The Va. Tech Thing...Nigeria is not safe

I agree with the school's president Charles Steger when he said this is a "tragedy of monumental proportions", how do you even come to terms with something like that? It's incomprehensible. I'm adamant in my conviction that there is nowhere safe on earth. It really brings home the truth the psalmist writes in Psalm 127:1 "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain."

So from here on, let's stop using the fact that Nigeria is unsafe as an excuse not to go back home. The least we can do is be honest with ourselves. You don't want to move to Nigeria because you don't want to, period. Not because there are no jobs, not because there's crime, not because of corrupt leaders, it's because you don't want to. Name one country on this evil earth that doesn't have the same problems.

It's fine if you choose not to live in Nigeria, there is no crime in that. However, it's obvious that there are many in the next generation of leaders of that great country who care a lot about it so here's what we can do while we sojourn in another land: pray.

Yes, pray that the Lord will build Nigeria and watch over it otherwise all our efforts will be in vain. It's obvious there's more to our problem than meets the eye and only God can raise us from the dust. All our theories and possible solutions to existing problems are useless and I've heard and come up with many myself. We will do well to remember that unless God causes the change to happen, it will not happen.

So forget the crap about getting more Christians to office, what Christian is that? The same one who can't help his fellow Christian find a job, pay his rent, or feed his kids? Or the Christian who cheats on his taxes or the one who lies to enter another man's country? Oh, you must mean that Christian whose major goal in life is to be a billionaire and whose mission it is to "oppress" come rain or shine. Please cut it out. What's that? More people should vote with their head and not their stomach? Remember that when your child is dying of starvation and someone presents you with a bag of rice for one measly vote.

All I know is I love my country and I want to see it blessed and flowing with milk and honey for every citizen, not just for a privileged few. There's only one being that can make that happen. Let's ask Him.

Nigerian Novels

So I was at the hair salon the other day patiently waiting my turn when the discussion led to novels. We not only talked about novels written in English but also novels written in Yoruba. I remember I had to read some Yoruba Literature, it was easy the first year in secondary school but then books like "Eru o bodo" (I forget the author) became required reading in the second year. I don't think I ever finished that book. I just had one of my classmates tell me the plot. But, I did take one thing away from it--the hero at one point in the story said "Sun mo yin, ko wa gboru ara", that stlll cracks me up. Unfortunately, I didn't take Igbo and only took one year of Hausa so I didn't have immediate access to any of the literature in those languages or any of the other Nigerian languages

Anyway, this led me to thinking about the Pacesetter series. Anyone remember "Sisi" "Director" "Rich Girl, Poor Boy" and so on and so forth. I remember we used to try to figure out who had read the most in the series using the list of titles provided in the entry pages and it used to be a thing of pride if you happened to have read more than anyone else. I started feeling this great desire to read them again and went searching on the web.

I found out that Macmillan, through their Pacesetter division (or subsidiary), used to publish the series but they no longer do. You'll be hard pressed to find any related information on their website though. However, the series has been picked up again by a different publisher and although some of the books are out of print, many are still available. You can find more information at www.pacesetternovels.com. I have to acknowledge that I got this URL from Nairaland at http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-13468.0.html. Please understand that I am in no way encouraging you to purchase from this webiste. If you do, it's at your own risk. For me, just looking at the illustrations on the book covers is joy enough for now. The next time I visit Nigeria I intend to find the original ones wherever they may be hiding in my house.

Good reading they were, and not just those books, there were other books like "The Birthday Girl" and one whose story I remember but not the title and author. The main characters were Richard and Minna. She was rich, he was poor but they managed to get married and had twins. They had a fight, he left with one twin, they got back together and lived happily ever--wait a minute, is that "Rich Girl, Poor Boy"? I don't think so. Hmnnh...

We Nigerians are a talented bunch, there's so much we have to offer the world. I want to challenge you to unleash your creative side. Whatever it is you think you know how to do, go ahead and do it. Draw, paint, write, create something. It really is not all about the Benjamins, y'know?

Infinity and their album Olori Oko

I absolutely love this album. If you haven't heard any of their songs, check out the two top videos in the right navigation to watch the video to the title track. It utilizes a few Yoruba language proverbs to make its point but that doesn't take away from the song's beauty for you non-Yoruba speaking listeners. Forget that last video on how to make semovita, the way the feature was created, there's nothing I can do about it, unless you want to learn how to make semovita, that is.

Anyway, I was saying how much I like the songs on this album. These guys rock! Especially the one with the sexy voice (you'll figure out which one once you've listened to the whole CD.) Like my big sis said, there's nothing wrong in appreciating God's work. Seriously though, they all have nice voices, different style, if you know what I mean. You won't know what I mean if you only listen to "Olori Oko" though. Anyway, it's good to hear something innovative from our people. Cush was another good group with lovely voices and a somewhat original sound but I have no idea what happened to them.

"Olori Oko" really moves me, it's quite a thought-provoking song and you shouldn't miss it just because you didn't pay attention in Yoruba class. I'm all about keeping our heritage alive (watch out for a website coming soon that seeks to serve that purpose) so here are some of the proverbs and sayings and the meanings if you care to know, which you should anyway.

"Aisi'nle Ologbo, l'omu eku sako", literal meaning: The rat is cocky because the cat is not home.

"Yiyo ti ekun yo, ki ma ise t'ojo", literal meaning: The lion moving stealthily is not out of fear

"Agba ki i wa loja k'ori omo tuntun wo", literal meaning: Things cannot go wrong when an elder is around (the actual translation here is: an elder will not sit by idly in the marketplace (or open) while a newborn's head needs straightening)

"Fitila yi to tan, imole ti de" - This bright lantern (or light) has brought light in the midst of darkness

"Olori Oko si mbo wale", literal meaning: The Lord of the harvest is coming soon.

"Afori naa, to to lohun a pe fitila, , ara re ni o pa", literal meaning: The fool who seeks to destroy this light will ultimately kill himself.

"Aro t'oba gbon l'ogun asotele ki i pa", literal meaning: A wise cripple will not die in a predicted war.

"Afojudi omo eniyan fun Olorun Oba, iku lo mu dani", literal meaning: For a man to underestimate God is to ask for death.

Obviously, I can't translate every Yoruba word in the song but I've tried to capture the ones that serve as foundation for the whole song.

Your thoughts, additions, corrections?

what am i trying to say

Really, I don't know what I'm trying to say. So why I felt the need to start a blog to share my thoughts, mostly with strangers I have no idea. This is the second blog I've started, I don't even remember when I started the first one but I do remember that I never posted any of my drafts. It could be that I'm just trying to follow the multitude and be part of the next big thing, be part of the web 2.0 generation. Could be.

But as I think about it I think it's because my mind is full, full of thoughts and ideas that I really would love to share with others and I need a medium to let out my thoughts. It's why I have more than 3 current journals. It drives my husband nuts and he's always threatening to throw them away. The problem I have though is that there are too many issues I care about and sometimes, it gets to be too much of an effort to even share it. But that shall no longer be the case. I shall write and write and hope that eventually someone will take notice.

I have a lot to say and my family has been subjected to the most of it but now, hello world.

So what shall we talk about today? I got lots of issues on my mind. We could talk about false prophets and teachers in the Christian community, how about Nigeria's leader and how they've eaten up their children's inheritance and care nothing up the future of that great nation? We could talk about the current elections, anyone with first hand knowledge could share. Oh, I know, let's talk about Nigeria's media and entertainment industry or how there's rarely anything good on NTA, I mean really, NTA's management needs help with transitioning to the 21st century with their crappy programming that's supposed to appeal to an international audience. Or...I could go on forever but instead of doing that. I'll settle on the elections in Nigeria.

The issue that nags at me the most is that there are no fresh faces, no new names. I mean, it's the same set of people all the freaking time. Really, they all need to die, all these old thieving politicians, why are they still here eating up our land and compromising Nigeria's future? I know I sound ignorant but that's how I feel and I make no apologies for it. I want too see educated and intelligent people ruling the giant of Africa, is that too much to ask? I don't think so. I really don't.