Personal lessons learnt in 2014

Hello beautiful people, I bet Christmas was lovely, I hope it was more about celebrating Jesus Christ and less of celebrating ourselves *smiling*.

I learnt so much in 2014, I felt I should blog about them and share my lessons.

1. Only Jesus Christ saves. Many a times, we want to find solace in the arms of friends or family members but at the end, there is a limit to what humans can do but there are no limits with my personal Lord and Saviour. I learnt to lean on him more and he has saved me countless times.

2. God is everywhere. Battling with malaria monthly since I ended youth service has been the worst experience for me. It made the people around me become fretful, while the doctors saw it as a normal thing to happen to people who fall under the genotype "AA", others in my life saw it as a spiritual issue and so, everyone was recommending one church or the other but I stood on my faith and told them "God is everywhere". I don't need to go to the mountain to pray and move from one church to another. If we let Him, He lives in us as the holy spirit and I am satisfied with that.

3. If you live life on the fast lane, be ready to die young.

4. As a Christian, listening to the voice of the holy spirit helps out a lot. That voice allows us to avoid bad situations and also helps us to improve our relationship with Christ.

5. When it comes to some friendships, absence makes the heart grow fonder and when it comes to some other friendships "Out of sight is out of mind". I finally made my peace with this and moved on.

6. The last thing that should be on my mind is what people think about me. I have learnt that opinions are not facts and if you don't have a heaven or hell to put me in, then you have no right to judge me or try to impose your personal opinions on me. You are allowed to advice me and I am allowed to take your advice or leave it. Shikena!!!

7. Sometimes, the answer to the question "how are you?" should be "fine" with a full stop. Not everyone is genuinely interested in your stories. I am more satisfied and comfortable with sharing with my family, I used to share my stories with others, my life has been less complicated since I stopped over sharing details about my personal life.

8. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being affable, humble and down to earth. In the past, people have misread this as me being weak and vulnerable. I have heard people say it openly, I was willing to change but it didn't work out for me. I was born this way, it's natural, trying to be mean and less friendly would just be another person and fake.

9. I learnt more about the "Golden Rule". "Do to others what you would want them to do to you".

10. I learnt that I am on a journey of my own. I am not walking on the same lane as others. Even though, it's hard to get people to understand me especially my parents, I am okay. I am not trying to follow the cliche rule of life, tried it early this year and I was really unhappy. I wasn't born to be placed in a box, moving around the four corners and never getting out.

12. There are opportunities in Nigeria, there is less of integrity and more of corruption. Sometimes, the corruption robs you of the opportunity but keep moving. One opportunity fails, more will come. Don't stop grabbing them because of a few failed ones.

13. The most important lesson of my 2014 is that "True love conquers all."

I count my blessings and I cannot name them all, God has been merciful to me. I lost a dear friend, that was the saddest part of this year, he was one of the coolest dudes in secondary school and afterwards he remained the same. I miss you "Loyong Choji".

Every day is a new beginning, problems and mistakes of yesterday are now just memories of a ( lesson learned ). I absorb the energy and possibilities of each new day, acknowledge the simple beauty that can be taken for granted, and look forward to tomorrow's new beginning !!

Happy New Year in advance. May 2015 be beautiful and good to us all.

Harmattan Essentials

If you are in Nigeria, then you must be feeling the hot dry dusty wind already, cold in the early hours of the morning and dry in the later hours.

Some people love harmattan weather but not me, for starters, It's not a friendly weather for my body, especially my lips. For some people, breathing becomes painful.

Here are some essential items needed to get along during this dry season.

1. A good body oil is perfect for your skin during harmattan. It helps to keep your skin moist and less dry. If you are into your body lotions, you can mix your body oil with your lotion or alternatively apply your body oil to your legs, feet and hands.

2. A hand lotion is not a luxury during harmattan especially for someone always on the go. When you are out and need to wash your hands, afterwards your hands become dry, so a hand lotion is an essential.

3. Use good hair products, harmattan is one period where people loose more of their natural hair. Hair breakage is more intense during dry season. So make sure you take time to oil your scalp and hair often.

4. Get a good lipgloss or lip balm, this beauty essential for harmattan is not restricted to the ladies, men also have issues with their lips during harmattan. Constant use of lip gloss or lip balm helps you avoid dry lips and injuries.

5. A hand santizer also helps because bacteria is easily spread during the harmattan season.

6. Ensure you have a clean handkerchief and tissue paper. This is very necessary for people who go through painful breathing during harmattan. Most times, we take in so much dust when we breathe during this season, so you can clean your nostrils with tissue papers or a clean handkerchief to ease yourself.

7. When it comes to fashion, avoid clothes produced with light fabrics such as chiffon and linen, they tend to stick to your body when the harmattan wind blows. Clothes produced with cotton is preferable for the dry season.

Hope this blog entry helps you.
Compliments of the season.

...xoxoxoxo...

Mr Price opens a hot new store at Port Harcourt Mall !!!

Mr Price launched it's retail spot at 8am today in the Garden City of Nigeria and it attracted a crowd of fashion lovers ranging from women, men, teenagers, adolescents and kids. A lot of customers were able to win fashion vouchers and score more savings on items in the beautiful store.

The Sales representatives were really affable, helpful and very polite to customers as some residents of the city are new to the world of Mr Price. I was looking forward to shop their latest designer range by Anisa Mpugwe but was a bit disappointed when i didn't see any of her pieces. Guess I will be able to get one or two pieces when next I am at Lagos. If you were not there today, it's always open to you and it's fashion at the most affordable rate.


... xoxo...

What to wear as a bride or groom to your court wedding.

Court Weddings are usually formal and brief, a lot of people struggle with
the choice of what to wear to their court wedding,some prefer to go all out and be dramatic with their choice of outfit for the day but a court wedding doesn't need a dramatic wedding dress, since it's a formal kind of wedding "sophisticated, chic and demure" should be the three words in your mind when selecting what to wear. if you are going to tie the knot in a court, then you have a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing what to wear.

Personally, I believe Knee-length dresses and classy female suits are good choices for a courthouse wedding. They are not too dressy and not too casual either. Also pants, a chic top paired with a blazer would also work for an edgy fashionista.

When it comes to courthouse wedding attire; for men the choice is a bit easier. You can base your outfit on whatever your bride is wearing. If she’s made an effort to dress-up then don’t turn up in jeans and shirt.

If your bride is going to be wearing a bridal dress then a smart tuxedo would be a good choice. If you don’t want to wear a tuxedo, or you don’t have one, then formal shirt and tie is an option. if you are going to be saying your wedding vows anytime soon in a court, I hope these tips help. ...xoxoxoxo...

RANDOM POST: BE CAREFUL, BE VERY CAREFUL Part 1.

The unemployment rate is disturbing in Nigeria and this leads to so much idleness, idleness leads to so much empty hours, empty hours leads to desperation, desperation leads to deep thinking, deep thinking leads to either a positive or negative solution. In most cases, jobless people who need quick money abide with the negative solution. Hence, we have so many people committing criminal acts just to get money quickly; so much thought is not put into the process of doing something illegal, especially the consequences. The most popular criminal act of getting quick money is “cyber crime” popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo” in Nigeria. A friend of mine was a victim and I decided to write about her experience to warn my lovely readers. I have changed the real names but the story is non- fiction.

My friend “Remi” is down to earth and friendly, she has over 1000 contacts on her blackberry messenger, people add her every day, if you use BBM, you will know that people who don’t know you often add you randomly to either increase their contacts or to genuinely socialize. Remi got a BBM request on one Saturday, this new contact did not introduce herself, she just remained a silent contact on Remi’s list.

A week later, Remi receives a broadcast about Human Hair Sales, she decides to help the seller rebroadcast. After an hour, her newest contact pings her to ask her questions about the broadcast. This is the first time her newest contact has sent her a message since she added this person. Remi decides to ask her “how she got her pin? why has she been silent? And other general questions like “what’s your name? where are you based?, Remi’s new contact says her name is “ADA” and goes further to tell Remi more about herself. She says she is half ibo, half Indian, she was born in Nigeria, she lives in Lagos, her Father who is the Indian parent works with Chivita, she is the last girl in the family, she is a doctor with an oil company that has a hospital in Lagos, her family is really wealthy but she prefers to be independent, she is 30 years old and single. Remi feels the information is too much and Ada is over sharing especially since she doesn’t know her in person but later concludes that Ada is just a very open person.

Over time, Ada and Remi become very close chat buddies, Remi doesn’t say much about herself other than basic gist, Ada keeps confiding in Remi every day. One day, Ada tells Remi she is bothered about her life, Remi asks her “what the problem is” Ada says she is already 30 years old and still unmarried, she feels lonely and her work as a doctor doesn’t let her socialize or avails her the opportunity of meeting the opposite sex in a neutral environment.

Remi feels sorry for her and decides to play “the match maker”. Deji is one of Remi’s friends on BBM, who has been her friend for over two years and always confides in her about settling down soon. Deji wants to get married but tells Remi that it is hard to find a wife material in Lagos. Since Ada is based in Lagos, Remi feels it won’t be a bad idea for Deji to meet Ada. So she introduces Ada to Deji via BBM, after a while Ada stops chatting with Remi. Remi decides to tease her friend Deji and tells him he has stolen Ada from her. Deji sends an “eye rolling” and “lips sealed” smiley, Remi curiously asks him if everything is okay? Deji says he is yet to meet Ada because she is always busy and he is not interested in someone who asks him to send 250,000 naira to her account on the second day of chatting. Remi is surprised and calls Deji a liar, that is impossible, Ada is not that kind of lady besides she comes from a wealthy family and her job pays well.

Deji believes Ada is a fake person and also believes Ada is probably not a female, Remi becomes disturbed by his suspicions.
To be continued.

Noon Inspiration: The "Leader" in "You"

The cliché definition of a leader is someone who leads others; this definition is correct but too basic. I prefer the definition by Wikipedia, Wikipedia defines leadership as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Leaders are everywhere, in our homes, churches, mosques, private and public organizations. They say “some were born to lead and others were born to follow”, I think this saying has built the foundation for a lot of ills society faces. People tend to mind their business and always leave the responsibilities for leaders. I see this attitude in my everyday life; I used to be that way. If the issue does not affect us directly, then we should just remain pessimistic and careless.

There is a leader in everyone, we say the Government is not good, the Government is corrupt and they are supposed to be our leaders. I cannot defend people in power but there are little things that we can do as citizens to make our immediate community a better place. A common ill that we face in Nigeria as a result of the “carefree attitude” is flood caused by blocked drainage systems. We tend to litter the environment with our petty wastes like pure water sachets, snack wrappers, plastic bottles e.t.c, when the rainy season comes; we are faced with floods or high level of water on the ground.

Once, while I was still in school, I entered a public taxi headed for Uniport, I was thirsty, so I bought a bottle of lacasera from one of the hawkers on the road, when I was done drinking it, I threw the empty bottle out on the street, next thing I hear is the voice of a handsome man saying “You look intelligent, I am disappointed that you just did that”, I apologized. At that second, I knew the apology meant nothing to him but would mean so much to the environment, so I repented. My hand bag is usually a mini waste bag until I find a public bin; I neatly wrap my waste and keep it in my bag. If every citizen was responsible enough to show a little bit of leadership, we would have clean and free gutters; rainy seasons will come and go without any issue. Once, I told my friend to stop throwing his petty wastes on the streets, He said “he needed a reason to be patriotic and be different”, my reply? Every action starts with an individual. Your actions can affect one person and that individual can affect more people. I admire my street, the gutters are clean, and residents on my street make a constant effort to clean the gutters, when it rains in Port Harcourt, we have no issues but I can’t say the same thing for the city as a whole.

Leaders don’t have to be just the people at the helm of affairs handling critical issues concerning the economy. We could all be leaders in our own little way, assisting and playing our parts as responsible citizens. The man or woman who leaves his or her car during a bad traffic situation and controls the traffic is a good leader, I have seen a lot of people do this; they don’t sit back in their car and start blaming the Police or cursing the Federal government. Truth be told, most times when we complain, we end up getting a headache, every problem we face is simply calling for your attention.

Many a times, we see the young people who break stones to fill the “potholes” on our roads, these are leaders, they may not be wearing suits, or getting ready to head into a board room to address employees but they have managed to help a lot of people by the simple act of leadership. Sometimes, people say they do it because they are unemployed but they also could decide to be blind on purpose and say “it’s the Government’s responsibility’’.

What change are you bringing to your immediate community, country, and the world? Are you going to keep blaming every single bad thing happening on Political Leaders or will you ignite the “Leader in you” and start a revolution that will contribute immensely to the society and the world? Ponder a little.

Our world is constantly affected by a lot vices, the people who rule us are not enough to bring change to our door steps. We have seen a lot of young people leading with excellent projects that help others, one of such projects is “SLUM TO SCHOOL”, the founder of this project saw a societal problem, He saw slums with children who had no access to quality education, he decided to solve the problem and that gave birth to “Slum to School” and there are other inspiring stories of people standing up and impacting their society directly or indirectly.

Leading your country is unrealistic when you have no intention of becoming a political leader but you can be a leader in own little world called “your mind” and then change the world positively. Wake up, love your country genuinely, be inspired and realize it’s your responsibility to create the world that you want to see and be part of. Activate the “Leader” in “You”.

…Chioma Olamide Udom…

RANDOM POST: EBOLA PALAVA (MY TALE)

If you keep up with my blog posts, you would know I didn’t have a very pleasant experience during my youth service. Service ended and a month later, malaria and typhoid hits me, I hate being sick, it’s just annoying to see food and I can’t eat, to see water and dislike it because of the bitter taste it leaves in my mouth after drinking. So month after month, malaria and typhoid kept visiting me, then typhoid vanished, but malaria kept attacking me each month.

People who know well said it’s all the mosquito bites I received during service, some say it’s spiritual and the doctors say it’s because my genotype is AA, they say people with genotype AA are prone to have malaria every month and that is why it’s advisable to treat malaria every month. I took different anti malaria drugs and I think my system got used to them, so my body stopped responding to drugs, I was advised to start taking local herbs and that’s how my journey with the popular Yoruba herb “agbo” started.

So October came and malaria paid a visit, this time, it was painful, my joints ached badly. I was given anti malaria drugs but by the next day, there was no sign of improvement, My parents decided it was time to take me to the hospital. As we drove to the hospital, I sobbed at the back seat; my parents kept saying “I will be fine”. We got to the hospital 30 minutes later, the security person at the entrance points her infrared thermometer to check our temperatures, my parents had normal temperatures but mine was high. My dad turns to her and says “She’s down with malaria”, she smiles and lets us in.

At the reception, my parents gave the hospital attendants my card and they wait to get my file. After my file was found, as usual I was directed to the nurse on duty, whose job is to check my temperature and BP, she wears her gloves and before touching me, asks me “what is wrong with you?”, I reply weakly “I think it’s malaria”. She stands up and says to me “You can’t be inside the hospital, who let you in?”, then tells me in a tone to go outside. At that point, I just wanted to sit down because my joints ached so badly but I listened to her and went outside as instructed. As I walked out, my dad was curious to find out why she didn’t attend to me, she asked him “ did you bring her here?” and my dad says “Yes!, I am her father”, she turns to my parents and say “Ma! Sir! Please follow her, you all will have to wait outside to see the doctor”.

The doctor shows up 25 minutes later, stands at a distance to ask his questions. It was becoming very funny to my parents, My dad then suggested that he checks my file, he will see a history of malaria even before the ebola saga. The doctor excuses himself and doesn’t show up again. I was in a terrible state and started thinking “so everyone who falls sick during this period is an ebola patient, people could actually die because no doctor wants to treat a patient with high fever”. We regretted coming to the hospital but had to wait for the doctor, some minutes later, the same angry nurse who asked me to step out of the hospital shows up and ask us to enter the hospital through a back door. When we got into the hospital, they cleaned the chair I sat on with Jik bleach. Then we waited for some minutes, as we waited, my father entertained us with his jokes, it was funny, the whole experience was funny but I was in serious pain and couldn’t laugh. The doctor shows up again, still maintaining his distance to ask if I had taken any drugs, I said “Yes”, He smiles and says “Just finish the dose, you will be fine”. As we stood up to leave, my parents were so happy that they were not taking us somewhere to be quarantined.

If a private hospital could be so rational, I wondered how patients were treated in government hospitals. Even though the World Health Organization declared us “ebola free”, everyone still acts like WHO lied to us.

Foreign Countries asking Nigeria to teach them how to get rid of ebola should learn to be selfish and love life more than anything. A typical Nigerian loves life, whether life is comfortable or uncomfortable in Nigeria, we stick to Hope, In my own opinion, that is why we were able to get rid of the deadly disease, there was no sympathy for any kind of sickness that shares similar symptoms with ebola.

Happy New Month lovelies, feeling thankful and glad that I am healthy and I have a family that helps me get through good and bad times. Enjoy the rest of November.

Food for thought: Ten Rules Of Respect to Live By.

My best friend loves books, He loves books that can inspire him, books that can aid him, books that can improve his knowledge beyond everything he currently knows, I used to be like him, I love words and gaining new knowledge, that's the only sane reason behind me reading the oxford dictionary during my spare hours in secondary school and reading the newspaper often when I was in primary school.

After Jamb and year 2 in the University, I think I became a lazy reader but I am trying to repent and restore my relationship with books. Since my best friend is a book lover, he has a mini library, I recently borrowed a book titled "There's no such thing as Business Ethics" by John .C. Maxwell. He talks about ethics, how it's difficult to find companies and individuals who apply the Golden Rule and how the Golden Rule applies to business decisions and our personal lives. He also features real stories as examples. It's so educative, I love this book so much that I might have to re-read it. A part in chapter 3 captivated me and though I dropped New Year Resolutions two years ago, this part in the book has to be my 2015 resolution. They are ten rules for respect to live by, I will try living by them and expect others in my life to do the same. Here I go......

1. If you have a problem with me, come to me privately.
2. If I have a problem with you, I will come to you privately.
3. If someone has a problem with me and comes to you, send them to me (I'll do the same for you).
4. If someone consistently will not come to me, say, "Let's go see her together. I am sure she will see us about this." I will so the same for you.
5. Be careful how you interpret me, I'd rather do that. on matters that are unclear, do not feel pressured to interpret my feelings or thoughts. It is easy to misinterpret intentions.
6. I'll be careful how I interpret you.
7. If it's confidential, don't tell. If you or anyone else comes to me in confidence. I won't tell unless
     a) the person is going to harm himself/herself
     b) the person is going to physically harm someone else
     c) a child has been physically or sexually abused. I expect the same from you.
8. I do not read unsigned letters or notes.
9. I do not manipulate; I will not be manipulated; do not let others manipulate you. Do not let others try to manipulate me through you.
10. When in doubt, just say it. If I can answer it without misrepresenting something or breaking a confidence, I will.

Looking for a new book to read? If you have not read "There's no such thing as business ethics", I recommend it. You will learn a lot.

DISCLAIMER: Information worthy of note to all current and potential clients.

There is a "Gospelc Anucha" on facebook who claims to be a Designer/Model with Mi'De Fashion County.
https://m.facebook.com/gospelca?v=timeline&refid=17

Gospelc Anucha is an imposter who claims to be a staff of Mi'De Fashion County.

We have no dealing whatsoever with this Gospelc Anucha and we have never had any dealing with him either as a model or as a staff.

He is misleading the public and also claiming to be responsible for most of our fashion designs.

He shares photos of our designs, claims it as his and asks his friends to rate him, This is intellectual theft.

We have one creative director and her name is "Chioma Olamide Udom" (Yours Sincerely), I am currently in charge of all sketches and designs of Mi'De Fashion County.

Anyone who patronizes him does so at your own risk.

Enjoy your Friday sweet Fashion Counts and Countesses, And I pray no lazy human takes credit for your work or craft.

A glimpse of the Nigerian Fashion Industry in 2014.

It’s no longer news to the world that the Nigerian Fashion Industry thrives every day with more fashion designers creating trends and fashion stylists spicing up these trends for fashionistas. We have more Nigerians and foreigners buying and wearing made in Nigeria pieces. Like the previous years, 2014 has been another good year for the industry. A lot of beautiful SS14 collections by Nigerian designers have been seen on the bodies of people from all works of life attending red carpet and random events.

More designers are taking the spot light in the international fashion scenes. Deola Sagoe and Clan presented their SS15 collection at the Mercedes Benz fashion week New York. Opening the show, Clan debuted elevated street wear designs that complimented the high end couture ideology of Deola Sagoe. Deola Sagoe featured garments of detailed cut outs and appliques. The LVMH Young Designer Prize also gave the industry a widespread attention as two of our own creative geniuses Amaka Osakwe of the fashion brand “Maki Oh” and Adebayo Oke Lawal of “Orange Culture” were part of the shortlisted candidates for the 2014 international competition. Another major high light for the industry so far is the Native and Vogue International Fashion Week Port Harcourt which featured top international and local designers and models.

As the year draws to an end, both established and emerging designers, fashion bloggers, fashion stylists, celebrities, socialites and in general fashion lovers are counting down to the Nigerian renowned fashion shows such as Lagos Fashion and Design Week and Music Meets Runway. The Lagos Fashion and Design Week is already which slated to take place on October 29th to November 1st.

This year, Lagos Fashion and Design Week has expanded to include other designers from across Africa, also it has added an edge to reach out to up and coming talents, this is called “Fashion Focus” which features British Council Fashion DNA Project. This ties in with British Council’s on going work to develop innovative, high quality events and collaborations that link artists and cultural institutions in Nigeria with their counterparts in the United Kingdom. As part of the partnership, LFDW is also working with Frallain Inc, a luxury brand group and Istituto Marangoni which is one of the best fashion schools in the world to offer 15 up and coming designers opportunities to be participants at targeted workshops and networking sessions between 2014 and 2015

The British Council collaboration on the project with LFDW will provide a wide raft of benefits including mentorship, designer support and opportunity to showcase at the international fashion showcase at London Fashion Week. It will also provide a chance for the young designers to show their collection to an audience of international buyers and fashion experts.

If you are fashion conscious, African and Nigerian, You can’t help it but bask in the glory of the progress happening in the Nigerian Fashion Industry. The growth tells us “We can achieve more and have Nigeria become a fashion hub for the world.



...Chioma Olamide Udom...

Facing the STORM

Have you ever been so consumed with your problems and personal concerns that it seemed there was no immediate relief in sight? For example, Sandra is a faithful member of her church who has a loving relationship with her family and friends and is successful in almost everything she does. Recently, however, things have taken a negative turn financially and because the pressures of the challenges seem so great, the usually positive and proactive Sandra is struggling with bouts of depression and stress. She has tried to involve friends to help her resolve her issues, only to find that few have time or desire to listen to her problems.

While it may be hard to believe that a person can go from being a “got it all together Christian” to feeling down in dumps, it does happen. All of us have experienced this at some point in our walk with God; but instead of worrying or tracking down someone to join what could easily become a “pity party”, Use the source you know will never fail-God.

Everyone should understand the value of being prepared mentally and spiritually for attacks on our lives because they will come. In John 16:33, Jesus said “In the world, ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. God has equipped you to handle the storms of life by trusting Jesus. Similar to Job in the Bible, there are times when challenges hit us on all sides and we don’t always feel like responding with the Word of God but be rest assured that God’s word is the solution to any problem. When you allow your responses and decisions to be founded on God’s word, you open the door for God to come in and turn your situation around.

Job was a man who faced some terrible situations. His children were killed, his livestock were destroyed and he was struck with painful boils on his entire body. Job had lost everything and I am sure he was tempted to completely give up and turn his back on God. Even his wife told him to just curse God and die because he was in such a pitiful state. But Job didn’t do that. While he did go through a time of complaining and questioning, he never gave up on God. As a result, God restored everything he lost.

When the storm of life hits you, what will you do? Will you become overwhelmed and lose your heart in the midst of worrying, obsessing and attempting to fix every problem yourself? Or will you pass the trust test and employ His help by calling on Him first? There is no challenge too great for Him to handle. He can cause all things to work out for your good when you pray and seek him. What you find difficult to do, God can perform effortlessly.

In the midst of trusting God, know that He may not use your preferred method to solve your issues. God has numerous ways to get things done and He will change situations in order to fulfill his purposes and promises.

You must be willing to get out of God’s way in order for Him to work. That means refraining from worrying, complaining and trying to fix things in your natural ability. When you worry, you hinder God’s promises from being able to work in your life. Instead, meditate on the scriptures, seek understanding and believe in what the word will do for you. Everything you need to survive the storms of life is in your Bible; so put it to use during the times you need it most.

Don’t forget that God is a prayer away. No, there is no quick fix for every obstacle you will face in life but if you are a believer, you have the very thing that will bring peace in times of trouble (John 14:27). Pray to God and He will answer. He promised to never leave or abandon you.

Develop a closer relationship with God by finding out more about Him and His promises.

GOD BLESS YOU.

A little inspiration from a beautiful song "The Sun Is Rising"

Hello Lovies,
I hope you all enjoyed your sallah break, the sallah break favoured me. God knows how much I really needed that break and the short holiday was wonderful to me, I think I even added a little weight because the monochrome skirt I had set aside for Wednesday is suddenly tight on me (a wide smile).

The song I want to share with you all today is good for your eardrums, Although it's not a new song, I heard it for the first time in the 2014 American romantic comedy "The Other Woman". I fell in love with it instantly, the sound and the words are perfect. It's by Britt Nicole, Enjoy!!!

THE SUN IS RISING BY BRITT NICOLE

When life has cut too deep and left you hurting
The future you had hoped for is now burning
And the dreams you held so tight lost their meaning
And you don't know if you'll ever find the healing

You're gonna make it
You're gonna make it
And the night can only last for so long

Whatever you're facing
If your heart is breaking
There's a promise for the ones who just hold on
Lift up your eyes and see
The sun is rising

Every high and every low you're gonna go through
You don't have to be afraid, I am with you
In the moments you're so weak, you feel like stopping
Let the hope you have, light the road you're walking

You're gonna make it
You're gonna make it
The night can only last for so long

Whatever you're facing
If your heart is breaking
There's a promise for the ones who just hold on
Lift up your eyes and see
The sun is rising

Even when you can't imagine how
How you're ever gonna find your way out
Even when you're drowning in your doubt
Just look beyond the clouds

Just look beyond the clouds

Whatever you're facing
If your heart is breaking
There's a promise for the ones who just hold on
Lift up your eyes and see
The sun is rising

The sun is rising

Even when you can't imagine how
How you're ever gonna find your way out
Even when you're drowning in your doubt
Just look beyond the clouds

Fashion Tips for Rainy Season

These Days, with global warming constantly affecting the earth's climate system, I can hardly tell when it's rainy season and when it's dry season. I can't say much about other states in Nigeria but in Port Harcourt, It started raining in January, so my sub-conscious side is always prepared for rain, even if I leave my house with the Sun smiling at me, I still go out with an umbrella, it's now an accessory my hand bag can't do without.

Though rainy season is enjoyed by everyone, but getting drenched in the rain may not be a very pleasant experience for most people. You would want to just sit back at home with a cup of tea or someone to cuddle and enjoy the rain. However this is not always possible. Everything has its own advantages and disadvantages....

One major disadvantage during this season is the clothes. You need to take extra care of what you wear as clothes get spoiled very easily. Raincoats and umbrellas are a saving grace but the main idea is to look chic and fashionable for the season.

A Few Fashion Tips to Help You

Boots or rubber shoes: During rainy season it is best to say good bye to your favorite pair of heels and sandals. You can rather go for boots or rubber shoes. Leather and suede shoes are a big NO. You may just not be able to save them from the rains.

Bare Essentials: Carrying a few essentials is very important, especially during rainy season. You wouldn’t want your outfit to get ruined by mud and puddle. Make sure you carry a raincoat or an umbrella to protect yourself.

Bright Colors: Dig into your wardrobe for bright colored clothes. It’s always good to wear bright clothes as they uplift your spirit. Dark clouds would make you feel low and gloomy, therefore do not allow this to dominate you.

Bags: Make sure that you carry a big plastic or rubber bag during rainy season to keep your raincoat or umbrella. Plastic bags have also come into use, just in case you want to carry your leather shoes so that you can change whenever you step out. Since plastic is waterproof you can be rest assured that you wouldn’t get stranded in the rain without carrying one.

Image Credit: Colour Box

A little inspiration from a beautiful song "IF TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY".

I dislike songs that have no meaning, whatever I listen to, has to have a meaning. I will be publishing some of my best songs and today, I will like to share the lyrics of Nickelback's "If Today Was Your Last Day", My best friend shared this song with me last year, I fell in love with the sound but most especially the beauty of the words. It's one song that helps me wake up, when I start to sleep walk. ENJOY!!!

"If Today Was Your Last Day"

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day's a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you'll never live it twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreaming' of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life
Let nothing' stand in your way
Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

Wedding Gowns 101: Learn the Silhouettes

Wedding gown shopping – oh, where to begin! For starters, as a bride, you should aim to look like the absolute best version of yourself on your wedding day. And aside from your beaming smile and bridal glow, your dress will be front and center. We all have different body types, which is why it's so important to begin the wedding dress shopping process by understanding the different gown silhouettes — and for which body types they work best. Here’s a quick and easy guide to break down the various wedding gown silhouettes!

For those of you who don't know what silhouette means, a silhouette is the basic outline of the clothing on the body or the overall shape of the garment devoid of embellishment. It's about shape and outline. Terms such as "hourglass" "pear" "apple" "bouffant" are some standard silhouette words commonly used,the common term for a Nigerian who doesn't really understand fashion is "Figure 8 or Lekpa or Agbani", lol.

Ballgown: The “fairy tale” dress, with a fitted bodice, flairs at the waist with a full skirt. Ideal for most body types but looks great on pears, since it hides the lower body. Not good for petites; the skirt can be overwhelming on a small frame.

A-Line: Fitted bodice through the waist and flows out to the ground, resembling the outline of an uppercase "A." Ideal for all body types.

Modified A-Line: Fitted on the bodice and hips and gradually flares to the hem, forming an “A” shape. The skirt of a modified A-line dress fits closer to the body than a traditional A-line. Ideal for all body types.

Trumpet: Fitted through the body and flairs mid-thigh. The cut is between a modified a-line and a mermaid cut. Ideal for frames with small waists, such as the hourglass, banana, and petites. Not good for pears and apples, as it accentuates stomach and hip area.

Mermaid: Fitted on the body from the chest to the knee, then flares out close to the knee. Ideal for slender frames and hourglass body types who are willing to show off their curves. Not good for apples and plus size body types.

Sheath: Narrow shape that flows straight down from the neckline to the hem. Ideal for lean frames, such as petites and bananas. Also good on hourglasses who are willing to show off their curves. Not good for pears; sheaths will accentuate extra inches and can be unflattering.

Tea-Length: Skirt falls in between the ankle and the knee. Ideal for all body types.

Mini: Skirt falls above the knee. Ideal for bananas. Not good for plus sizes.

I hope this blog entry helps you pick the best wedding gown that suits your body shape.

This blog entry is dedicated to all future brides.....winks....

Things You Should Never, Ever Wear to a Wedding.

BLACK
Yes, tuxedos are black, and you'll almost certainly see an abundance of dark sport coats at any union, but black is traditionally a no-go color at weddings -- especially for women.

Black dresses connote mourning and death for many people, but there's a difference between showing up to your best friend's nuptials in funeral garb and wearing a sleek, little black number to an evening wedding. As long as the dress feels fun and light, regardless of how dark it is, you should be fine. Sequins usually work, as do black cocktail dresses for formal ceremonies. However, if there's even the slightest chance it could fit into a procession for the deceased, put it back on the rack and slip into something more colorful.

A SKIMPY OUTFIT
Nothing screams "look at me" like a skimpy outfit.
There's nothing wrong with showing off a little leg or décolleté every once in a while, but there's a time and place for such things, and weddings aren't one of them.
No, you're not exactly showing up the bride, but showing off your assets is a surefire way to take away from her big day, so don't do it.

JEANS AND A T-SHIRT
We don't care how casual the wedding is and how laid-back the bride in question might be, attending in jeans and a T-shirt is not an option.
It doesn't matter if it's on the beach, in your mom's backyard, or even if you don't know the couple very well. If you're bothering to show up, the least you can do is throw on a dress or a pair of khakis and a button-up shirt -- again, assuming it's a casual ceremony. Also, just to be clear, don't even think about slipping on a pair of flip-flops. Pumps, heels, flats, loafers and sandals are a go, but plastic footwear is a huge wedding no-no. (Possible exception: If the wedding invite explicitly states that it's a "flip-flop casual" beach event, you may wear them.)

A TUX
There's only one guy in a penguin suit here today, and it's not you (unless, of course, the ceremony is a black-tie affair, in which case you, the groom, and every other male in attendance is bowtied out).
However, just as it's in bad taste to upstage the bride, you shouldn't go out of your way to one-up the groom. Although it's doubtful he'll run into a closet and weep or complain about you to all his friends if you show up looking better than he does, it's just not polite. Yes, we know you can't do anything to tone down your innate good looks, but the least you can do is dress them down in a sport coat and leave the super-suit to the man saying "I do."

A PANT SUIT
You're going to a wedding, not a meeting at the office!
Drop the business persona and show your style in a skirt, dress or any kind of clothing that would look out of place with a coffee stain. This is a celebration of two people choosing to unite their lives together forever, so the least you can do is find something that isn't overly stuffy and businessy to wear. We're not just talking about your standard black or charcoal suit. This rule also applies to pretty pastel skirt-jacket combos. They might work for a dinner event, but they just set the wrong tone for weddings.

ANYTHING MISTAKEN FOR A WEDDING DRESS
It's never a good idea to wear anything that could conceivably be mistaken for a wedding dress. But, just like the tradition against wearing black to on the big day, we think this rule can be broken -- if you go about it the right way.
A simple, off-white dress or skirt should be fine, and if you want to be absolutely sure you're not stepping on any perfectly manicured toes, get a glimpse of the bride's dress before the big day. Make sure your white outfit of choice is dramatically different, so if she's wearing a full-skirted gown, your slender, white evening gown shouldn't pose much of a problem. If she's wearing a simple number, though, pick another color. Even if you look your best in white, you won't care what color you're wearing when she's staring daggers into your eyes instead of saying "I do."

Prose: Mustapha’s Story by Mitchell Aghatise

My first brush with authority was when I was in JSS3. We were preparing for the JSCE examinations- and as was the norm, everyone was sourcing for ‘dubs’. I can point to this moment as when I realised the endemic nature of the corruption in Nigeria. I could not bring myself to use any of these dubs, as I could not justify it. It is always a slippery slope, first it starts with dubs, then next thing you know, you are stealing public funds meant for community development.

It was the day of my mathematics exam, I had gotten to my classroom and was told that the supervisor was in on the deal today, but the catch was that we all were to pay her 500 Naira. This was the last straw. My dad had always taught me to be respectful to elders. I approached the supervisor that day, and the discussion soon escalated to something less than cordial. I was reprimanded and was prevented from writing the exams.

This was all for speaking the truth.

I see Nigeria as a place that is riddled with so many problems because those who know what is good are unwilling to stand up for the truth they believe in. This is not me. I took the matter all the way to the commissioner of education in the state- a meeting I could only arrange after trailing his motorcade daily for three weeks. Long story short, on this occasion- truth prevailed; I was allowed to write my examinations at another date, the supervisor was suspended and afterwards found guilty of fraud and sent to jail.
I passed with 9 distinctions. I don’t say this to be smug, but to highlight what one can achieve even without bending the rules.

After this experience, a lot of people often joked by calling me the next president. Although I never let it cloud my judgment, I could always see the seriousness in their eyes as they told me this. I am not an assuming individual. My mantra in life as evident from the incident above was not really because I had any political points to score, but I believe as a person and as a member of a community and of a country- it is not enough to sit around and complain or analyse the problems that exist, but we must be willing to stand firm for the right principles and ideals when they do materialise.

All this is easier said than is done, but indeed- the path my dad threaded is the compass for my daily walk.

My father, Alhaji Mustafa Abubakar was one of the few men to have undertaken the white man’s education when he was a young boy. At the time, it was considered laziness to hole yourself up in a classroom, while your mates strengthened their arms rearing the cattle- growing into strong men, the pride and pearl of the village. Not my dad, he instead was satisfied to pore over countless books at a far flung corner of the class.
When papa grew older, he snubbed several lucrative civil service jobs- why? It had always been his motto that education was the best legacy to any person, to any village, to any people. And for this reason, he had stayed back in the village; first as a primary school teacher, now the headmaster of the community secondary school I attended. So you see why it was important that I excelled.

July 2011
There had been talk. First there were whispers, hardly decipherable from the winds that moved the savannah brush in the evening. These whispers had grown louder and louder, the impact as of a herd of cattle stampeding without a master. But today it came to a head. We heard a loud bang- well several loud bangs. Mothers cradled their little ones into the confines of fragile huts while the older sons who never shied from adventure were immediately docile today.

You see, I paid it no mind, seeing that the frequency of Boko Haram bombs had been ubiquitous of late, this was one of those things we had now come to live by. As a people, it is important not to condone terror for so long and so well that one becomes insensate to the anguish that others will feel at the result of such terror. As the sounds dissipated and we were sure the worst was over, I and my friends prepared to resume our game of football on the dusty patch of sand in front of father’s house.

Suddenly, an ‘okada-man’ that father had taught donkey-years ago sped into the compound. On the passenger seat sat my father- the distinguished Alhaji Mustafa Abubakar- for so long my pillar of support and of all things indestructible. He lay there lifeless. Life snuffed out from him not only by the bombs, but by the failure of the Nigerian state to protect him.

Today the Boko Haram targeted his school, in a bid to ensure that the young kids ran out safe, he sacrificed his life. I was told he fought to the death.

He will be buried. A tombstone to mark his final resting place, but there will be no national honours- no there will not be, for that is reserved for more deserving heroes such as General Sani Abacha. There will be no commemorations nor will dignitaries be at his burial ceremony- no they will be absent, for all who should give him honour are busy purloining the government coffers. The people who committed the dastardly act will not be brought to book- no they will not, for the government of the day will rather politicise the issues and point fingers at the other party.

Here papa lies, a hero, but forgotten.

April 14 2014
A few years have gone by and the beast that is Boko Haram has spread wildly around the north east region in which I live. They have sent in the military, but day by day, the killings get worse. I had only missed school sick the other day- I was particularly unhappy that I missed school, as a few of my friends and I had formed a small group to discuss how best to move beyond the boko haram and as the young ones, to contribute our quota to the solution of this problem- for indeed war and conflict does not discriminate between young and old.

You must then understand the shock when I learned that the boko haram had come and levelled my whole school that day. I had lost my closest friends- the proverbial leaders of tomorrow, all gone.
That should have been me.

Mother has said that Boko Haram will not cause me to forsake my education- it was my father’s last wish that I became a lawyer. The region is too unstable, hence, Uncle Ibrahim has now suggested that we go and start afresh with him in Abuja. He will pay my jamb fees and I may yet build something of my life. I have no motivation left, all I know as normal is gone. But still, I cannot lose motivation as I daily remember the meetings I had with my friends prior to forming the group- I can see the vision we have for a post boko-haram world, I realise that sitting around will not solve the problem unless I am willing to stand and resist- just as I did with the supervisor during my JSCE exams.

The rickety bus ambled on; it had been a daunting journey. Between faulty engines, fuel scarcity on the way and constant bribes at police checkpoints, we had finally made it to Abuja. But first a detour at the Nyanya bus park. As the driver parked the car, I stumbled out in search of some food, I was famished. I did not hear the scream to run. The next sound I heard was deafening. My eardrums popped from the sound and the burning fire from the bomb came at me- I was right in the centre.

Silence.

**Writer’s note: Mustafa represents all the secondary school students who have been killed in constant attacks by the Boko Haram. Mustafa is the nursing mother who is beheaded because she reads lullabies to her kids. Mustafa is the emergency worker who is killed because he was too fast to the scene when Boko Haram were still present. Mustafa represents 200 girls kidnapped from the Chibok Secondary School. Mustafa is all of us. President Jonathan, are you listening?

Inanimate objects get attached too

Okay!!! This is just a random post. I bought a Blackberry bold 3 in my third year when I was in the university, Blackberry was the latest phone in vogue, that was not why I bought one. I bought it because of the advantages, like getting my mails automatically, advertising what I do via bbm and the ease of communicating via bbm. My bold 3 was fantastic until it started misbehaving, it started having battery issues, I changed my battery a zillion times (exaggerating) but It was up to 6 times. Then the speaker stopped working, and then it suddenly felt heavy.

When my sisters got their own blackberries, it was flat and beautiful and then my bold 3 was the subject of ridicule. I continued managing it because it was dedicated to my business, it didn’t have to be fancy “I thought”. By 2013, I was blessed with a Z10, a fresh breathe of relief, my bold 3 was nothing compared to it and so my affection was directed to my new gadget.

All of a sudden, the weirdest thing happened, my Bold 3 started behaving, it stopped switching off on its own unlike pre Z10 era where it would go off every single day and I  will have to use a desk top charger to boost it. Then the speaker started working. It was like it was jealous. Jealous that I had a new affair with my Z10. Then one day, it fell down and there was a line across the screen, I showed my friend, he told me that the line would just keep spreading. In my head, I said “wow!!! Finally, we are going to have a funeral for my bold 3”. He wasn't wrong, the line kept spreading on the screen, then stopped. The next thing that happened was that the line started reducing, till it became a dot and then the dot finally vanished. This was now creepy but very funny to me; it was like it didn't want to leave me.

Moral of this random story

Stop making shakara and cherish the people who love you. You can be replaced if you decide to feel indispensable. Lol!!!

What’s next?

The short sentence “Life is short” is a cliché. Everyone uses it, from motivational speakers to religious leaders to a simple human being living a simple life. I use the sentence a lot, it seldom serves as a daily reminder that I have to let go of all my fears and just live. Lately, that’s not the only meaning I get from the sentence. I am no longer scared to live my life, to follow my dreams, to meet new people, to take a chance, to take a leap of faith because I realized failure doesn't kill and success doesn't kill either. So whatever results I get by taking a chance, negative or positive, I am willing to accept it.

Life is literally short, whether we are given 200 years or 20 years on earth, time flies so fast, days move without waiting for us and for some, life leaves their body and they stop breathing. Late last year, I lost a friend, she was just 25 years old, she died during child birth, it made me sad, and it made me ask questions. Women go into the labour room every day to bring another life to the world, her death made me realize how child birth is a miracle, not something that should be taken for granted. A former course mate of mine died yesterday, we were not close but he was one of the most affable people in my department, anyone could easily talk to him because of his free spirited attitude.  He slept and did not wake up, I sat down on my bed yesterday thinking deeply about how I wake up every morning and just rush into the bathroom, then zoom off to work without saying “Thank you Lord for waking me up”, I mean it doesn't take 5 minutes to say this but I prefer to get to work first before I say my morning prayers. Waking up is another miracle I have taken for granted over the years, I thank God but I don’t really see the importance of this miracle. I recently finished a membership class at my church, one of the topics was “RAPTURE”, as the teacher spoke to us, I came to a conclusion, every human being has to genuinely repent and live a life that pleases Jesus Christ.

I am still trying to grow spiritually and it is not easy in a world full of so many distractions. However, the truth still exist in the holy book, that Jesus Christ is coming back someday.  The sentence “Life is short” makes me ask “What’s next?’’, after all the achievements on earth, after all the goals achieved, after the pleasures and earth. As young people, we often have a target age when we believe is the right time to take God seriously but what if we sleep and don’t wake up? What if rapture takes place before we get to that target age? A lot of biblical characters served God when they were young; Examples include Abel, David, Solomon, Samuel and Jesus Christ.

Stand in the strength of God because your flesh will fail you, you are the care taker of the soul in your body; the body dies but not the soul. We need to step back, examine our lives and set our affections on things above, not on things on earth-Colossians 3:2.

If you are yet to give your life to Christ, it’s not late. If you want to, Please say this prayer

“Dear Jesus, Come into my life and wash me clean. Forgive me for all the sins I have committed in the past, have mercy upon my soul and help me build a new relationship with you in Jesus name-Amen”.

If you said this prayer, Congratulations!!! You have been born again. Endeavour to join a bible believing church to help you build your faith and improve your relationship with the Saviour “Jesus Christ”.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the sweet fellowship of the Holy spirit rest and abide with us now and forever.

Noon Inspiration: SWITCH THE CHANNEL

Your memory is very powerful. You can be driving in your car when all of a sudden, you remember a tender moment. Maybe it was a sweet time with your siblings or loved ones. It could have been five years ago but when you remember it, it brings a smile to your face. You start to feel those same emotions, joy and warmth, just like it was happening all over again.

On the other hand,you can be enjoying your day but then start to remember a sad event when you weren't treated right, somebody did you wrong or you went through a loss. Before long, yow will be down and discouraged. What made you sad? Dwelling on the sad memories. What made you happy? Dwelling on happy memories.

It's interesting that our mind will naturally gravitate towards the negative. A study showed how positive and negative memories are handled by different parts of the brain. A negative memory takes up more space. There's more to process, because of this, we will remember the negative more easily than the positive. The example they used is that a person will remember losing 1 million naira more than they will remember gaining 1 million naira. The negative carries more weight. It has a greater impact than the positive.

Knowing this, we have to be proactive. When the negative memories come back to the movie screen of your mind, don't pull up a chair, get some popcorn and watch them all over again, No! that's not the only channel in your brain. There's another movie playing. It's not your defeats, your failures, your disappointments, it's a channel filled with your accomplishments, your victories, the things you have done right, the times you were promoted, when you met the right person, your blessings. Instead of staying on the negative channel, you've got to switch over to your victory channel.

Remember, if you want to move forward into the new things God has in store for you, you have to stop replaying the negative things from your past. Those memories will play the most often. The good news is that you have the remote control. Just because the memory comes up doesn't mean you have to watch it. Learn to change the channel and keep your mind focused on the good things God has in store for you.

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honourable, right and pure, lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise~( Philippians 4:8)

60's Fashion Trends that you can easily wear Today.

There are so many fashion trends from previous decades that I am so not ready to be back in style (I’m looking at you 90s fashion!), but I am embracing the 60s comebacks with extra wide open arms. There were so many exceptional styles in the 1960′s that should be admired. 60s fashion was the epitome of effortless style with simple lines and minimal accessorizing yet each ensemble was as charming as can be.

From platforms to shift dresses, take a look at these 60s fashion trends that you can (and should) wear today!

Peter Pan Collars

I'm slightly obsessed with Peter Pan collars so it's safe to say this is my favorite 60s trend that has made a big come back. They are delicate, sophisticated and overtaking my wardrobe one dress at a time!

Shift Dresses

60s model Twiggy wore boxy shift dresses like they were going out of style. They are flattering and can be styled many different ways.

Big Hoop Earrings

If you look back at photos in the 60s you'll see bright plastic hoop earrings on every woman! It instantly adds a fun touch to your outfit.

Bold Prints

Big floral prints, bright geometric shapes, mixing patterns—all 60s trends that are making their way back into our closets.

Platforms

Platforms and clogs (especially wooden ones) are another 60s obsession. These ones are timeless and can be worn with literally everything you own!

One-Piece Swimsuits

Say goodbye to tiny string bikinis and hello to gorgeous and feminine one-pieces that have so much more character.

RUNWAY ON CAMPUS/FASHION RECOGNITION AWARDS {Uniport Edition}.

Something interesting, entertaining and creative is about to erupt... at The University Of Port Harcourt. It's the first of its kind and is bound to leave a lasting first impression in the minds of fashion lovers and the creative industry... It's the MAIDEN EDITION OF RUNWAY ON CAMPUS/FASHION RECOGNITION AWARDS.

It's a must-attend event for all fashionistas on campus and beyond. . .


_____REGISTRATION for Designers now on_____

For partnership inquiries
contact :
Ezy. - 08056216516
Nike - 08025016548
Brian - 08164381908
Email: brownroseinc@yahoo.com @brownrose_Inc
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BE SOCIABLE AND SHARE.

Nigeria Immigration Test tradegy (Thinking aloud).

My thoughts

Millions showed up for a test all over Nigeria to get treated like animals because the applicants decided to behave like un-intelligent beings, Tear gas had to be used to control them because they were much and the crowd was uncontrollable. Then the stampede at Abuja that resulted to loss of lives,This happened because the applicants were impatient. Read so much about the stampede and everyone blames the corrupt system and government. The applicants are to receive the blame too, the government wasn't at the stadium, the government didn't say "Please!!! youths, remain disorganised". Our youths need to be educated, education is not getting a certificate after a few years in the University, a lot of youths are not civil, I watched them on Channel news, some were pushing their fellow beings, just to get a seat, others will view this as "Survival of the fittest" but I see this kind of attitude everywhere, it's in the banking halls, during an election,on an ATM queue etc. I was at Lagos during the weekend and was surprised to see citizens queue up to enter a bus, if such citizens decided to rush and push,it's only logical that the weakest link or person in the queue will definitely sustain an injury or even be a victim of something far worse like death. If the applicants could not remain patient and enter the venue gradually, then such people will treat other humans wrong when given the job, After all, Immigration officers have power and abuse power also.

Yes!!! The crowd was like that because of the high unemployment rate and Yes!!! The government is to be blamed for not improving our social welfare over the past years but the lives lost could have been avoided, if the youths were organised.

I have heard people say a country like ours won't survive a natural disaster and I totally agree, what will happen after a disaster happens and relief items are being distributed? When I was in Univeristy, One of my lecturers during a lecture said "Most Nigerians behave like monkeys", when we asked him "How?" He said "You can walk into the boys hostel and see a perfect example, students use the toilet and would not flush, not because there is no water but because they don't just want to flush, when the building gets messy and starts smelling, they blame the school authority, Did the school authority use the toilets? It's the same with people polluting the environment, people throw their waste wherever without discipline or thinking about the consequences. I once saw an orange seller empty her waste in the gutter,I told her it was wrong, all she said was "Wetin concern you?". When heavy rain falls, it causes a semi flood in the city of Port Harcourt and all you hear is "Our government no dey try at all".


May God help us.

The Anti-Gay Bill, a matter of culture and common sense.

By Raheem Oluwafunminiyi)

I am perturbed by the fact that the Anti-Gay Bill or law has come to divide a nation like ours with a rich sense of history, tradition, culture and values. A part of the divide is looking at the issue from the vexed standpoint of human right and its effect on a minority created from the imagination of its rabid supporters. I am even further irked by the fact that few characters among us are steadily losing grip of our African roots and consciousness that we now see the impunity inherent in being gay as the right thing for certain groups of people.“

The controversy surrounding the Anti-Gay Bill recently signed into law as announced by Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, a few weeks back, has continued unabated. It even gets more exciting seeing several foreign countries strongly voicing their concerns on what they have described as an ‘obnoxious law’ and which they have argued threatens the ‘human right’ of some minority to freely associate. More than half of all social media platforms as well as the electronic and print media have joined in the euphoria. They have been publishing a barrage of articles, letters, opinions and commentaries from concerned citizens on the issue. In fact, this may arguably pass as the most discussed topic this year.

The anti-gay law has brought to the fore the very division that characterises the core of the Nigerian state. When I talk about division, I am looking at it from the angle of our collective senses or consciousness, which usually fails to table critically issues with reason, but rather on sentiments and supposition. It is even more saddening that as a people, we have lost our sense of history such that we cannot but miss the point when ordinarily we should be using our historical antecedents to solve issues of the day pronto. A peoples’ history is synonymous to its culture and way of life; it is heavily tied to the identity one carries from one generation to the other. This is why the Yoruba sees bowing and kneeling as a greeting culture that must be respected and preserved for posterity and why the average Hausa-Fulani would not jettison the handshake and hug for another form of cultural greeting to mention a few.

I am perturbed by the fact that the Anti-Gay Bill or law has come to divide a nation like ours with a rich sense of history, tradition, culture and values. A part of the divide is looking at the issue from the vexed standpoint of human right and its effect on a minority created from the imagination of its rabid supporters. I am even further irked by the fact that few characters among us are steadily losing grip of our African roots and consciousness that we now see the impunity inherent in being gay as the right thing for certain groups of people. The question I have failed to find ample answers to is how we as humans who claim to be higher animals have reduced ourselves to inane beasts with little or no sense of how we must relate intimately with ourselves. It is strange we cannot see how lower animals in our contemporary times have become so intelligent and sensible than the human mind in their relation with one another and in accordance with the dictates of nature.

It is appalling that the opponents of the law have failed to realise the present and future implication of their actions. Were they to understand, they would have seen the urgent necessity to quickly nip the vexatious cankerworm in the bud to avoid disaster. I feel strongly about it not because I profess a particular religious faith, but because I am an advocate of common sense, deep reasoning and true African values whose lessons must never be exchanged for abnormality.

The issue which arises here first is the notion in some quarters that the law was aimed at garnering popular support against 2015 from unforgiving Nigerians who more than ever before see everything wrong with the current administration. One may not know some of the strategies being put in place for next year’s general election, but it is the most laughable idea to believe that passing a law as important as the anti-gay law weeks back could be linked to some future political exigencies. This is so, because more than ever before and unprecedented in Nigeria’s history, the vast majority of our people have become conscious of the Nigerian political space that they cannot but wait to effect a change at all levels. The belief of the past that elections are won through all kinds of electoral malfeasance is fast dying out. The Anambra election, meandering and logistically deficient as it was, is a typical example of people’s power and how Nigerians are fast using their votes to effect change. Therefore, it is totally out of place to think the anti-gay law must have been aimed at drumming support for an administration whose ship, to many, is fast sinking by the day.

Opponents of the anti-gay law speak of human right. Does human right constitute giving individuals the right and privileges to constitute nuisance and commit impunity in the society? If because one’s sexual orientation does not fit into the natural existence of man, does it constitute an infringement of one’s fundamental human rights? Having deeply thought about it, I have come to the conclusion that the noise peddled about infringing the rights of gays to freely choose who to enter into a union with is total and absolute balderdash and simply the creation of the imagination of few elements who only want political and legal protection for their abnormal behaviour.

TO BE CONTINUED

• Raheem Oluwafunminiyi.

My country "'Nigeria".

While reading today's Guardian newspaper, I stumbled on this piece and it revived my hope. I really like it and I thought I should share it, since a lot of us hate reading newspapers (I am also guilty, I only read the newspaper when I am bored).

MY COUNTRY "NIGERIA" BY Odohofreh Enobong Ita

Home? This is what my Nigeria means to me. I was born here and I have never travelled beyond her borders. And in living and growing up here, the meaning of this place to me evolves and multiplies. I feel free to live here. I am a legitimate part of this country by all standards and that everlasting freedom is deeply savoured by me. Crises abound, but they do not chase me away; they only reinforce my ideas of how each of us, in our interactions with our society, can make a difference; either good or bad.“

A FEW days ago, I came across a travel blog, where an African-American was telling his experience of his first time in Nigeria. To him, Nigeria was a place to reunite with his black ancestral root. He said it was the first time he did not feel judged by the colour of his skin. The first time people didn’t cross the street to avoid him at night. The first time he, as a black, really felt free.

Freedom? Nigeria defines that word in a whole new way for me. My Nigeria is different. Very much different from what outsiders believe it to be. It is certainly not just a conflict-ridden, poverty-stricken, crime-infested place that foreign news channels depict it to be. Yes, it is all that, but a lot more to me, because I do not look at her through the eyes of a Cable News Network (CNN) reporter, or an estranged Nigerian child living in Diaspora, or even with the eyes of a foreigner coming here for the first time, or not coming at all because he or she believes he or she could never bear a place like this. When I chat with my friends who dream of living abroad for the rest of their lives, they are always surprised when I tell them that I don’t mind staying in Nigeria. I could travel to all the lands of my dreams but I will always want to come back home.

Home? This is what my Nigeria means to me. I was born here and I have never travelled beyond her borders. And in living and growing up here, the meaning of this place to me evolves and multiplies. I feel free to live here. I am a legitimate part of this country by all standards and that everlasting freedom is deeply savoured by me. Crises abound, but they do not chase me away; they only reinforce my ideas of how each of us, in our interactions with our society, can make a difference; either good or bad.

Bad things happen in Nigeria. Bad things happen to her, too. But in all my years of living here, I have seen as she always bears these misfortunes without breaking. In 2001, the New Scientist magazine listed Nigerians as the happiest people on earth. Interesting, right? Whoever compiled that list must have seen how resilient we are. It seems it is a miracle that we don’t get depressed by all the crimes and sufferings we experience. In fact, suicide in Nigeria is considered quite odd and people wonder why a person would take his life prematurely when you would still die anyway. Someone said this buoyancy we have may be because we’ve seen it all. I guess when you’ve had so many bad experiences, nothing breaks you anymore. So, this resilience rubs off on me. And each time I picture Nigeria in the global picture, her resilience is one thing that readily comes to mind. I’m happy that my country is not depressed. To me, Nigeria means strength. Then again, a more recent survey carried out by Forbes magazine placed Nigeria as the 20th saddest place to live in on earth. I haven’t lived in any other place, so I wouldn’t dare to refute that point. But I must say that such a turn of events is saddening and if true, it means that the fire of hope that we had for our country is burning low. Where is the fuel?

Fuelling my love for this country is also the vibrant cultural heritage we have which is expressed in our everyday lives. We don’t have to put on a special occasion before you see us colourfully dressed in our beloved Nigerian clothes. The markets, the streets, even schools and offices are brightened by people going about their business with clothes made from Nigerian textiles. Which Nigerian woman doesn’t have a beautiful colourful adire dress sitting in her wardrobe? Even our foods have colourful and spicy tastes. It’s like I’m being reminded everyday that I am alive. And that yields a vibrant feel to my life.

Life here isn’t perfect. In as much as I am speaking with so much pride about my country, I realise we are so far behind on development, civilisation, patriotism, and many other items on quite a long list. But I have decided to hate the sin, and not the sinner. This means that while I do the things I can to make Nigeria better, no matter how little they seem now, I still love this broken country of mine. I believe it is the love that will always make me to drop the wrappers of my sweets or biscuits in a waste bin, or keep it in my purse until I get home where I can properly dispose of it as I have been directed by the instructions, which always say “Keep Nigeria clean.” So while my mates laugh at my obedience in the midst of so much dirt and trash littered around, I understand that loving isn’t always easy. And it doesn’t always make sense to love. Especially loving a place like Nigeria.
Nigeria is many things to me. And in every place I look, I see a new part of what Nigeria means to me. I keep looking, because I’m not afraid or disappointed or angry that I’m a part of this beautiful dysfunctional country and she, a part of me. Hence, I look with eyes that realize that no matter what happens in my life, in Nigeria, in the world; the interwoven relationship between me and Nigeria will remain forever.

• Ita, is a 500 level Law Student of Igbinedion University, Okada.

10 Signs That You’re a Feminist.

Hate to break it to you, F-word haters, but you're probably more of a feminist than you think.

Why is it that strong, empowered women, who believe in equal pay and equal rights, eschew the "feminist" label? That's the very question Allison Rapson and Kassidy Brown are trying to answer with their initiative to re-brand the movement. (Marie Claire interviewed the duo in the magazine's March issue). They hope to show people that feminism does not belong just to women, but to everyone. The term is not about gender-bashing but equality for all. Check out these 10 signs that show you're a total feminist.

1. You believe you deserve to be paid the same amount as any man for the same job

2. You believe that women’s careers are just as important as their male counterpart's.

3. You think it’s bullsh*t when someone reduces your impassioned reactions to PMS.

4. You believe in equal partnerships.

5. You believe in women having access to affordable birth control.

6. You realize looking good is all about feeling good.

7. You believe in a woman’s right to choose anything.

8. You think it's crap that powerful women are sometimes reduced to a label frequently heard on a playground.

9. You know how to take care of yourself and take pride in doing so

10. You’re not just about women’s rights, but for equal rights for all.