10 years on

This day 10 years ago (don’t feel like 10 years at all), I left/graduated/passed out of Secondary School. It is freaking surreal. Like I can’t believe I have been out of Secondary School 10 years. I think about my “dreams” and what I planned to do within the 10 years. Yes, I had the 10 year plan post-Secondary School and another 10 years post University plan. Tracking my life since then, I am about 90% done with my post-Secondary School plan. Commendable yeah.

I believe my ex-classmates had a reunion on Saturday 5^th. It woulda been great seeing people again all in one room. Asides the occasional running into ex-classmates at the supermarket, mall, at work, airports. Oh well….

Today however, I choose to not only remember the good, the bad, the ugly, the times I cried, the times I laughed, those who made my stay the best, those who peppered me (I forgive you). I choose to remember 2 people who my Secondary School story won’t be complete without.

A. We were classmates all of Primary School and Secondary School. Primary School and the first half of Secondary School because her surname came before mine (my first name is also a letter more than hers). So we were stuck in the same class. I stumbled on one of our Primary School Valedictory service picture and we were sitting next to each other (I guess we were “arranged” based on our last names). Second half of Secondary School, we had no reason to be classmates. The determining factor to be in my class was the choice of Technical Drawing in addition to Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Further Maths. Anybody not offering that subject (at all) was placed in another class. However, E.A had other ideas. We were 3 girls offering all 5 subjects. With over 30 guys. I guess E.A felt the need to add some more girls and gave us 6 more – 3 offering Agriculture and 3 offering Food and Nuts (as we called it).

A, my classmate till ovarian cancer took her away. A, the one who made me ever google the word “cancer”. A, the one battled cancer and won. She might have lost the battle physically BUT her experience opened the eyes of many.

We took ill about the same time (3^rd term SS2 – exam period) and while I missed a few exams and returned to school, she never came back. Battled it, broke all myths – oh ovarian cancer affects older women. She was but 16. Oh ovarian cancer befell promiscuous women – she was a virgin. And the list goes on. She knew she was gonna die. Yet every single exam we had in SS3, she took. Her birthday was the 20^th of June. She did say if she survived past her birthday, she was going to live. She died on the 4^th, a few days after we wrote our last SSCE paper, almost a year after she was diagnosed. She knew she would die that day. A, forever in our hearts.

I choose to remember Y. We became quite close JSS2 and stayed on friends till the very end. He was loud. Really loud and could be annoying. I typically stay away from loud people. I can count how many loud friends I had and we are not close. Yet somehow, we managed to be friends. He would usually give me boarder boys’ gist and I kinda always knew who next was going to be on my case through him (even if he never said it explicitly, it kinda always slipped). It was Y who took it upon himself to save me “the shame of going to Grad Class Dinner dateless”. The moment it was obvious to all I wasn’t going with O, he was number 1 out of 12 who approached me. And the remaining 11? I knew they were coming to ask before they did. I however shenked (is that even the spelling?) him and went with someone else.

He ended up going dateless YET he remained friends. Secondary School over. Our only means of communication was Yahoo messenger. I was in Nigeria. He was in the UK and later US. 19 short months after, he was no more. We still chatted February 12 and promised to meet again on the 15^th. Headed to the cybercafé on 15^th, 2 hours after agreed time with no response, I was about logging out when a close friend who was also in US sent a message. Y was no more. He was last seen outside on the 12^th. By 14^th when his flat mates hadn’t seen him leave his apartment for 2 days, they broke in. Met his lifeless body. No one knows what happened (as a Muslim he was buried immediately). I had the unfortunate task of breaking the news to other friends.

He was the joker. The one who would make you laugh no matter what. I still imagine he would come out one day and say he was pranking us. Y, my loud friend, I choose to remember you today and always – 8 years on.

I choose to remember friends who have stayed friends for at least 10 years. Some, more than 10. T, Ik and If for more than 20 years. You guys rock. O (16 years), E, O, S (the only guy in the team) and W (10 years) aint no joke. They say 20 friends cannot be friends for 20 years. True, so maybe that is why my “clique” is smaller. We might not see or chat as often as we used to. But I remember you all every day.

On to the next 10 years…. God willing….

 

The boy in the rain

You could see the joy. Visible. The happiness. The eagerness to get to school on his face. Roughly 7. Maybe 8 years old. Riding his bicycle. Maybe it is a new one. Who knows? Carefully. Without worry. For him life is beautiful. It is Monday. A new week, new day, back at school. As he carefully went over the speed bumps by the toll gate. Out. Back on the express way. Staying clear of cars and buses. It seemed all is well in his world. Except he is riding to school. In the rain. With no safety gear. No rain coat. No guardian or parent to accompany him to school. In his school uniform, white socks and brown sandals. Back pack properly strapped. He journeyed on.

In the rain. My heart cut. Here is a young boy. Dangers all around. Yet he seemed oblivious to all. Trying to make his way to school. Here is a young boy. Whose parents might have saved to get him a bicycle and pay his fees. Here is a young boy who would become a man soon. A future leader (as we like to say). As I drove on in traffic watching this boy, keeping so far from cars, my heart cut. I couldn’t help but think of the many dangers he faces everyday getting to school. Cars, buses, okadas, soliders and policemen who seem not to know you turn your gun face down, Julius Berger and the Hitech trailers. Even worse, on days like this… the rain. The fact that in a bid to get an education, this young boy stood the risk of coming down with a cold. Maybe pneumonia.

I thought about a lot of things. Poverty in our land. The uncertainties. Crisis. I thought about my children. The kind of life I want them to live. Do I want them to live in Nigeria I wondered. I thought about the future. I am scared. Which way Nigeria I asked.

I thought about my childhood. The privileged life. Been dropped and picked up from school every day among others. Here was a boy (and many many many others) who might never experience that kind of life. The good life we call it. I felt sad.

More than 12 hours later, I still remember this little boy. Teary eyed, I watched on till he got out of sight, a boy who despite the challenges, he was all so eager to get to school; Looking on cheerfully as he rode. Not gonna forget him in a hurry. Tears still well up even as I type. Pity, sadness and joy. Sadness at what can befall this dude at anytime. I remember the Chibok girls. Sorrow at the kind of pain and challenges he has to live through at this age. Joy at the fact that he wants to get educated. You should see his eyes. Carefree and definitely happy to be on his way to school.

The boy in the pink checkered shirt and green shorts.

I heard this song some weeks back and just never paid attention to it. Till I heard it again at TT & BT’s wedding on Saturday. Somebody help me. It has been on replay since Saturday. Number 1 jam at the moment. Shout out to TT & BT (TT when you get to read this – I know you would). Lovely gown you wore. I am a sucker for simple yet elegant wedding gowns. *le sigh*. And thanks for giving me my new jam. God bless your union.

Couldn’t find the official video. I guess this would do

After all you sought me out….

I heard a story of a woman (Mrs. A) a while back who got into an argument with her husband and dear husband in the course of the fight made the statement “after all you sought me out”. Let’s break it down. As a single woman, Mrs. A saw a guy she liked and made the first move. Get his details and contacts him. After a while they get talking, one thing leads to another and they get married. Years on, husband decides to remind her no bi him do the chasing (as I would like to call making the first move). We can go on about how nobody forced him to marry her but…..

Now forgive me as this is my opinion. I am a “I want to be properly chased (insert wooed, courted) woman”. I am a “let the man be the man and make the first move” woman. I have been all my life and somehow Mrs. A story just made me all the more that kind of woman. However, I see and hear a lot of women make the first move/contact and am thinking what has this world turned to? Last I checked, it was the man’s job to find abi? So every time I hear someone tell me “if you like him/want him, make the first move, if you wait someone else would take him” yada yana, I just stay there thinking. Oh a lot of times I hear people tell me not to slack and go ahead jere. After all, the world is more liberal. Don’t be a slacker I hear. Mostly feel like pulling the girl’s ears and shouting “let him be the man”. Let’s be clear, I aint saying if you like a man and he likes you form (ok yeah, form a bit but not for too long) But let HIM BLADY MAKE THE FIRST MOVE. That’s just me ba?

I recently had a friend buzz me. A former colleague of hers says he wants to get married and needs a decent girl (I seem to be getting that a lot these days). Like a group of friends just sat somewhere and have decided “if she won’t get a man, we would get one for her”. Anywayz, according to my friend “I don’t know why my mind went to you”. Trust me in less than a minute, my emotions ranged from anger to wanting to give her a piece of my mind (as we often say) to just ignoring that statement. She wanted me to “consider him” as he had been on her neck to get him a wife. How does this relate to making the first move? I had asked her to give me till last night cuz frankly though I had my answer I didn’t want to be accused of being too hard or tough or not open minded. She buzzes again last night and from our conversation, she wants me to make the first move. YEPA!!!!! Gist is she tells him about me BUT I contact him. Short of telling her off (which I now wish I did), I have told her not to bother. I am not interested.

I ask, is it now proper for a lady to make the first move? Forgive me, I might still be living in the medieval times so maybe that’s why I am thinking like that. Maybe just maybe I need to be enlightened. Who wants to help me out here? Cuz I would hate to make a move and get burnt sometimes in future.

The post I have been postponing just might never happen. However, I would drop some pictures that are meant to make some people jealous of the fact that I have been having fun and hanging out and having a ball and not living a boring life and ok I give up.

And yeah it has to do with food. From Bar Campione (who make one of the best sandwiches in Lagos, 3 times the charm) to Coral Blue (first time I went there – last year, it was absolutely fantastic, second time around, not quite – my excuse though, it was quite late at night) to Ice Cream Factory (not even Coldstone can take away my love for you). And haha, Talindo Steak Place – tucked somewhere on Karim Kotun. Better service second time around (and this was also late at night – Monday). Amazing brownie they got. And yeah if you are on instagram, check out Rumnpassion (rumnpassion) and Crème Brulee Lagos (cremebruleelagos). I have tried rumnpassion’s cupcakes…. That rapturous feeling. Haven’t tried cremebrulee yet but I know it is only a matter of time. I have a sweet tooth. Shoot me. It is a miracle I aint fat.

Monday made it 15 years I lost my uncle and yesterday, 9 years I lost the man I called my maternal grandfather (my mum lost her dad many many many years ago so my grandma’s brother became my grandpa) and I just realized no matter how long a loved one has been gone, you can never forget them. The memories stay with you forever.

Have a great weekend people.

Happy New Year

Happy new year dearies. I trust the year had been aite so far. It would only get better.

Am I the only excited one?

So I promised to blog about my hair right. Here it is. I was one of those “10 inches no body hair” kind of people. Good length but very scanty and limp. One of those I hate weaving my hair people. If I must not more than 5-6 cornrows. So yeah you can trust I hated having to go weave my hair when I was in Primary School. By Secondary School, when I had a bit more control, weaving was restricted to once a term. Bad idea. Good healthy hair kept in a good enough protective style went bad. As I spent every weekend at the salon under the dryer. Hot dryer. In came dandruff also. Used all sorts of cream and shampoos. No luck. Keeps it under for a while and then it is back itching.

By Uni, weaving had become braiding and that was once a semester. Right before exams and off right after exams. 3-4 weeks and the thingy is off. You can trust that I hated it but had to do it. Still hate braiding my hair but I do it at least twice a year. Yeah to give a different look. Still hair worries persisted. Add the fact that it gets due and in need of a retouch like 4 weeks after the last retouch. Something I can’t remember experiencing when I was doing cornrows jeje. Now, you need to see my hair after a retouch. I am also one of those who likes to play with my hair. You know the “run your hand through your hair” people. Another thing, easy way to make me sleep, play with my hair. Enough stories already. Anyways, after a retouch, hair looks longer, easy to play with but very LIMP. Like if wind should blow now, the thingy is standing. You would never believe I just did something to it. In Uni, you can trust I always had it covered. Never let it out. So comes the weave expenses cuz silly me didn’t reuse weaves.

Long and short? I spent money on my hair to no avail. No result. Buy this cream I buy. Use this, I use. From honey to fanta to hemp to damatol to sulphur 8 to heads and shoulders, bergamot, name it. I have used. I trimmed and trimmed and treated and treated. No result. Then came 2012. I did this braids back in the UK, got to Nigeria about a month after and took it out. I shall upload the picture after my retouch that day (when I have the guts to). I almost cried at the salon. Here I was turning to an iya mi leko. Before my very eyes. My front hair was gone. Annoyingly at the sides. I always admire people on braids and quite unfortunately, I am the only one who does braids at home and ends up with my front hair off. So in “feeling among the braids clique” I ended up an iya mi leko. I couldn’t figure out what to do. Fast forward to about March/April 2013, Just Joxy looks down on me with mercy and mixed this ori (sheabutter) mix and I started applying (I shall also upload the pictures after the mix finished). Gradually, the hair started sprouting. Small small but still not where I wanted it to be.

So I “gave up” and just ignored the hair again and went back to my protective weaves. However I took a decision before then to space my retouching, 4-6 months as against 6-8 weeks. I also have a very soft hair and was advised against retouching often. Then I started working with this babe and we would gist about hair hair hair. Started visiting hair blogs and getting ideas. I took the plunge in December and bought some oils, shampoos, henna and some eroja and it has been fun trust me BUT expensive (I guess initial expenses).

Hair routine for the past 3 weeks-

1. Wash every 2 weeks (I love my weaves and can’t afford to keep my hair down for long cuz of the reasons above) so I keep my weaves for 2 weeks and remove.

2. Do hot oil treatment before a wash, then next wash, do a henna deep condition treatment (which I am doing this weekend) and then hot oil treatment the next wash. So I add the oils, cover it up over night and wash the next morning.

3. Moisture and oil hair EVERYDAY. Yes you heard right. I got a mix of argan, coconut, jojoba, castor, olive and some other oils which I apply every night. Then on Tuesdays, I apply just castor oil, on Thursdays, just coconut oil and hair cream. While I constantly moisture it and massage the hair (especially in front).

4. At last fix, I asked for more space between each layer so I can oil everyday. I would rather you layer the weave on one line than make the space between each layer so small.

5. I plan to clarify once a month. Considering the amount of oil the hair would drink through out the month.

What else do I do? That’s bascially all so far. I hope to see results when I loosen my weave this weekend. I am gonna weave though. Different look tins. One thing though, my hair doesn’t itch often. So yeah, focus is more on front hair growth as against long hair. Because I noticed most of the hair bloggers have great lengths BUT no front or lil front hair.

So there it is. I have been accused on abandoing the blog and asked to take care of my hair. Hence this very long post. The post for the week should come up on Friday. A lot of randoms and ranting as usual.

The good gets shortlisted, the excellent is chased after (paraphrased)- Friend

I am not one to do new year resolutions. In fact, tis one of the things I absolutely won’t do. But I do always know what I want to achieve every year and I write them down and that’s it.

I was encouraged more like asked sef by a friend to do a personal development plan (PDP) and I am just like wow. I know what I wanna do and have the timelines in my head. Just never thought putting it down and all would have the effect it has on me. So I might be off every now and then (I would try not to) cuz of 1 exam or the other.

I am beginning to hate this constant comparison to Olivia Pope I get from people. Oh you sway the way she does. Oh you are like Liv. Oh you are like her cuz you like Scandal. So here it is. I like the Olivia Pope character. And am sure I have confessed I started watching because I had a lot of people raving about the way she dresses (which I like by the way), I tend to excuse quite a lot of her actions (if you have heard me discuss her) BUT this babe aint no Olivia Pope and she isn’t like her in any way.

So yeah, that’s it. I guess this qualifies as my longest post yet (a post which doesn’t include lyrics to a song or any other ish).

Have a lovely day good people and Happy New Year once again.

Tada

xoxo

Agree or not?

Cheating isn’t always kissing, flirting or touching. If you gonna delete text messages so your partner won’t see them, you’re already there- Twitter

Moving on….

First things first…….

Happy new year in advance good people.

A big shoutout to everybody who has kept faith with this blog. It has been an amazing 2013. I can’t even begin to recount on here. It has just been wonderful, through it all.. To my 145 followers, those who stopped by to comment, those who just read, a BIG THANK YOU cuz without you, this blog won’t exist; considering the number of times I have thought to stop blogging. Ese pupo.

On to other things. As said earlier, I have overtime considered quitting. And yet keep coming back on here. So I have decided to…. stay on blogging BUT it would be more of other things. Like my journey to a healthy hair. I decided to take better care of my hair earlier this year and it was a rollercoaster experience. I failed on many fronts and discovered my major problem was accountability and not tracking my progress. So….. ya all would help me in 2014 right? And allow me use this blog to track yeah? Armed with my eroja (ingredients), I am ready to start this journey again. Be rest assured though, I ain’t shaving or going natural.

Oh and my journey to a fit, hawt body, my cooking adventure (as often as I have the time; I really miss not cooking in 2013), weddings and bridal shower stuff (I really need to start working on that) and a lotta other thingys. And I shall be stalking  and recommending a lotta other great blogs. For example, I shall be leaving those who haven’t found her yet with this and especially this post and this.

I am really excited about 2014. I just know and just know it is gonna be a very great year for me. I have no idea what God has in store yet still, it is just so amazing the kind of things I hear from people which just bear witness with my spirit. And I am sure it is going to be a great year for a lot of people.

Do have a lovely day and end of year people. And happy new year once again.

N.B: Let us remember Michael Schumacher in our prayers.

Ekele dili gï (I hope I got that right)

Na gode sosai

Ese pupo

xoxo

Sidenote: Am I the only one who loves to see a man who is crazy about his woman?

 

Eat, Sleep, Get fat

Yelz. This babe is on leave!!!!!!!!! I would be lying if I say I aint excited. Like really!!! So all I gotta do for the remaining 9 days is eat, sleep, get fat. Ok add praying and reading and just generally staying indoors to it. Hehe. Don’t jealous me.

Moving on…. what is it with Kcee’s songs that initially you never like them. At least for me. All his songs always grow on me. Heard Pullover for the first time on Saturday and am like nah. And as it is with a new song or something new or something you suddenly notice, you start to see it or hear it everywhere. So between Saturday and today, I have heard that song at least 10 times…..
Pullover….. Park…. Reverse…..

What is in a name? Blogged about it once so not doing that again. This has to do with Scandal though. Yeah, bad habit. I must talk about Scandal.. so a friend (names withheld, you sha know it is you once you see this) puts up a pm about not naming her daughter Olivia because of Scandal. And I laughed.  I have had to change my daughter’s name (funny right, she already has a name and I never even marry not to talk of having a child) from Isabella because… I watched a Mexican soap once and Isabella was a witch. Years on, a friend too is giving stories about one Isabella witch… I sharperly found another name… Mba, not saying the name before you people find a reason why the name isn’t good.

Btw, Yoruba women are allowed to give their children names too right? Cuz it shall pain me after deciding on a name and I hear I aint allowed o.

*ding ding*

Christmas is coming, the turkeys are getting fat fat…..
Time to change my ringtones….

Leaving with these lyrics….. three of my favourite Christmas songs

Destiny’s child’s 8 days of Christmas

On the 8th day of Christmas my baby gave to me
A pair of chloe shades and a diamond belly ring
On the 7th day of Christmas my baby gave to me
A nice back rub and he massaged my feet
On the 6th day of Christmas my baby gave to me
A cropped jacket with dirty denim jeans
On the 5th day of Christmas my baby  gave to me
A poem that he wrote for me
On the 4th day of Christmas my baby gave to me
A candlelit dinner just for me and my honey
On the 3rd day of Christmas my baby gave to me
A gift certificate to get me favourite CDs (funny that’s how I found this song- story for another day)
On the 2nd day of Christmas my baby gave to me
The keys to a CLK Mercedes
On the 1st day of Christmas my baby gave to me
Quality TIME (I so need that right now)

Doesn’t it feel like Christmas? Sure it does. Christmas countdown baby!!!!!!

All around the world this Christmas – R Kelly

Hearing the bells go ding dong
Hearing the choir sing songs
Lettings us know its Christmas
Time for the world to spread love (must we always wait for Christmas though)
I open my eyes and to my surprise
I’ve come to realise that…
All around the world its Christmas. …

This Christmas – Chris Brown (there is a version by Joe, dunno which 1 I prefer)

Hang all the mistletoe
I’m gonna get to know you better
This Christmas
And as we trim the trees
How much fun it’s gonna be together
This Christmas

The fireside is blazing bright
We’re caroling through the night
And this Christmas will be
A very special Christmas for me
Let’s go

As usual, doing this on my phone so can’t post the links. Do look them up though. Absolutely gorg songs.

I am still waiting for my “under the mistletoe” kiss……

And if you haven’t already done, head to http://www.singlenigerian.co.uk
Giveaway ends in 7 days.

Tada people

Temptations aka Devil with the Red Car

So I finally see the Tyler Perry movie everybody people have been raving about. Long story. I usually don’t do such movies at the cinema. You know, we do it the download way and C refused to see Olympus had fallen a second time (meaning I still haven’t seen the movie and White House Down is coming out soon). Ok you get the gist. I would rather go watch a Man of Steel at the cinemas than watch romcom or the likes. Anywayz, that’s not the gist of this post.

So well unlike the reviews, I think he did a good job with the movie. Yeah, we could practically tell the end (kinda), good “village” girl goes to the city and meets the “phenomenal” man (“unfortunately” she was married to a “good” man) and after much temptation, she falls. Lessons learnt? Over and over again, I say it, never take people for granted. Your spouse, parents, siblings, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend. The time you start getting too comfortable is the time to be on guard. Especially in marriages. Love needs to be fed. Before that size 8 lady starts “loving” your cologne. Or that man starts sending flowers to your office. Meanwhile wifey or boo doesn’t even notice. Oh and it aint just in marriages o. Relationships too o. Secondly, if that spouse is the “good” kind; sex in the bedroom kind and you think, or someone is dropping hints about 200 different sex positions and you wanna explore, fine. Explore with your spouse. Bring them “up to date”. Not come home one night and expect the good wife/husband to suddenly know you want something kinky. I mean for someone who wanted to be a marriage counselor, I would have thought she would get books or movies or something to help the husband “realize” that she needed or wanted something more than bedroom sex . But then again, I aint married so what do I know. Thirdly, I think one needs to pay attention when a person tells you about himself or herself (if the other person is honest enough to tell the truth from the start). At some point, “phenomenal” guy told babe he was naturally obsessive. Someone tells me that? I am so out. But well I am sure she rationalized that statement in her head and felt it wasn’t a bad trait. Sweetheart it is. So when the beating came, oh boy I was expecting that. Hehehe, and for those “hissing” babes at the end of the movie, biko if you husband puts you through what babe put her husband through and ends up with HIV, you go still take him back? Abi? I no sabi why dem dey hiss o. Cuz if we wanna be true to ourselves, na only God fit help una take that kain person back. Be friends ko si wahala but am sure you aint gonna sleep with that person EVER again. That said, every action/inaction has a consequence. God would forgive you o bet you would have to live with the consequence however small.

Anywayz, it is a good movie. Cliche yeah but nice. But then again Lance Gross is in it *fans self*. Oh that body. The guitar scene!!!! Two things- hawt body, a guitar *somebori help*. Lance Gross or Chris Hemsworth’s body? *swoons*

And “I don’t want a good guy, I want a phenomenal guy?” #dead

My grouse though is the usual portrayal of the black woman/black family as the “oju o lola ri” type (i.e. never seen/jam money before). So when she sees the guy with money, she “dumps” the not so rich/not rich at all guy for the “phenomenal” rich guy. Or the village girl/boy enters the city and goes south. I get it happens in reality. However, we do have the village girl/small town boy who gets into the big town/city and doesn’t go south. Right?

Btw, I apologize to those I told Suits aint it. Well compared to Scandal it still aint IT. Bet, I can manage it sha. Not a bad series at all. First 2 episodes were boring though. Kinda off putting.

I leave with this. Kindly replace Love with Lust as you listen (I think). Very necessary song I heard as I dropped C off to get a cab.

Solemn Night

So I missed GEJ’s speech abi na address declaring the state of emergency in 3 states… Oh well, these days, I keep off TV, newspapers (prints and online). The only reason I would be caught watching something is when it is time to watch Scandal.. Too much bad news. Anyways I hope it aint just all talk. If it wasn’t in a language them Boko boiz understand, ko make sense mehn.

So I was “reflecting” on this and stumbled on some Simon Kolawole articles. I used to love reading them but like I said, I can count how many times I have read a newspaper this year. That bad. And I saw this quote by Martin Niemoller. I have heard/read about it in the past. Somehow struck a cord tonight.

There are like a zillion (ok, I lie), quite a number of versions online (I guess, everybody decided to edit to suit their purposes, even saw one by hackers *sigh*) but I believe this is the original.

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.

Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestierte.

Unfortunately, I don’t speak nor understand German. And I suck at all languages including Yoruba, so I would give you one of the numerous translation I saw online.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

The gist is, STAND UP FOR SOMETHING! SPEAK OUT !!! Not speak as per talk, but do something before it is too late. God help us and make we help ourselves too.

A poem that seems to speak to me a lot these days also I would share

IF by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and bot be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
 If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
 If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
 And treat those two impostors just the same;
 If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
 Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
 Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
 And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings 
 And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
 And lose, and start again at your beginnings
 And never breathe a word about your loss;
 If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
 To serve your turn long after they are gone,
 And so hold on when there is nothing in you
 Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
 ' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
 if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
 If all men count with you, but none too much;
 If you can fill the unforgiving minute
 With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
 Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
 And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Somehow, tonight is just a solemn night for moi.

Btw, I dunno what to think of Apple opening up its platform to RIM or is it the other way round (whatever)… BBM on iPhone I can’t just comprehend. Makes it an even more “quiet” night…

So logging out with these

I realize the Stevie Wonder song can be controversial, so I end (finally) with

Musiq Soulchild and DJ Xclusive!!! Hmmmm

Good night good people.

Tada

You meet that one person

I have a friend. Each session in Uni, started with a new boyfriend. She never had the same boyfriend for 2 years. 4 years in Uni equaled 4 boyfriends. She never seemed to be able to keep a relationship for long. She is now married. To a guy she dated for 5 years. You meet that one person.

I have another. Had 3 boyfriends in our 4 years. She is getting married in August. To a guy she has dated for a while.

I have another yet. 2 boyfriends in 4 years. She is also getting married in August.

I have yet still one more. She couldn’t do long distance relationships. In fact, she broke up with a couple of guys because of distance. Once, her boyfriend decided to proceed on his masters and she ended it. She felt she couldn’t do the distance. For another, he was in Nigeria but as school was in Ogun State, she lived in Ibadan and he lived in Lagos (geographically these areas are so close and as such shouldn’t be a problem), she ended it. She is currently in a 5 year relationship with a guy who currently lives in the US (went for his masters 2 years into the relationship). And they are still very much together.

Once again, you meet that one person.

What is it about that person that changes everything?

Musings and lessons learnt?

So here I am, putting down things that occurred to me during the week (some I already knew but they never hit me the way they did during the course of the week).

1. It matters what people say about you when you are gone. This Baroness Thatcher issue again. My knowledge of her for long was just that I knew she was once Prime Minister, the first female and yada yana. Well, asides the fact that I grew up being called Thatcher or Iron Lady. I just wonder, if she wasn’t firm/strict/unshaken (put your preferred English), would people talk about her the way they do? We are usually told, it doesn’t matter what people say/think about you. I think it does. That said, be rest assured, you cannot satisfy everybody. And not all people would say nice/good/positive (again if this doesn’t do you, put what your prefer) things about you. Above all, what matters is what heaven says about you.

2. I had a conversation with a friend some months back about singlehood (is there a word like that? Ok I have added it to the dictionary) and I asked if it ever occurred to her maybe she wasn’t meant to get married. As I expected, she got all so Christianise with the God forbid, Olorun maje, not my portion ish. Not like I blame her though. I completely forgot that conversation. Till worshipandswag’s post on destined to be single. And I just smiled. I am of the opinion that not everybody would get married (same way not everybody would have children). I believe the African culture places so much “importance” (note the quotes, marriage is important but not overtly important, at least not the way most people take it like their lives depend on it and if they don’t get married, their world aint ok) on marriage. Unnecessary importance and as such for a lot of people (especially women) it is inconceivable to think they would NEVER get married. A lot of us cannot just fathom it. Don’t get me wrong, it is completely and absolutely legitimate for any man or woman to desire to get married. Even God realised that man shouldn’t be alone and decided to give him a help, meet for him. I still believe though that contrary to what a lot of people believe, not everybody was created to get married.

3. A few of us were discussing before our church’s single fellowship yesterday (and somehow everybody else was what we term a matured single, asides me and the single fellowship leader who is very married) and this woman (the leader) was gisting us about when she had her marriage counselling. She said their counsellor told her that for a lot of people (once again, women especially), we go into marriages with a preconceived idea of what we want our marriages to be like (not that it is bad, but we all know the danger of unmet expectations right? I don’t need to dwell on that). She said we build towers, block on block, brick on brick and then make the man the roof. And then the shaking starts. He rocks it once, small cracks appear, we patch it. He rocks it the second time (now the cracks widen). We patch and glue and do all sorts. And then one day, the whole tower comes crumbling down, with the weight of the man (the roof) on the woman (or man, depends on who built the tower). Whatever happens after then, na only God fit save the pesin. Lesson is make God the roof. Your husband/wife would disappoint. There would be rocking but with Him at the top, all is well. The person you are most sensitive to is the easiest to disappoint you.

4. Never cease to appreciate your friends and family. I felt for so long I have stopped appreciating and thanking family members and friends. Like I always felt I needed to have a reason to say thank you to them. Well, I do know now, I don’t need a reason. For just putting up with me alone, it is enough to be thankful for. iJoke. I am the nicest person to be around. In my head. You don’t need a reason to appreciate people. So a VERY BIG THANK YOU to everybody who reads this blog, to friends, to family, to friends who are more than friends, to friends who have become family, to everybody. Thank you. E se pupo. And no, I am not dying.

5. I had a hair mishap this night. I was told mixing egg with some many tinz helps hair growth, strengthens your hair and all. And as I am on a hair growth journey, I decided to try it out. Got out of the bathroom to discover my hair was “glued” together. This wasn’t a “it is tangled” level. It was like someone poured glue on my head. After 30 seconds of freaking out (and having my sisters laugh their lives out), I rushed back in and started washing the life out of it. Well, lost quite a lot of hair sadly but not that bad. Lesson: when you wanna try such stunts, go to a salon and get someone to make the mix for you, that way, you have someone to sue if anything goes wrong. iKid. The main lesson is, it worked for Mimi no mean say e go work for Deronk. Ik does it that way no mean say the day Kc do am, e no go get K-leg. That said, I am scared I would wake up later in the day with no hair on my head. And no, I won’t upload pictures of me bald (if that ever happens). I love the egg mix smell though. Just doubt I am gonna try it again.

In other more interesting news, we have a gown. Lols. One of my “brides” has picked her gown. Really excited. Can’t put up pictures yet. You shall see it in a few months. However, how do I get bride B to get more serious about this planning.

In other other news, I see some people owe us some posts. If you owe us (blogsville, a few posts, raise your hands). Ok I see a couple of hands. One male, one female. Did I mention names? Be guided o.

In unrelated news (well, indulge me, no be news), you can never tell a person’s true character until you work (or walk) with them.

Happy Sunday people.