turn to tell me how you are (so tell me)...

I have to go now but before I do, i just want to tell Gabriella Amadi (who is beside me by the way,) that I love her very much. She has been a very lovely big sister to me. (she said enough of all this. hahaha.. lol!).

I hope i write something new soon so I can post it here. Till i write again, I want you all to know I love you as much as my heart will let me. Be good you all. God's grace!!!!!

HER HAUNTED SPIRIT

2009-10-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

My haunted spirit..

I stand, yet i fall.
I feel strong yet my health
fails..

My heart is heavy
and i can't carry anymore

I feel destroyed
but my secret is shut inside.
Dark, gory, scary and lovely.

I sip my last liquor.
I taste my last blood.

My tongue is so redded out
but in a few minutes,
I'll pink it back.

My head screams
each time i hear your name.
My heart loves it.
My mind isn't sure.

I have trekked into the woods
and before me lies this:
I saw Mandy's body.
He had ripped off every slime
of life in her.

Her head was gone
but i know her figure too well.
I couldn't help her.
I should have.

Blood stuck it's red
self out of her neck.
I love those blue jeans
she died with.

i would have killed her to get them.
But i didn't.
now he did.
He pulled her head away with
a slice from his knife....

i remember her.
I remember him
I'll never forget them.

I want to stop now....
-Chizitere.

Sweet Escape

2009-10-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

After three months of hardwork and laziness, I have finally reached the last stage of my Novel 'Sour Libation'.

Its not been easy at all and living in lagos made both writing and thinking difficult. I had to run away and resume school early for the fist time in my life. I really hope all my sacrfices for this book will not be in vain.

I have to go now so i can look around school to see all i have missed. I'll keep updating my blog about how life is around here as much as I can. Please keep reading this blog and watch this space cos i'll be posting clips from my novel here as well. Thank you all for your support. You are in my heart.

ALONE IN OUR CUBICLE

2009-10-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

I cuddled Gozie in my arms and rocked him like a new born baby he wasn’t, as he struggled to breath. I fought hard to hold back my tears while I watched him scramble for air. At that moment, I tried to imagine what he would have looked like then in his mother’s arms as a baby.

I sat beside Gozie, still and without any movements. He fought helplessly to live, yet the best I could do was wave some rumpled pieces of old newspaper- which I barely managed to stretch and flatten well enough to serve as a hand fan- in his face. He was already drenched in sweat by now.

In the midst of his struggle, I noticed he was trying to say something to me. Amidst short gasps for breath he voiced some words which I had a hard time understanding
“aaahhh... tttaakk... thaaa.. thaa.. bbbaaggg...” He said.
I guessed he was referring to his small black knap sack which was a few meters away from where we sat. I stretched over as much as I could to where the bag was and pulled it closer. That bag was the only major property I knew Gozie owned and it had a few of his other belonging suffocated into it.

Gozie was practically in love with this bag. The love they both shared was so strong that on some days he would hug the bag up to his nose and sniff the material of the bag in like a flower. He would smile almost immediately like he had just perceived a sweet scent for this flower. He used to say the bag was a gift from his mother on his twelfth birthday. It was the last gift he ever got from her so he cherished it so much. Gozie and his “sacred knap sack” shared such a relationship that made me think of him as weird, but I was happy that the bag made him smile at least.

As soon as the bag was close enough, he signalled to me to open the bag. I dropped the pieces of paper I clutched in my right palm and unzipped the bag with the same hand. I hoped somehow that the bag contained his source of redemption or salvation. A hard cover note book which was blue in colour stared right at my face as I stared at its surface as well. I took the book out and flipped haste fully through a few pages. I did not have the patience to look through gently, but from the few pages I saw it seemed like the book was a storybook.
“Has Gozie been writing a story?” I asked myself as I looked back at him and our eyes met.

Gozie was still gasping for breath and his light complexion skin was already turning pale. His eye balls were red and sunken, while bags were formed below his lower eyelids.
“Taahhkk... it” he said in what sounded like a whisper but I heard him clearly this time.
I nodded in agreement and patted him on his chest to calm down.
“Don’t worry Gozie you won’t die... you can’t die... you won’t die... please don’t leave me yet...” I said crying profusely like a little child who had just been spanked.
A light liquid ran down my nostrils and dropped on Gozie’s upper lip. I wiped it away with the back of my right palm, sipped the rest on my face into my mouth and continued crying.

I remembered Gozie had some ventolin tablets which he kept anywhere in the room. Gozie’s carelessness was far too annoying. He just could not keep anything properly and it would take him only a few seconds to scatter the whole- little- room, no matter how arranged it is. Gozie knew how to get on my nerves pretty well but I was used to his nuisance already.

Gozie and I lived in one of the small rooms in an uncompleted building. Neighbours who have lived in the area for a longer time said the house belongs to a young man who became mad a few years after he came back from Italy where he used to work. Rumour had it that he was involved in drugs and blood money, people just say all sorts of things to gain attention or have other people listen to them. I cared very little about what they said.

Searching the room for the tablets did not seem like a task at all considering the size of the room. There was no bed, foam, chair, table or any form of furniture so there was nothing to lift up. I placed Gozie’s head down on the floor and crawled away to look for the drugs. I sought for the drugs amongst our few clothes which were tied together in an old faded wrapper that was kept adjacent to the entrance. It took me more time than I thought to scatter the clothes in search of the drugs so i prayed silently to find it because i was afraid of wasting any more time. I search around some more; this time i turned the whole place upside down and i didn’t care about orderliness. “Ah! There it is!” i exclaimed when a drug envelop fell out of the clothes i was holding up.

I clutched the envelop in my hands which had started to shake at that time and raced back to where i had laid Gozie. He was still keeping the fight up as much as he could. I lifted his head up from the ground and cuddled him in my arms again. I placed two of the ventolin tablets in his mouth and fed him with some of my saliva to help make swallowing the pills easier. There was no water in the house at that time and i could not go out to get any either. He gulped the solution quickly and continued his feat.

The episode was barely ten minutes old but Gozie’s body had suddenly grown cold and stiff. I got scared so i held his left palm in mine and made an unvoiced prayer to God to let Gozie survive this. I did not believe God existed but the urge to trust and confine in anyone then made me pray all the same. I needed something to believe in at that time.

Take a minute... Take two...

2009-09-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

Think wit me a while.
Deeply. Shut shallowness out
Stick with me
Tenderly. Dont get too stuck.

Lets leave now.
We will return soon.
One day. Not today.
Not tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow

Lets entwine thoughts
and merge hearts.
No words.
No speech.
Just thoughts.

I'm waiting so hurry.
I won't let you down
but you can and i won't forgive.

Take a minute...
Take two...
Leave the third for me.
I'll wait.

Not for so long.

-Chizitere.

Em... What do you think?

2009-09-20T02:50:00.000-07:00

I find it rather difficult to concentrate these days.

Seems like my head is a jungle of ideas, most of them wierd to the normal human being. I've been workng on the same book for over two months now and I'm still stuck at the same place. It feels like i have been cursed to always end my stories at chapter four or five. I want to know if its the same for every writer or if my case is different, because i need to get out of the situation real quick.

Recently, I've been through one wahala, heartache, market, something or another. I know we are bound to have switches in life but it seems like mine have become too frequent and 'switchy'. More or less like a member of my personal family.

I'm not writing this to find pity, but I hope to find answers with this here.
A lot of good things have come too and i always wish they could just last forever.
*gimme a minute let me take this call....

Oh back to what we were hearing and I was saying. I dont know what else to say. I guess the phone call took some of my memory with it.*Jumoke help!!! I need memory!!! Lol! sick joke!

Let me end with a short poem then.

Peace can't chop me into pieces
War wore me once.
I had to forget myself for a while,
still i forgot you.

Judge me but don't pass a verdict
I'm slimy and uneasy to predict
so you might just be wrong.

Even if i fit into your dreams
you're still not in control.
*Is this makng sense?
Hold it!
Don't tell me i think it is.

Scribble me away...
I'll scribble you down
Thats my kind of exchange
so deal with it!

My eyes are wide open,
tears have even began to fall
out of them.
I won't close them till
you fade away.

I leave you in peaceful
pieces!
I count no loss.

-Chizitere.

You dont always have to find a connection or meaning for my poems. The words always disturb my head so i just spit them like they are. If you get something out of my poems, then its good. Good for you... Good for me...

For Roots Sake!

2009-08-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

This is not christmas.
This time is different.

The land is now bare and pleads for company.
They'll find their way back here soon,
but only for roots sake!

You'll see them soon...
Just wait and you'll see.
You'll see the effizy.
You'll feel the swagga.
Don't worry you'll see what I've been telling you all the while.

The atmosphere is at peace now right?
You'll see what it will be in december.

Our illustrious sons will be back by then,
and they'll pollute the air with noise, fumes, perfumes and pride.

They'll make us wish.
They'll make a few aspire.
They'll make many jealous.
What will they make you do?

In december,
they'll be back for roots sake!
Oh ye city dwellers!
Don't come home and pretend again.

Oh ye city dwellers!
With your fine dresses,
good make up, sweet accent
and stories about the city.

Life in the city is hard,
and life in the village is boring.
We village dwellers love it here,
so don't trouble us again,
for roots sake!

-Chizitere.

BUILDING WITH MTN.

2009-08-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

I almost lost my teeth a few days ago.

Dont get it twisted but it was for a good reason. I was out with some of my friends from MTN on thursday and friday. I did not expect so much considering the fact that it was an outing with people i am oviously far younger than, but it was a wonderful experience in the end. The idea behind the hang out was for members of staff to relax and get to relate with eachother on a level ground. They call it team build, and it holds once every year.

Ok let me tell you how it went down...
We arrived La Campgne Tropicana, an exclusive resort which I had only heard stories about until that day. I wont be running an advert for them here but i must confess that the place is beautiful. I was totally stunded by its exquisite make up.

It was raining when we arrived so we had to run into the resort taxis from the bus we arrived in under the rain. My back pack weighed heavy but i still had to race with it.

I won't bore you with a step by step analysis of how everything went, I'll just go straight. We got in and were shown to our rooms. I had to share a room with my elder sister who is also an MTN staff. It was actually an outing for members of staff but they were allowed to invite a few family members and friends.

As soon as we settled in, we came out for breakfast. I tell you, that breakfast was just right for me. After breakfast, the GM Alhaji/Mr (i'm not sure of which) Mohamed Rufai gave an opening speech. His speech is the shortest and most straight forward I have ever heard.

We hit the main activities after that, and Lolo of wazobia fm who was the mc did a really good job. She made our stomachs burst open with her jokes, and coordinated the games as well. The games were funny because they made me feel like a child again and i felt really happy expresing myself around my new company.

We played beach football, which was where i almost lost my teeth, volleyball, we went canoeing, played snooker, table soccer, etc and drank a lot as well. It was mad fun! I made a couple of new friends too numerous to mention, who are really cool. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the beach at night. The view was so cool i did not want to stop looking. I was really inspired.

As usual i was a star: the only female that played football, the most energetic and fit, the best dancer, and so much more. I just stole the show that day. In summary, the concept is good and the aim was achieved, but above all, i had fun.
I'll post pictures soon.

Listen to my mind. (PLEASE!!!)

2009-08-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

For a while now, so many things have been going wrong in Nigeria. The funny truth is that all that a lot of us like me have done is sit (or stand... or sleep...) and talk against the country. I wrote this poem after a hard thought about the future of this nation (which scares me). I'm not sure of where we are heading, but i know its somewhere. It's up to us to decide where we want the destination to be. I'm guilty your honor...
The title of the poem is in Igbo and means help me when translated to English

NYERE M AKA...

I know what is wrong,
So I will give right a change.
Don’t ask me how I know,
I just know.

I might have lived around
Wrong for too long,
But I can tell the difference.

If you make me a judge,
I might judge wrongly
But when I sit in the crowd,
I judge right.

So many things are not right
And I can’t do anything to
Correct them unless you help me.

I’m decaying, someone please
Help me!
Everything in my system is wrong
And my children suffer for this.

Don’t stand there and just
Yell at me.
Help me if you can.

Even if you detach
And run away, you would
Still come home soon.

You call me all sorts,
But don’t forget it is
You that make me and
I that give you your identity.

We are inseparable.
I only have hope when you
Give it to me so stop taking it away.
I am what you make of me.

You are my creator,
The only reason I still exist.
I am your body, your group,
your identity.

Turn back to me.
See how profusely I bleed.
I’ll keep bleeding till you
heal me.

You know I won’t die.
Of course I won’t
I shall die only when you do
No matter how far you run,
We’ll still die together.

I am not tarred, in darkness,
Hungry, kidnapped, thirsty,
Uneducated, cheated on, insulted,
Corrupt and suffering

You have let me be all this.
You haven’t done anything
To help me.

How long shall I stand here and bleed?
How long will you let them mock me?
How long will you ignore me?
Please do something quick!

I’m tired of waiting…
-Chizitere.

For my brother and brothers

2009-08-14T09:24:00.001-07:00

Jason did not return that night. Two weeks passed, and even as you all hoped he would, he still didn't. You searched every where you could- hospitals, police stations, friends' houses and even moutuaries. You did not give up.

Some one told your mother she had seen him somewhere in Lagos roaming the streets. You thought she was just blabbing and her information lacked facts. You ignored her yet you prayed and kept on hoping. A large part of you believed he was alive, but your feelings betrayed you because they could not tell you where he was.

Your mother cried everytime and this pissed you off. You wanted her to just shut up! You were tired of holding back your tears to comfort her. You go bored with giving her hope, you were tired of acting up strong for her.

That day she looked at you and said, 'you are all I have now Ekene.' you cursed Jason for leaving you alone and making your parents sad. You cursed that day he left home and what ever had happened to him. You cursed and cursed till you had no more curses to curse.

As hard as you tried to fight it, you knew missed him very much. No matter how much you tried to peel that feeling away, it was still stuck hard to you. Forgetting him was the hardest thing for you.

Your mother's desparation to find Jason was begining to tear her apart. She got so depressed and bitter that she shouted at you for every mistake you made. Her eyes became permanently red and swollen and her mood swings got worse.

Some how you were happy. Your happiness was because of the closeness that begun to exist between you and your father since Jason went missing. You both joked and laughed about things you saw or talked about. You tried to forget the sorrow that tore your hearts apart. Although you both missed Jason, you did not talk about it. You were afraid that any pessimistic word you say would jinx him never to return again. You kept your words away.

Time went by a little and you got used to his absence. While your parents and everyone resolved that he was dead, you fought hard to keep your hope alive. You were sure he was alive.

One day they found a body somewhere around Cele. The body laid still and lifeless like a corpse. Everyone overlooked it and went about thier business. They left the body to rot away. Shola ran to your house that morning and said she had news for you. 'I saw jason's body at Cele' she said. Her words struck you like a heavy blow which left its welt in your brain. You told your parents and in a short while, you were all at Cele. Hot tears slid down your face when you saw his body. You threw away all the hope you had kept right there because you thought he was dead. A mental video of his burial played in your head. You were sure you would die after it. You could not bear the pain of the loss. You stood aside and cried out all the 'cries' you had. You lost all your faith and your heart was crushed.

You were shocked when you heard someone exclaim, 'Thank God he is alive!'. You could not believe your ears, but you did any way. Your hope was not in vain after all. You were all happy about this. Jasom came back into your lives, and you swore that this time you would never loose him again.
-Chizitere.

Let Go...

2009-08-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Piece by piece
pieces of peace.
You think its protection
but look what you did.

You bought yourself extra
life with hers which you sold.
Why? Why did you?

Look! See! She is living
your future now.
When will she live hers?

She has dreams,
dont you think?
Her destiny is different,
dont you know?

Come on! Let her be.
She is your child.
She has a life to live too.
She is a part of your life,
not a piece of it.

You are a part of her life,
not the whole of it.
Its not cowardice to let her live
its the right thing.
Just let her be her

-Chizitere.

Return Post!

2009-08-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

First i want to appologise to my blog for my absence, and to you for keeping you hungry and in the dark. I'm so sorry please forgive me... Have you?... Thank you!

Ok let me talk about what i've been up and down to.

Things have been generally swingy for a while. I've had a fair share of insomania, but i've made good effort to use it for better. The truth is i find it hard to sleep at night but it gets worse sometimes. I was in my own home town last week and i had a wonderful time. The village was almost empty but i kind of liked it. I got a lot of inspiration and wrote a couple of stories and poems which i will post here very soon.

Ok this is an "I am back again" declearation. I'll leave some other things to take over from here, so watch this space.

Normal Life Sydrome

2009-08-11T15:58:00.001-07:00

Normal life. What does this mean? Does it mean your life is perfect or right? Does it just mean you have fulifiled all righteousness?

Well I won't be answering any of those questions for you. Or maybe I will, but thats not my aim here. Lets talk, rather let me tell you what i have noticed people do now. Have you noticed that a lot of us Nigerians have lost touch of the original essence life? Many of us will end up living spent lives rather than optimised ones. Many of us are just out living the dreams of our parent, the wishes of our friends, or just projecting the shadows of our role models. We throw away who we need to be and become something we ought not to. We have turned living into a boring routine in which we sleep, wake up, go through school without gaining education, get a job we probably dont like, and get married! For those who are married, bearing children is the next step even when we know these children will likely stave to death.

Young women design their actions to please and attract men for marriage. For a lot of us women it is all that matters and the greatest achievement in any woman's life. (I so disagree with this theory). Our Nigerian women are afraid of staying unmarried and whether their marriage is working out well or not, dem go dey manage for the marriage till dem die. Everything has its limits you know?

Another problem is the unadventurousness of Nigerians. We just want already made information and feel very lazy to carry out our own research but try hard to suppress those that try to find out new things. So much dependence is put on the western people and so much of what we do now is in accordance to their will. We think we cant do anything the Americans have not done. We embrace their theories and swallow their polices into our economy. We see them as our God so, ignore our experts and adore their apprentices. Nigeria is gradually loosing her identity because we want to keep indulging in everything western whether it is right or wrong.

As for religion and spirituality, that one na separate talk. In reality, Nigeria has more atheists and agnosts than christians, muslims or even traditionalists. We forget that religion is meant to serve as a guide to living better and not the name of a group we need to answer to. Many people are religious because they have to write it in their forms or they want to please the world. Stop decieving yourselves abeg. There is so much we are getting wrong and clique of normal life is marring us. We have to detach from crowd mentality and live in the reality of life. Let us get out of the illusion we are neck deep in and begin to rebrand our ideas and concepts. Life is short so live it now before it finishes. Just be you and no one else.

I rest my case...

Me, Yesterday. Me, Now.

2009-07-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

Am I lazy or are these excuses real? My debut novel is in the making and I swing in and out of moods to write it. I have two titles alraedy, and three stories under both of them. That means i have six stories right? Am i confused or is this how it is for every writer with their first book?
Well I met someone very wonderfull today and she honstly dug herself a space in my heart. Her name is Vani, she is an Indian woman, and i got to meet her through my friend Onyeka who is a real sweetheart (when he is).
Though i was lost in most of their conversations, I was sure initiated deeply into the few i caught. There was so much to say and laugh about that at that point, I wanted it to never end. Yeah like peter in the bible, i was ready to set not three tents this time, but four to make sure everyone was well accomodated.
My most cherished moment arrived when it was time to eat, oh how I love to eat! (but don't call me 'foodious'). I ate everything I have never eaten before. It was my first time at an Indian's, and so it was for the food. At table, we talked a lot about books and writers with plenty reference to Indian (at this point i was completly lost) and Nigerian writers( for these ones, i had something to say).
The entire afternoon to evening swept away in time, while our consciousness was swallowed by our gist. Apart from books, we talked about everything human beings could talk about and there was never a dull moment. Am glad I was able to go and finally, I met Vani who I will never forget. Thank you Onyeka for making me meet her...
Now back to the top: Is there any advice i can get?
I really don't understand. Helppp!!!

Hoping For The Beat

2009-07-01T16:33:00.001-07:00

Violence has devastated the world. It is funny that the world still adorns it. Stop taking hope and happiness away. I wrote a poem below about war. I hope you understand it.(Composed on the 2nd day of july 2009 by 1:28 am)

My heart just beat again...
Oh no it didn't but how come
I breath?

Black is red now, yes blood
has taken over.
Or is it not blood that i see?

Streets are full of streams
Streams not of water, but of
Blood and tears.

How can my heart not beat,
When panic overwhelms my
'entireness'.

Oh I still speak of me,
And forget you who lie stylishly
On black, now red.

You have been dumped in your
Own blood.
How heartless!

I want to carry you home now
But I can't because my feet cannot
Stop running.

I hear a heartbeat now.
Could it be yours?
Am far away from you now
But i hear your heart beat in my ears.

A bullet just caught Lalah.
Another heartbeat is lost.
How long can I hold mine?
How long will it beat?

Can i still hope, with all these bullets
Stopping our hearts?
I hope still... Still i hope...

'Mystery Girl'

2009-06-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

A lot of my friends find hard to believe I ever suffered depression. If you meet me now, you’ll probably concur with them.

My main problem then was my self esteem. I looked at a lot of people with an eye of complexity and found it easy to feel inferior around people.

As a child I was never deprived of my basic needs but somehow I grew up to see every other person’s possession as a need. I had a serious war going on inside me as every part of me battled for acceptance.

Initially I thought introversion was a quick solution to this problem. I considered that if I kept to myself, people will get interested in me [that's one really stupid thought]. As much as the decision kept me out of trouble in school, it stole my entire school and early teenage experience from me. Like I never thought, people were afraid of me and a lot of people found me boring but it still didn’t keep me from playing the ‘mystery girl’ [favour usifo will understand this].

It was in keeping to myself that I started writing poems and like you would expect, every one of those poems were about things I didn’t have, feelings I very much wished to express and people I admired. My poems had this passion of anger and hatred coated with the words. I always felt deprived of something, yet I wasn’t sure of what it was.

One many occasions I planned to run away from home because I thought my parents loved me too much that even when they knew I was a jerk, they were ready to stand by me. I felt it was my job to save them the stress and get out of their lives for good. On days I felt a little in place I wrote letters to myself describing how much I hated myself and live itself.

One person kept me going and gave me a reason to live all through this period. It was God and even up till now it is God still. I don’t understand why he kept encouraging me when my problem was as a result of a decision I made myself but all the same He is the only person I was at peace with. I found rest whenever I prayed and an unexplainable happiness in his presence at all times. Everyday I read the bible it talked to me and referred to my situation like it was all that mattered.

Only very few Christians around me understood God well. Many of them went to church because there was no where else to be on Sunday morning. The few that knew what they were into had a certain beauty that radiated from them. They took life easy and bordered little about their problems and when I asked them why they took life very easy they simply said ‘cast your cares upon the lord and he will give you rest’ or ‘all things work together for the good of they that believe in God’. I also noticed that when I tried to annoy them a little, they never expressed the magnitude of anger I expected them to. There was something special about them and the experience I was having with God at that time confirmed his existence.

I realized that all that was written in the bible was true and I even experienced some the miracles it talked about in my life. As soon as I accepted to know God, everything about me changed. I started to love more and feel loved, I begun to have real friends, when I felt troubled I just told God about it and I felt better, depression left me, I started loving everyone in my family and life became worth living.

Knowing God has not erased all the challenges and problems in my life rather it has given me all that I need to get pass them. Trying to understand God is an endless task but if you let Him teach you about Himself, then you will be able to know Him better. No one knows you better than you know yourself. Even if your confused about yourself like I was [you may still think am confused if you know me now], no one knows how deep that confusion is better then you know.

I still don’t understand God perfectly yet but the little I know is so big I don’t even know how to explain it enough. We know God, not by our wisdom but by the so called foolishness we preach [first corinthians 1vs 21]

I rest my case…

A REVIEW OF THE BOOK ‘WALKING WITH SHADOWS’ BY JUDE DIBIA

2009-06-16T05:09:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw this book Walking With Shadows, I made a nasty conclusion about the book. I imagined the book to be just another ‘heaven’ of a love story and a novel I should read for the benefit of getting a new author’s book into my system. Before I started reading the book I was very sure I was going to drop it at some point or generally regret buying it at all and guess what? I did.

Well I did drop the book but that was after I finished it. And as for regrets, I did have because I almost bit myself for misjudging the book and almost not buying it because I thought it was one of those stories about gay men again.

Walking with shadows is an extra ordinary piece that buttresses an angle of life that has long waited to be visited. You will surely read every chapter of this book at least twice.

Jude Dibia, the author, reports in ten chapters, an epilogue and a prologue the events that cloud the life of Adrian Ebele Njoko. Adrian, as he is referred to in most of the book, is a fine young man who realizes that after a deep experience that his lovely wife Ada, sweet daughter Ego and his fantastic job at Dial Plus telecommunications company could not suppress his past and true personality.

With most of it’s setting in Lagos Nigeria, the novel reveals how Adrian’s once perfect life begins to crumble after an ex- colleague at work who blames Adrian for loosing his job, threatens to destroy his life. A slip from a friend to the wrong ears, and a threatening phone call many years after evolve into some kind of ‘revelation period’ for everyone around Adrian with himself included.

Jude Dibia takes us through the troubled childhood of Adrian who suffers intense rejection by his parents who claim to have tried to harden him when they noticed he was weak. Adrian endures deep rejection and mistreatment from his family and as no one’s favorite child he gets no special treatment like his brothers. He spends most of his childhood alone with himself and devises means of feeling his parents love.

On another hand, we see how learning the truth about Adrian’s sexual orientation forces his wife Ada, his brothers Chinedu and Chika and his in-law Nkechi to notice little things they had once ignored. Ada realizes that the western culture she vehemently opposed in many areas was passionately upheld in certain others like her business. Nkechi on her own notices some traits in he son which she believes are the early signs of possible gayness and decides to do everything as a caring mother to curb the spirit in time. Chinedu opts for a spiritual solution to Adrian’s case and subjects him to an insane method of violent exorcism that leaves him with whip marks to remember. Chika finds out in the middle of the whole twist the loves his brother Adrian.

With Adrian’s family confused, he discovers that the only people who really understand him are his friends Abdul and Femi a gay couple he ignored when he decided to start off his normal life as a heterosexual man.

Adrian turns out to understand himself a lot better than Rotimi a junior staff at work who believes he is not gay even though he had slept with a man once. The urge to be accepted by the society sure makes a lot of people confused about who they are.

Dibia gives us an insight of how the society’s way of passing judgment hampers the lives of people it seeks to protect. He reveals how solutions and corrections made out of fear, ignorance and misinformation can many times betray some good intentions.

Although the entire story follows a monotonous path of heartbreak, betrayal, one episode of rejection or another and the events that unfold around Adrian after his true sexuality is discovered, the book ended beautifully and there is so much to learn from Walking With Shadows.

I found some parts of Walking With Shadows very emotional nevertheless, the book has helped me see a lot of things from a better perspective. Jude Dibia sure did a terrific job with this book. In all honesty I suggest that if you haven’t read this book, you should because you are missing out of life itself. This is no sweet talk.

-Chizitere Ojiaka.

SOME OF MY POEMS

2009-06-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

ACROSS THAT LINE

Kambili you should learn to think of me.

I thought i loved you enough, but you shall

still learn to think of me.

I brought you to life, you should learn

to never forget me.

I killed you. Do you remember?

You should learn to never forget me.

Father anticipates your return

although he knows i took you away

already.

Kele placed his curse on me and he

promised never to forget me.

Now they say they will kill me

ha! humm! I laugh! because,

just like the others before,

i shall escort you on your journey.

The entire ride i cant assure but,

i know you will never come back

once you leave me.

Let us begin....

PATRIOTIC HYMNS

The drum beats once heard

each drummer a drm held.

On the battle field of the south African veld,

each soldier's position the leader read.

For a son each mother wept

with sorrow all were swept.

In every heart only hope was left,

for truly no one knew what to expect.

back to the South African veld,

only gunshots could be heard.

On each palm a loved one's picture was held,

as the ground with blood was fed.

More grief as news begun to come.

Life became unbearable for many and some.

Everyone in sadness became dumb,

and no one bothered about an empty tum.

Alas the survivors return!

Families scramble, no one takes a turn.

People return ready to mourn,

the loss of a brother, father or son.

NAUSEA

2009-06-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Jumoke, let me borrow your

Ajani a while.

Ajani your kiss has left me

with only memories that

the rot in my teeth can tell.

I enjoyed every touch

and to show for it, my skin mourns

as it dies in cancer.

I made you my source.

The source of my content.

Yet you still abused me.

Are you not content?

I still have your scratch.

Oh yes! i refused the scar

it's healing.

I hoarded my thoughts of you

and your rotten features very

passionately that when sanity

begged for its realese, i refused

to sell.

Obim, are you home yet?

Or do the streets still lure you

out to seek more unbroken hearts?

I enjoyed your lips Ajani each time

i sucked it while we kissed.

I am perplexed though that

all i have to show for that enjoyment

are cracked lips and rotten teeth.

Ah! another has just found it's

way out.

Soon i will have nothing to show

for my ability to chew, then all

i will be able to do is to suck and swallow.

Ajani, you took my bite with you

but i will never want it back.

I have not left you Ajani,

but i shall, soon i shall so i can die

in peace.

Of course i will die soon

yet you wo'nt be set free

because my bedsheets will bear

wittness to our affair

our love story is still written on it.

You forgot me, i will forget you.

After we forget together, your face

will still be imbeded in my eyes.

DIARY OF AN UNDERGRADUATE

2009-06-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am a Nigerian, proud to be a Nigerian, but not proud of Nigeria. Four years ago while I was still an ss2 student in secondary school, the thought of leaving secondary school in one year was beautiful, fantastic and overwhelming. My joy however always came to a point of dwindle when I remembered that the idea of the universities in Nigeria I had was a daily-mare.

I sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board [JAMB] exam with great reluctance which was calmed by the fact that at that time, I was left with no choice but to take a first degree in a Nigerian university. Although the stories about the university system in Nigeria crippled my courage, I walked on the hope of an anticipated peaceful and happy experience.

Less than one year after the JAMB exam, I gained admission to study in one of the universities in Nigeria. From that moment, the stories changed and what I began to hear sounded a lot different from what I once heard. Everyone seemed to proclaim that I was in the best university and my choice to study in Nigeria was the best. From all indications everything I heard was true so my hope for a peaceful and happy experience glimmered in the presence of reality and I was sure the entire experience was going to be heavenly.

For most of the beginning of the experience, it was heavenly and now, two years into the four year race, fate and hope have made a twisted exchange. I have come to realize that cultism, drugs, sex seeking lecturers, aristoe hunters, dirty environment and its likes, are not the only challenges a university student is faced with because even their eradication still leaves a sea of other problems.

In many of our universities today, it is almost completely impossible for any student to work and learn as the system is so tight and inflexible. Only a few lecturers are student friendly thereby making the already rigid system ‘rigider’ as students engage in a war for the survival of the fittest. Lecturers most times see mass failure or generally poor grades as a means of showing themselves off as tough-no-non-sense people in order to arouse fear in the minds of the students.

Long hours of shabby and very boring lectures have become a trademark while students have very little time for themselves. Imagine if you have to study mathematics by 4pm or later than that after a long day of so many lectures, or stand in the laboratory from 1pm to 5pm [or longer] all in the name of practical classes. Practical classes where only a few get to see or perform these practices while the others literarily sit and mope as a result of insufficient equipments to practice with. The entire system is so crazy and sickening.

Many times a typical day in a student’s life is characterized by rushing off for lectures that most times will not hold, standing or sitting uncomfortably in overcrowded classes with a lot of heat, shouts, scolds or snobs from angry or depressed members of staff, annoying long processes and ambiguity that frustrate, stories of missing scripts, result mix-ups and others like that. Everyday adds a new member to the list of people who just want to ‘graduate peacefully’.

Christians and Muslims find solace in God, Atheists in themselves, while the others hold on to whatever help they can get. In the midst of all this, ‘we still survive’ and manage to wear our happy faces. We keep quiet and as usual nothing is done.

I am both tired of the situation and disappointed that nothing has been done to bring about any change at all. Something has to be done very soon or else at this rate of deterioration, if the education sector is not re-branded soon enough, then I wonder what future we leave to live in.

-Chizitere Ojiaka.

2009-06-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

PRESS RELEASE: DRUMLINE MEDIA BOOK AWARDS (DMBA) II

EXTENSION OF DEADLINE:
In order to afford the voting public adequate time to vote for their favourite authors and books, Drumline Media has deemed it fit to extend the period of voting for the Drumline Media Book Awards (DMBA) to 21st May, 2009.
All votes received after this date will automatically be disqualified. Winners will be announced in the week following.
At the moment, there are some technical difficulties Drumline Media is experiencing with its website. For convenience and easy voting, the other voting options which are underlisted should be used.1. SMS - Send your vote in the format “Category Author Your Location” to 0703 122 8510. For example, to vote in Category 2: Drumline Media New Voice Award, type: “Category 2: DMNVA Helen Oyeyemi Abuja” and send to 0703 122 8510.2. Email: Send a mail to info.drumline@gmail.com with the subject “Drumline Media Book Awards” clearly stating the category, your preferred author and your location.
All inconveniences are highly regretted.
For enquiries, call 0703 122 8510.
Yours in the same spirit of literature,
Eromo Egbejule
for: Drumline Media

THE TASTEFUL BITE OF HALF OF A YELLOW SUN

2009-06-02T07:26:00.001-07:00

I wrote this poem a few years ago when i just started reading Chimamamda's half of a yellow sun. The book engulfed me with it's passion

THE CALL:

Soaked with the passion
that bit every part of my mind,
Overwhelmed by the strength
that appeared in every description
but betrayed by the inability to feel
the physical construction of my
mind's imagination.
Every word i read sounded so real
and familiar that i wondered if
i had begun to talk to every
character.
I don't know but some how
i found myself in the midst
of the descriptions in my head
and it seemed as though i was
a part of the story.
I think i really was but the only thing
was that Auntie Mandy did not know
what to make out of my presence
because she did not understand my
character well enough to describe me

THE TAKEAWAY:

The story lingered so perfectly that
even while i slept each night, my
mind took me to a perfect scene of all
it had arranged with each description
in the story.
My mind took me to very real
imagination.
This imagination was so real
that many times i died to reality
and awakened to vague thoughts
that seem more real than reality.
Little by little,the style with which
Auntie Mandy presented every character
engulfed my personality so perfectly
that i started to live with a pinch of
every character in the story.
Funny enough every character
had something "emulateable"
and from Auntie Mandy,even more
as she dared to make you feel more
than a mere reader.

THE TAKEOVER:

Still less than half way through
the exciting tale of many parts
of every colour of life, my
heart is least hurried to suck the
last days of the story but is ready to pinch
every page with every bit of passion
it has for the story.
Many times i wonder what this book is doing
to me and how much more of me it will take
before it lets me be.

THE DROWN:

Though paniced by the thoughts of what
the end of the story will tell, the beauty
of the handwritten tale swallows my
curious spirit up and spits me into
a world of thoughtful imagination.
After i have felt each letter with my
eyes,each phase of the story finds
it's room in my mind's heart.
The emmense intensity of the
captivating power of the story has
drowned me deep in the heart of
it's truth.
I wait to see the full sun.

_Chizitere

THE BOOK TOUR

2009-06-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

ARISE OH LITERACTS! [9 WRITERS 4 CITIES].

9 WRITERS, 4 CITIES: THE BOOK TOUR
Nigerian writers recently embarked on an “evangelism” of sorts, on the 17th day of May 2009, to win more souls with their gospel. This search for souls, which held in Lagos at The Palms Shopping Centre, Lekki, had a lot of souls pay homage (although I don’t know how many were eventually caught). 9 Writers 4 Cities is a book tour organised by DADA Books, with the aim of bringing the people closer to their authors and the authors closer to their readers. The tour, which has been on since the 2nd day of May 2009, was first held in Lagos, moved to Ibadan, and then, came back to Lagos, and will have its next edition held in Benin City on the 7th day of June 2009.

The event kicked off at exactly 12pm with an autographing session where people had the chance to get the books they bought autographed by their authors. Although this session started the event, it continued all the way to the end of the entire event. The main book-reading event began at 2pm. Onyeka Nwelue, author of the Abyssinian Boy, opened the floor as he read a chapter from his book. A student from the Indian Language School, Parth, read a review of the book Abyssinian Boy done by one of his teachers, Mrs. Vani Nethiar.
The Abyssinian Boy was not the only book that was read or reviewed. Among the others were To St. Patrick’s by Eghosa Imasuen; I Am Memory by Jumoke Verissimo; Eko Dialogue by Joy Isi Bewaji; From Caves of Rotten Teeth by A. Igoni Barrett; Under the Brown Rusted Roof by Bimbola Adelokun; and Nights of the Creaking Bed by Toni Kan. Publishers were also not left out, as the organiser, DADA Books, and Farafina, a participating publishing company also had the chance to talk about what they do, and enlighten participants on various issues.
Odia Ofeimun, a poet and critic, took some time out of his allotment to talk about the need to get more Nigerians buying books, reading them and loving literature. He stressed the need to involve more “unconverted” people, by making other readings more accommodating, in terms of sound and sitting space, so that we won’t eventually end up only reading out to the same people we already have (that is, people who already have books). He recited one of his poems and concluded his speech with the story of how he grew from an ordinary factory worker to an ‘original’ poet.

The event was however, not only an afternoon of books and tales of books, as some other artistes like Kafayat Quadri, guitarist and publisher, Poetry Digest and S.A.G.E Hasson (a cousin of MI’s) a poetic rapper, entertained us with their magnificent performances. World-acclaimed Crown Troupe of Africa also “wowed” the audience with their songs, drama and other acts of art. Everyone who was present could not help but applaud and smile after their performances of Bewaji’s Eko Dialogue and the poem Ajani from Verissimo’s I Am Memory. They were simply out of this world.
The forum, which gave upcoming writers like me a chance to meet and fraternise with those who have made it to the big literary world, was a huge success. You really should not miss the next lap of the 9 Writers 4 Cities: The Book Tour in Ibadan, because it promises to be an even more explosive BOMB!

JUMOKE VERISSIMO IN MY MEMORY.

2009-06-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

I AM MEMORY BY JUMOKE VERISSIMO.

Unto every human being, a talent of some sort and worth is deposited some where inside. Now, that is the belief. Can it be possible that some people were created or natured with none? After you have read at least one of Jumoke's poems from her I am memory, you will agree with me that some people were cheated by nature or at creation for Jumoke to possess the extremely inspiring talent she possesses.
Jumoke verissimo is a bold poet whose courage is exposed with the letters that stand imbeded in the words that make-up the various lines of her poetry. Her lyrical ability dismantles your present state and builds your mind within the walls of her expression.
Her book I am memory which is made up fourteen poems torn apart under four classes; ["of intuition and emotions", "of an enchanted tale", "of places and poeple", "of falseness of being"] has touched the right spots and brought the dead, forgotten and the dead and forgotten [some are dead while others are dead and forgotten] back to eternal life and memory in our minds.
Jumoke's poems express deep emotions and feelings, [...memory of once intense affection/ the heat of my passion/ my waist pines for your searing/ my aftertaste of loin tussle...] as she bears them out completely in "Sequence [of desire]" where she expressed the pain, joy and memory of a heartbroken lover. Her words sure know how to get you into any feeling although for most of the time you will linger around sadness and pity.
Honestly, Jumoke is very bold and she dares to give voice to "The Silenced", bring back "The Disposed", and fight for the profit of "The Loss" and "The Abused". Her poems describe their titles so well that trapped in the web of their meaning, you somehow find a way to escape to the substance of her story.
Verissimo however, writes so much about poverty, [...the causatic memories of labourers whose inheritance is slummed fathers/ murmur hunger-sagged dreams/ i billow effortlesly into reggae of impoverishment...] pain,[...i know of wounds that dont heal, of scars and foes/ i am the welt of the world/ reflections of guilt and groans/ age-sown pain, that stays, that stains...] and so intense deprssion [...i am those places where death is an appraisal of hope...] without prescribing a remedy or any kind of relief.
For me, I am memory is one book i know will always freshen my staleness even in many years to come. No matter how often i read this book, my hunger will always yearn for more.
In Odia Ofeimun's [poet and critic] opinion, "this poet will travel" but in mine, i'll say "just like the birds whose images are drawn in the book, Jumoke's poems will make you soar, though how high you go is left to you. Truly, Jumoke Verissimo is memory.

- Chizitere.