My Year's Briefing.lol.

Every year end, i go down on my knees and bless God for making me see anoda year, for giving me an opportunity to complain about something amiss or the other, for giving me the opportunity to whine about being deorived of something - because you see, being able to complsin means there is life, and when there is life, there is always a will. I also thank Him for inumerable blessings that i take for granted in my everyday routines.

This God, He is God.

This year has rolled by and i am a stickler for writing down goals at the beginning of each year or even at the end. I edit it on my birthdays, but somehow, this year, i didnt get to write anything down on what i wanted, i just beleived in my heart that things would be great. Hmm.. He never said things would be so easy. Anyway, i went out today to make my hair and thought back to what i was doing around this time last year - trying to hold on to a dead relationship i guess. Anyway, i went to weave my hair and myfavorite apprentice amongst the girls (the girl is not older than 16 i am sure) just kept throwing up, i looked at her white face and knew the little girl was pregnant. Oh well, this time last year, i would have been judgemental about her predicament but this time this year, i just told her madam to take it easy on her when she started attacking her physically and verbally. I guess the year has changed me a lot.

In this new year, I ask God to grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

See you in a better tomorrow!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.
ITS A SEASON FOR LOVE, SHARING, LAUGHTER AND GRATITUDE TO GOD. ENJOY! GOD BE WITH YOU

Anoda Okada Wonder

An okada rider taking a quick nap under the boiling sun. lol. Lagos do have 'em.

THE HORRORS OF OKADA ACCIDENTS

Before you flag that Okada (commercial motorcycle), read this:

According to findings,okada accidents claim not less than 1,800 lives yearly in Lagos. From data provided by The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in 2007, a total of 587 deaths resulting from okada accidents were recorded in the hospital. Its thesame story in the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, where a minimum of 10 Okada accident victims were recorded daily.At the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, about 20 okada accident cases are reported on a daily basis and at least two of these usually die as a result of injuries sustained in the accidents.

All these can be attributed to the reckless and "king of the road" attitude okada riders have adopted, making ridiculous conscious efforts to outrun vehicles from the road

Okada accidents have become the most frequent and most fatal accidents that occur in lagos state. Gone are the frequent molue accidents we used to witness back in those days. It is even said that one of the wings of the Lagos orthopeadic hospital is set aside for Okada accident.

On a more lighter note, has anyone ever entered an okada ridden by an hausa man i lagos? You tell them your destination, they just nod "yes" like they understand and take you on a merry - go - round journey. You would be surprised to find yourself in thesame spot you started from.


Resource
http://www.tribune.com.ng/21072008/news/news7.html

GOD'S LOVE

Nothing convinces me more of the tolerance of God than the way the description of Him has been so abused and trampled upon by all and sundry who are given the gift of speech.

God is love.

Love is His very own nature, yet a murderer, liar or prostitute - a lesser mortal - declares his/her undying love for another. How can such a person love? One of life's intrigues, i guess.

I have never heard such touching definition of love like i read in one of Ted Dekker's novels, show down. One of his characters define love as " the purest expression of selflessness. Its the desire to please at the expense of one's own sense of need. Its looking for another to betray their desire so you can fulfil it" Hmm . . . this kind of love is rare these days right?

So we think anyway.

Love abides with us, if only we let ourselves love, look beyond betrayals and human weakness, Such love abides with us if we but look up and seek refuge in God who is love.

What i think love is not

Love is not sex

Love is not selfish

Love is not perfect

True love is rare and those who find it should hold on to it because it is better to risk being in love than to risk never experiencing the beauty of ever being in love.

No two ways

There are no two ways to these. i am simply crazy. Really crazy.

MY APRIL DAYS

April starts with a lot of foolery, what with april fool day being the first day of the month and all. I wonder when and why it all started.(i guess i wld do a little research on that).
My april started with a clash of conflicting emotions. I still can't grasp it, cant understand the whole thing. I am not sure what will come out of it all, but i am very sure of one thing though, i cannot wait to see the first rays of the morning sunlight welcoming may.
It's not what u are thinking. surem may 1st comes with a holiday, its not that at all. There is so much i should be devastated about, but i thank God that i still have life... i thank God that i can have anoda chance... i thank God that i can have many wonderful months, years ahead ....
I cannot wait for this month to end...... Cos i am looking forward..... not behind me.

ABORTING OUR FUTURE

Many people are very, very concerned with the children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own child - what is left for me to kill you and you kill me -- there is nothing between.
MOTHER TERESA, 1979

As i sat in the lounge of the Lagos Television studio in 2004, i could not help but notice and feel saddened by the little baby sitting on a woman's lap and trying unsuccessfully to balance her head on her shoulders. Her head seemed to carry all the weight of her little body. The little baby was a product of an abortion that went wrong. Her mother had taken abortion drugs which was supposed to kill the baby, but rather than kill the baby, deformed and affected the health of the baby badly.

Perhaps the subject of abortion is a sensitive one, with so much emotional turmoil accompanied with every case, but the increasing cases of abortion in Nigeria and beyond is becoming a thing of concern, especially among teenagers . Although, abortion is illegal in Nigeria and done only to save a woman's life, many women and teenagers alike have put themselves in danger as well as their unborn child by undergoing abortion.

Abortion simply put is a procedure to end a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the mother's womb.It is a procedure used to end an unwanted pregnancy. There are two ways that abortion can be conducted: through surgery or through the use of drugs.
A particular drug gaining ground in developing countries like Nigeria to abort unwanted foetus is the RU486 and another is an ulcer drug called misoprostol.

Most attempts to abort with misoprostol drug is not often successful and doctors have discovered a high rate of birth defects among infants exposed in utero to misoprostol, such as fused joints, growth retardation and a paralysis of the face called Moebius syndrome. Many of this children are abandoned soon after birth and left for dead.While in the case of visiting a quack doctor, the mother might not be so lucky to live.

The society has a great role to play in the fight against abortion in the country, Early sex education should be given to children when they begin to reach puberty stage, also the need for the parents to be there for the children at particular times that might seem crucial to the development of the girl child.

The government also has a role to play, as some of these abortion drugs can be bought cheaply across the counter. The sales of these drugs should be checked knowing that the risk involved in using these drugs is very high.

As Ronald Reagan quoted in the NewYork Times rightly puts it "I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born". We should give our unborn children the right to live, to become something in life, to affect our world.

I BELEIVE IN ME

If u cant be a highway
be a trail
If u cant be a sun
Be a star
Its not by size
that u win or fail
be the best of what you are
- Anonymous
Beleiving in one's self is having self confidence. Self confidence is conceiving the plan, knowing you can do it and actually doing it. Self confidence is all about giving yourself great worth. Understanding who you are and what you are made to be and to achieve. Self confidence means trading your fears for successes.
Henry Ford said " whether you think you can or you can't, you are ususally right". Your way of thinking has a diverse effect on your confidence. When you think " I cannot do this" then you already have the conviction that you can never do it and it will only take a miracle for you to get there. When you actually try to do it, you end up failing because you have already convinced yourself of not being able to do it.
On the other hand, when you beleive that you can do it, and have the conviction to try and try again until you hold the winning card, then you just might get there. The greatest pleasure inlife is actually getting to the stage that people beleive that you can never get to in life.. It only takes a little criticism to deflate a person's self confidence. Acting positively on criticisms is the only way to overcome this.
Self confidence is often triggered off from the thought process. What you think that you can do and how much you think you can achieve can adversely affect performance in life.
Self confidence is the way you dress. Many say that it is the way you dress that you are adressed. Dressing up to suit different occasions, seasons and environments makes you fit in better.
Self confidence is who you associate with. who are your friends? how do they influence you? positively or negatively? Do they keep laughing at every new idea that you have? Do they motivate u.
Self confidence is knowing God's purpose for your life. What do you think God wants you to achieve in life. Obviously God wants you to succeed. So go out there and make it happen.

IJEOMA MY LOVE: MY WIFE

It was not love at first sight when I met Ijeoma. There were no explosive desires. Not even a spark. The only fire that was flying around was Ijeoma’s fury as she screamed invectives on me. What was that saying about hell having no fury? But in this case the woman was not scorned rather she was badly soaked with muddy water, which I had unwittingly splashed on her when I had hit a pothole with my car.
"I am very sorry. If there is anything that I can do." I kept apologizing over and over again.
"Anything you can do ehn?" she had asked getting even angrier and I wondered why I had even stopped to apologise when other drivers would have just zoomed off, but not me. I thought grimly.
"Yes. I would be happy to help." I answered placating
"Okay, it is either you get me new clothes right this minute or get me a new job" she had said folding her hands across her bosom obviously ready for a fight. God! I have never met such a woman with so much passion. As she stared back defiantly at me, her big black eyes shooting daggers under long and elegant eyelashes, her small but sensuous lips pouting. I was hooked.
"New dress, new job. Wow!" I muttered under my breath, but she seemed to have heard, because at that moment her eyes lowered a little and her lips began to tremble.
"Hey I did not mean to..:" I started to apologise but she just waved my apology away and started walking away. I knew I was late for work but I just could not help myself. I just ha to follow her.
"I can get you new clothes if that will make you happy" I said hopefully but she did not answer me but kept walking away. "But I am afraid that I cannot help you with a job" I continued somewhat foolishly.
"What am I going to do now?" she asked throwing up her hands "I am dirty and also late for my job interview at ikeja. I guess I will just go back home and you should just leave me alone" she said walking even faster. It was the "ikeja" that got me. \Okay, I know that ikeja is one big working place but out of curiosity I needed to know.
"What company exactly?" I asked
"Premium computers" she answered distractedly. Then the hilarity of the whole situation hit me and I began to laugh. This was the ijeoma that I was rushing down to go and interview in my office. When she noticed my amusement, she pointed an accusing finger at me
"And you think that is funny?"
"No no.. , it’s just that I am the ceo of premium computers and I am supposed to be interviewing you" I had said . she had been horrified and then she started to apologise. I guess she needed the job and I needed to hear those lips call my name, I needed to know how it would feel to hold in my hands such a beauty. I needed to see her again. I gave her the job on the spot and she was ecstatic.
Working with Ijeoma as my personal assistant was beautiful. She was a hard worker. We were always doing things together in the office and she was my right hand man. Although we never crossed the employer – employee line but I was on the verge of doing so 2 months into her job. Staying so close to Ijeoma all the time was making me lose my mind. I needed to have her. I was losing my heart to a woman who worked for me. A month later, I just could not take it any longer, one minute I was showing her something on the computer and the next minute I was kissing those exotic lips. At first she resisted then she started to kiss me back with such passion that I have never seen in a woman before. As my hands started to make its way slowly to the top button of her shirt there was a soft knock on the door, which brought me back to reality.
From that moment, I just could not pretend anymore. I knew that I felt something for ijeoma and I know that ijeoma felt it too. We had a stolen kiss here and a stolen kiss there until we could not reign in on our desires any longer. We gave in to our desires and had the greatest sex ever and God was it beautiful. Six months later we got married in a most beautiful wedding. Six years later, I still feel that I am married to the greatest woman ever..

Iya bournvita

My heart cries for just one woman. She is not goodlooking, yet she is beautiful. She is just the woman i have dreamt to spend all my life with. She is my last step to happiness. I have achieved all my life's ambition. I have a house, even if it is uncompleted and the plumbing bad. - hey, i don't need to pay rent. That means enough money saved up on rent. I have a car. A station wagon that makes too much noise. But hey, what is a little noise?enough room for my future kids. I am fulfilled. all i need to add to the pretty picture of my house is a wife. My wife. My TinuI met Tinu on my way out one fine day. I offered to give her a lift. She accepted. My car was practically crawling and making enough noise to raise the dead. I felt good. Is this not what cruising in the neigborhood was all about? I ignored the dirty looks passersby sent my way and the angry honking of angry pedistrians and cars as they passed me. One actually screamed at me"see mr titus, go and do smtg about this your car. It is polluting the air" i just shrugged.Life is good. Life is really beautiful. I have a car and a house and people were only jealous because of my achievements. I smiled at Tinu and winked. She smiled back. Out of amusement or just plain frustration at the slow pace of the car, i don't really know. As i neared where she would drop, she gave an audible sigh. was that frustration i heard or just dissappoitment on having to end the pleasant journey? i think she is just dissapointed to be leaving my company, i thought. Satisfied with my own explanation. From then on, we became friends, no - very good friends. Did i hear u say wedding bells? But first, i had to meet her mother.Iya bournvita. A mother in law from the land of taking. Iya bournvita as i call her, not out of any affection of any kind, but out of frustration. Iya bournvita made it clear that i don not come to see her daughter without dropping something. I had to go there brandishing provisions like milk, sugar, sardine, bread and so on. She was my only pain. She was the only one stopping me from reaching my goals with tinu. Each time i went to see tinu, Iya bournvita would sit in front of their house, like she had been expecting me, scratching her..... plain tired

Between Her Breast and His Mouth

Sitting down in the dilapidated bus, i was praying fervently for the bus to get filled up. Even taking a flight from lagos to Kaduna did not help in shortening the journey to Zamfara. I always perceived it as a little dot in the Nigerian map, till i was sent there.

I looked at the people from the window of my seat in the bus, soon it will be dark. Many of the people were beggers. It seemed to me that begging was just another form of business in this section of the northern part of the country.

A man walked up to the window of the bus and smiled at me, i was highly taken aback by the stench that followed as he used a finger to pick his nose. He started saying something in hausa that i couldnt catch and grinned. I just couldnt help myself. I just had to turn my face and hold a hand to my nose. This made the man laugh all the more and walk off. Leaving a trail of flies following him.
I sighed.
Thinking to myself " what in God's name am i doing here?"

Soon, the bus started to fill up and a little girl not more than 12 came in carrying a baby. She smiled at me. The baby was rake thin and looking really fragile and was whimpering softly.

"Inakwana" she said in greeting. Good. Atleast i understood that

"Lafia" i replied and smiled back. She was very beautiful and very young too. The baby she was carrying was obviously hers, a baby boy. Dressed in a native blouse and wrapper with gold bangles adorning her wrists, it was sure that she was married. I wondered who to, until an old bent man came in and sat beside her. Hmm... must be her husband. I thought. I almost cringed visibly when he smiled at me. He had next to no teeth and the only front teeth that was visible was as brown as his gum. I turned my face away and pretended to be engrossed in the scene outside the window. Soon the bus was filled and we started on our journey. I sighed in relief and frustration at the smell of unwashed bodies and strange perfumes in the bus.

I prayed the journey will end soon. no such luck.

As the journey progressed, so did the bumps o the road and the wailing of the baby. I was getting increasingly irritated by everything, as the other passengers seeme doblivious to the whole noise, bumps and flies that seemed to be flying everywhere. The little mother tried to pacity the crying baby by putting sugarcane in his mouth, but the baby was having none of it.

Her companion/ husband looked at the baby and said something in hausa to which in reply the little mother put her hand under her cloth and tried to bring out a non existent breast to feed the baby. I watched, curious as to how she was going to feed the baby with such little breasts.
With each bump, his mouth got misplaced in the folds of his mother's blouse as he had little or nothing to hold on to the breast. Iwatched in fascination to see what the mother will do. She held the baby's head very tightly to her chest, almost suffocating the baby. I flinched at the intensity to which she was using to force the baby to get milk from her little breasts.... Hmmm... the baby yelled all d more. trying unsuccessfully to come up for air.

I prayed to God to spare the life of the little one.

A Time in A Girl's Life (just brooding)

Its just one of those days when u feel like u are alone in everything. When u have so many friends, yet they look like acquaitances to you. When you want people to be there. To tell them about your troubles or maybe the lack of it (then why am i feeling this way?) they are there (listening or shld i say pretending to listen) but not there at all.
No matter how much they tell you they care and wld want to help you take ur troubles away, i always remember that they are only human and wld let me down someday. (So knowing this, why should i feel bad when they do?)
It is a wonder that i still trust. I am not naive but then i am soft. Too soft. How can i harden up? i wonder. Really trying hard to do just that. i am failing miserably.
Everything is just getting to me. I am tking a little break from the net. maybe i might come back online tonite. who knows? Hey! my strongest trait has never been staying away from the net.
But one thing i know right now is that i want to be left alone. if i seem unreasonable short and testy, i just pray my friends will understand that i am just being me and i have my mood swings