Maryam Babangida...RIP

I came across this a few minutes ago online. Truth be told, I wasn't entirely shocked considering how much her health has deteriorated in the past few years. I am truly sad however because from what I remember, she was quite active when she was First Lady of the Country. I pray her soul and those of all our dearly departed rest in peace and for the rest of us, lets make the most of the time we have left on earth. Have a fantastic week!

Boxing Day 'Special'!

Wow! Some people sure know how to kill joy! I mean, its not like the holidays were entirely excellent but at least we were managing until we heard some news which featured some words which should not be said in the same sentence; suicide bomber, plane, USA and, wait for it...Nigerian! Now, I cant confirm any thing yet(whether he is Nigerian or whether he was really gonna blow up the plane- although I read some statement from some dude who claims to be the suspect's father who is some 'big man' in First Bank of Nigeria) but lets go ahead pretending the facts are true. This really got me thinking, because all this time, I had presumed that its relatively poor people who had been brain washed into believing they would be doing the world some huge favour and into believing their families would be well catered for after their demise who were usually lured into such grave 'service'- apperently not! This dude is said to have studied engineering at University College London and lived some posh life in London. His 'dad' (till we confirm) is quoted as saying he was not sure where the boy was just before the incident but that he had been in Yemen for a while before this event. Some of the questions running through my mind are 'Whatever was his business in Yemen?' 'Did he feel he was called?' and the big one- 'Whatever do they tell them?' So many questions but alas- so few (if any) answers! Another angle to it is how difficult this would probably make things for Nigerians, the world over, who are travelling into the USA- no visas, rigourous and embarrassing checks and (call me silly)lesser luggage allowance! I guess we would all have to wait for answers. It seriously bugs me though that in our bid to salvage our image in the eyes of the world, its like we take one step forward and two steps back(pardon the cliche)! It really would be a bad way to end the year- no electricity, no fuel, no water, no President, and now...a suicide bomber! Phew! Nigerians sure know how to kill...joy, that is!

gbo gbo (bigs) gurls...?

Hey there! Sure u had excellent Christmas celebrations. I am also sure that goin by the hype created over the yoruba (subtitled) movie 'Jenifa', you understand my title. Well something happened to me yesterday- and no it wasn't indigestion- and for a few minutes I wasnt sure how to take it until I really thought about it and realised I liked the 'lesson' from it. Before I continue, I want you to know that in my opinion and in the opinion of some other people as well, I am slim but in the opinion of some others (being my mum), I am just too thin! Anyway, so I was walking back home from some shop where I had gone to get something to use to prepare my special Christmas jollof rice and I was getting my usual admiring glances (come on, dont hate, just claim it for me this one time!) and then, there were these two guys looking at me as well. I had taken their look to be the usual until I looked closely at one of the faces and realised it was tilted a little towards disgust! I did a quick mental check (did I fall in some poop on my way? not that I recalled; had my button snapped? nah; what then...?). I kept walking and then I heard him say to his pal (or whoever he was) albeit in pidgin 'Wetin I wan hol for inside this one? Men, I prefer the 'full' ones o.' For a nano second i was like 'what?'(of course just in my head, I couldnt actually say that to him). And I thought of it all the way back home. But by the time some of the smell of the thyme, curry, onions and other 'serenren' in my jollof had found its way into my nostrils and hence my head (by the way, thats some hint for u-whenever you vexing- cook! well, at least cook jollof rice!), I started to think of it in another light. I thought isint it nice not to have another cliche with men liking only slim women? I am guessing this is a well known fact since Nigerian men were chosen to be the characters in the movie 'Phat Girls'. I think thats a plus to being a Nigerian (in Nigeria). Thats not to say we begin swallowing everything we can set our eyes and hands on, but to let the genuinely big women remember that they are just as beautiful as the next woman. I think Naija 'big' men have somehow come to the truth of the situation because I have lost count of how many times I have seen pot-bellied men strutting their stuff all over the place and damning it all, some times they even...(forgive me-I am digressing). So I hereby christen the Nigerian woman (tall, short, slim, thin, big, fat-whatever anyone has chosen to term or describe you)-BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!

Hey! Its Christmas again! You know, there was a time that Christmas connoted so many positive things to me (and dare I say to so many Nigerians as well) but those times somehow feel like centuries ago(...and I am not old...at least not in my opinion). Everyone was happy and there was loads of love and joy to go around, somehow all that vanished- not because we stopped wanting to keep spreading all that joy but because we seem to have somehow forgotten how to or rather, that we have plainly just forgotten! And then, who can blame us, what with the fuel shortage (and despite that, heavy traffic!), ever upward hike in the price of everything, lack of power supply...(need I continue?)! My plea though is that as Nigerians, we should live up to what we are known for(within and outside our shores)- suffering but still smiling! Now dont get me wrong, I am not asking that we just accept the status quo. What I am asking is that we try to in some way maintain our stability but in the midst of it all, chart a course (or courses, whatever it takes) for moving our country forward. We keep looking to the top for solutions but really, the bulk of it rests with us. How about each and every one of us beginning to do those 'little' things that we can do where we find ourselves and see if things do not turn around, maybe slowly but indeed, surely! One might wonder why I have decided to talk about Nigeria's sorry state(pun intended) during this joyous and merry (?) season but I think, why not? When else will we get to remember the less privileged and the down-trodden? When else than now when everyone is making those new year resolutions? Do take time out to think about not just yourself and those dear to you but think about her as well- Nigeria - and what you can do for her and what you can give back to her as well because contrary to what many of us think, she has given us so much more than we can ever give back!
Merry Christmas Nigeria!!!