RESPECT

Respect. Not only is it reciprocal, it is of a copernican nature; important and now radically different. Respect just implies giving someone who is not necessarily above you some level of recognition, that’s how I see it. Elites see it as a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. Now respect isn’t just something the younger one has to show the elder one rather its something even the elder has to show first before being reciprocated by the younger. You had to first respect yourself if you would have others respect you. Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners. And our morals and manners both go a long way in making us better individuals.
Respect in the African home is something we must have been conversant with because as africans we are compelled to show it even though we may be reluctant to do so. Indeed it is quite important as it opens good doors in our lives. No matter who the person is, show him or her some form of respect. Just show it!

“TOMORROW” by Okiyi Roberts Ezikpe

1:
I see light after today
A bright light at that
But we are still in darkness which is a true fact
Hopefully things would change after today
About 5.4 decades ago
We left our father
And since then we have been under the care of our mother
I know, You know, We know, They know
That our tomorrow isn’t here yet
Why?
Everyday goes by
From sunrise till sunset
We still can’t find that dreaded day
Unfortunately our leaders still remain our barrier
Instead of acting as a carrier
What more can I say

2:
Every cloud has a silver lining
That is how I see our situation
If only put away that limitation
And work towards improving
No!
Our forefathers didn’t see their tomorrow this way
They’ve refused to mould us even when they have the clay
So?
We have to stand up to the realities of life
Chase our dreams
We haven’t been doing so and that’s how it seems
Strife, Strife, Strife

3:
For a tomorrow devoid of corruption
A tomorrow full of love
A tomorrow where the hate we will shove
A tomorrow devoid of victimization
A tomorrow of you
A tomorrow of me
A tomorrow I must see
A tomorrow where the skies shall forever remain blue
A tomorrow of no night
A tomorrow filled with the goodies of life
A tomorrow no man would have the guts to pick up a knife
A tomorrow that is not out of sight
I must see it
It is almost here
Stand! Don’t sit
Till we get there

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Birthdays are indeed special moments. Not only are they for the fun of celebration, they are also a time to reflect on the past year: what you did right, what you did wrong. The past year must have been bad. There must have been sad times. There must have been bad times. Times when you cried. Times when you frowned. Times you went a while without smiling. Times when you forgot you could laugh. Perhaps there must have also been the good times. Times you had fun. Times you laughed often. Times you were sure you weren’t going to have wrinkles, because you always wore a smile. Times you shared with loved once. And times your life was worth living.
The best birthdays are the ones celebrated with real true friend. On your birthday, you have to know God gave you the gift of life; it is up to you to give yourself the gift of living well. Certainly, it must not have been easy. There must have been life threatening moments, scary periods, dangerous times but you were kept away from all those by the Almighty & mind you not everyone had the opportunity to. Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new. Birthdays usher us to a new beginning, a new phase which gives us a chance to start new or at least right the wrongs of the other years, discover & correct previous mistakes, make better decisions, plot new helpful plans, innovate new ideas, and make ourselves better. Forgetting the previous year is essential, because just as dry season goes and the rainy season sets in so has the last year gone and another set in. On your birthday, you get old and the great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been. There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents, and only one for birthday presents, you know. And that one day, is a day that’s entirely yours, yours and no one else’s. Oprah Winfrey said, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate”. So why don’t you celebrate yours today that’s your day? When else would be best for the celebrations? No other day other than your day I would say. Also, Abhishek Bachchan said, “A birthday is just another day where you go to work and people give you love. Age is just a state of mind, and you are as old as you think you are. You have to count your blessings and be happy”. Be happy! Be happy! If you wish, you could even be happier than Pharrel Williams. That is because Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Wait for the person who pursues you, the one who will make an ordinary moment seem magical. The kind of person who brings out the best in you and makes you want to be a better person. Wait for the person who will be your best friend. The only person who will drop everything to be with you at any time no matter what the circumstances. Just keep waiting, as for me, mine is here already. You bring magic into the world my friend and with your magic, this world becomes a better place to live in. Probably, that is because you are an angel. I seriously don’t know what I would do without you. Its your day Just keep calm & have the fun as it comes. HappyBirthdayToTheBestBestfriendEver!

JUST DO IT YOURSELF

There’s this thin line between good and bad, right and evil, correct and wrong. We do unpardonable stuff, take wrongs steps, make wrong decisions, irresponsibly we do something all these indeed are somewhat pardonable. Parents down here are so full of advice. Typical Nigerian parents can’t go a whole day without dishing out advise to their children more so when the deed is done right in their presence, this could make them go on and on and on. This made me ask people, what kind of advise their parents give them. And then I got the following replies:
The first said, “Not to associate with friends that will lead me astray, not to be proud of myself. To make the right decisions so that what happened to others will not happen to me. To pray always hence I be close to God. To face my studies seriously. To have the right virtues that will be admired by all & I should not do badbad things rather I should do goodgood things”, and what she meant by ‘badbad’ and ‘goodgood’ I’m still trying to figure out. The second repeated the same thing but said her parents would always say, “Read your books..homework ain’t reading”. The third said the same thing. And the fourth had this to say, “Of course parents want you to always do chores as at when due,have a good relationship with God,study,keep good company,be very vigilant because of the current security situation in the country.. I also do know parents advice their children against following bad company (which could lead to a lot of other issues such as drug. addiction,prostitution,etc),disobedience and disrespect,neglect God and studies.. some other parents I know advice their children never to go out.. No no not even advice. The right word is “order”.. (Although this isn’t applicable in my case).. They tell their children that if they start going out they’ll fall into bad company and all those things whereas this isn’t true and much later in life because these children are restricted when they eventually start going out they’ll go after exactly those bad things their parents “prophesied” will happen”.
But I believe the best advise on can give is to listen to one’s own advise & let one’s conscience be the judge over his actions. Needless repeating all those things everyday, you should know the rights and the wrongs, the dos and the donts. Yes, its their responsibility to do that but you shouldn’t run to them every now and then when you could solely make the right decision. That helps in making you more independent. By this also, your self confidence increases. They’ve laid the solid foundation in your life, and have planted that seed which distinguishes between good and bad in the foundation the laid so why don’t you make that seed become a plant, just develop it. One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings. Most people , young people in the universities especially engage in all those dirty things they do because their regular source of advise isn’t around and they can’t take brave decisions and stand behind them confidently because even though the foundations were laid and the seeds planted, they refused to be confident enough to let those seeds grow. But someone who was trained up right would find it hard to do go astray because even if their parents aren’t around, they feel their presence with them and would always reflect on whatever they’d told them and would stand by whatever right they would want to do knowing its morally right and wouldn’t necessarily need their parents repeating it. Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that one can do. Because then they will act. An advise from parents or older ones help, but believe me the best advise one can get is that which comes from himself. Advise yourself most of the time, judge your actions yourself don’t let anyone do that for you, just do it yourself.

YES YOU CAN

Just one thing separates you from your goal, and that one thing is YOU. Sometimes in life, we feel its there whilst in the actual sense its here. They always say what separates here and there is just the letter ‘t’ and what distinguishes an eaglet from an eagle is the letter ‘t’ too: that ‘t’ representing time. It only takes time for one to achieve. To achieve, you first have to believe. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there” and that’s just how things are. The only hindrance you can have is you. In your life, you run things, you dictate the pace, you make things happen, you control everything, you take charge of situations, you adapt to prevailing conditions. Since its your life, what stops you from reaching there even when you’re here, and what stops you from soaring like an eagle despite the fact you’re an eaglet. You don’t wait for the time come, you make the time come! Don’t wait for it to happen, my brother & my sister, make it happen!! Achieving is an offshoot of believing. Barack Obama didn’t back down on his dream of becoming the American President because he was black, in fact I suppose that even made him more determined to get to that seat. Believe me, you can do anything you want to as long as you don’t stop believing when it is meant to be it will be, you just have to follow you heart.
Yes, you can! Who said you can’t? Who said you can’t achieve that? Who said you can’t become that? Who said you can’t get there? Who said? Who said? Nobody said, You said. Whatever you must have said must stand. Say you can, and you would see yourself doing. Say you can’t, and you would see yourself not doing. Give it a shot, your best shot. Don’t let anyone make you feel you can’t, but rather make them know you can. In primary school, they’ll always ask us to sing this: I can do it, I can do it, if I set my mind to do it. Only now did I know what that song means. You can, just set your mind to do it whatever it may be. What separates you from that goal, aim, ambition, mission is YOU, remove you from the picture and its staring at you right into your face waiting to be grasped.
Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive. My very good friend, Joe would always say, “Just Try and Stay Positive”

MY THOUGHTS ON DEPRESSION

Depression, which has led many into many into self-destruction more so many youth. As my literary lover & queen, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiiche rightly made we faithfuls know in her masterpiece Americannah some think & say depression is “American”. Really, is it just “american”? No, even Nigerians & Africans & Europeans & Asians suffer it.
Depression one can say is a severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and dejection. Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behaviour, feelings and sense of well-being. Depressed people can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless. They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions, and may contemplate, attempt, or commit suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains, or digestive problems may also be present.
Some say depression isn’t normal. Others see it as being too “American” if you get, but really who doesn’t feel depressed. Take a trip down memory lane, hasn’t it occurred to you that at a point in your life, there has been this point in your life when you felt like everything was lost, you had nothing left, you felt empty, felt unloved, felt empty, guilty for no crime committed at all, irritated, anxious, sad, felt hopeless upon helpless and above all depressed. Teenagers being at a greater risk of being depressed, are often asked what they really think about. Adults undoubtedly, have lived more and experienced more so they should be more prone to depression. This shouldn’t rule out the fact teenagers too might have things worrying them as they too are humans. Life events can drive one into feeling depressed. What do you expect a teenager who was been sexually abused to do? Feel happy about that huh? Or a smallish student who is always bullied at school? How about a disabled teen, who can’t enjoy life like other teens are? A cancer patient, who feels humiliated? You shouldn’t expect less.
Depression is somewhat normal. But no matter how depressed you ever feel NEVER think or attempt suicide. That’s sin. Even God himself loathes it. Its like jumping from pain to pain, because even after killing yourself, you’d end up in hell and that implies eternal pain. For those who aren’t depressed, you can help those depressed one out: the key to their happiness lie in your hands. I used to know person who had a severe case of clinical depression, but all that is gone now. Make them see light amidst their darkness, fullness of life amidst their emptiness, happiness amidst sadness, love amidst their challenges and then, just then you can say, ” I’ve successfully saved one life”. Engage them in long-term discussions, tell them about how much Jesus loves them, buy them gifts, take them out, share fun times with them, encourage them. Make them feel special, they’re human beings too. All they need- LOVE!

MY BUTTERFLY

Yes, my butterfly is beautiful. Its beauty seen by all, admired by everybody & appreciated by everyone. The beauty of my butterfly doesn’t just lie on the outside but the inside: the outside complimenting the inside. As beautiful as a colorful cloud under the sunlight, its majestic presence and beauty which it flaunts to the entire world is liked by all. To find happiness, you need to find friendship. Friendship which satisfies you, not necessarily externally but most importantly internally. Friendship, is not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything. The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it. And where on earth did I receive it from? MY BUTTERFLY!
My butterfly has brought so much joy in my life, so much light in my world & so much meaning to my existence. Even Jesus needed companion on earth, hence He chose his disciples and so being in his own likeness, we also need our companions. The happiness this butterfly has brought me, I cannot explain. There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved. That happiness I have, & I feel you too should have. My butterfly, my only true companion.
I can barely explain the times we spend together, which I make the best out of. Priceless moments indeed they are. Moments you wish could last forever. Moments you never want to let go. Moments you dream of. Moments of magic. Moments of natural fulfillment. Moments you’ve always dreamed of. Moments you’ve always longed for. Moments you never want to see end. Moments of joy. Moments of happiness. Moments of love. Moments of life. Moments of me & above all, Moments of You!
Just like humans do, dissensions try to come in between us like a wall that divides a room into halves. But that just makes me see my butterfly as better. Beneath the anger lies a layer of good nature. And underneath the hate, love lies. The quarrels don’t draw us far apart neither does it hold us down for too long maybe in a bid for me to avoid the title, “hot-tempered” or “Mr. Always Getting Upset With Me”. But unlike me, my butterfly just gets upset with me for a moment. Just like the sun, like a colorful snowflake, floating and whirling majestically my butterfly shows me light amidst darkness. Also, with wings like eyes, it leads me through my own fears peering into the eyes of my prey. That’s how brave my butterfly is.
My butterfly is a Virgo. And the virgo characteristics failed not to elude my butterfly. Meticulous, Intelligent, Practical, Analytic, Reliable, Modest, Loving, and above all Helpful are all the characteristics inherent and embedded in just one person- My Butterfly. Together we laugh. Together we cry. Together we share this moment. Together we smile. Together we stand. Together we fall. Together we fly. Together we see the beauty of this world. Together we share memories. Together we rejoice. Together we play. Together we live. Together we die. Above all, Together we love.
My butterfly is You, You, You, You, You all in one YOU. The butterfly is my bestfriend. And to my butterfly, I will love you till a dumb man tells his deaf friend about a blind man that saw a guy with no legs walking on water.

HAVE WE EVER BEEN DEVOID OF PROBLEMS?

Just like a faithful wife, who is ever willing to cling onto her husband so no ‘external force’ would come in contact, problems have failed to find its way out of the flesh of Nigeria. Beautiful yet underneath the beauty lies a lot of problems. Just like a pretty damsel who has no good behaviour, her outside glorious and precious, alluringly catching the eyes of the opposite, yet getting to know what lies underneath, a pile of emptiness coming as an offshoot of no moral values. In that same light, I see our Nigeria.
Being a product of the late 90s, and after series of knowledge accumulation, I find out that our major problem then which was dictatorship affected us so badly right from the onset of Nigeria. Apart from Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar who had a care-free attitude in spending & through this caused a drop in Nigeria’s foreign reserve, other military leaders before him played a part in the destruction of our foundation. And there can never be a beautiful building with a bad foundation
When power was handed over to the civilian in 1999 & we entered a new century by 2000 we thought it was all over though somewhat unsure of what that century had for us. And then the insurgency we we are threatened with now was born. Starting off as islamist riots, it has developed from a sperm cell, to an embryo, then a full blown fetus. Not forgetting there was an unrest in the middle-belt which claimed lives too. Also there was that problem of fake drugs. There was an large influx of the drugs during the Ibrahim B Babangida’s regime. But to our rescue a certain, Dora ‘Nigeria’ Akunyili who assumed office on April 12, 2001 as the Director-General of NAFDAC after quite an unimaginable, incogitable demonstration of honesty. She fought even her Anambra brothers who were at the forefront of this business and almost got killed after several attempts made by even her kinsmen. It was said that on one occasion, the bullet, with a whoosh ran across her ears and when straight to the driver. Her time wasn’t then yet she must have thought. Indeed a woman who requires the name ‘Nigeria’ given to her as her middle name because she has been a faithful servant. She combated the influx of fake drugs in the country and beat it hands down!
Then the problem of dealing with corruption heightened until a certain group, which the US labeled a terrorist group, The Boko Haram was now born. It wasn’t killed as a fetus and that fetus managed to become a full blooded human being. A confused set of individuals that have their conscience sold to the ‘ambassadors of poverty’: those politicians that have reduced this country to a piece of crap. First, they were aimless, Then, they said they wanted a state of their own, Later, it was to kill all Christians & make this nation an Islamic state – What rubbish! Who doesn’t know all these are politically driven? Even my kid sister can attest to that. Few months ago, everyone & everybody everywhere were all #BringBackOurGirls. But I ask, aren’t these girls used as a tool of some kind of political game?
Whilst dealing with them, on july 20 a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer carried the deadly Ebola Virus into Nigeria. “Madness” just as our President said, and I agree because the act of imposing pandemonium intentionally on Nigerians and leaving the Legosians in a state of deurmekaar, I consider as not only madness but wickedness. Despite the madness exhibited by this individual, what about the madness exhibited by them on top of the individuals? They knew about this deadly virus that had eaten much individuals in Guniea, Liberia, & Sierra-Leone and yet NO precaution was taken against citizens coming in from other countries or maybe did they think ECOWAS workers couldn’t get the virus too? Laxity, Slackness, Loose, Free, Porous what we have turn into. Problems that can be avoided left to mature. Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together. We need to grow! And no nation grows with problems lingering within. Someone has to deal with this problems now. If not the present someone, then a better future someone. Mr. President indeed is trying, he’s in charge of a nation not a classroom. He’s doing his best, but but do we Nigerians think so? Democracy implies putting the people before yourself.
We’ve been graduating from one problem to another, just like a child graduating into different phases of his education. Problems are inevitable but the deadly ones can be avoided. We have never been devoid of problems but really can we? “YES! WE CAN”, Obama would always say. The key remains Good Governance & Effective Administration. The problems may not be reduced to 0% but at least to the barest minimum. All we need is simply another Dora ‘Nigeria’ Akunyili.

I just started..

Americanah possibly ignited this little light in me which has started appreciating blogs and bloggers. Still a youngster and I’m going to make the best out of this blogging dream. I just started and note Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities. Every contrivance of man, every tool, every instrument, every utensil, every article designed for use, of each and every kind, evolved from a very simple beginnings. Would be blogging my opinions about pressing issues not necessarily news but issues of social importance, moral benefit, economic advantage & for a total well-being!