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Its been ages since I’ve written anything other than essays. I’ve been a tad busy with settling into a new country, getting used to a new educational system, making new friends and enemies alike. I’m beginning to feel like I finally have some breathing space to do some of the things I love to do. There are a number of things on my mind and I can’t wait to finally put them down into words. I do not blog like the average individual, I feel this is an art form and as such should not just be about writing down what comes straight to my head. Oops, did I mention this is what I am doing presently? I have a bit of a perfectionist streak and what is being termed OCD these days, so just writing this while waiting for my tub to fill up so I can soak in it at the end of a tasking week is in itself an achievement of sorts.

All I can hope is that I have turned a corner and will be able to finally focus on the things I should be doing. That said, its time for that bath and head of to a party after that. See you fellas.

Politics

I saw a definition of Politics which said: Politics can be defined as social relations involving intrigue to gain authority or power. It goes on to say politics can often be counter-productive. Unfortunately, I am indifferent to this definition, looking at politics from a nationalistic and personal point of view, I believe politics is and should be a lot of self ambition mixed with and tempered by a desire to achieve a greater good for the populace. I have so many different views on this topic and to write all of them down at once will be a serious injustice to myself and whoever I hope reads this.

As we all know we are fast approaching an election year. There has been an increase in declarations by individuals hoping to run for public offices. Its September 2010 and the candidates for an April 2011 election are just declaring. I spare a thought for the incumbents, as the task of running a government and a campaign at the same time can be a really daunting task. However, its safe for me to judge from our history that its the norm. Allow me to deviate, I need to do this so I can get across the ‘x’ of this post, I have often heard a quote and I paraphrase here, it goes thus; those who neglect history are confined to make the mistakes of the past. Also, its never a good thing to get stuck in the past and keep rehashing old wounds and past conflicts. There has to be a balance, learn from the past, take those experiences and forge ahead. This will form the platform of my posts regarding politics and Nigeria.

Now back to the general elections coming up, I have compared and contrasted the difference between our general elections and that of the USA, before anyone bites my head off, I appreciate that we are not on the same level but its safe to say that we can learn a thing or two from them. My bone of contention is this, as Nigerians we were deeply fascinated by the primaries, yes primaries of both major parties. How many of us had parents, friends or colleagues who kept buzzing about the charismatic young black presidential hopeful from the democratic party and his chances or the political machine that is the Clinton’s? The old war hero for the republicans (I have always been fascinated by the democratic party-Bill Clinton is an idol of mine- hence the lack of knowledge about the republican candidates). The point I’m trying to make is a year to the general elections, the world was buzzing about the various candidates. What we get here is a debate on if IBB will run or not, 6 months to the elections. I even followed the Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg saga in the UK. Are we as fascinated by our own elections?

The problem with our nation isn’t our government, its we the people. We lack the mentality needed to drive change, we fail to see past our day to day activities or our personal ambitions. A 5yr old kid in the US can recite the constitution to a considerable level, a 40yr old Nigerian doesn’t know and neither does he care about the constitution. There are two major parties in the US, democrats and republicans, the US is often said to be divided into blue or red state, Everyone knows the democrats are for a woman’s right to choose what she does with the life inside of her, republicans differ, the republicans support gun use, democrats are for gun control, on and on, you see how much I know about the US political system? I’m Nigerian and I know nothing about the political system here.

What can we say was the PDP’s stances are? or the ANPP? or ACN?(whatever it is they call themselves these days). At least, in developed countries, a candidates party can tell the populace what to expect. Of course, persons are allowed diversity in thinking, for instance, Barrack Obama is anti-abortion in a party that is famously pro-choice. Its up to the Nigerian people to demand better from the political parties. Let us know their ideologies, where they stand on a number of pressing issues such as transportation, tax, public service, public amenities and so on. I laugh when I remember that there is a Labour party in Nigeria (Adams Oshiomole was elected to the Edo state government from this party), now Labour parties are historically socialist in nature, are we then correct to say that the Edo State Government has introduced socialist policies in the state and is this what the masses want.

We need to enlighten ourselves and demand better because we are a nation of great potential but like the parable of the servant who hid his talents, hidden potential is of no good to anyone, so why should the worlds most populous black nation hide its true potential. Let us have a renewed sense of social consciousness and a willingness to temper personal ambition with a desire to do good. Politics isn’t for the politician, its for the layman, the student, the worker, the villager, the city big shot. When its all said and done, the leaders always come from amongst us in on way or another. Its time for us to rise as a nation.

I do not presume to know the half of the world of politics, However this will be the first on a series of posts about politics.

When (Time & Place)

Life is a funny old thing,

A child is born and if he/she is lucky, will grow up in the right environment

Some won’t be and will have a rough time growing up,

However, this life waits for no one and even though it might seem like these different kids don’t have equal opportunites,

Life has this funny thing where taking your opportunity is all that makes the difference,

So in a twisted way we all have equal opportunities, just different times and places!

Thinking the thoughts I have already written down, made me stop and wonder when;

When do I start to evaluate if I’m a success or not,

Is there a point where you should stop and reflect, asking have I wasted my life,

We are all sent to mother earth for a purpose, if you believe that kind of thing,

So it is possible that I have wasted my journey through earth chasing the wrong things,

When do I know who I really am, When do I know who my real friends are,

When do I know that what I have in my life is real?

Madness they say is a requirement for success, When do I know that I’m mad?

So many questions to be answered and time waits for me not,

Every year, as I get older, I ask myself is this the time for certain things to happen,

When should I be stubborn and plough ahead and not care what anyone thinks,

When should I stop and care about what people think?

When do I chase my dreams? When do I stop and rethink and re – strategize?

When will I be sure I have made the right choices in life?

When will it tell that despite being born privileged (Yes I was, really), I have achieved higher than my station,

I will never be sure of the answers to any of these questions,

Heck, I don’t even know if they are the right ones,

However, I do know I don’t want to look back and realise that my life is gone,

So, I ain’t got the time to be mad at no one for what goes on in my life,

Its time to take advantage of place and time,

Its time to be me, don’t have time to dwaddle,

Its time to live my life and make those decisions regardless,

Maybe I will achieve happiness,

After all its the first step to where I’m headed,

Time and place are available, No time to waste on when,

That’s because When is NOW!

Comeback

I took a break from writing. I was caught up doing the many things life throws at us as each day proceeds. I’ve become the king of procrastination. In a bid not to seem like I was loosing focus, I informed myself that I was taking a break from writing.

During this mini ‘hiatus’, I have evaluated what it is that makes me write. Its simple really, I see something, I have an opinion, I think about something, I want to share. Talking to Tolu the other day (I seem to mention him a lot right?) and he urged me to write and never stop. He gave me an instance of a mutual friend taking a break and loosing his ‘modjo’ as a result.

I paused for a minute and replied, Nah I never planned to post every day, just as my spirit leads. Thing is every day I go out, I’m faced with the many things life has on show, and I am inspired to write. From the street urchin to the bus conductor, the gentleman attending to me in a store to my account manager. I wrote a couple of posts that got quite a few comments and I really paused to evaluate why I write. Is it for the adulation? for fame? am I required to become a particular kind of writer?

I really started writing in earnest after meeting a man on the flight to my granddad’s burial, he told me that he liked reading on the plane because it was the only time he got to have peace. I was privileged to travel to and fro Lagos during that period quite a number of times and I started to write on the plane but I figured that if something happened, my writings and I will vanish without a trace and I wanted that book to be the legacy I have at this stage in my life.

So, I’m going to keep writing and posting as I choose because this is my legacy. I’m going to write for the street urchin, for the presidential aspirant, the politics I believe in, for my ideologies, my pain and joy, my blessings.

I’m back from my break, let’s see if I’ve lost my modjo. Call it a Comeback.

The Greatest

Often times, the world gets to see outstanding sportsmen and women,

The Usain Bolts, Michael Jordans, Florence Griffith-Joyners,

I’m a football man myself but i have always been fascinated by Mohammed Ali,

He talked a good game and was always ready and able to back it up with;

Talent, Hard work and Dedication,

I talk a lot and have often been told its a bad thing,

Ali talked a fair game and a whole lot,

Watching him has got me thinking that maybe talking too much isn’t such a bad thing,

“Move like a butterfly, Sting like a bee”;

“I am the greatest, I said it before I knew I was”;

He’s got me thinking I could be the greatest too, What a guy!

I’m inspired by his showmanship and wit, humility and humor,

but the greatest inspiration of all was his answer when asked;

“What about your Parkinson’s? Was it caused by too many blows to the head?”

Calm as ever with his wit about him, he replied;

“God did this to remind me that He is number one”

And now I know that for all my gifts and talents, hard work and dedication,

If I do not acknowledge God and trust in Him to direct my path,

All I’m doing will be in futility.

I believe in a God who has given me talents and as such, much is expected,

There will be ups and downs in Life.

Remember Ali’s words,

“God did this to remind me that He is number one”

These words touched me most of all because,

He – My Saviour – is THE GREATEST!

Proverbs 3:5-6

Friendship

Friendship is the glue that holds us together,

The word ‘Friend’ is one of the most overused words in our vocabulary,

What is the true meaning of friendship? A buddy to hang with?

Friends hurt us, People become old friends, and we always blame them for that.

My thoughts progress, have we ever stopped to think that maybe the true definition of a friend is;

Someone who I will share in their joy and pain, look out for and hang with,

Have on my mind at least on occasion and never let go of that person.

Friendship should start with each and every one of us.

I have numerous friends but none have left a greater mark that these three,

They taught me how to be a friend and even though I sometimes lose sight of that, I’ll always be a friend.

We never actually remember the exact day we meet people but fate has a way sometimes,

It was a cold wet day in October 2006, the 4th to be precise

Sitting at the back of a class trying my best to be noticed by the ladies around us (Peter and I),

A girl turns round and says “We are trying to pay attention, you should too” Hmmm I think, studious girl we shall see,

Soon enough our collective ‘charm’ wins and she’s replying, her friend turns round and has the cutest smile ever,

We get round to introductions, Class over!

You see, I met numerous others that night but destiny is destiny,

Its a dull Friday in October, 13th which should have ominous undertones but fate has its way,

Strolling into cafeteria (no ambition like Papa says), I see my friends from the other night and I make Seun go over with me,

A 3rd girl is seated at the table, we spend hours talking and decide to go to Cafe 2( I already said I had no ambition o),

We never got there as some dude fell into a gutter, 2 ran away, 1 stayed (my heart lol!) and Seun laughed his guts out.

A bond was formed and the rest is history.

Life has dealt each of us our share of blows and we have had ups and downs,

Over the years our lives have taken on different directions,

But because you taught me to be a friend, I will never let go,

That bond that binds us will never be broken in my heart.

I will always be there when you need me,

Its because you 3 showed me the value of friendship that I write this,

To all those who call me friend, you can find me when you need me,

And so I dedicate this to the 3 who will always be in my heart,

Ifueko, Bunmi and Faith,

Love Always.

Life

We can never tell where Life leads us,

We never know what new challenges its going to throw at us,

Life is scary when you think of the negatives and all that can go wrong,

But bliss when you take a moment and see all that’s beautiful about it,

In my experience which might not mean much,

Life is really between those two extremes, Good times and Bad times,

Times you wish you were never born and Times that you don’t want it to end,

I guess the only option for us is to live life and make something out of it,

Really what other option is left us?

If this life is lived right and with purpose,

For those who believe,

There is a light at the end of the tunnel,

Greater things to come in the afterlife,

Its up to us really to search ourselves and make decisions that shape our destiny,

To find those answers, the ones we were born with,

For those who believe in a higher being, trusting Him to back our decisions up,

Whatever you believe,

You can’t let Life pass you by,

LIFE HAPPENS! DEAL WITH IT!

Random Thoughts

This is a post from my previous blog slightly edited,

I liked it when I wrote it, hope you do too,

My thoughts are getting the better of me
So I thought I should write them down
But I should be working not writing;

Anyway here goes,
Has anyone ever wondered why the Nigerian Police has black as its uniform?
Its kinda eerie and has unseemly undertones,

I mean black’s associated with evil ….
I am black but skin color’s an exception(My Black Pride would let me believe);
In the movies it was always clothing,So I’m going to base this post on that……
OK. Let’s get back to the guys I love to hate:
These guys -the police- can be found terrorizing the citizenry
No one really escapes their clutches
But i was really thinking about the similarities between the brotherhood of black
The things mummy & daddy taught us as kids bout thieves:
Thieves wear black to camuoflage with the pitch black night
They can be found at roadblocks robbing people blind

Armed robbers extort money and valuables from innocent people because they have weapons
They can be found at drinking joints between the hours of 7 and 9, getting drunk
Okada is their favored means of transportation
They shoot and kill,then inform the court that it was accidental or Oga made them do it
They are agents of terror and everyone prays to avoid them
They invent laws on the spot and enjoy being begged
Who are we talking about again?
Oh,thieves ……..

Really,which of the above doesn’t spell Nigerian Police?!
My thoughts exactly!!

P.S : Ever wonder how Chioma Ajunwa got that gold medal at the olympic games? Think really hard ….. of course I know the answer. She came from the Nigerian Police (remember that mummy and daddy said that when thieves hear gunshots,they run and jump outta the way cos the ‘good’ guys are coming?!)and she heard a gunshot!!!

My Heart

Every once in a while I turn to music when I feel low, Today put a new meaning in the word low and I turned to The Script,

I’m going to use some words from the song for this post,

I’M STILL ALIVE BUT I’M BARELY BREATHING

The words hit me at my very core, its very central to the past year,

Alive is not the same as living, moving on auto just because you are hurt is not the way to go,

I lay on Yomi’s couch for 2hours today, waiting to see if I could go see the girl of my dreams,

Somethings are worth dying for but nothing is worth losing the essence of yourself over.

SHE’S FOUND A MAN THAT WILL PUT HER FIRST

Every girl needs someone who will give her attention,

I got cocky and started to believe just because she said Yes meant she was going to be there for all time,

Everyone but me knew She was moving on, I have hurt someone I care about deeply just ‘cos she knew,

When you make a girl the center of your world and you relegate her to being a bit time player, She needs to walk away,

‘Cos she deserves better.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN THE BEST PART OF ME WAS ALWAYS YOU!

A go-lucky guy I was, I met the prettiest girl with values,

And I dropped all my baggages and turned my life around,

Worked harder and harder at school cos I dreamed a future for us,

Pretty intense I know but that’s who I became ‘cos she taught me how to feel,

This past year I decided to do it on my own just to see,

I think I achieved my objective but I was left feeling hollow and empty,

That’s simply because the best part of me was missing.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN I’M ALL CHOKED UP AND YOU’RE OK?

The right words seem to elude me when I’m talking to her,

Today I told her she intimidates me, She always seems cool and collected,

While I’m twirling pens and biting on my fingernails.

BAD THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON

I have had trouble believing that, I was always scared she was going to leave,

And she did and in some ways that I struggled to forgive her,

I let go of that and it seems like its too late,

If only I figured out sooner what the reason was and now that I’ve learnt,

She’s gone right out of the door.

SHE’S MOVED ON WHILE I’M STILL GRIEVING

What’s the point of this post if She hadn’t moved on?

I’m here grieving and I have no one to console me,

I ain’t sure which hurts the most,

The fact that She moved on or The fact that everyone but me knew She had,

I’M FALLING TO PIECES

Everything is crumbling around me, Got me feeling like deja vu just hit me,

Waking up at night with tears on my face,

I’m a bit more mature this time around, All I really want is my baby back,

Life doesn’t work that way though,

I always told her that home is where the heart is, My heart belongs where she is,

Everything seems to be falling to pieces ‘cos I’ve looked up and realised,

That she really is gone.

People telling me how I’m going to get her back, Others that I should move on,

But no one gets it, Its a bit melodramatic I know but,

Truth is, like the Dream said,

“She’s got the keys to my heart, She owns my love”

“I’m never going to give her up”

The song skips and the next one comes up,

Where did these guys learn what was going on in my life because they say and I do too,

I’m just a broken hearted man, I know it makes no sense but what else can I do,

How can I move on when I’m still in love with you,

‘Cos if one day you wake up and find that you’re missing me,

And you heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be,

You can find me right here. Always.

A Series Of Random Events

Watching the movie, A-Team the other day and I gleaned something from it like we should from everything in life.

Hannibal Smith said he doesn’t believe in random events or coincidences. I thought, you know that’s saying something but really there are random events jo. Can anyone explain to me why a cat crossed the road this morning?

So, yesterday I randomly opened Facebook on a PC for the first time in ages and I saw a post by Tolu on my news feed and I randomly read it and I was both touched and impressed with his views. I pinged him on bbm (I added him on my bb because I randomly joined a group he was in) and we got into a conversation.

This was all totally random, I mean there’s nothing else to do but use your phone these days. He tells me about his post on Justin Bieber (http://fizakanee.blogspot.com/2010/08/legacy-allow-him-allow-them-allow-us.html) and  I go check it out. The post got me thinking and I shared my views with him which meant another conversation ensued and on and on.

Now a Series of Random Events have led to me being motivated to explore my potential in different areas. Over these past few weeks, I have had a series of ‘randoms’. A random phone conversation here, a chance meeting with an individual there and each ‘random’ has led to me being inspired, motivated and altered my views.

Hopefully, over the next couple of days, weeks and so on, I will be able to share Life’s experiences as viewed by me and then maybe, Just maybe,

These ‘randoms’ can live on paper or this blog and touch lives. So…

For those days and nights that felt like a mistake and the good ones, I hope I continue to glean ‘Valuables’ from them. Every once in a while we meet people who leave an indelible mark on our lives. Just like I have but more on that later.

On that note, I ask God to send more ‘randoms’ my way because as Hannibal Smith said “There are no random events and I don’t believe in coincidences”.

Everything is predestined, All events offer us a learning curve,

For everything that happens, does for a reason,

Everything has a purpose!

Let’s Go!