The Good Life

'Mummy, it's Halloween!' my son screamed while running around in excitement. 'Hallo what? Hallo who? Hallo where?' Hahaha Halloween ohhhhhh The young man was even telling me with so much excitement the costume he wanted. Please what does Halloween even mean? In my time, as kids, the biggest celebration we had was Christmas. New year and Easter were almost non-existent to us. This was a remarkable time because we got to eat rice and stew community style in a stainless tray. We were bought new clothes and shoes and got money gifts sometimes from Uncles and Aunties. Today we have every kind of celebration and personalities for kids: Halloween, Easter bunny, tooth fairy, fairy Godmother, fairy cartoon characters, fairy everything to finish parents money because that's how they go shouting these period 'Trick or treat'.

We're all struggling with something We're all trying to keep it together We're all doing our best to rise above the waters. That they are smiling isn't a guarantee that they're fine It might just be the only thing keeping their sanity and peace of mind in check. Therefore in these times you can never be too kind You can never be too empathic  You can never be too forgiving or giving. With the sadness and sad news flying around today, the world needs all the good it can get right now. Be one of such source.

Their wedding was the talk of the town. Every person who mattered showed up. Excess food and drinks. Endless streams of people throwing cash. Several groups of Ashoebi. Everybody trying to outdo the other. 7years after that and the reality of their action has began to bud. Last night was the 12th they were spending in the hospital. This has become the normal routine. Now,the hubby's regretting the marriage, everything is a problem too,  Two kids who are always on speed dial to the hospital, Emotional and financial drain... Prior to their wedding the pastor had asked for test result. They finally got around to telling the Pastor the truth about their genotype and more. The pastor was unrelentingly disturbed and labelled an enemy of progress when he refused conducting the marriage ceremony, until he changed his mind. Before saying I do, run basic health tests on your intended. These and any underlying health facts should be discussed at the beginning of the relationship n...

The topic of security you will agree with me has been sorely overflogged, yet absolutely nothing has changed with regards to it. Whenever there's an outcry, the heads of the forces get changed, the President overnight will call for meeting with them all for show and by the next day, everything is forgotten. Here I am writing about insecurity again. Why? Students have been kidnapped in their numbers the past few days on their way back to school. After been out of school for the better part of the year, the hardship and burden and setback on students as well as their families, only to have ASUU call off and amidst the financial hardship, parents struggle to finally send their kids to school only to have them kidnapped with crazy ransom demands. What do we think is the fate of those students? What are the state of the parents and students as well? What is the government doing about it? And the society? We seem to have accepted it now. But again through every means I have, ...

So, Nigerians were inundated with the news from The Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, that the highest currencies, specifically the 200, 500 and 1000 Naira denominations would be redesigned. While this may appear on the surface like the right thing to do, the question about the timing of this change, considering that no matter how good this policy may be, is wrong, worst still are the roadmap towards retrieving the old currencies. The intent behind the redesigned currencies is akin to a man in whose house gully erosion has eaten deep into the foundations, but rather than seek for concrete solutions decides to bring up superficial options. I do not know anywhere in the world where redesign of currency has ever made such currency to increase in value. Perhaps, the president of the country, who changed currencies during his first regime as a military junta has considered that currency changes will aid in fighting corruption. Head or tail, one must come to terms wit...

Been in the same position? Everything is becoming boring? Lost innovation and motivation? Lost interest, nothing intrigues you? Ohhhhhh you lost your miojo for that job? Well, there's always solution lying around the corner if we search properly and diligently. What if the boredom and loss of excitement comes from a repeated routine? What if one has become complacent about creative ways to get things done? Routine stifles innovation and ideas Routine leaves no room for improvement and creativity If that job allows for one to try other means to get the same end result, then what have you been waiting for? You can't keep doing things in the same way and expect different results. No one will give you that idea, you can do it, you can make things happen.  You have it in you to make things happen, set that ball rolling.

Everyone at home sat in the sitting room enjoying a relaxed evening. The kids were at it as is customary of them with loads of running, screaming and playing. A little while later, D walks up to me and tells me he wants to get his take home assignment done. I guided him through those that seemed tough while he elected to do the others on his own. Halfway into his assignment, he began role playing as his school teacher as he began saying things like 'Two letter words are! Repeat after me.  Hey, Kamsi two letter words are? Shhhhhhhhhh Who's talking at the back? Give me your hand, 123.... Back to your seat!' He kept going on and on in his monopolistic display and that's how we got to learn of some his talents, his classmates, the way his teacher  behaves with him and more. Was a shocking experience but helped us to see that kids are very much aware of everything happening around them irrespective of the fact that they might not be vocal. 

Screaming from Aunty Tessy got us all running into her room and around the house like crazy people. She was barely coherent and kept dancing, while trying to and not to scratch her body. It had been an uneventful morning, everyone at home were just lazying around and didn't notice when Aunty Tessy snuck into the girls room and took what she perceived as lotion and out of envy, applied it so generously on her body. Well, Aunty Tessy is a cousin who arrived from the village to spend sometime with us. Everytime she met my sis and i dressing up, she had something to say. Our dressing table was always under her attack. From our cream, to make up and others. This faithful morning, she snuck into our room with the aim of taking somethings for herself. And in her excitement and envy, decided to use what she believed was our body lotion. However, she found out  the hard way that the supposed lotion was actually hair relaxer, hence the screaming and dancing. Hahahaha. 1. Don'...

'Mummy where are you?' 'Mummy, Mummy! The kids were searching all over the house for me like a predator on a blood trail. It had been a long and mentally exhausting day. The minute i stepped into the house i went from settling one conflict to the other. For cups, spoons, shared toys and any other thing that catches their attention that they could fight about. Well, about 45minutes in, i decided to feed the kids properly, bathe them and next, disappear amidst And i did just that, by hiding in the guest room. Which brings us back to them tearing up and searching for me all over the house. Handed the kids to their Dad, and grandparents and took cover. I myself deserve to be pampered. I'm someone's baby girl

There's another onslaught going on concerning a clergyman on the social media platforms. So many perspectives and opinions flying around. Another person giving a supposed insider information. Criticisms, counter opinions... I have however had a firsthand experience of how damaging social media can be. A space where people freely write about anything and anyone without care to conduct proper investigations and  verification of the informations they're carrying. The also have little care or regard to how adverse the information they're giving out could affect the persons involved. So many times, the damages would've been done before proper information verification would be conducted. I'm sure we've heard of persons suing blogs or social media handles and winning such cases because of wrongful and damaging informations given concerning such persons. It's sad however that so many are yet to understand how much powerful social media can be and how muc...

                                            Anonymous Tamuno could barely stay still, She had been through hell and back within the past odour weeks. They had woken up to the stark reality that flood had ravaged their home, unfortunately the farm house wasn't spared as it was completely submerged.  With very little options available, her parents had decided that the older children be allowed to go and fend for themselves while they focused on other spiritual matters. Unfortunately,  her lover had had enough of her and in a bid to send her out of the house had resorted to both verbal and physical abuse . A little argument had ensued between the duo when he broke a bottle and made sure to bury a greater portion of the broken bottle in her body. The tolls the flood has taken will remain a hard nut to crack, besides the physical loss of properties, most police ...

Two years after and nothing changed. Seems we even got worst. Nigeria as a nation is beginning to look like a scam. It's one bad story trading it's place for something worse. Lives were lost just for denanding for better Families torn apart and plunged into pain by the death or disappearance of their loved ones and yet to be accounted for till today. So many pictures goinh uo today showing unity, the struggle , the pain and the hope  for a better life. Two years after and we have nothing to show for the lives we lost at Lekki Toll gate, no accountability by the government, no investigation, no one acknowledging the plight of the people. But no matter what it may be, we as a people will never forget the sacrifices made by those who laid down their lives demanding better. We would never forget that our government has regards for human lives and properties. We won't forget how we have been hurt by this government. And yes, no matter what, we won't stop demandin...

Mama Oluebube sang all evening, sometimes she'd pause and make snide remarks about bad home training, and about how she ensured her kids were brought up in righteousness and with the fear of God, other times she'd be talking about God's judgment and how he's exposing and visiting the evil people. Earlier in the day police arrested another neighbour's son, Idris, for fighting which led to some serious injuries on both parties. We all knew Idris to be a very reserved, courteous and quiet guy who always helped his mum in running her provision store. So the case of him fighting to the point  of sustaining injuries was really strange and we all believed he must've been provoked.  However Mama Oluebube saw it as an opportunity as she always felt intimidated by Mummy Idris who just like her son, was also a very reserved woman but was termed proud by Mama Oluebube because she wouldn't join her in gossiping. Six days later, Oluebube was arrested in our ne...

Couldn't believe it when the news filtered down to my ears but alas, it was indeed true, Rico Swavey was involved in an accident, fought for a few days and subsequently died. It was a shocker to everyone as well. Still is but then, live goes on. Few days after his death, before we could come to terms with that news, another tough one hits the internet. A woman died supposedly from domestic violence and the internet has been agog with several versions, views, opinions, explanations and more. So many stories and history surrounding the marriage has been popping up and just like that, the Rico news has been forgotten. The bottom line here is, take care of you; you owe yourself that duty of care. If anything should happen to anyone now, his/her story would be forgotten  before the corpse is even cold.   You are your number one priority. Take care of your physical and mental health, avoid anything that will trouble your peace of mind, live peaceably with all men but liv...

Hubby and i decided to have something light for dinner, so we walked to one of the stores around our house whose owner we considered our customer, to get what we wanted. Surprisingly, he inflated the prices of everything we purchased without giving it a second thought and all the while he kept going on and  on about how prices of things has gone up in the market but because we were his customers he was selling to us at a discounted rate. This reminds me of some other day i went to the market to get something for my kids. The lady i went to buy from grossly inflated the price so i chose not to buy from her. While walking away she began discussing with her neighbour and told her in Igbo language that i refused the inflated price she gave me and i'm even holding a car key. It's too bad that we are crying about how foul things are but we are however,  the greatest problems to ourselves. Prying on each other like vultures, yet we're still crying about how bad things ...

We hadn't spoken with each other for over 10 years and out of the blue i got her messages on messenger. Less than two minutes into the conversation and i'm getting messages  from her asking for financial assistance. Of course due to the relationship we had in the past, i maintained a polite conversation which ended in me collecting her account number to send something to her when i had. Two days later i'm bombarded with messages from her again to send financial help immediately without a second thought to how my family and i were coping, haven explained our economic situation to her the last time we spoke. How do people just come up with so much effrontry.  You neglect the friendship and every form of relationship, only to wake up and reach out not to lay the foundation for a relationship but because you need help or so. You get out of relationships what you put in. Do not expect magic when you've invested nothing. Start today to sew the seed you'd love ...

A beautiful sunday indeed. The pastor gave a heart rending and thought provoking sermon and capped with blessings. What's next? Ohhhhhhhhh offering time. This was the time where everyone displayed wealth, wears and for those who have no money, they bring their sacrifice of praise as well as dance offering. The instrumentslist had began their intro when Minister Tobi came on the stage and everyone got up, excited and ready to dance it aways as one is the case whenever he showed up. Ohhhh my joy was boundless until i remembered who was sitting beside me. You guessed right, it's Mummy Ifeanyi. My heart crashed immediately. She was a habitual and  perpetual finisher of time and energy.  Who didn't know Mummy Ifeanyi? She danced and danced..and that, was with it. Mummy Ifeanyi would delay the procession for offering with her dancing, going back and forth until the other worshippers would get tired and join other queue in their procession. Mummy Ifeanyi is a shower st...

It had been a very long day at work. I still had some leftover work to do My mind ached again as it had for days whenever i remember i had other chores to do once i got home. Being worn out was not reason enough Not having cash didn't stop one. Mum taught us that there was no reason good enough for you to be caught unfresh, one must always appear clean and sharp. So, exhausted, sleepy and all, the foundational voice was ringing in my ears always such that the minute i step into an untidy space, i begin loosing my mind until the place is cleaned up. This cleanliness was one beautiful learning experience. As a single, one had the energy, but marriage came with the blessing of having one's spouse step in whenever one couldn't. Marriage presents a million blessings when you're with the right person.

We're here again, mourning when we shouldn't. The tears wouldn't stop flowing, there's no end to the fountain, no end to the pain, the everlasting vacum created from another loss. What have we done to deserve this? Where is the conscience of our health workers? Where is the professionalism? Where is the empathy? A patient lay helplessly, dying on a seat with oxygen mask attached But there they stood smiling, laughing, making videos. It's sad to see how negligent our health care workers can be. Instead of paying attention to a dying man, they were making videos and even had the audacity to put it out on social media. Our health care system has failed In short every system in Nigeria has failed A country that doesn't give you a fighting chance And worst still where our personnels are supposed to do their due diligence, there's nothing, nothing to show. God help us God heal us So many lives lost due to negligence, i-don't-care attitude and the f...

Mummy Elisha was looking at her phone screen for the third time when she fainted and went into a coma. She had just seen a friend's status update where pictures of her husband involved in a freak accident graced his status. Sometime back, it was Gabriella who came crying about finding her wedding invite online. A wedding both couple wanted to be done on a hush hush kinda way. How about Mummy Feddy? A friend just saw her pregnant,exchanged pleasantries, only to find her pictures online an hour later. Some persons take it upon themselves to publicize people's stories. Before the news get to its destination, they're posting aready and on the look out for another. Do not post events until the parties invoved do so. Unfiltered information, status and so on have caused many accidents and shock, even. Don't go share any news you're priviledged to know; good or bad. Do not

The service moderator with a big grin plastered on his face shouted into the mic ' Testimony time, overcomers time!' My siblings and i exchanged knowing glances and almost erupted in laughter. This time is one of the highlights for us every sunday because of the different set of persons testifying. Those who must begin their testimony with singing. Ahhhhhhhh Mama Prosper is the chief of this group. She'd sing and sometimes she goes as far as composing songs on the altar for 5 minutes for a testimony she was alloted 3 minutes, testifies for 2 minutes  them rounds out complaining about how she wasn't really given time to share her testimony. How about those who love giving their life history? Some would even trace theirs to the time of their birth  and forefathers if possible. These ones are custodians of history. The prayer warriors? These ones talk for 30 seconds, fall under the anointing and speaking in tongues till their time is up. If you're unfortuna...

In the 1980's, the  company's board found him too young and also too temperamental to run the company; a company he co-founded. Anyways, he decided to bring in somebody to run the business in his stead in the person of John Sculley, who was a pepsi executive. Differences and disagreements... 1985, Sculley convinced the board to let go of the man who brought him in. However, a little over a decade later, he started another company NEXT which his previous company couldn't resist buying and also ended up rehiring him. This is the summation of the life of Steve Jobs and the company, Apple. This short story shows that what makes a man does not lie in what he possesses but what is on the inside. A resourceful person can not be stopped. If his physical possessions are taken away, he has the capcity to reproduce and even exceed what he first had. Life can happen to a man, people might conspire, situations may not be favourable  but the content of a man announces him. It...

You know that feeling. You know it now, why are you staring at me with corner eyes? Look at me directly if you've not done  or felt it before. I just felt it Some daughters of Eve poking in my territory? You know that tiny voice with horn? Ehhhh that one. That tiny horn voice was just whispering up and down I could only imagine how wild Eve's mind was going when Satan was talking with her. Well, i quickly took hubby's phone oh to do something, cant really remember what and behold, phone refused to open and app was busy saying 'snooper detected' Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh i went from zero to hundred oh. Me, Chioma, snooper? A whole Chi-Chi? First things first, when did he start locking phone? I completely forgot i knew the password, Completely forgot hubby told me while setting it up because of our kids. I was sweating, vexing, thinking... Worst part was the tiny horn was laughing. And that's how hubby met me all swollen up like a toad. Well, he unlocked the pho...

Johnson, Johnson! How many times i call you? Na only God go punish you for me. After writing waec 4 times and e no favour me, i decide go small two years break. Na so i take start the sales girl work. I dey shop with madam that faithful day wey i con decide to do small chat for 2go We quarrel for chat room. From there na him we take connect, come be friends. If to say i know say you be falling hand guy, shebi i for just face my front no answer you online. Before you know, small small, we don strong pass top bond. Early mormor you don wake me, night time you go compose fine goodnight message for me. Na so you take talk say you don fall in love, say na me you dey wait for all your life. As you dey pursue me like whirlwind, na so the love blow me yakata, so tey i even break up with Tolu my guy so that we go come be together. Almost the fifth month na him we decide to see oh. I don tell all my friends and family pipo about you because you promise me heaven and earth. Johnson, n...

My Dad wouldn't let anyone rest with talks of his grandchildren. Be rest assured that he'd spend over half of whatever call time in talking with his grandchildren and asking them to come over. Dad wouldn't stop disturbing us about the purported visit until we his children had an agreement amongst ourselves to visit him together with our spouse and kids. The day had come, it was to be a one week family reunion. A true surprise to our parents. Excitement in the air, everyone and everywhere bubbling. By mid-day, Mum was worn out, Dad was caught sneaking away from the kids. Next he began asking for pain relieg for his headache as well as body paind. Well, he suceeded in sneaking into his study which i followed and queried him. It wasn't even the end of day 1 and he was absconding from his position and duties. The very same man who tormented us with the talks of seeing his grandchildren was now on the run and hiding. By noon, we had to tell ourselves the truth an...

Seasons change, people change, there's always a reason for everything. Sometimes, things don't always go the way we plan. Sometimes we loose faith. Yet we can be it, achieve it, live it if we stay positive. A positive attitude is infectious,  A positive attitude lightens dark times, places and people. Positivity is a currency that one has to give himself. It's a fact of life that we can only always do our  best, then, we pray and hope, believing that everything will work out just fine because the best of efforts doesn't always guarantee positive results. A merry heart is said to do good like medicine. Same goes for a positive attitude and mindset. It's a lifelong key that pulls you through tough times.

'Madam, no school around your area? Why are you bringing them this far?' I simply smiled and said nothing. Prior to this time hubby and i thought a certain school was cool for our son. We wanted him to be associated to the name and the class of people who brought their kids to the school. As it goes with these kind of school, the fee was high and so were our expectations. However, our son began falling ill all too frequently. He'd cry whenever it was time to go to school. Always looked subdued whenever we picked him up. The cycle went on and on, we became big time customers of the pharmacy and almost hospital. We began noticing his behaviour around his teachers, as though he dreaded being left with them. One morning,  one of his class teacher told us that they all get apprehensive with thoughts whenever he comes to school because he demands so much attention and won't stop crying. That statement did it for us. Suddenly it became clear why our son always fell...

11:46pm and my eyes was turning left right Heyyyyyyyy God! I can do this Yes i can do this 5 minutes later and i'm like, i should do this Another 5 minutes, i'm wondering, can i do this? I look at the full length mirror for changes to my body Ha, with the kind of hunger I'm dealing with me, i can feel the six packs already. According to the weight loss experts, they say no more eating after 6pm and one should have fruits for dinner. Day one, super amazing Day two, cool Day three, past midnight and i'm still tracing patterns on my ceiling. Was the aim of this journey not to loose weight? Why then should i be here keeping track of what i should be forgetting? Another spasm of hunger pang and i was rummaging through everything in the kitchen like a starved wolf. As i sat spread out like an eagle, i quietly told myself the raw truth; it's not every battle one should engage in. Wisdom is needed before engaging. It's weight loss right? I agree, i've lo...

So Mum made our native soup for dinner. Ohhhhh how we turned it down with so much jesting. Not to mention how mercilessly we teased Mum about the soup. Local soup for millennia guys like us? Nah! So we got ourselves together and decided to have noodles and went ahead to purchase everything we'd need. Emmy did the buying, I prepared the ingredients, Fay did the cooking. We all awaited our meal with pride and kept throwing jabs at Mum. Meal got served, first and second taste, it was all shades of no. From being watery to too peppery. We found ourselves begging Mum for her local soup. Pride forgotten. It was eat the soup or go to bed hungry as every store around was closed and it was pretty late to order for anything. Of course, you guessed right. Mum had herself an incredibly long and loud laugh until her belle began to hurt. Yours truly and gang were taught humility by force.

Dear Lord! I felt like literally pulling my hair from it's roots as i listened to Mama Kristi, our neighbour's shrill voice going on and on. Everybody in this neighbourhood knows Mama Kristi for her non-stop talking. It seems like she's on an all time high because her voice wakes you up at sunrise and it's the last thing you hear before you close your eyes at night. Her voice so loud and shrill, her attitude? You just want to go into hiding whenever she comes around. She certainly could nag a corpse back to life. Little wonder members of our compound were thanking God for the life of her husband when he suddenly packed out last week while she was away on a work assignment. Ever been around a person who nags? You'd know that peace of mind can't be over rated. It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.                              Proverbs 21:9(ESV)

Happy Independence Day!!! It's 1st October and as is customary, voices rent the air. Voices of celebration Voices of tears and despair Voices of desperation and hopelessness, Voices of protest for change Yes, voices, the first being for the rich and those in power  And the other voices are those of the masses, poor, downtrodden and citizenzs generally who are suffering daily at the hands of the bad government. Several songs and publications go out today talking about the present state of affairs of the nation. However, what beats my mind is the fact that this circle goes on every year.  The masses cry today as they always have and i ask myself, 'What's really wrong with our government? Why aren't they addressing the challenges recounted by the masses, year after year? How can the government be so deaf and blind  to everything wrong?  Will any genuinely working government feign ignorance year after year? No. This brings me to the conclusion that the govern...