RENE AND MAGELI

Women of magnitude/ two of a kind but poles apart
Weaving-in out of life /Webs and intimate intricacies
That makes existence an ultimate challenge
Though they started young /Weaving mirrored glasses
That magnifies things in rainbows
And bestows the ideal of everlasting summer
On their believes and outlooks
They came out of a world in which they were born
To find themselves and conquer the world
Not knowing that without removing
From their faces the mirrored glasses
The world would continue to deal them a terrible blow
And after two terrible bangs on the frame
It breaks and falls off /the great trumpet is blown
The mighty wall of Jericho is fallen
As in the bible no one would be able to build this wall
And so the new ideals start /from the debris and rumbles
Come a rambling magnificence /A fortress that cannot be equaled
This is the result of gradual work /Painstaking decisions
Sacrifices made for essence of survival
And since life must go on /they do nothing but go on living
In a life in which they refuse to be
Nothing but the actors, directors/ producers
Refusing to be spectators /or viewers on the outside looking in
At an early age they learn /that life, truly, is not a bed of roses
Lavishly they court the true essence of living
Fighting and winning a war never started /Always on top of whatever it is That life decides to dish out to them /and as we look on and marvel
At the goodness and beauty of it all /we fail to realize that sacrifices have
Been made in lieu of happiness /in their race they have been able
To do what most would not do /they have made a name for themselves
Overcome all odds and become over comers
We need not contemplate /Lives of two never known to the other
But fighting hard without relenting
Retreating and coming back to win /Never vanquished
They stand out among all /and forever will remain a legend
To be admired from race to race
And generation to generation /they stand out among many
And never cease to amaze
Neither is there a chance /of them not been able
To surmount all obstacles

THE BEAUTY OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM!

June 30, 2010 I was at a program and at the end we had to sing the second stanza of the national anthem. Some days before at another function we sang both stanzas and when while I was proud that I could actually recite the lines with faltering and feeling the anthem I realized that most of us can't even remember the lines of the national anthem of our country.

If that be the case then what is it that we are fighting for? Why is that we are clamoring for a better place when we don't even know what our anthem says about a better place? How will we be able to serve with heart and might? How can we build one nation that is founded in freedom, peace and unity?

I was so happy that I could remember all the lines and that in my own way was actually working out the words of the anthem that I joyously laughed and said (loudly) to myself "I remember!" Some people took at me like "and so what?" For me it was a big deal.

How many of us have the ability to arise? or are we still sitting down waiting for miracles that won't come? Are we compatriots or just citizens? Do we even hear Nigeria's call much less obey it? How many of us actually serve our father's land? I aint talking about lip service we pay online towards service or that criticism against the people in power. I am talking of actually rising up to serve and do it with love, strength and faith. A lot of Nigerians don't even believe that Nigeria will be better, they don't have faith in their own individual strength and we no longer love our neighbours.

Now I see that the labours of our fore fathers, heroes that have gone by (no matter how bad we think they did it, they fought for independence) is now in vain. Some days ago someone was saying it would have been better if we were still a colony. Imagine!!

No one have a good vision, we are not collectively reaching for greater heights and with the corruption and the constant fight for who gets what we can't even see the lofty heights we must attain therefore we have remained a country. Instead of us building a nation were peace and justice reigns we have continually worked towards chaos and injustice. A country were the judge can be bought and justice can be perverted because of power and position.

Even though Nigeria has more churches than a lot of countries or nations combined, we have removed God from nation building. However the start of the second stanza asks God for direction. How many of us are noble? How many of us have noble causes? We don't pray for our leaders because we don't give God his place in nationhood. Most of our youths don't know the truth about what is happening; only what they hear on the news or read in the papers (if they read) and that is what they rely on. Without truth it is impossible to see the light.

It is important that we go back and memorize the words of our national anthem and live by it. If we can do this then Nigeria would be better.

Power of the people

Today I saw first hand how Nigerians can as a force collectively work together to achieve a positive growth!!

I had planned my day but somehow I had to add to the plan so I could make time to meet another responsibility. Like most changes, it required additional resources even though I had looked at what I had and assumed that it would be okay.

After leaving the last place of appointment (the added appointment), I got to the bus-stop to realize that the Transporters had tripled the fare. It was crazy!! It is not new that their was a crowd at the bus-stop no. What I found fascinating was that this people actually refused to pay above the normal rate. Even though some would come and board at the inflated rate, the others refused.

Out of nowhere came this Patriotic Nigerian dressed in suit and looking quite elegant, he insisted that no one should board any of the vehicles. The park touts took it up with him and suddenly the others on the outside looking in joined and it was the passengers against the bus drivers and touts. It was a sight to behold. No fighting just an insistence that the fair should be brought down.

I had to leave the bus-stop for a while cos I had to go meet someone but when I got back MAGIC!! The fare was back to the normal price and their was no longer a crowd at the bus-stop. I was proud to be a Nigerian. Like my people would say, "e sweet my belle say dis kain tin fit happen"

Reflecting on this I realized that collectively we can have the change we want if we want it enough. Today this people realized that it is their right to dictate the price and that they could if they worked together. One person stood up to lead a group of people with a common goal and the others followed in his quest.

If we can come together and find that common goal, work together to see it happen then we would be better off for it. All that is needed is for us to realize that the destiny of the country is in our hands and not those in power!

God bless Nigeria!
God bless Nigerians!!