A NEW BEGINNING

They were young in their teens, both Girl and boy
They were first love
They fell in love deeply with each other that it seems no one;
Even death will depart and leave them to enjoy their lives.
They dated for several years, knowing and loving one another
Each passing day.
Tending to one another emotionally, academically, and all you can think of
They seems to be inseparable as their feelings grows more and more
After several years, seven years of dating each other to be precise
They were forcefully separated, not by death though
But by obstacles beyond their control or understanding
Both went their separate ways
With pains and feeling of emptiness
On how life has treated them
But after several years,
Thirteen years exactly
They met again
Still in love.
LOVE!!!

This is a new beginning on another side of love

A PIGEON'S APPRECIATION

How was it able to remember this place? How was it able to climb the stairs I don’t understand, I was so moved to the point of tears that, really, every animal, every creature, appreciate you. Just give a helping hand.

Life is not all about you alone; it is all about you, all about people that surround you, all about nature and everything that lives in the environment in which you find yourself. Life is that little kindness, the little care and attention you place on others above yourself.
As human wakes in the morning, knelt down to one’s maker for the grace, mercy and protection in every day to day activities for favor and upliftment, so does every creature made by God, as human we might be so busy to notice this because we pay so much attention on ourselves alone and most times feel unconcerned about other creatures that have life just as we do, we overlook there pains, attention they needed, we are only bordered about the gains we can derive from them, the satisfaction they can give to us, but one thing I observe in every creature that has life in it is that we are equal if not for one thing, for the life which we all have that makes us know pain, anger, suffering, happiness and so on.
In life, by showing a little kindness to all that God created can be rewarding, whether human or animal, within you, you will discover an inner joy, inner happiness and fulfillment, joy because you are able to give a helping hand when it is so much needed, happiness because, a times in one’s life, you are face with some difficulties which are beyond your control or understanding and you will settle for any help that comes your way, while giving a helping hand, you will remember your ones situation and how you came out of it.
There is a time in my life I had an encounter with a pigeon, I saw the pigeon in a deep pain and by what I saw, it needed all the help it can get. At first, sighting the pigeon scared me so much, maybe because of the dark color it has, but when I saw the pain it was passing through, I quickly overlook the color and try to reach out to help, then later I would want to know what it is up to.
I really am not good at description, but I will try as much as I can to describe the way I found the bird, so that u can understand the kind of pain I am trying to explain.
When I saw this bird on a hot sunny afternoon at the back of my apartment, there was a thread tired to one of its leg, and the other end of the thread tired to an iron pipe that take water from the well to various apartment in the house. This position makes the bird directly looking into the well with one of its leg tired up to the pipe. The most painful aspect of all these is that, the thread has cut deep into the bird’s tiny leg this could be as a result of the pigeon’s struggling to be set free but this cannot be achieved on its own, it needed human help.
Though I was really scared initially, but I took it upon myself to use a razor blade to cut off the thread which has eventually made the bird’s leg useless, thank God I had closed the well before trying to cut the thread off, if not with the weakness of the leg, the bird would have dropped straight into the deep well. I now observed it on the cover of the well and saw the dangerous cut on the leg, but how other way can I help in healing it this I am helpless, and I said to myself, it will soon fly away, and I went into my apartment.
Coming down to get some water from the same well, I notice the bird still on the well cover, trying to move its wing, dragging it helplessly, and I now realize that if help is not given, this poor thing will die. I picked the bird with the tip of my left finger, and straight up the stairs I climbed, and drop the bird by the passage and gave it some grains of cooked rice.
In the morning, waking up to see the bird still on the same position I left it, but the grains of rice I poured by its side it had eaten, well I was happy a little because at least it can eat, even though it cannot make use of its leg. The bird was there for three days, but there were little changes in the wound on its leg, it now became a play mate in the house. When I am less busy, I took the bird outside to try and help it to fly by putting it on a high place, but still, the poor thing can only flap its wing and limp.
It now became a routine for me to bring out the bird each day, one day, as I place the bird on an object a little higher than the ground surface, I use my hand to push it to make it fly, but to my astonishment, the poor bird relaxed for a while and it noticed another object that is higher than where I placed it and it tried to reach it, and another, and another until it flew to the fence of the compound, I was filled with excitement and at the same time, I had gotten used to the bird I really don’t want it to go away I was fighting to bring it back from the fence, but oops, to the roof of the house it flew to and I was left staring into the sky as it vanished away. That was all, I said to myself at least have done the best I can.
Weeks later after the bird had vanished, One afternoon when I got back from school, tired and worn out as a result of the hot weather, I tried to refresh and relax when I heard some sound at the door, I asked who the person was, but there was no response, but the sound of somebody moving by the door, hitting the door continued, so I went to the door open it a little to see who it was that was making the sound. But to my greatest surprise, the same bird I rescued! flapping its wing on the door, I can’t imagine this but it’s so real, the poor bird came back after so many days to say thank you, to show its gratitude, to appreciate all that I have done for it. How was it able to remember this place? How was it able to climb the stairs I don’t understand, I was so moved to the point of tears that, really, every animal, every creature, appreciate you. Just give a helping hand.
Be good to all.

TRUST, DEPENDING, RELYING; THE CARDINAL RULE TO SAFETY

The whole process of salvation is about letting go of our hold on life as we see it and putting all our trust and hope in just one person.
Depending and relying on him alone to be the source of all that makes us a child of God; or shall we say a believer?
The process of salvation is in knowing that the road ahead is bumpy and possibly seems to lead to nowhere yet we consciously hand over the driving to someone else while we pray that he knows what he is doing.
It is a conscious effort to not worry about the things that normally should drive us crazy.
Since as man we have the freewill to choose our path; to those that do not understand, trusting in one that you can’t see becomes a thing of amazement.
But then what can be more wonderful than putting your life in the care of the only one that gave His own life in exchange for yours?
Man has failed man in so many ways that the idea of depending on one you can’t see becomes an issue only sorted out by trust that goes beyond the physical.



Therefore the saving of the soul is not by confessing your sin, every sinner can do that. Neither is it by praying, even the heathen do this.
But ultimately; it is about letting go of your fears that no one can do for you what you can’t even begin to imagine.
Let us put our fears aside and give Him that died and overcame the powers of death the opportunity to do same for us.
Trusting is just putting your hand in His, closing your eyes and walking over that precipice.
Remember always, His hands are sure; he won’t let you fall.
When peter saw Jesus walking on water all he said was,” if it is you, tell me to come to you”, and he alone because of his trust was able to walk on water.
Forget that it is water; He that called you to come will not let you sink.
Just take that first step. It is the most difficult and most important. But then it is also the easiest.

INSECURITY

I always told, Sandra Bullock was my student when she was younger, I always told her it's important that we hold on to our insecurity, the wisdom of insecurity.
Sally Kirkland

What you do to man
How far do you intend to go
And how long would you
Plague man
Looking back I behold so much destruction
And all along the way
I see bodies’ lying all around you
One man’s destruction and ruin
You have ruined many homes
Not to forget also many lives
From the beginning of time
The lack of believe in oneself
And the feeling that one can’t go on
Surely and gradually destroys
Until it is but a sure ruin
Once you are allowed in the door
Success will always flee away
And if it is attainable
Would never be enough
It gradually eats away and rots the soul
Widening the hole and causing a void
That cannot be breached
Unless will a strong will and determination
Man must find a way
We have found a suitable definition
We have tried to analyze
Categorize and validate
This great destroyer of mankind
But the bottom line we do not know
And as the void continues to widen
We become more venomous
Been destroyed and destroying
Not been able to hold back
We are like a driver
With all his weight on the brake
And find out that he can’t avoid
Hitting something or someone
And if we survive the crash
Will always bear the scars
But sometimes we find out that
Surely insecurities
Are shadows clouding life
And destroying it continually
It adds to your life inferiority
Flavoring it with sadness
And complicating the easiest things in life
Demeaning and ostracizing mankind
One from another

BACK FROM THE DEAD.

After living away from home for five years Tony finally comes home with his family to his parent’s burial and stays on for a while. In his father’s will he has been named the sole heir if he can be found or else everything goes to his cousin. His parents are very rich and the thought he had died because of what his cousin had told them and some picture of him, his wife and son.

About four years back there were threats been made on hibroken hearts, s life. Then eventually one day he came back and found his family had been kidnapped. He’s a detective who runs a private company. He had a problem with his parent five years before their death because of his choice of wife and resigning from government service. He had to find his family so he embarked on a long search for them, he’s been frustrated but eventually he gets a break but this leads him into a web of family hatred and spite. His cousin wants him and his family dead so that he can inherit. He gets proof via tapes and pictures, then…

After finding his family, he is captured along with them again and his cousin, present at the scene confesses, believing they would die but unknown to him Tony is wired and everything is recorded at home. Two days later the tape is discovered and removed and Tony is beaten up.

A week after they escape but they are followed and eventually during a heavy down pour their car skids over and their car drops into a very deep pit. The cousin believing they would die there leaves them there. The next day they are still there, unconscious and pictures of them were taking by Rex, the cousin, and sent home to his parents who became broken hearted by what had happened. They went to the scene of the crime but when they got there Tony and his family were missing. Rex tries to persuade his uncle to change his will in his favour to no avail.

Now Tony is back for revenge. First thing he tells Rex is that he is back to working for the government and they have tapes and pictures of him and his boys. They know about his drug deals and everything about his plot against his dead parents. Then he disappears again at this point Rex realizes that his days are numbered so he puts his business dealings in order and makes a run for it. The next time Tony comes back, his family is not with him and they (Tony and the authorities) go after Rex and his gang who are now at large.
Eventually they are caught and brought to book for their numerous offences after which Tony returns to be united with his family.

Every child deserves a mother

Growing up as a child, been nurtured by different hands, is never the plan of motherhood.

A mother, despite all odds will gather her children together against all odds, course they are her life, her heart and the genuine reasons for her existence.

Mine was an altogether a different tale, a different tale on how the blow of never having a mother, never knowing a mother’s love, her joy for me and pain, her anxiety for her great expectation of my life, turned out to be the greatest blow in my existence.

While growing in the hands of some mothers, I came to realize how just unfair it is to be deprived of having a mum that will cry for you, feel your pains, help in soothing of your wounds, and always been there for you always, how mothers deprive themselves of their wants just to make their children happy, how they cry day and night just at the heavy thought of their offspring, all this I admired so much in my life through seeing what mothers does. though while I was passing this phase , I was deprived of all these emotions by other mothers that raised me and I promised myself this one thing, that someday, someday very soon, I will have my own child to call me mother, I will have a child that will fight and support me, I will have a child which no matter what, I will love and be boastful of, a child that will bring out in me all that my mother longed to do but was never opportune to as a result of her demise. A child that will frequently ask me what is it, a child that will assure me all is going to be fine, a child that will give me an assuring hug of I love you, and make my heart leap for joy and a child I can give my all in all to, my life. And now this is my story.

I have a step sister who use to tell me a little, very little of my life as a toddler when my mother passed on, i can remember her telling me once that when my mum passed away, i will cry, and cry all day, wanting my mum's attention, which will never be there, her succulent breast which i have gotten used to as my food her tender arms which gives me comfort and her sensitivity to love me under any circumstances. my sister told me that i will carry a stool outside the compound of our father's house and cry non stop. this as a child i dont know, maybe my brain has not been formed to store all those memories, to really key in the fact that i have lost a mum, a mum i cannot picture how she really was, all i can remember as a child then is gazing into the eyes of someone who carried me, fed me, and while she is at all these, i was busy staring into her eyes, yet as a grown up now, i have no remembrance of the picture i see of her then, it has faded completely.

Bringing up a toddler is never an easy job for a man, most especially for a man that makes polygamy a part of his life, for this, my father thought i am not save in the hands of his other women, so wherever he finds himself, i find myself, he takes me to and fro any journey he embarks on north or west, anywhere he goes, i go. at a point in his life, seeing i will be better looked after by a woman's touch, he married a wife in one of his journeys, and gave me to her to tend, though she cared for me as hers and i loved her thinking she was my mother, but the feeling that she never did have her own child brought an end to their relationship, and again i find myself back in the care of my father. in one of his journey back home with me, he sent me living with his aunt and this is where the journey of my life really began.

I see little children on the street, boys, girls barefooted, hargard looking being, having no role model, walking, pacing the street with no one to love, and no one to love them back in return, nobody to monitor what they are up to, no one to care what their trouble is and i picture myself growing up without a mother's touch, her attention , love and care and i cant help to wonder, if after lossing my mom, i had passed this stage of abandonment, rejection, uncared for, these answers i do not know as a child, when one is a child, u know not your wrong from your right, when a child, you know not those that detest you and you even walk up to them for a play not knowing what they have at heart for you, sometimes when a child, your best playmate can be an enemy, but as a child these you know not and you wine and dine with all.

At my new abode, life began to unfold itself to me, i no longer see my father as often as i use to, i am been cared for a little, not the way even my father would have cared, and really, there is no one to tell, no one to understand my feelings most especially my pains. then, i was almost deprived of the most important legacy a child could get which is education, and i was made to realize that even with their wealth and affluence, with their popularity and fame in this nation, it doesnt cause my guardian nothing to get me educated to any standard of my choice, but they vehemently denied me of being educated and forcefully turn me into a sales child who learn to wake every morning to go and open the store where my guardian deals in different kinds of fabrics from different countries of the world, this i learn to do every day of my life. at a stage, i discovered that the interest to read is gradually deminishing in me, i was worried so much about this, still no one to tell, no one to understand.

There was a stage in my growing up as a child when i longed to have a proper education just like my guardian's children, but this i was not given the opportunity to even talk about, if i do, i would be reminded of their so call generousity in my life which i do not appreciate, this includes taking me in. i get used to my daily routine of storekeeping and though i was not happy about it, but i definately have the hope that someday, i will get admitted into any tertiary institute that will at least add a little value into my life more than a sales child.

There is this particular day when i was seeing my guardian children to the domestic airport to board a flight taking them to the university of their choice which is in the far northern part of the country ,every member of the family were so happy for this great event, unknown to me, the university was an arranged one in order to deceive family and friends, to deceive people that their children too are in the university, in order to achieve this, my guardian paid for an accommodation far off the campus and relocated her children making us believe they are studying. every holiday, these kids come home like normal student and at every resumption they board plane back to school. all this added to my determination to get an education at all cost.

One day, one very faithful day, i met with a girl of my age while we were getting to know ourselve, she was so boastful of her admission in one of the polythecnic in the country, i cant help but pick the very information i needed on how she secured admission, she took her time to explain in detail to me how an uncle of hers who was a lecturer at the same polythecnic helped in making the admission possible. i begged her to help me and i will pay whatever is expected just to be in any school, taking any course. she promised to discuss me with her uncle and so , i started preparing secretly for the great expectation which have always been denied of. this i did secretly until the last day to resume at school, then i was faced with the big question how? how do i tell my guardian i have secured an admission into a polythecnic, what will their respond be, will i be allowed to go, will i get any assistance of any kind? all these i ask myself, all these question i know not how to forward to them for fear of the inevitable. i was filled with thought of it, while still thinking on how to approach them, time for resumption is nearing. two days before we are to resume into the school, i went to meet my guardian with so much fear in me but with inner strenght and God given courage from above, and told her i had gotten admission into a polythenic to study public administration and resumption is in few days, the only respond i got was Goodbye!

I was so happy because i have eventually conqured my fear and let her know of what i have been keeping all this while, whether she is comfortable with it or not is not my problem, i can remember like yesterday, vividly how the expression on her face changed immediately i spoke of my intention of going to school, how she so much hated me more than ever, how she prayed i will run begging her for how i will sustain myself in time to come and how she will with open arm welcome me back to her store keeping, all these are the expression on her face, but as determined as i am, i had prepared for any eventuality, i had made up my mind.

While in the polythecnic, instead of lack, i have more than enough, not that i steal nor begg, not even do i move with unholy student, but i was comfortable as much as i can, hardly do i go home for fear of my guardian, and if i manage to pay a visit while on holiday, i am always back at the store, but when it is time to go back to school again, my guardian moods changes, she becomes aggressive, her mood and action toward me changes, she never gives me anything, rather she does all she can so that i dont go. seeing her action towards my progress, this restricted me from looking forward to going home. where the satisfaction come from to fulfil all my schooling expenses, till present i dont know, all i know is that i was able to do every necessary thing expected of me as a student. i was happy for achieving my aim.

Suddenly, at the end of my second year at the polythecnic, the urge to proceed beyond where i was clouded my thoughts, the dream to get into a university becomes my vision, university, university, how i so much loved the sound of the name uni, then hearing it in the lips of students makes me long to be part of it, then i use to tell myself, if i can just get my name into a university as a student, and i get rusticated or expelled the next minute, i will be contented, at least, the world will know that i was once in a university, in those days, every child's mission in going to university is to study, to learn, but for me, i have a different ambition for wanting to get into a university, my sole motive is not to study anything, not at all, but to spite my guardian, that with them i will be nothing, but without them i will be everything i wanted to be, not even the sky can limit me. so i took my jamb examination and was lucky to get admission in one of the university in the western part of the nation.

Just as i was still filled with the joy and excitment of my new school, i met with one of my guardian's son, her first son, who was supposed to be in Abu, Zaria, as lied by their mother, we were so surprise to see each other, we hugged, we cried and i made him realize that i have just gain admission into the school, but i was surprise when he informed me he is now in the same university as i am and i cant help but to wonder, no wonder to what i have heard regarding their not admitted to any university then ,but just went to rent a place in order to cover their shameful boast of popularity and fame. popular as they are, as famous as they are and as wealthy as they are, they can't with all their fame and wealth get their kids into a university. what a life, what a waste. with all this struggle, these achievement, i now understand the real purpose of a mother.

A mother will hide your shame, a mother will be proud of calling you her own in spite of any obstacle, a mother will help to bear all ur consequence either good or bad, a mother, made to carry the weight of the world, yet made her arm gentle enough to give you comfort, even when everyone else gives up, a mother's strenght and patience will lead you on, a mother's sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances even when her child has hurt her badly.
really, every child deserves a mother.

Life is worth a lot.

This morning I left my home for work, I was not very happy because I just got a disappointment. I was trying to push myself to point where nothing but God matters when suddenly.....................
The driver of the bus I had boarded started shouting, "that vehicle is going to turn over" over and over again. Before we knew what had happened a trailer and turned over on the express. We were in the bus and the driver did not bother to stop but this is what we saw.
The front wind screen of the trailer had crashed and the driver ran out with blood on his face, one of the passengers was lying on the road dead, while about two others were trapped under the vehicle. Its so sad that we have placed our quest and search for money even over the safety of our lives.
Why have I said this? Simply because the driver did not have a seat belt neither did the person sitting beside him. Then there is also the people riding with the trailer that sit in the section where the load is kept. They don’t even have any form of protection or safety.
Last year around December, another accident happened along Apapa-Oshodi express way that involved a heavy duty truck that belonged to a prominent company in Nigeria. Lives were lost, all because of carelessness and no value for life.
Is life so unimportant or of no much value and worth that we fail to protect it, even if it’s our life? Have we forgotten that it is only when we are alive that we can enjoy the money we struggle so hard to have? Do we not understand that the most important thing to us is the life that God has given us? What about the people we have left behind? How do they survive? How wicked can we be to ourselves?
Sometimes I harden my heart to situations like this, it’s so sad that a wonderful life that could end up been one of the greatest that Nigeria ever had was lost dues to carelessness. It’s a shame that today someone said goodbye to her son, or husband; a child said good bye to his or her dad with the hope of seeing him later in the day. The only thing they would hear today is the news of death, death of their loved one, the bread winner of the family and probably the only source of income. What they would be in search of now is not where the next meal will be coming from but how do we bury this man?
Please let us place more value on our lives if not for us then for those that love us and depend on us. Let us not give our families a pain which might never go away. Let us live our lives with the utmost care. We know that only God can protect, “but Folorunsho to figi ogede gun ope………” (he who says he has God and continues to put himself in danger…………) what will become of him?
Nigeria and your people need you alive, God needs you alive. Remember also that the good you do will speak for you on that day as well.
May God help us all!!

I AM NIGERIA!!

The cup is licking,
The drops of water splash on the ground and dries in the soil,
Talents are been lost daily my children loose all with every breath I take.
People tell me I have so many children,
A river of water that cannot become empty,
But they do not know that amongst those ones that are been drained away
In them are my best, the apple of my eyes
They are my future, the ones that will give life and make my dreams a reality.

Some of my children have put it upon themselves
To drain out the milk that I fed them with,
They have decided that they would empty me inside out.
They take from me daily without given anything in return
They do not care that as they do this
They would one day deprive their on children's children the right
And benefits they they are enjoying now.
Then i wonder to myself WHY!!
In tears I write this letter to YOU!! YES EVEN YOU!!!
Why do you insist on emptying out the blood of my life?

Every day I have to take up more blood through transfusion
Because as I take you drain it away.
What value is this fight that you wage against me?
Why have you taken it upon yourself
To run after thing that take away from you without giving back?
Every time I turn around and look
I see a mass of people that is governed by a few,
I see children that have sold their birthright just for what they would eat,
I look and see my first born give unto the last
What he gained as a right of birth and I wonder to myself
"when will my children learn to be free and give their younger ones a chance to live"

It hurts me daily when I open my heart and eyes
To see another life that is cut short or drained away
I am loosing all my worth,
Ii am gradually been emptied and drained of my life worth
I am a country that has not been allowed to be a nation,
I am a land filled with milk and honey,
I am a giant that is gradually been reduced to a dwarf
I was a mighty man that fought for the less privileged
I am that land that was loved by many
A land where everyone wanted to be

Now I have been reduced to a land
Where even her children run away to places far and wide
I have become a land where the godly's voice is not heard in the field
I have become a land that cannot even feed her own people
While a few greedy one take what is left and sell it to neighboring nations
I been made a land where her children refuse to talk
I have become a land where some of her children have to sleep with one eye open
I have been made redundant and lifeless because I am no longer a full glass

I used to be a cup filled and running over,
Overflowing with love and resources
But where is everything?
Yesterday I went to see some of my children in Jos
But I was told that they are no more, their brothers killed them,
The other day I went to Benin,
On my way I saw bodies (my children dead on the streets)
Their brothers robbed them and killed them
I look around and I see vacant eyes with lost hope and lost faith
I went to visit some of my children
And they could not entertain me as they used to do before now
Because they lost their job.
Please help me!! Don’t let the source of my joy drain away completely
Call everyone together and work together to fill me back up.
Why run after all these things that have continued to bring me down into nothingness?
Why do u pursue after emptiness?
I am a great country and I want to be a nation,
I AM NIGERIA!!!

A RISING GENERATION

Generations of my people
Have neglected to give truth a chance
We have refused to believe
That what we do not want we must fight for it
Naturally, it has been bestowed upon man
To face the future
We know that challenge and risk
Is an essential part of life
However, we rather prefer to run
In opposite direction
Instead of facing our tormentors
Generations of my people
Have lived to witness the pull
Of forces dragging them down
But instead of fighting this pull
They let go of their anchor
And allow themselves to sink
Irrespective of the fact
That we cannot achieve our dreams
Without building it
We sit down and wait
For fortune to seek us out
Generations of my people
Have refused to realise that
The slipshod man will always
Be confronted with problems one after the other
Do they buckle up and wrestle this
Problem like the normal man would?
They just roll around in agony
And believe they are bearing their loss
And been strong
A strong man would stand up
And confront his problems and overcome them
Generations of my people
Are still slumbering
And wallowing in abject suffering
Of the highest degree
What do they do about this?
Nothing, they rely on fate
And allow it to take its course
What is fate?
Is it to believe that man
Cannot work
Towards his freedom and success
Generations of my people
Have allowed themselves
To be trampled upon
They have looked the other way
While their lives have been used as pawns
They insist on been complacent
And continue to compromise with the devil
Strength does not mean trouble
But helps you to straighten yourself
And follow the God made part
Generations of my people
Have continually relied on the flesh
Rather than the spirit
They have refused
To have an in-depth view of themselves and life
They have always viewed things on the surface
Why? Mainly because they fear to realise
That the majority of their sorrow is their own doing
Imagine a man who would continually
Allow himself to be used by others
Does he know that he can make life easier
For himself if he asserts his rights?
Generations of my people
Have allowed the dictations of others
To determine their future
Must they continually walk
In other peoples’ shadow?
Can they not build a shadow for themselves
And allow the rays of the sun to fall on them?
I know my people would someday learn
But then I ask myself, when?
Life would go on
Whether one likes it or not
But generations of people
Remain stagnant
While others continue to proceed
In their live long achievement
It is only the stupid man
That believes in a stagnant existence
And only the fools believe
That life would remain the same
“God’s time is the best” they say
We know this and even believe in it ourselves
But when will God’s time come for you?
God does not help those
That does not need help
Therefore God does not condone
Laziness and wasteful living
Generations of my people
Have continually closed their eyes
And refused to see the pits in front of them
Why? Do we say
They get thrills from falling into pits?
Or rather they are blind
To their rights and inheritance?
Must we continually court them
With no response to commitment
Now we are in new generation
What will they do?
Will they learn from their blunders
Than their predecessors did?
Would they turn blind eyes
Towards the misendeavors of the unjust?
Let us rise and fight for what is
Rightfully ours
We shall go to the top of the mountain
And make a heart piercing noise
A noise that would be felt
At all the corners of the universe
Then we would follow it up with the works
And laborious strength which our fathers
Have refused to make use of
We will come out of the shadow
And allow ourselves to be seen
We would work and strive hard
And continually communicate with God
And an unwavering faith through prayer
Our generation shall say with faith
“Let this be” and it shall be so
Because we are sons of our fathers
We will overcome those that continually trample
On our rights and grasp from them what is lawfully ours
“No more compromise”
This we shall tell the devil
And stand by it irrespective
Of the turbulence of the ocean
This way only can we correct the havoc which
Generations of my people have continually
And incessantly allowed to occur
But then we would be able to stand in large crowds
And not be ashamed
We would cloth ourselves in flowing royal gown
And no stain shall be found on it
And people would say,
“Oh, behold what a great people
Living in a great nation”
And pride in ourselves shall
Make us to stand firm without stumbling
We would then have learned from our mistakes
That the generations of my people
Have continually committed

BIRTHDAY PRAYER

This is a poem I wrote for my Birthday!!


Today starts a new year in my life
To those near me
Let them share in my joy
Let this day be a turning point in my life
A change for the better
Leaving behind the bad
The childish and wrong doing
Let me be more matured
In dealing with life
Let betterness shine on me
Let today being my birth date
Make me a new person
May it bring me good luck for now
And always
Also let it give to others near me
Good luck also
The light of the lord shine on me
Shine on me i say and guard me
From all my foes
Guide me in the right path
Let me not go astray
Hold me in your right hand
That i do not fall
Teach me to love more than i do now
Point the way that i shall follow
Be my beginning and end
Let the whole world know
See and believe
That in me their lives
The lord everlasting
Let me hear news of good tiding with
Respect to life
Let me continue to grow in health and in you
Let those that seek my downfall stumble
May they be removed from thy sight
Let me prosper in their presence so that they
Would see that i serve a living god
Because i have a father let me conquer
Because he liveth let me shed no more tears
Let me be able to face anything put in my way
Let my light shine
Let me be showered with thy goodness and mercies
Remove from my life sorrow, suffering and hunger
Let those that make fun of me swallow their laugher
Let me laugh, oh lord
Because he who laughs last laughs the most
Make know to me today the aim of my existence
Don’t just leave me to wonder and float
Like someone without a destination
Let me achieve all the goals
I have laid down for myself
Anything that would destroy my end
Remove and lead me on
‘my god said unto my lord,
Sit at my right hand until i make thy enemies
Thy footstool’
Let this saying apply to me
Let me live, see tomorrow and days after
Let me have sunshine in my life
And take away the winter
Let me move in the direction that leads
To life everlasting and not sorrow
Let me have peace and those around me
For my god is the king of peace
Make my day
I have chosen a career
Let me be able to move in that direction
Do not let me be deceived by men
From today let me be a good child to my parents
And also to my elders
Let me be obedient so that i do not fall along the way
Let me be able to carry my cross
O lord, don’t let it weigh me down
Let your joy, which is everlasting be my strength
Let me not strive in vain
And do not allow ill wind to blow my way
Light and darkness do not move together
Therefore light my way
That i do not hit my foot against a stone

THE CHALLENGE

It has become hard to say no
I have the right to refuse
But it looks me in the eyes
Dances round and smile
Yes I will dance!
Dance! Sing! Smile! And laugh!
It is daring me
“ I bet you can’t do it
You’ve never tried it before”
But then it is the more reason
I must do it now
To prove to myself and the whole world
That I can do it and more
I did dance to the beat
I sang my own song
I smiled and laughed at them
For then I did prove
That I could make it

THE SHADOW

My! What a day. Such a fine day for a fine lady. Her husband had traveled to get something’s done in his hometown. He has been away for about five days and Shade his wife has been watching out for her husband Femi since yesterday. She went out of her way to take Moni, their daughter, to school. Femi had taken the car and anyway if he hadn’t, Shade could not drive.
She had been sometime in getting back and was a bit tired so she got prepared to have a little nap.
But nothing more, Femi was coming back from his journey today and she wanted to welcome him properly. She cast back her mind to the past when Femi always came calling before they got married. Dad the Oba of Ikare land was a very strict man.
He made it plan that no man was allowed to visit his daughter. But Femi had a brother, they had gone to the same school and Seye, Femi’s brother was sent to her. Seye came on the pretext that he wanted to teach me mathematics and sneak note to me, which she would reply. Later after dad died she used to go and visit Femi whenever she spent her holidays in Lagos. Shade seniors all lived in the north and had married from there.
Among all the members of my family I was the only one waiting to marry her town native. I was a bit sad at times because mum died when I was young and dad was recently dead. They were not there when I got married. A few years later I gave birth to a girl, Monisola, and since then no more children. Monisola is ten now. Although I do not take any pills or preventions. I do wish that God would give me another child; I knew Femi wanted another child, preferably a boy. Nigerian men believe about sons. At times that particular subject depressed me. I know it was wicked of me but I could not help thinking that Femi found or looked for pleasure somewhere else.
I must have slept off while I was thinking because when I woke it was the sound of someone banging the door. I looked drowsily at the door.
Who in god’s name could that be. I stood up and went to answer the caller at the door. What happened afterwards forever is imprinted in my memory.
“Hello” I said to the strange woman standing outside “What can I do for you”.
She looked a bit taken aback but quickly concealed it so I thought I had mistaken the show of emotion. But then she became all smiles and looked me up and down. I could sense the resentment, I never let people’s feelings get to me so I said, “please you must be looking for someone why don’t you come in”. She looked at me up and down again before answering me. “Yes please, I’m looking for my husband Mr. Femi Brown he told me he lives here when he’s in Lagos. You must be the housekeeper or something. And I also know he has a child, a daughter’’. She sneered at me. I was dumbfounded, Femi, my darling husband whom I loved to distraction and trusted implicitly. Why?
Well, I would have to shake her just a little bit. “If it is the same Femi I know you’re asking to see, well, my husband traveled a few days ago and wouldn’t be back for sometime”, I bit back.
She was so surprised, it was as if she’d seen a ghost and looked me hard in the face. Then said, “that’s wonderful but I am his wife anyway, you did not give him any sons I gave him two”. She retorted triumphantly.
Now it was my turn to look as if the surprised one I was crying within but I would rather die than let the bitch know that. “Really”, I said smiling, “but let’s put it like this –I am the first wife, you are the second and would always be. Secondly this”, spreading her hands to encompass the whole house “this is my territory. For your peace of mind as well as mine, it’s better you keep to your place and I mine. So I don’t want to see you here again. I’m sure you have a place where he spends his time with you. This as I said before is my domain and I wouldn’t entertain any of this nonsense from you. Next time when you don’t see Femi wait till he comes to your place. If you dare put it in that brain of yours to come here again I shall very much disgrace you”. I said and was about dosing the door when I was struck dumb again by her words.
“Well I don’t blame Femi for your sins. God has made you barren after one child. And to think it isn’t a boy. He doesn’t love you anymore; if he did he wouldn’t come to me. He wouldn’t even have told me about you”. She said triumphantly when she saw me go white.
‘You bitch I wouldn’t take this from you. And if you don’t leave this minute, I’d shout thief and the neighbourhood will come out to give you the beating of your life”. I glared at her and slammed the door shut.
I heard her laugh and then “You can’t keep him away from me. I’d get him and you’d soon be dispensed with. You and your little brat” and she was gone.
I flung myself on the sofa and wept like the broken hearted lady I was. I wept till I could weep no more. Then I rinsed my face and went in search of my confidante. A lady who lived in a flat above ours any time I had problems I always went to her and she’d advice me on what to do. She wasn’t at home and I felt like crying again but she hadn’t gone far so her children went to look for her. I think they told her I had cried because she rushed into “his” flat since I don’t think of it as our’s anymore.
“Mama Moni what is it, why are you crying, what happened”. She asked looking at me and sat down. I narrated everything to her wiping my tears and she sat quietly listening.

After listening to all I had to say, she asked me to start serious prayer which I did and after a lot of neglect on my husband’s part and ridicule from both his family and his wife I was able to overcome. Now I am living happily with my husband and children with my own story to tell other and my experience to share as an advice.

BILLY

During the year 1941, March in Moscow, Billy lived in a flat on his own with his mother in the front flat.
Mother: Billy. Billy where are you? (Sitting in front of the fire)
Billy: yes mother? I’m here. (Entering into his mother’s flat and going to her)
Mother: I’m going to the concert, I’ll be back before dawn (getting up to go and prepare for her outing)
Billy: okay mother, see you tomorrow. (Leaves for his room)
Next morning Billy goes out, on his way he meets Red( the street bully) and his three lieutenants talking to another boy.
Red: (looking at the boy and sneering at him he holds out his hand and points to the boy as if he were deaf) Money.
Boy: (afraid and sniffling) I don’t have any.
Red: (looks at his lieutenants and nods his head at the boy) search him.
His lieutenants make for the boy who tries to struggle with them but he is beaten up.
Red: next time you don’t struggle with red. (He says shoving his face into him)
Boy: (almost unconscious) you thief! Someone will get back at you one day. (Fall into unconsciousness)
Red leaves him there and goes on his way, while Billy rushes to the injured boy’s side.
Billy: hello, are you alright. (Kneels on his right knee and tries to lift the boy up). Are you badly hurt?
Boy: I don’t think so. Someone will get back at him someday somehow.
Billy: I’m Billy, what’s your name?
Boy: Smith (he says sitting up)
Billy: Okay smith let’s take you home.
Billy takes the boy by the hand and helps him to get to his home handing him over to his parents.
The next day Billy pastes a poem on the street notice board.
“He that thinks he is incapable of been beaten will one day be beaten.
We have among us rogues who steal and beat those they steal from.
They think they are wise but they are fools.
They feel they are winners but they are losers.
They are dead rats that pollute the house.
And unless they are put in their place they will continue to stink.”
Billy.
The title of the poem was Red the big bully. Four boys gathered at the board reading the poem and from the looks on their faces they were enjoying it.
1st boy: (turning to face the others) what do you think?
2nd boy: (laughing) it’s going to make him mad.
4th boy: (looking puzzled) but that’s the truth about him on the board.
3rd boy: it’s the truth but Red won’t accept that. (Smiles)
2nd boy: he’s going to kill Billy. (Shakes his head) poor thing, I sure pity him.
1st boy: yes he will, and I pity him too.
By noon everybody including Red had seen the poem almost all had even memorized it and could read it by rote.
About a week later Billy was walking along the street and then suddenly Red appears out of nowhere.
Red: Ah, the poet (smiling crookedly) so you write verses, eh. Do they rhyme?
Billy: Get out of my way big bully (afraid but unwilling to show it)
Red: Oh, see he can even talk. You want me out your way ehh.
Red reaches into his pocket and brings out his knuckle-duster.
Red: Ever seen me use this before (Billy doesn’t answer him) I’m going to use it on you (he laughs).
He hits Billy on the head blood came oozing out and he loses consciousness.

Billy on his bed at home.
Billy: (wakes) how many days have I been in bed. (He asks looking at his mother)
Mother: Almost a week. I don’t want to see or hear you have gone near that boy Red again. (shakes her head) how a mother can call her child Red I simply refuse to comprehend it.
Billy: Okay mother.
The next day when Billy saw Red on the street he took to his heels and ran home.
Billy: (in his mother’s apartment) can you give me some money please.
Mother: (surprised) What for?
Billy: I want to buy some books with it.
Mother: (counts out some money) Okay, here you go (and gives it to him)
Billy buys some books on ju-jitsu. He also trains himself with parallel bars and weights. He trained non-stop for three weeks before he was sure he could face Red. Three weeks after practicing with two boys Billy is able to go out again.
Red is outside on the lawn of Billy’s yard playing card with his lieutenants and absorbed in the game when Billy shows up.
Billy: (Afraid, kicks the card away) Hello Red, remember me.
Red: (surprised, after all Billy ran the last time he saw him). So, you are not satisfied with what you’ve got. Want more?
Billy: Of course I do.
By this time a crowd had gathered.
Red: (Dipping his hand into his pocket) I’ll give you some more.
Billy: (kicks off Red’s hand) give me now.
Red: (falls down hurt) You bastard you’ve overcome your fears, ehh. I’ll kill you. (Stands up with menace in his eyes)
Billy: Your days of ruling are over.
Red: (Brings out his knuckle-duster) I’ll kill you I say.
Billy grabs his hand and squeezes until the duster drops. And they start to fight.
Crowd: Go Billy, go
3rd lieutenant: Shut up.
Billy beats Red.
Red: (crying) You wicked son-of-a-bitch (and he leaves)
Billy: Au revoir.
Crowd: (carries Billy and throwing him around) Hey, he’s beaten the bully. The bully has fallen. (And they start to sing)
Crowd: For he’s a jolly god fellow¬……….
THE END.

DECAY IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WHO IS TO BLAME?

Knowledge they say is power and education in the best legacy we can give ourselves. The most important aspect of education is to teach responsibility and impart the basic background for each individual to grow and develop him or herself.
In the twenty-first century life is moving at a faster pace than it usually did all because of advancement in technology. This is not news. However, the education of each individual starts and ends with him. We must choose to learn and educate ourselves in the way we want to grow because whether good or bad we are all responsible for our own personal lives. The decision we make and the actions we take are ours alone.
We are so used to shifting blame about the decay in education to the government, society or parents; some even blame the teachers. The blame does not rest solely here. That is a situation of a lazy worker blaming his tools. The responsibility for this should also be shared by the student because the individual input of a person in acquiring knowledge is the foundation to learning. The blame for the decay in the educational system begins at the home. Every home contributes to how each individual is shaped. A parent that lives a responsible and exemplary life lays the foundation of a good beginning for the child. This foundation begins with the head of the home, do you live by example? Most parents are not concerned with the day-day activities of their children; they have allowed work to supersede the responsibility of properly managing the home. A home like the business, which is not properly managed, would go bankrupt. The child as he / she grows needs constant managing, monitoring, mentoring and educating. The education at home would build the child into the kind of student he would be in school.
I remember while I was young, my parents made it their business to monitor my daily activities. This monitoring was in two folds. My dad was in charge of my school activities, he would call all of us (his children) to the family room and ask for our school bags and he would go through all our school books and homework. Let me tell you; if by any chance you failed to do well in any subject it was trouble. After our school and lesson homework, we had to start his own class work, so we went to three schools: the proper school in the mornings, lesson after school and an evening school with dad. He also built in us an excellent reading habit that has stayed with most of us till date. He would come home with books; initially it was short story books, then novels, mostly by African writers. On weekend mornings we took turn at reading the newspaper to him this is where things like pronunciation, reading skills, and figure of speech are put to the test. It was not all work though; we also had play!! Especially when we had done exceptionally well in school and our duties.
During the afternoons before dad got back from work, mum was already home and her own education was more basic. Moral instruction, home management and godliness were her forte. Most times she came to pick us from school or she just took time off work and came to our school. She would have a long chat with our class teachers and get the entire gist about our individual character mostly in relation to our friends and social environment, which is the school. This is usually her basis for her own kind of schooling.
However nowadays, parents seem to overlook the fact that money is not the basic factor in building a home. An absentee parent would never be able to give the child the kind of mentoring that he / she needs. Remember parents should be the first mentor in a child’s life. It is said that we now have parents that are willing to pay their child’s way through examinations. Some even encourage the children to be lazy and corrupt by approving of the child’s immoral behaviours. They pay bribes so the child can pass exams putting his / her mind at rest that all will be well. The funny thing is that all is not well because this behaviour would have a negative lasting effect in the life of the child, mostly at the level of higher learning. Each parent must be responsible enough to teach their child to be responsible.
Let us not forget the saying, “you can take the horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink”. This is a true saying about children and wards. The easiest thing about life is choosing to be irresponsible. It would have been easy for us while our parents were building characters of moral responsibility in us to choose not to abide by it. Actually I can say I tried it but at those times I remembered my mother’s words, “if you read and do well it is for your good and that of your family that you will have someday. I cannot use your certificate to work, it is yours alone”. My parents made us understand this and so we learnt to teach ourselves to be responsible at all times and to value education and learning. This helped a lot when I had to go to the university. I actually had a job I went to while I was studying full time at a university in Lagos. No it was not in the 70’s nor the 80,s, it was just a few years ago. Less than a decade in fact. I knew that been responsible is the major key to my development as an individual and to how much learning I get at school. The success of each student is tied to the amount of effort he /she puts into their studies and the involvement of that student in his / her own education. One of the reasons why we have so much decay in our educational system is the fact we have a lot of irresponsible students who through their collective efforts are able to disrupt the school calendar. For any institution or society, when the people no longer believe in taking control of their lives positively and been responsible for their education this will lead to stagnation and division. No one can make it in life without the proper knowledge required to do so. Even King Solomon, who is acclaimed to be the wisest man, could not have excelled without learning. He learnt the laws of God, the laws of the land and also learnt how to manage the position God had placed him in. Through the knowledge he acquired he was able to build a kingdom that has not existed again after his time. So also we have read about the world inventors and philosophers, they excelled only because they accepted and took up the responsibility to acquire knowledge. It is a mandatory part of life that any person(s) that cannot successfully manage his / her life cannot mange that of others.
Lastly, the society we live in also has a role to play in the education of its citizens. Building Libraries, laboratories, buying books and equipping schools with necessary tools to make learning more conducive and fun is important. However, that is not all. The decay has also been helped by the fact that the society mostly does not have good things to say about its youths. The society encourages corruption, and moral degradation in its youths. Let us also remember that the encouragement of the society for a job well done is required. The society needs to generate confidence in its citizens so that they would be willing to keep learning.
Let us conclude with this, the blame for the decay lies at the feet of the home, society and the individual. But above all the greatest blame is that of the student who has refused to be responsible enough to better improve him / herself by acquiring the knowledge required to succeed. We as Nigerians need to put in more effort to educate ourselves, if we do this the society would stand up and take notice then we would be able to correct the errors made in our homes.