Random musings..

My attention was drawn some minutes ago on the TV, to a news item I find disturbing as well as funny. A young man, Curtis Jones, aged 29, was being released from prison after serving his full jail-term of about 18 years. What caught my attention was, he was convicted at age 12, making him the youngest ever being sentenced to jail in the US. I then stopped to ask myself. What sort of crime would a child (a minor) commit that would warrant his being sentenced to jail because for all I cared, he was supposed to be young, innocent and naive -knowing only what was required for his age. Child killings, bizzare crimes and everything associated to these two have become a growing trend in the Western world and I find the issue at hand not only worrisome, I find it outrightly disgusting!!! In the case of Jones, he was charged with the murder of his step-mother and some other relative I didn't care to take note of and the justification given was that "he suffered sexual abuses from these relatives of his causing him to pull the trigger on the both of them". Hmmmm. The thing tire me shaa. If he suffered sexual abuses, why didn't he report to the appropriate authorities?? Was killing in a gruesome manner the only option??. I even wonder where they get the guns and weapons they use to perpetrate such crimes. Now, this is just a tiny part of the grouse I have with this 'oyinbo' people.
What really tears my heart into shreds is that after these 'yeye' children do all these things, the older folks give a thousand and one reasons to justify it. This is when terms like depression, mental disorders, brain malfunctions etc come in to play and instead of dealing with the issue at hand, they recommend them for endless and meaningless therapeutic sessions, meetings with psychologists, doctors, or take them to rehab homes for their 'crase' to be cured. It's only in oyinbo country that one would hear of sicknesses and diseases that are non-existent, well maybe because in this part of the world where I come from such things don't exist and we never get to hear of silly stories like that. If I'm to treat this issue with levity, I'll simply say oyinbo children are foolish!! If not how does one explain the fact that when watching some TV shows that involve violence it would clearly be spelt out "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!". Who doesn't know that taking poisonous substances can cause harm, pulling the trigger can kill or stabbing someone with a knife can kill too, but NO, they simply want to try out every stupid trick they see on TV.
Even though Africa is being regarded as relatively backward compared to other continents of the world, under-developed, etc I still take pride in being African because if not anything our morals, values and cultures are being held intact and inculcated into the young ones. You wouldn't find a young child here exchanging words with his parents - except say better back-hand slap don dey hungry am or a child locking himself up in a room for days claiming depression or brain malfunction. Here, na hunger go chase you comot or cure that crase and even when you eventually come out, the buttocks-lashing you'd receive would be one that wouldn't be forgotten in a hurry. It annoys me to think that parents can't take adequate responsibility of their children and the children themselves are groomed to be STUPID from the outset. Sometimes I just can't help but thank God for placing me where I am oh if not maybe by now, my 5yr old sister for don carry gun shoot me or take knife stab me finish.... In all, nothing concern me shaa -only stating the obvious.
#ProudlyAfrican #ProudlyNigerian

My Sunday diaries 1

Its Sunday. A combined service in church. All the branches in the state are assembled to hold a single service here in the state headquarters. I come to church with my siblings about 2hrs late. Purposeful lateness. The cars, people and chairs littered about seem uncountable. I gently walked into the church premises taking great care not to stumble over my high heels. A tap on my shoulder from behind nearly startled me. These ushers ehhn..they won't kill somebody ooh!
"Beloved sister, are you a new comer?" A very dry-looking female usher asked me with her head wrapped in a manner that reminded me of accidents and bandages and her black skirt swept the floor. I had a slight frown on my face and something in me wanted to scream and say "NOOOOO I'M NOT!!" because I'm always asked this question by these ushers who take delight in making others feel stupid but I just managed to keep calm.
"No I'm not" I replied as I made my way to walk out on her.
"My sister, please o don't vex. But you don't look like us. As a chosen sister you need to put on the full armour of christ and in doing so, you need to look christ-like". I only smiled, slightly giving her a nod which she probably took as an affirmation from me to go on with her preaching. By now, here I stood with this overzealous usher as we became the cynosure of all eyes. Other ushers and "born again brothers/sisters wondering what Sister whatever-her-name-is was discussing with a devil in human flesh like me. Afterall my appearance was devilish and 'jezebelic' to them.
"Look at your shoes my sister..its too high for a child of God, all these shoes are from the pit of hell and they are made for jezebel and her followers.." My preacher -usher continued.
"Thank God you have your bible here. Let us go to the scripture for emphasis. Open to the book of.." she started to open the bible which she'd clutched under her armpit all the while and I knew I wouldn't survive this anymore.
"Errmmm, I understand and I promise I'll repent. I'll go for altar-call today." I said smiling slyly as i suddenly realised my foolishness.
"Praise be to God..please throw this shoe away after today. Let me get you a seat." Just as she left, I stood there transfixed for a moment. I wondered, when would we just do away with religious fanaticism and resist the urge to judge others?? It beats my imagination that merely looking at somebody, these 'holier-than-thou' critics would just conclude which category you fall into -the damned savages bound for hell fire or the redeemed chosen ones of the Lord already in heaven. Once you appear in church with dry and broken lips, with your skin bearing a resemblance with one that hasn't seen cream or moisturisers in months, with your head wrapped up in a bandage-like manner strong enough to give one a migraine or your skirt sweeping the floor as you walk, then AUTOMATICALLY, you win a divine ticket to heaven to be in the bosom of Father Abraham, regardless of your lifestyle. Sometimes I wonder how people become so hypocritically immersed in their religious beliefs that they often forget what it's like to be themselves and in doing so, go against what's really obtained in the bible they preach so much about. They judge, criticise, discriminate and spit offensive words at others simply because they just aren't like them. I thought, if we can just let people live for who they are, embrace them the way they are, and try to correct them without so much tongue-lashing...the world and especially Nigeria surely would be a better and simpler place to live in.
She returned with the chair grinning from ear to ear and I only gave a slight nod with a bland expression on my face in a manner to say "thank you".
"Don't forget our discussion o"
I said nothing. I took the chair from her and focused on trying to get a space to fix it outside. I knew it was only the beginning of so many more to come so I braced myself up for the 'challenges' ahead. Lol. My church shaa.....

A fresh start...

Good morning y'all. It's a new day. Let us awaken to a fresh start, to fresh possibilities and to the conviction that we can conquer every obstacle. Let us get alive and awaken our minds and bodies to the gift of a brand new day because it's not just another ordinary day, it's a day of big opportunities!! Let us fill our minds with greatness, think big thoughts, create healthy relationships and surround ourselves with people willing to see us excel. We shouldn't underestimate the power of our thoughts, words and tiny actions even as we begin to speak positively, profess good things over the bad, and take steps in the right direction because each day brings with it a new gift and we either choose to accept or reject it. Let us act like winners as we win our way into victory, that's the only way we can start our morning to find success and most of all, let us not forget to give thanks. Give thanks for life, for the light, for health, for strength, and for the joy of living.....Let's all start life on a new page!! GOOD MORNING!!!!!!!

A Saint in Disguise

".....the strange figure straddled him and held very firm grip of his neck. He struggled so hard to let go, his eyes bulging and his breath gradually ceasing but the more he tried, the weaker he became as the figure whose face he couldn't even picture got greater hold of him. He let out a shrill cry and jerked up from his nightmare with tiny beads of sweat streaming down his face, neck and chest. He clutched the white sheets closely and noticed it was damp. His sweats had dampened it. Gradually, with dreamy eyes he looked around him and for a second, stopped to wonder how and when he got here all alone. It was then it struck him!! Where was she? He wondered. He sluggishly got off the bed and noticed that his shoes had been taken off and his belt hook undone. There were no traces of her in the room- no handbag, footwear or probably littered clothes. In his awe, he paused for a moment to remember her name. Then he made his way to the bathroom, gave the door a slight tap while gently calling out her name. When he got no response,he opened the door, peered  in, and to his utter amazement, she wasn't there either....."


Excerpt from "A SAINT IN DISGUISE " - Coming soon!!

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