LOVE!!!

I’m sure that LOVE must be the most popular word in the world! Who doesn’t talk about love? Who isn’t interested in love? Love sells! When you are talking about love, it is guaranteed that you will have an audience.

Of course, there are different kinds of love; or should I say love is used in different contexts at different times for different purposes.

We, the Christians, have our own brand of love called the Agape love. Agape derives its name from the ancient Koine Greek lingua. It was translated into the English language to mean love and it was appropriated into Christian theology to mean the love of God or Christ for humankind. It refers to the covenant love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. This also extends to the love of humans for their fellow humans. This ‘brand’ of love is often regarded as the purest and most unselfish kind (even though all types of love are supposed to be unselfish).

But at least, Agape love has a fixed definition. Not so with the other ‘types’ of love. As diverse as the faces of the people on this planet are, so also are there diverse interpretations and analysis of love.

Some will tell you that love is a profoundly tender affection for another person. Some will say it is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. Yet others will say that it should be a purely altruistic emotion and state of being. Many say that it is sacrificial. They opine that the hallmark of true love is sacrifice and that there should be sacrifices and compromises by both parties.

I have discovered that when it comes to love, every man is a poet! People wax so philosophical when the issue is love and it seems nobody is safe from falling under Cupid’s spell.

A lot of the enduring movies of all time were based on great love stories. Think “Titanic”. Think “Sleepless in Seattle”. Think “Armaggedon,” and you’ll understand what I’m saying better.

A lot of the bestselling books also have love as a major part of their plot. Songs have a better chance of selling out if they are based on love, and so it is no wonder to find a lot of musicians crooning about love/sex. I’m tempted to use the words “love” and “sex” interchangeably because in the world of today, these two words are often misconstrued to mean the same thing.

Some people say that love doesn’t exist but they never shy away from hiding under its cloak to perpetrate crimes of love. For people like that, love is a readily available tool of deceit to help them in achieving their selfish aim.

Love wears many hats as a matter of fact. Earlier on, I mentioned how love is responsible for the success of a lot of films, books and basically the pop culture in its entirety.

However, love is also responsible for most of the violent crimes, war and injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world.

Battles have been fought all because of love! A lot of the deadly clashes between cultists in a lot of our higher institutions started all because of love (even the toughest of hearts are not love proof!). The story of life begins with love, and yet love is also the story of death.

Pause!!!! Let’s think in another direction. Does love truly exist? Is it something that is achievable or just a myth that has been so perpetuated in our mindscape over the centuries that we now take it to be the tangible reality?

Or maybe love did exist, but has long gone extinct together with dragons and dinosaurs? Or maybe love should be redefined. Nowadays, love has a very short life span. It seems to be for good for better for best. Nobody is ready to stick with you when it’s bad so if it ever gets worse, you are guaranteed to be on your own. Love is nowadays based on the benefit that is derived from the person who is being loved. For example, a girl will keep loving her boyfriend as long as he keeps the cash flowing in her direction (I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “No romance without finance”). A guy will also stay in love with a girl so long as she gives him a piece of the action regularly. It’s sick!

Everywhere I turn, I hear people talking about love and my stomach revolts. I rarely see love in action. I used to think it was an African thing but now I know better.

Even the Caucasians who I always thought were priests of love are as guilty as the rest of the human race. A white man will buy you flowers; open the car door for you, even lick your toes every night but he will also readily abandon you the moment his fascination with you ebbs. That is why you hear of marriages that last for all of three hours. Like seriously!

Love is a scam! Ask the yahoo boys and 419ers, and they will tell you that a lot of their formats are baited with the promise of love. Love is universal, and so it easily scales the barriers erected by culture, religion and race. A lot of billions of dollars have been lost in the name of love.

Personally, I think love is over-rated. I believe that it exists but it’s not the utopia that we often imagine. Love is more work than fantasy. It is easy to fall in love, but it is harder to stay in love. Falling in love could be spontaneous but staying in love is a conscious decision that you have to make and remake over time. Love must endure certain tests and challenges before it can really be called LOVE. Just like buildings and other products undergo stress tests to ascertain their durability, so also must love pass through the fire of time before it can be properly formed.

Enough of the fast food type of love that a lot of young people practice these days. Inasmuch as love can easily be faked and can be used to deceive, love is also the most beautiful thing on earth for by loving we create, find and then love ourselves. A soul that does not love cannot have peace.

The love story of my parents have proven to me that love does exist and it is in fact a major part of our lives.

I see a lot of things telling me otherwise in the real world, but I believe that true love is achievable although it is difficult to maintain. Love means different things to different people, but to me, I think love is shelter. If you are truly loved and you love people, even if it’s raining bombs and missiles outside, you will find comfort in the hands of your loved ones.

However if there is no love in a person’s life, even if the world is as serene as a dream, such a person will be in internal turmoil because there is no outlet to express his/her feelings.

Love is overrated, but sly devil that it is, its importance can never be overstated.

Work towards love!

HYPOCRISY

What better way to understand a word than to study its definition? Or isn’t it said that when purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable?

Anyhow, I’m writing on hypocrisy today, and even though I’m fairly certain that I know what it means, I’ve decided to look for the dictionary meaning anyway.

Hypocrisy means:

1.      A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

2.      A pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.

3.      An act or instance of hypocrisy.

With the three definitions above, the most recurring word is ‘pretense.’ To simplify it then, hypocrisy means pretense.

Funny! I believe that everybody pretends or puts up an act one way or the other, so are we all hypocrites?

Some people might even take up arms against me and claim that they do not pretend, but it’s not an argument worth having; everybody pretends!

The best way to live life is to be yourself, but a friend of mine once made an observation that it doesn’t always pay to be yourself! There are instances when a person will have to act more composed or ‘tushed’ to fit into their present environment.

After all, you wouldn’t act the same way you act with your wife with your boss at the office. You may be an outspoken person by nature, but there will be times when you will need to leash yourself and act reserved.

When you get to a new place, there is usually a period of acclimatization whereby you keep your real self under the surface and study the people and things around you before unveiling the real you.

Now, I regard all these as normal. What I find abnormal, nauseating and annoying is the extent to which some people practice hypocrisy. It is manifested in different forms and most times it is despicable because it is often meant to demean another person. I have never understood it!

I remember sometime ago when I was walking with a friend on campus. We sighted a classmate of ours who we didn’t talk to much coming in the opposite direction. The guy didn’t see us, but my friend called out to him and greeted him with broad smiles. Of course, I thought that my friend was happy to see the guy. But hardly had the guy moved on than my friend hissed and called the guy a thief. He told me that the guy was caught stealing in his hostel the night before and as such, he was going to be avoiding the him. My mouth dropped open as if I was seeing extra terrestrial life forms in HD.

“You want to avoid him, yet you called out to him even when he didn’t see you. How does that make any sense,” I asked.

My friend laughed and explained to me that he was just being diplomatic, and that he didn’t just want to ‘free’ the guy like that. Hmmm……

I know some people may see some warped logic in that scenario but I just feel it’s pointless.

If you feel a certain way towards a person, you should be man/woman enough to be upfront with the person concerned as to where your feelings lie. That way there wouldn’t be any assumptions by both parties.

Sadly however, a lot of us are like that my friend. Or even worse!

We have perfected hypocrisy so much that it has become an art form.

A lot of people go to church and mosques but are morally bankrupt. Sometimes, I reason that if we spend half the time we spend on pretending to be holy to actually be holy, then Nigeria would be a paradise here on earth. Or isn’t the paradox so obviously puerile? Come on, who are we kidding. We all act so religious, yet the corruption indices in our country has never been higher!

A lot of people will hide blood in their mouth and spit out snow white saliva. Some will laugh heartily with you but the instant you turn your back, they will begin to plot how they will kill you or bring you down.

The heart of man is despicably wicked, even the Bible says that much. You can only know who you love and not who loves you. Even your closest friends might be your worst enemies. A smile is supposed to convey trust, a bond and acceptance, but often smiles are used to disguise vile intentions. Some people will spend time in elaborate greetings with their enemies, all for the sake of putting up an appearance. Wouldn’t the world be a better place, if you show your enemy pointedly that you are enemies? No smiles, no chit-chat!

 Many people go to school and pretend to be civilized and educated, when truly they are tribalistic, irrational savages. Plenty go to church and act all pious when just beyond their façade of meek humility lies egoistic, arrogant, dishonest, wicked, selfish and cruel personalities.

Not a lot of people speak the truth any more, and therein lies one of our greatest problems in this country. A lot of people are closet critics and analysts. When they are in the comfort of their homes with family and friends, they would itemize the flaws of the government and list ways by which they believe the problems could be rectified. They would rave and rant about how they had imbeciles for leaders.  But when this same set of people get to forums or other public places, where their voices should be heard, they will smile like cowards and pretend that all is well.

A lot of our musicians are hypocrites. Many of them sing about what they cannot dream of doing even in ten lifetimes added together. Some of them claim to be Fela’s disciples, but the only thing they mimic is his style of clothing when they know it will help them sell more records. How many of them are engaged in continuous constructive criticisms of our bereft leaders? I can count them on the fingers of one hand!

Even our Pastors and Imams are not left out! Some of them are professional hypocrites who hide under the garb of diplomacy to hide their spinelessness. Not many of them have the courage to speak the truth!

Like I stated earlier, I believe that hypocrisy is what has made the sore called corruption to fester so badly in our lives. We need to start being real and straight forward as a people.

Hypocrisy meter

If you are an aristo, let the world know who you are, instead of pretending to be holier than thou. If you are a thief, let the world know you for what you are, instead of letting people call you ‘alfa’ while you plunder the public till mindlessly.

Stop the bloody pretense!

ARE YOU A GOOD WOMAN?

The first question some people will ask is, who is a good woman? What defines good? What does a woman have to do to be termed good? Does she have to be exuberantly beautiful to fit that tag? Should she be a mother figure, an encourager….or perhaps a guardian angel?

Sometimes, when I want to tease, I ask girls if they think they are ‘good.’ They readily squeal that they are. I then proceed to ask them what makes them good. They usually begin to stutter at that point.

Essentially, labelling a thing as good usually opens room for wide debate. What is good for one man may be bad for another. But we will all agree that there are ‘universal’ expectations as to how a responsible girl (spinster) should comport herself to befit the status of a good girl.

A good girl must be wise enough to realise that she is a strong independent woman. She should be focused, intelligent and fore-sighted. She must have concrete plans for her future viz self and career development.

A good girl should be humble and ready to sacrifice. A relationship is like cooking a pot of stew. You have all the ingredients, but the soup isn’t ready yet. You have to go through the stress of cutting, washing and grinding the pepper. You also have to bear the heat of cooking while adding the right condiments and spices. As everybody knows, two people might have the same ingredients, but their product will defer.

A good girl must be ready to cut off the bad sides of her partner. Wash him with love and understanding, and then grind him in the engine of trust and time to produce a beautiful and good soup that would be the envy of all.

A good girl should live with the understanding that she is a ‘vision helper’ to her man. Perhaps our President wouldn’t have so much ‘goodluck’ if he didn’t have ‘patience’…lol. She needs to believe firmly in the vision of her man, and should be a source of inspiration to him.

A good girl knows her man: his weaknesses, strengths, likes, dislikes, fears, temperament…..virtually everything about him. A good girl should be an anchor to her man. A balance. His equilibrium point.

She should be the one to caution him about his spending and saving habits. Advice him, as a woman, on the necessity of a man having tangible investments.

Truly, no man is a saint. Men have their faults, but a woman has to overlook her man’s fault sometimes and focus on his strengths. No man is perfect, so there will be lots of things he’s not dong right.

If he is not as caring as he should be, she should take the lead and blanket him with love and care while letting him know that she wouldn’t mind more tender loving care(TLC) herself.

If her man has some negative or irritable habits like procrastination, lackadaisical attitude or drunkenness, the good girl should act like a mother and nurture him into a better person. She should see beyond what he is at the moment and think about his bright and rewarding future.

A good girl should be forgiving. She must regard every mistake of her man as bricks that will build a strong relationship foundation.

A good girl should be ready to be a good mother. A molder of upcoming generations, for women have an enormous responsibility of being the mothers of nations.

A good girl is a virtuous woman. A crown for the head of her man. The Holy Bible says ‘her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her…..she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.’ Need I say more?

A good girl is an asset any man would die to have. Ladies, the gauntlet has been thrown to you. You cannot give what you do not have. Equip yourself and work towards being the best that you can be. No man wants to be tied down to a liability.

ARE YOU A GOOD MAN?

I know a lot of people will ask, who is a good man? What defines good? What does a man have to provide to be termed good? Does he have to be stinking rich to fit that tag? Should he be a father figure, an encourager….or perhaps a protector? I perceive that many will even turn up their noses and scoff that there is no good man on planet earth.

A guy who cheats on his girl might regard himself as a good guy because he spends on her. On the other hand, a guy who is stingy, temperamental and insensitive could score himself as a good guy because he doesn’t cheat on his woman.

 Essentially, labeling a thing as good usually opens room for wide debate. What is good for one woman may be bad for another. But we will all agree that there are ‘universal’ expectations as to how a responsible guy (bachelor) should comport himself to befit the status of a good man.

A good man must be responsible enough to realise that he is a man. He is a provider. He has been automatically cast by nature to take the lead role. By virtue of his perceived strength, he is a role model. He should be focused, intelligent and fore-sighted. He must have concrete plans for his future viz self, family and career development.

A good man should be humble and ready to sacrifice. A relationship is like building a house. You have to cast aside bad and weak bricks, and use good strong ones for construction. Sometimes, you have to tear a part of the building down to get a better structure. You also have to bear the pain of hurting yourself while building. You will also agree with me that two people might spend the same amount of money on a building but the result will vary.

A good man must be ready to prune off the bad sides of his partner. Plaster her with wisdom and corrections, and then paint her with love and understanding to produce a beautiful and durable structure that would be the envy of all.

A good man should live with the understanding that he is a ‘vision builder and helper.’ His woman looks to him for advice, support and direction and he should be ever ready to provide it for her. Perhaps there  wouldn’t be a Tara House of Fashion today if there was no Fela Durotoye  as a pillar of support for her. He needs to believe firmly in the vision of his girl, and should be a source of inspiration to her.

A good man knows his woman: her inadequacies, strong areas, likes, dislikes, fears, temperament…..virtually everything about her.  A good man should be a rock for his girl. A shield. Her refuge and safe haven.

He should be the one to caution her about her pettiness. Advice her, as a man, on how to behave properly in public, with friends, family etc.

Truly,no woman is an angel. Women have their faults, but a man has to overlook his girl’s shortcomings sometimes and focus on her strengths. No woman is perfect, so there will be lots of things that she’s not dong right.

If she is not as courteous as you would want her to be, you should take the lead and subtly teach her about the essence of etiquette. Envelope her with love and care while shaping her into a lady of class and status.

If a woman has some negative or irritable habits like procrastination, lackadaisical attitude or lying, the good man should act like a father and nurture her into a better person. He should see beyond her physical beauty and seek out the beauty of her soul.

A good man should be forgiving. He must regard every mistake of his girl as bricks that will build a strong relationship foundation.

A good man should be ready to be a good father. A shaper of upcoming generations, for men have the solemn responsibility of being the head of the family.

A good man is a diligent male. The pride of his woman. And the glory of his family.

A good man is an asset any woman would die to have. Brothers, the mantle has been thrown to you. You cannot give what you do not have. Equip yourself and work towards being the best that you can be. No woman wants to be hooked to a loser and failure.

MR. AND MRS. ENDOWED

A house in Victoria Garden City. A Lexus, three Toyotas, and one Maserati parked in the expansive garage. A six digit account balance, plus gold chains, wrist watches, bracelets, ear rings, nose rings......gold everything.

That is the kind of life that a lot of us envisage when we think about the good life. And that’s just to start. Most of us also want to have yachts and private planes.

Well, you’re not wrong to think that way! I’m also in your camp.

I fantasize about living a very comfortable life with billions at my spending pleasure. I think about wining and dining with presidents and heads of states. I want the good life!

Wanting the good life is not bad. The problem lies in not having the right perspective of what a good life is.

Money is very important. I would be a raving lunatic to propound otherwise. Even the Holy Bible says, ‘Money answereth all things.’ The place of money can never be over stated! But then brother, my sister....money should never be your goal.

A lot of us go to school and read diligently all in a bid to get the ‘almighty’ certificate. Many of us are not genuinely on a quest for knowledge. We do whatever it takes to pass, forget about the subject totally, and move on to the next course. We do not read to equip our minds. We read to regurgitate. Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO). That’s what we do!

However, a huge portion of the blame for that lies on the shoulders of the government. The universities are not adequately equipped to be the citadels of learning, wisdom and knowledge that they are meant to be.

The laboratories are merely functioning, and sometimes, students have to contribute money to get the job done. The lecturers are always grumbling about non payment of salaries. Tell me, how can they function optimally?

But enough said! No matter the circumstances, we should continually increase our mind power.

In this rapidly changing world, information is the highest currency that a person can have. Your certificate is only as good as the paper on which it’s printed on. Uhm, uhm.

The proof of your education lies in your mind. Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard in 2004 to begin Facebook. He was barely twenty at the time.

This was a young man who realised that his mind is not bound by school walls or library doors. He accepted that his mind is limitless, and he tapped into that potential to create program that billions of people all over the world can’t do without.

Mind power. That’s the real asset!

When this understanding dawned on me (Don’t forget, I said I’m also in your camp), I had a re-awakening.

I re-ordered my priorities and vowed to soak up as much information as I possibly could. But not just for the heck of it, I decided to merge and weld information together to create things of my own.

That’s the good life, I tell you! Creating things that will give other people joy. Things that will inspire millions of others into creating things of their own. Awesome!

The human mind is bestowed with a unique ability to soak up more information than you can think of. As a matter of fact, a group of psychologists once stated, after research, that the average human being utilizes only about 20% of his/her brain power. Wetin we dey take the remaining do? We wan chop am (What do we want to do with the remaining space? Eat it?)

Seriously. You might not have the physical attributes of ‘Superman,’ or ‘Wonder girl,’ but by the sheer potency of your mind, you are Mr./Mrs. Endowed.

Leave it! That’s the fact. A car is a liability. It only depletes your resources; and de-values quite rapidly. The only thing it increases is your face value, which is only for a period of time anyway.

Gold chains, Blackberry phones, trips to Europe......are material things that can be bought. But your mind is an asset that is invaluable. That means you can’t put a price to it.

Today, Mark Zuckerberg can buy whatever it is that he fancies. Come on, the guy is twenty some billion Dollars rich!

If you want the good life, you have to reach deep into your mind and create things. Could be a product, an idea, an invention, a service....anything.  Then, will you be qualified to be called Mr./Mrs. Endowed. 

GIVE ME A BREAK

It was reported some time ago that Nigeria viz Nollywood is the second largest producer of movies in the world. Of course, a lot of theatre and movie practitioners in the country were literarily over the moon at that piece of information. A lot of them gloated and ‘yapped’ about how Nigeria was still able to clinch the number two spot in spite of the numerous challenges plaguing the movie industry.

But we do need to examine that report carefully and also make an holistic appraisal of the situation on ground before jumping to conclusions.

Firstly, the keyword here is ‘largest.’ It doesn’t take into consideration vital aspects like quality, camera, cast, storyline, and audio-visual output……rather, it only recognizes the volume of movies produced.

Bottom line is that we might be producing a lot of films on a yearly basis, but the important question to ask is: Are the films of standard quality? Can they compete at international film festivals and stand a chance of winning awards? Can they be compared to their counterparts in Hollywood and Bollywood?

Truly, the funds, infrastructure, technical know-how and government support is more in those countries, but we also need to take a critical look at the things that we have being able to achieve with the little that we have here.
One major problem I have with Nigerian movies is their story-line. They are usually weak, unintelligent and often times not creative enough.

As a matter of fact, the writer in me cringes when I watch some films. I feel insulted and embarrassed because a lot of these scripts are obviously poorly researched.

Films are a major form of entertainment, but they are also meant to educate and inform, and sadly a lot of our films are not doing that. If you watch the average Hollywood movie in which the lead character is a doctor, there is a very high probability that you’ll learn two or more things about the practice of doctors in reality.

A lot of work goes into their scripts and they do not hesitate to get professional advice when necessary.

The Nigerian police, as an example, has being very bastardized by a lot of Nigerian films. We all know that the Nigerian police in reality have their shortcomings but their portrayal in home videos leave a lot to be desired.

Even the courtroom and lawyers have suffered the same battery. There seems to be no order and procedure in the way ‘ Nollywood’ courts are run. The dressing and appearance of the lawyers are often not good enough.

The same thing goes with doctors and hospitals. The average ‘nurse’ in a Nollywood  movie is usually timid and does nothing other than smile and run in a dull choreographed fashion. The Nollywood doctors are also usually unsympathetic and tactless in delivering bad news to the relatives of their patients. This sends a wrong signal to the outside community whose only insight into Nigeria and the way of life of its citizens is through our films.

I am not postulating that Nigerian movies should represent a skewed reality but my point is that more work and care can go into our films to make sure that our messages are largely factual and positive.

Script writers should also endeavor to be consistent with their characterization and the story thread. It is only in a Nollywood film that a character will bear “Tunde” at the beginning and then midway into the film, the name changes to “Bode.”

Also the choice of location is usually flawed. Instances abound where living rooms have being converted to police stations. That in itself is not bad, provided that the right props are used.

I once watched a film where almost all the scenes were shot in the same house, and yet the director wanted us, the viewers, to believe that different locations were used. As I said before, even that in itself is not bad provided we see different parts of the house, but no, it was obvious even to the blind that the same house was used because the painting was of same colour, the wood paneling was of the same texture, the curtains were the same, the gate was the same…….need I say more?

Another aspect where I have problems with some Nollywood films is in the use of cameras and lightening. Some of the pictures of our films are dull and not clear enough. Also there are lots of background noises, most common of which is the sound of generators and running children. I believe that this can be taken care of my proper editing.

However, I will be most unfair if I do not acknowledge the fact that there are indeed some Nollywood productions to be proud of. Some of our actors, actresses, producers and directors actually put in a great deal of effort into their work, and by so doing, they have been able to break some barriers internationally.

We need a clean break from watery scripts and shoddy movies. It is not about the number of movies we are able to churn out in a year. Rather, we need films that are beautifully done and movies that meet international standards. Then, and only then, should we thump our chest in satisfaction. But for now, a lot of work still needs to be done!

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR FILM AFRIQUE BY TOFARATI IGE

UNILAG/ MAULAG: WHAT'S THE FUZZ ALL ABOUT?

Thank God for Facebook and other social network sites, it is now easy to be aware of the daily news making the rounds in town by just accessing your profile, and without going through the 'stress' of listening to the radio, watching T.V or reading a newspaper.

So it was on May 29th 2012. I had barely logged on to my Facebook and Twitter accounts when I discovered that the trending topic "hot gist" that morning was the re-christening of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The new name amused me when I first heard it and majority of the posts and pictures on blogosphere were just making carricatures of the whole situation e.g one said the National Association of Aristos had met and decided to boycott Unilag (Maulag) girls evidently because of their now ugly name.

I had a good laugh over it. But as events wore on, I discovered that, clearly, this is not a laughing matter. Not with the students protests and also the comments of eminent personalities (alumni and non-alumni alike) on the matter.

At first, I couldn’t get what the furore was all about. I still don’t get it!

What is the bone of contention?

1. Is it that the new name MAULAG is so hideous and the students can’t stand it?
2. Is it that the President did not follow due process in renaming the school?
3. Is it that UNILAG as an institution is so sacred that its name must not be changed to honour a national hero?
4. Is it that UNILAG is too small to be bear the name of “Kashimawo Abiola (as he was fondly called) and it should have been something like the National Stadium?
5. Is it that it was bad timing in light of the recent death of the institution’s VC?

What is the matter?

For as long as I can remember, one of the major ‘sins’ counted against the PDP led government by the Yoruba nation is the fact that no befitting post humous honour has been bestowed upon MKO Abiola at federal level.

As a result of this, I was surprised at the uproar President Jonathan’s decision generated even from the core of pro-democracy activists in the years before 1999. And this got me thinking, are the opposition parties making noise just because they feel they have to make noise? Is this a case of never being able to please everybody?

I honestly thought that the Yoruba people would be happy that the government had finally done something to immortalize Abiola after so many years of  neglect, but……….

Well, I guess in Nigeria, the more you look, the less you see and understand.

Please I want to hear your opinion on the matter. That way, I may know something I’m unaware of!

CARS: MAN'S BEST FRIEND!

noticias automotivashttp://www.microworkers.com/jobs_details.php?Id=t254v27444o2g55394e4b433

If Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then cars are men’s mistresses. In my opinion, beer is the only thing that competes for a man’s attention apart from cars.

Right from childhood, the average boy is fascinated by cars. Whereas, the girl child plays with Barbie dolls and cooking sets, the boy naturally gravitates toward car toys.

And so on though life, the boy is usually giddy with the prospect of having his first car. Even before then, he wants to learn how to drive as early as possible.

It wouldn’t be very wrong to assume that men often equate cars with power. Of course, men being the egotistical power freaks that they are readily use their cars as a form of show off.

Indeed, you can tell a bit about a man by studying the type of cars he likes. If he is into small cars, then you can tell he is a gentle easy going and calm individual.

If he tends towards slightly bigger cars, you can tell that he is a bit of a show-off and muscle man.

Whereas if he goes for very big cars, then you can tell that he is the loud, braggadocios type who always loves to announce his presence in the loudest ways.

Cars indeed occupy a very special position in the hearts of men, and this is evident in the fact that some men spend more money on cars than on houses.

You can even say to a man, ‘Show me your car and I will tell you who you are.’

If a man’s car is dirty, you don’t need a psychic to look into a crystal ball and tell you that the man is unorganized and lazy about his appearance.

If a man’s car is neat, you can be almost certain that the dude is meticulous and very conscious of his personality.

Cars are man’s very good companions. noticias automotivas

Cars are a man’s best friend!

BRING BACK THE BOOK CAMPAIGN (BBBC)

A lot of people find it convenient to scoff at books. Especially in this part of the world, we tend to look down on books as being boring, tasking and unexciting.

Most people gravitate towards other forms of entertainment like music, movies and dance for their pleasure. There is even a common saying that, “If you want to hide a secret from a Nigerian, keep it in a book.” How insulting! To even think that some people say that with glee…..yuck!

He who can read but does not read is worse than she who can’t write at all.

Books contain a world of treasures. Books have the power to transform your life and widen your horizon. They often possess the ability to take you beyond your world. And yet a lot of people still don’t pay attention to books.

However, it is not a peculiar Nigerian phenomenom as this trend seems to be revealing itself worldwide. the population of readers is on a rapid decline and my fear is that if nothing is  urgently to arrest this ugly situation, the book will become extinct before a long time.

We also need to grow beyond the conventional thinking that a book has to come in print. No! The world hasn’t changed so much that the printed book has been discarded, but the ways by which we can read and pick up information has been broadened into so many channels.

We have e-books and books can also come in audio versions. The bottom line is that the the flow of information must not be stiffled.

Of course, government has its fair share of the blame because reading hasn’t being made attractive enough. The big companies also have a slice of the ‘blame pie.’ We have so many musical competitions, dance competitions, even cooking competitions, but how many reading competitions do we have? Your guess is as good as mine, zilch!

Essentially, we are flagging off a campaign and our ultimate motive is to get Mr. Books elected for a limitless tenure. We can do it.

Please stay tuned for more details.

LOOKING FOR MY CONSCIENCE

LOOKING FOR MY CONSCIENCE
You see,
I was raped,
devoured and abused,
and in the process,
I was stolen,
stolen,
far from me,
stolen from me,
removed away from myself,
made to betray myself,
I was stolen away,
to be returned a bastard.

Eledumare,
I raise my head to you,
looking for succour,
for inspiration,
I look up,
for where else will my help come from,
than from up?

But then,
am I lying,
for I do it so much these days,
I can't tell the diffrence,
because I dont want a solution,
I love the bastard given to me,
the clone living inside me,
I love living without a soul,
'cos that's what the world needs?
I'm in a city of lost consciences,
battered hearts,
and I'm loving it.

I'll rob and steal,
cause pain and break hearts,
and wont care anyway,
what differs me from a  machine,
I'm only an operating system,
without feeling,
without caring,
I'm looking for my conscience,
but I'm not sure I want to find it.

LIFE AND DEATH (PART TWO)

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LIFE AND DEATH

Dupe looked around her with fear in her eyes. The street was dark, and the only sound that travelled through the night was the hungry bark of a dog she could not see.
There were about four abandoned vehicles on the deserted stretch of tarred road, and she quickly made her decision. She bent down to a crouching position and ran to the nearest car to her.
Her ‘eleda’ was at home that day because the car was opened and she quickly got into it.
Not long after, three men came running through the street with guns drawn.
“Where the hell did the bitch go?” their leader shouted. He punched his fist in anger, and scanned the street. “Look for her, and when you find her, bring her to me so I put a bullet into her frigging brain myself,” he said.
“Yes sir,” the men responded and fanned out.
Dupe heard all this and wet herself in fear.


Chief Taylor was obviously worried. He paced aimlessly round his expansive living room, and soon his wife couldn’t help but comment on his anxiety.
“Chief, is anything the matter? You don’t seem to be yourself.” She said.
“Oh, there’s nothing my dear,” he replied and shrugged her off with a smile.
“My darling, I’m not a kid, and I’ve lived with you for over twenty years. I know something is bothering you,” she said and moved closer to him.
“Oh come off it woman, I said there is nothing wrong. Can’t you just let me be?” he shouted and left the room.

Ajigi jaga put his lips to the Rizla paper in his hands. He smoothened the marijuana in it, and closed off the top.
He struck a match, and soon the bitter sweet aroma of burning weed permeated the air. As the ganja began to connect to his brain, he smiled. A wicked, sinister smile.
“Scorpion, your father! You fuck me up yesterday. If I smoke this igbo finish, I swear I go kill you,” he said to the scary looking young man who knelt down in fear before him.
“Ah, baba I beg no be so. Abeg....”
“Sharrap!” Ajigi jaga interrupted him. He stood up and dealt Scorpion a dirty blow that left him howling in pain.
Just then there was a bold, firm knock on the door.
Ajigi jaga paused, looked furtively around, and felt the butt of his Browning pistol for assurance. He stepped to the door, put his left hand to the knob while his right hand palmed the butt of the pistol.
“Who b dat?” he whispered. A dangerous, and mean whisper.
“Open the goddamn door. It’s Chief.” A voiced responded from outside the door.
Ajigi jaga quickly thrust the door open.
“What the hell happened last night?” Chief Taylor screamed at the men.
“Baba abeg, na one small fuck up happen. We go take care of am.na only one of dem escape,” Ajigi jaga begged.
“What the heck are you telling me? You go take care of what? Do you realise that young girl who escaped saw my face. And the face of the other elders as well? She knows who we are, I’m finished. Ehen, but before I finish you will end,” he threatened.
“Where did you get the girls from in the first place?” he asked.
“Na Unilag chief,” Ajigi jaga answered. “Na the normal runs girl wey dey the school sir,” he continued.
“Find her, okay. That girl must not live to see the sun set. Or you, the both of you, will not live to see the sun set,” Chief Taylor threatened and stormed out of the room.

Mama T, as the porter of Newest Hall in Unilag is fondly known, dusted her table with the casualness of someone who had done the same thing over and over again for years. She found some plates underneath the table, and called out to the food vendor across the hall.
“Mama Ngozi, come and pack your plates that are here o before I throw them away,” she teased her.
Just then Dupe walked briskly across the hall towards her room.
“Ahan Madam Dupe, se e ni ki wa leni ni (won’t you greet us today?)” Mama T asked.
“Mama T, I’m sorry, please I’m in a hurry. Good morning ma,” Dupe turned briefly and waved at her.
“Ahh, is that not blood I see on you blouse? Dupe, hope no problem?” she asked.
“Its lipstick,” Dupe replied and hurried to her room.

Linda was about going out of the room when Dupe walked in.
“Oh Dupe where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you. I was even about going to the police station,” she said.
Dupe collapsed unto the bed, and dissolved into tears. Linda was alarmed and she rushed to her side.
“Dupe, whatever happened to you? What about the other girls? I tried to reach Ify, Tosin, Funke but none of their numbers was available. Dupe please talk to me, you are making me scared,” Linda said.
“The girls are all gone. Dead! All of them. Slaughtered like chickens and their bloods drained into bloody calabashes,” Dupe blurted out in tears.
“What?!” Linda screamed. She began to cry and she hugged Dupe tight. “Oh, Dupe we have to go to the police.”
“No,” Dupe said and looked furtively around. “I saw some men. Big, powerful men in this country. They were all into this occultism and the girls were used for rituals. I would have being killed too but the sleeping tablet they gave us didn’t have a lasting effect on me.
“Oh, they will kill me Linda. How I wish I had listened to you all these years when you advised me against doing aristo runs. Oh my God, I’m in trouble,” Dupe finished in nerve wracking sobs.
“God is in control. Take it easy, everything will be well,” Linda consoled her.
“But the men are after me, and they know that I’m a student of Unilag. A black soap was also rubbed all over my body, and I’m afraid it’s going to have a negative effect on my life,” Dupe continued in uncontrollable tears.
“Take it easy Dupe, do you know the house you were taken to?” Linda asked.
“Not really, we all met at the bar at Ozone, had a few drinks, and from there everything is a blur,” Dupe answered.
“This is serious. I have to call an uncle of mine who works with the State Security Service (SSS). He should be able to help us,” Linda said.
“No,” Linda shrieked. “These people are very well connected and they have tentacles spread out all over the place,” she voiced her concern.
“You have nothing to worry about. He is a top officer and I’m sure he’s going to do everything possible to protect us,” Linda assured her.
She brought out her Nokia handset and dialled her uncle’s number. She started to speak with him, but the connection was bad so she moved out of the room where she could get better network coverage,”