Rome was Burning, Nero was Fiddling!! Young Nigerians are Dying, We Must not Stay Silent!!

Bear with me if I do not come across as articulate as I should, I am emotionally down (read in tears) reading about the Murders of Ukeoma Ikechukwu and Obinna Okpokiri, two NYSC members who died in course of serving their nation… It is ironical, isn’t it, dying for a nation that does not give a hoot about you (I digress; this is about the death of these fellow Nigerians and not about Nigeria).

I remember calling my mom in tears on the second day of my NYSC orientation camp in Isialangwa, Abia State, I was crying because I had been queuing up in the rain, the sleeping arrangement was appalling, the food was horrid, hygiene was non-existent, in the scheme of things extremely mundane issues but my distress call got my mother panicking and making plans to get me back to Lagos ASAP… Ukeoma and Obinna’s mothers are never going to get the chance of responding to their sons’ distress calls not to talk of getting them back home. Their lives have been cut short for selfish and wicked reasons.

My friend Foluke, a medical doctor is currently serving in Katsina state, she was in the market when the riot started, fortunately she’s alive to narrate her experience. She had to park her car in front of an Islamic school, remove her car number plates and beg some indigenes for an hijab to disguise herself. They were kind enough to hide her in their house till things settled and she returned home

Every time I get a Blackberry broadcast message about a corper in distress or dying, or read an article or a tweet, I think to myself, it could have been me and my heart bleeds. I keep visiting Ukeoma's Facebook page to read his last status, I can almost recite it by heart now. This young man was proud to serve his nation, he stood for truth and integrity and he was rewarded with death.

Ukeoma we know, Obinna we know, there are several others dead, some injured and some unaccounted for. At some point or the other, we are all called to serve our nation and posted to unfamiliar places. Against our will, we respond to this deadly “clarion call” like these ones did. Let’s not fold our hands and watch these young ones die in vain. As a group of “Nigerian Youths” we succeeded in promoting mass voter participation, as a group we can also seek justice for these ones.

Let us not stay silent and pretend this is not happening. Let us seek justice for the departed and the remnant corpers who are yet to be evacuated from these areas. Kindly join 100,000 Youths call for Justice for the family of slain Youth Corpers and sign an accompanying petition here. It’s a petition seeking compensation for the families of the department and pushing for a bill at the National Assembly to make NYSC optional or thoroughly reformed. Also, please spread the message, let's push for numbers!

Thank you, God bless you and God bless Nigeria!

Journey To Uhuru

I love discussing politics but I do not write political pieces. I cannot call this a political piece, (it will be insulting on the great political pieces I garner information from), it is more of my thoughts on Nigeria’s current political landscape.

It is not yet Uhuru for Nigeria both in terms of the political landscape and conducting credible, free and fair elections but we have begun our journey to Uhuru and each step brings us closer. Several things excite me about Saturday’s NASS elections and reinforce my faith in a better Nigeria. Although far from perfect, compared to previous elections since Nigeria's return to democracy, it is a huge improvement. Disappointingly, INEC is yet to release the official comprehensive results of the NASS election, but from information available on Nigeria Elections Coalition, based on results released by INEC so far, PDP currently has 55% of the Seats in the Senate and 49% in the House of Representatives.

A couple of friends have asked why people like me are Anti-PDP, considering all Nigerian political parties are the same with no political ideologies. As much as I agree with the sentiment that Nigerian political parties lack political ideologies, a question I pose in response is “how can political ideologies be developed if a single party stays in overwhelming majority forever with no fear of losing dominance?” Nigeria’s democracy is young and it is not unusual not to have ideologies, however, what will be unusual is not moving towards developing ideologies. The mix in the new NASS is a step towards this as legislators voting for bills along party lines will lay the foundation. Rome was not built in a day, so how can Nigeria be built in a day? :| (Of course, I have other reasons for being Anti-PDP but this piece is not about that so moving on!)

Another issue that excites me is the role new media played and is currently playing in Nigeria’s political landscape. As an avid advocate of the usefulness of new media, I have been involved in several debates on whether new media can be effective in Nigeria. This piece is not about new media so I will not delve into details but can the lawyer in me say “I rest my case” :)

Most exciting for me however is the fact that the Nigerian electorate is gradually finding its voice. Elected public officers have no choice but to acknowledge that they can be booted out. As many rightly argue, most politicians in the opposition are recycled. However the home that recycles also has the option of incinerating – Ask Iyabo Bello Obasanjo and Dimeji Bankole. O ye Nigerian Politicians, the fear of the Nigerian electorate should be the beginning of wisdom.

So why this epistle? My way of encouraging everyone to play an active role. Come Saturday April 16 and Tuesday, April 26, come out and #pressyahand for your conscience irrespective of who you think may or may not win. Your voting should not only be seen as voting a candidate in or out of office but also see it as your contribution to developing a vibrant democracy in Nigeria where the voice of the people matter.

Still on politics, if you are in need of a good laugh, I recommend reading tweets from @TeamDeleMomodu, @delemomodu2011  and for good music, listen to Dame P's Umblerra  below:|

God bless Nigeria!

The Malaria I Know is Better Than the Flu I do Not Know

DISCLAIMER: This write-up is likely to be full of fallacies, prejudices and may seem illogical. It is the ramblings of an emotional female in recovery who recently became aware of the injustice perpetuated at her home-grown illness

As I write this, I struggle to type on my keyboard because my limbs feel lifeless and dead. I’ve been down with the flu for four days. The worst is over but I still feel like I have been trampled upon by elephants and a hippopotamuses chasing each other (had to recite the nursery thyme to spell hippopotamus).

With no iota of pride, but with utmost gratitude to God, I’m one of the healthiest people on planet earth. I can count on my right palm, the number of times I have visited a doctor for diagnosis and I have never in my life been admitted into a hospital. *Knock on wood*

On a good day I would not write about my illness but the circumstances of my new found discovery demands that I speak out against the prejudice and bias against poor innocent malaria* and I  feel so wronged! There has been so much injustice meted out at malaria and I simply cannot fathom why! Why on earth should a patient be quarantined for Malaria which even doctors acknowledge is not contagious and patients with Flu which is as contagious as yawning (you just yawned right?) are allowed to roam the streets and spread the disease? Anyway, not like I would have enjoyed being quarantined for flu, I just think its unjust to make all that unnecessary hullabaloo over poor, harmless malaria.

As a Nigerian, I have had my fair share of malaria, but never have I felt as ill as I did these past few days. With malaria, I just need to pop whatever “reigning” pills the anopheles mosquito and its trypanosomiasis  secretion (I remember my biology) is yet to develop a resistance to and life goes on as usual. Yes the slight headache and heightened fever here and there but with little weakness, in fact most times, I “manage” to go around my day to day business.

But this flu, kai, this flu!!! It is another thing entirely. As you know, I do not have a high pitched voice, I’m quite soft- spoken, but that soft spoken “sweet-sounding”  voice went a million and one decibels lower all because of this flu, “as in” I could not say nada; then my body temperature, that was another story entirely – you could boil yam on my body;  the headache – I’ve never experienced that type before! All my life, the headache I know happens on your forehead, this one was at the back of my head, between my right ear and the middle of my head (mi o ri iru e ri l’aye mi!). Then the weakness – that one is yet to leave my body and sleep, kai, sleep, sweet sleep – totally eluded me and I was unable to do anything else so I just laid on my bed and stared at my blank, uninteresting ceiling and wall.

Anyway, I’m totally grateful to God almighty that I can type this now, my strength is gradually returning and I know I’ll be back as new ASAP. However I DEMAND that there should be a reversal on the unfair treatment currently meted out at malaria and malaria patients by the white man. In fact, appropriate restitution needs to made ASAP!

I warned you! This was not supposed to make much sense :)

*In this write up, malaria is limited to the Nigerian malaria which I know for sure is easily curable and not other strains of malaria which I know nothing about.

Omo Naija Without Values

My favorite class this term happens to be “MORS 430- Leadership in Organizations” for three reasons, primarily because it is a business course without numbers! Yup, I still have that distaste for numbers, a vast improvement from having a phobia which used to be the case. *deep breath in, deep breath out* , I have confronted and conquered my fears, I can tolerate numbers now but I still don’t like ‘em or any course that has to do with ‘em.  Secondly, it’s about people, people fascinate me, I’m a people-liker/observer, (not pleaser), and any course that gives me insight into how humans reason or how to relate with people totally catches my fancy, in my next life, I’ll probably come as a behavioral scientist, a psychologist perhaps . Finally, it’s taught by a fascinating professor who continually bombards us with interesting stories, anecdotes and videos - historical, fictional, familial… He’s never out of stories so I need not lose sleep over familiarizing myself with the principles taught.

I’m sure by now; you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with “omo Naija” or values, paddle this canoe gently, I will get there someday, hopefully in this same article.  Okay, before you crucify me, or stop reading, here goes. We had this interesting discussion on “Motivation” in the last Leadership class, basically, people are motivated intrinsically or extrinsically and that is what makes them tick, be good employees, make life choices etc.  Without going into details and giving you free lessons in lessons I am paying dearly for, I’ll go straight into that which pertains to my thoughts on Omo Naija.

In my opinion, “Omo Naija” and the Naija parents violate and defy the principles on which the extrinsic motivation theory is built. Contrary to earlier theories that people could be motivated or unmotivated and that those motivated are extrinsically motivated by the same things, (status, money, achievement , power), it is now generally accepted that all humans are motivated, people are only motivated by different values which consequently determines their actions. So a person who values power will likely be a career person who is an achiever with a desire for promotion, status, wealth, publicity etc. Examples include big- shot lawyers, investment bankers, accountants etc., (all those professions the Naija parent consider to be the that of a motivated and good child). On the other hand a person who values universalism will be all out for social justice, philanthropy, good deeds, poverty alleviation etc., such people end up being public defenders, public health practitioners, environmentalists, nuns, NGO volunteers or workers etc. (those professions that if you choose, the Naija parent thinks you've lost it or you’ve been brainwashed). Then a person who values hedonism is a free spirit, open to change and fads, to a large extent selfish, considered lazy by most, has no care in the world and is only interested in those activities that gratify self and will make an effort in such activities. Such people basically include artists, writers, poets, musicians, actors, adventurers, sports people etc. (the lazy, unmotivated and “olodo” child as viewed by the Nigerian parent).  However, everyone, irrespective of values that motivate each person, is a hard worker. They only value different things and should be allowed to harness whatever values they have through any expression or profession. In other words, don’t despise the 15 year old that wants to drop out of secondary school pursue an acting career or become a footballer or the 17 year old that doesn’t want to write JAMB or WAEC but wants to join the monastery. They are only finding expressions for their values.

That colorful circle at the beginning of this article that you’ve been wondering about is the Shwartz Values Model. It shows various values and places similar values next to each other and clashing values opposite each other, so typically you ought not to value achievement and benevolence in the same proportion at the same time, you ought not be driven by both. I look at omo Naija brought up by the Naija parent and I cry “fa fa fa foul! Iro  nla!!”. Omo Naija completely defies and violates the Shwartz model, not necessarily by choice but by parental decree and promulgation. You see, I could never have told my parents, neither do I expect my children to tell me of any plans of dropping out of secondary school to pursue any “non-professional” career or expression. The difference between I and my parents is that with my parents, you have to tow that professional path till death but magnanimous, modern 21st century me will allow my child express his/herself in anyway (s)he desires but first that child  must not only finish that university education but it also has to be in a potentially money making course too.

I run a quick mental check through my friends, I see poets and artistes who have no business working in banks, oil companies or being lawyers, I see family members that have been deemed crazy and discouraged from taking a path that would serve others but bring no prestige or wealth. I recall secondary school classmates considered “olodos” and lazy who excelled in sports, were forced to pursue “professional” career paths and are now wasting away. I look through the Nigerian entertainment industry, almost everyone in the industry is “university educated” and for those without a university education, it was not by choice or in a quest to express themselves, it is most likely as a result of circumstances that could not be helped. Talents that could have been harnessed and channeled at an early age wasting away, frustration gnawing at them as they forced to participate in the rat race.-------------- *static, press STOP, sober idealistic moment over, press REALITY CONTROL BUTTON*

C’est la vie, that doesn't mean I will not treat my children the same way, actually, I cannot say, but from where I stand today, the tradition continues. Call me draconian, call me archaic, call me dictatorial. I really cannot be bothered, my child must be a “professional” first, “first” being the operative word, (modern me will simultaneously encourage and harness the "other expressions" sha), after all my parents ensured I was a professional, their parents before them ensured same too. It is a family tradition that has to be passed on and more so, I am Naija! In the famous Obama words “You cannot put a lipstick on a pig.”  Once Naija, always Naija.

My friend "Love" is a year older today

I have no role models. In fact, talking about my role models is one of my least favorite interview questions because I have none, scratch that, I have one, Christ. Of course, there are qualities I admire in people and there are many people that I look up to for inspiration and mentorship but I do not do role models. However, my friend Love, comes as close as anyone can be to being a role model for me. He is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world! :D

I met my friend Love, through a mutual friend a few years back and I am grateful to God our paths crossed. He has become much more than a friend to me, he is a brother. You see, my friend Love is one of those people that do what they say despite the odds. He is a “dreaming realist.” He dreams big and sets out to achieve those dreams and he does achieve them. He said he was going to be published before age 2X and he did make that happen (and many more examples I won't bore you with) . If my friend Love tells me he will become the president of the United States, I will immediately buy in even though  he has never been to the United States but if Love says he will do something, I simply accept it to be possible because he will make it happen.

My friend Love is absolutely crazy and abnormal. His sense of adventure is unreal. He took a year of work just to explore his creative side. While off work, he auditioned for Desert Warriors and he took a trip across the Sahara by road. Who does that???

By reason of his education, my friend Love is an architect but he is much more than that now. He is a project manager, an entrepreneur, an author, a poet, an investor, a farmer, a musician, a student and at some point, he was a banker. Those are the only ones I know about, I’m sure there are others I am not aware of.

I recently took up writing again and one of those who inspired me to do so was my friend Love. I see him churn out writing after writing and I think to myself “how can one be so disciplined?” He says he isn’t but he recently celebrated his 400th Facebook note and his first note was two years ago. If that is what it means to be undisciplined, God please make me undisciplined.

Now do not get me wrong, my friend Love is not perfect. In fact, he will be the first to tell you of his foibles but then it is his birthday so I will only celebrate him today and I want you to celebrate my friend Love with me.

Here’s wishing my friend Love many more years of fulfilling dreams and impacting lives.

ForIfelanwaomolabinigbatiapadelatibarawasereamoasidupelowoOlodumarefunomooloriretiosifunwatiodesimadieniyanpatakiniayeyi, LOL (It’s a private joke, you should see my friend Love elongate my name)

Happy Birthday OIO

God be with you now and always.

Love,

Odunoluwa… 

#JustWondering… … … @!#&*”#*&^

“Cuss words”, “curse words”, “swear words”, “bad language”, “dirty language”, “four letter words”, “naughty words”, “profanity”, “expletives ”,“ obscenity ”,“ whammy” and several order words are what we use to describe what are generally known as “fillers”. Fillers do not mean anything but when used in a sentence, they portray an emotion be it anger, excitement, sadness, frustration, joy etc. More so, words only mean what society terms them to mean. For instance, growing up “gay” meant happy. I stand to be misinterpreted and probably crucified if I say “I feel gay” :D

Fillers are considered negative and are censored from written, audio and visual literature or media even in the most modernized societies. Decent people do not “swear” hence my dilemma. Decent people do not swear but they substitute with other words. These substitutes are termed “minced oaths”. A minced oath, also known as “pseudo profanity” is used to reduce the profanity of an original expression and is supposed to make the word more acceptable and less offensive to the audience. For instance, I can (and I will), use them in this writing without anyone raising eyebrows, however if I use the words in their original form, I will get a lot of “Odun has backslidden” “Odun has been Americanized” “Do you think Odun is still a Christian?” etc. Examples include “flipping” “shoot” “darn” “Jeez” “Oh mi gosh” “heck” “crap” etc. In fact sometimes regular words are used like “Forget.”

I am unapologetically a confirmed and proud “Gleek”, (Glee fan). I watched the episode where the cast performed “Forget You” featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, (enjoy the video below, one of my all-time Glee faves!) and as usual I immediately went on YouTube to compare with the original version. I discovered that there were two original versions by Cee-Lo Green, “F*!@ You” and the radio edit “Forget You”. Ever since then whenever I listen to “Forget You”, the original words, “F*!@ You” come to mind.  Also the same ways the original words come to mind when I use “shoot” “flipping” “crap” etc.

A friend of mine, when chatting usually writes “WTF (flip)”, yes he puts “flip” in parentheses, but I immediately think “f*!@” when he does that.

I don’t think there is any debate over whether it is what you say or what you mean that matters as a follower of Christ. Both matter, your heart, thoughts and intentions lend credence to your words. For instance I say “flip” but mean “f*!@”, “f*!@ matters not flip. But then, I am just expressing an emotion and do not mean any profanity neither word ought to be considered bad, no? It shouldn’t matter which of the variations I use. Personally, I do not use profanity but I do use pseudo-profanity. I know some are holy “like that” and use neither, well, kudos to you, we stained ones, do stuff like that. I guess that’s why we need redemption. :) 

Jesus said “A tree is identified by its fruit… You must give an account of every empty word you speak…” Matt 12: 33-37.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” Phil 4: 7-9.

“But really, are these words bad considering they simply express emotions?”

#JustWondering

No man is a fountain of knowledge, we learn every day. In my quest to learn and better myself, I am starting a series called #JustWondering. I am unable to predict how regular it will be but I assure you, you will see it every now and then, you see there is a lot I do not know and I really want to learn.

#JustWondering topics will range from the extremely mundane to the most crucial and important issues. Underlying all the issues though is my curiosity to know more and I invite you who indulge me by reading my writings to educate me with your facts, figures, logic, experience, opinion etc. I am hoping as you educate me, you will also learn a thing or two from others. Some topics, scratch that, most topics, are likely to be controversial and may foster debate, but debate is healthy, no? Topics will likely border on behavioral, political, ethical... basically, life issues, of course not leaving out current happenings and events.

If my writing has a #JustWondering tag, it implies I am to a large extent undecided about the issue and can be swayed one way or the other with valid reasoning.

Do not judge me by my #JustWondering, I am only bold enough to invite comments on issues you also question but would rather pretend don’t exist or “accept” and “pray” about. And if you think there is something I ought to be “#JustWondering” about, please let me know, if I am really “Just Wondering” about the issue, I will write about it, If I am not “JustWondering” but I consider it a topic that will foster healthy discussion, I will write on it. However, I may decide not to write on some, remember, it is my blog* and I can do as I please “it’s my party, I can cry if I want to, cry if I want to”  (That line is becoming a cliche in my writings, right? LOL)

#JustWondering will mostly end with the question begging to be answered starting with the words "But really...?"

I'm so looking forward to some moderating healthy (hopefully) discussions.

Watch this space!! “#Just wondering… … … @!#&*”#*&^” coming at you soon 

But really, is that why we are here?