THE FEMININE STRENGTH

They are figures with virtually all the curves, the artistic work that required a rib for its creation, and the most useful creation in the existence of mankind. They are weak, and their weakness projects their strength, and they exalt in their beauty for the other gender's admiration. These productive humans are called women, woven and knitted together as the spice needed by every generation.

A woman can be the relief a man seeks or the pain that aches him. Behind a woman that relieves the pain of a man are days of scars covered with makeover, times of tears shed within, perseverance that chokes, and selfless services that count. A woman that aches like pain could have been a product of ill treatment faced while growing up, and her decision could be a choice, but in all aspects, women are the pain bearers for the home.

If I may take you down a research lane, a woman's comfort is always tampered with, following the homely responsibilities hung around her. Her conception process is not always an easy ride, and the delivery route is often filled with different bumps.  The children are always her baggage to move around with, home keeping is her divine calling, and the assistance pulled through career of her choice contributes to the economy of the home. Women are super humans borne out of multi tasking hole, with or without assistance.

Sometimes, her partner in a relationship and marriage determines her commitment. She needs the real care to function well in her capacity, and this brought the idea of partnership in marriage. People say she loves money, no, she needs care and attention, she wishes to have her necessary items, and she supports whoever she determines to support, and her loyalty remains until her partner reverses his pledge which can however turn her to his worst nightmare.

HAPPINESS

Happiness can be imaginary, and can also appear like a reality. Sometimes people tend to derive happiness from material things, hobby, lovers, family, and whatever they believe in, but in most cases they get failed when these people step on their toes by twitching the existence of happiness built around them overtime.

Happiness is a powerful tool to living a life of fulfilment, and it shares the same room with joyfulness. A life devoid of happiness might not be able to fulfil an in depth call of his dream because of the distraction of unhappiness mounted like pressure. An unhappy soul dines with illness, and this drags the body to an untimely grave. Sometimes an unhappy soul drags his success down because of its appearance to his destiny helper. A smile can sometimes cover the pit, but when expression comes knocking, his words are enough to put a destiny helper in a racing car.

Life is beautiful, and happiness is embedded in a way that it comes from within even when the situation is not palatable. Happiness is a decision. A decision to turn deaf ears to evil energy, a decision to ride with your conscience so clean like a new slate, a decision to smile and mean the aura, and a decision to always stay happy no matter what life serves. Life will always bring on its challenges, but happiness has a way of bowing circumstances to favour us, because we think faster while depression bids us farewell.

LOVE LYRICS

WHERE IS THE LOVE?

We once had the love,
The love that did the bonding,
The love that made us united,
The love we used to break the Britain jinx.
The love we used to break the slavery,
The love we shared that gained access to inter-tribal marriage,
The love that made an Easterner a business man in the West.
The love that made the Westerner a sojourner in the North.
The love that made different people with multilingual differences to gain freedom into Independence in 1960.
That love has changed to hatred in the blink of an eye,

No ethnic group cares anymore,

Kidnapping, rituals, rivalry, killings, terrorism, victimization have replaced the love.
We want our young love back, the love so peaceful, calm and able to tolerate each ethnic differences.

©Dolapo Aruleba

AL QAEDA and ISIL, BOKO HARAM and HERDSMEN'S REGROUPING

ISIS ( Islamic State of  Iraq and Syria), also known as ISIL ( Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), is said to be a Sunni Jihadist group with a heinous ideology that claimed to be a caliphate, and exercise religious authority over all muslim. This group is said to have been an ally of AL QAEDA before its fraction was declared.  ISIL is recorded to have been more successful than its fore runner. In the same vein, Bokoharam which is also a Jihadist militant sect which is based in the north eastern Nigeria, and also active in chad, Niger, and nothern Cameroon has also become a threat to some parts of their captured countries, and some herdsmen have recently been linked to be in alliance with the group.

Islam is a religion of peace, so I heard, and so I want to believe, but these dreaded groups which keep regrouping, rebranding, and recruiting all in the name of the religion stirred a great fright in me, and so my thoughts seem confusing. I pray thee, receive sense! I pray thee, wise up and see beyond the minute intention tied to your quest which can be consigned to oblivion for all I care. I waited for some seconds to ruminate over what could be the cause of terrorism, and I couldn't exhaust the list I thought about, but yet, some accurate delusive visionary quest which is second to none.  Religious, political, citizenry rights, vengeance, country supremacy quests and the likes are not worth the trade of lives and souls to dark worlds, I emphasize.

Threading the path of religious arrangement, I believe every supreme being is powerful to fight for himself, and a need for the believers to understand that a wasted effort is being channelled into assisting their God/god in fighting against people who flout the norm and belief of the religion. As much as politics is concerned, terrorism only makes the process difficult for those that once used terrorists to achieve their political status, hence a demand for ransom to free a state or country is demanded by those used. In cases where this is not achieved, the tentacle of terrorism has its wings spread all over such territory in exchange of failed promises by political juggernauts.

Citizenry rights can be achieved by peaceful protests and constructive dialogue,  but in a case where blood is shed to claim rights, it is a planned greed intention blindfolding the sect behind such rights claims.  Karma is the best revenge if you seek vengeance.  There is no reason a whole country or state has to suffer for what some group of people did wrong. In a quest for country supremacy, I have an opinion that no country is supreme in itself. In other words, a country cannot be supreme without the assistance of others. The joint effort of different countries make a country's vision achievable, so why terrorize?

I see terrorism as a personal quest of wickedness, and evil threat, as well as hooliganism in its advanced realm. Religion, political rifts and all other reasons are not enough to be destructive. If all you wait for Is a million wives reward that will be given to you by your supreme being, then you have set a standard of failure, because greed of sexual pleasure has overshadowed your right to empathize. For those under recruitment, I hope you are ready to kiss peace goodbye, because you have signed a life contract with restlessness. A life that terrorizes doesn't rest, and this brought me to a conclusion that terrorism is not of this world, but the under world's, because every sane human wants rest.

HOW DO I CELEBRATE MY CHRISTMAS? (Every Child Deserves a Christmas)

How do I celebrate my christmas? I am pretty sure so many answers are popping out of your mind. I think I can guess a few, with a big pot of jollofrice or friedrice, shredded chicken and salad, or with an all red wears and accessories, or a trip to an island or low land, or with lots of drinks or santa gifts, and with so many beautiful things of life to mention a few. All these things are so good, but I will share a story on how exactly one needs to celebrate a christmas.

About six years ago, my church youth members organised a visit to the orphanage, and most people that were present there were well bred people, but they never saw that like an avenue to ignore the less privileged, but a chance to extend love. I was like a spectator taking note of everything happening around as we got to the orphanage. I saw some children sharing their thoughts with some of my members, and there was this particular boy that insisted on going with a lady. He felt the love the lady shared to him. She carried the little boy and started asking questions; how are you doing? Have you eaten? What's your best colour?, amongst other questions. This little intimacy made the boy feel the love of a parent he never had, and he couldn't watch the lady leave.

This story above symbolises that anybody can be a parent to an orphan, so far you share true love to the orphan. All they need is someone that can care for them, and make them feel relevant, and I feel you can be that person. I think I have given you a clue on how to celebrate your christmas right? Yes! Every Child is a Star (ECIAS) foundation has brought to mind that every child deserves a christmas, and a need to share love to this set of people during this yuletide season is as important as sharing it with our children. They need to feel the festive mood, as well as see people outside their confined environment.

You can get engaged in this process by teaming up with NGOs around you, personal visit, or you can team up with Every Child is a Star(ECIAS) foundation, they will carry you along with details below. And I am sure you will have a beautiful christmas testimonies this 2018. ARE YOU READY!

#SMWLAGOS 2018, THROUGH THE EYES OF A CURIOUS ATTENDEE

When I first thought to write this opinion piece, it was with such a high spirit that i would have gone on my WhatsApp status asking if anyone was interested in reading my review on the recently concluded #smwlagos (Social Media Week Lagos), and some of the vital lessons business owners especially those who couldn’t attend the event could glean from it. I must have honestly hoped no one responded to my clarion call, unfortunately I received a torrent of interests from friends and acquaintances and therefore was bounded to keeping my word…..but just when my pen met her paper, it felt like my memory had gone on a quick recess. You’ve probably met that feeling of “who send me message biko”…lol. I guess I'd have thought what more can I say that you do not know already. But since I’ve committed myself to breaking out of my shell, my already cracked shell in 2018; coupled with an intense nudging from an amazing friend who wouldn’t let me stay any more in my comfort zone, and of course Remi Owadokun’s “it is #TooLateToBeNobody” haunting me, this article is materializing and indeed morphing to be a great blessing in disguise. It is my sincere hope that you find a reference point as you read this article, even implementing one or two things from it.

Lets back off a little....perhaps you’d like to know how I got to be a part of the #SMWLagos. I heard about #smwlagos in 2017 through a post on my Facebook timeline but couldn’t participate of it because of the short timing, nonetheless I made a mental note to attend the next one. At a strategy meeting my organization held in January this year, I was asked by my boss to take note of the upcoming #smwlagos2018, so that I could write an article on the program and how social media is bringing the world closer?!

And though I wasn’t told I could attend, it seemed like the universe was secretly on my payroll. I silently nursed the idea of attending even hoping my luck would get me a week off to fully attend the event, lofty wish you’d say, but I must have tipped the universe so well, so well you wouldn’t imagine the shock I had when my boss said that I, together with a colleague have been given the following week off for #smwlagos! OMG! I went numb from too much happiness speeding through my body system, something leaped within, and I must have strongly resisted the urge to punch my fist into the sky. I am super grateful for the opportunity, somehow I hope my boss gets to read this piece too for it wouldn’t have been possible if not for her kindness. So we registered online and also applied for a Paypal account (first business collaboration/strategy I noticed which I’ll talk about and the others as we progress in this series) and was given a Campus badge pass...and off we were to what would be an awesome time altogether.

Being a personal development enthusiast, I find myself attending different events that inspire, motivate and ignite me in more ways than one, but #smwlagos was really redefining, for in a period of 5 days I was greatly exposed to lots of Entrepreneurs, Thought Leaders and Industry giants with the options of choosing what mind blowing sessions to attend from the many on the ever interesting list. The people, the fashion, ambience and willingness to learn coupled with the great and upcoming, all meeting on a platform where there are no holds barred made the #smwlagos a noteworthy event that any entrepreneur or personal development enthusiast should attend. While learning hasn’t been a chore, it was absolutely fantastic to find people who were likeminded with me in different sessions all focused to become a better person.

WHILE YOUR PRESENCE AT THE #SMWLAGOS WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT, I BELIEVE YOU CAN LEARN ONE OR TWO THINGS BY ATTENDING THROUGH MY EYES, THE EYES OF A CURIOUS LEARNER…LOL
WATCH OUT FOR PART II

By: Adenike Bello

My Firewood, Your Matches, His Pot Of Soup

If I may ask, how many relationships have you engaged in before getting married, or now as you are still single? In a nutshell, how many exes are you able to record? One, two, or probably uncountable. In as much as this piece is not targeted to make us remember how many failures we have recorded over the years, it is essentially pointing towards a vital angle of general perception of life and certain things we should get abreast of as we journey through this lane of exposition.

So many times we move closer to a person based on their attractiveness which could be their outward appearances, and some cases where we are privileged to hear them converse, which can be regarded as their intelligence, or in rare cases where we are chanced to know how they behave which is graded as moral. However, people majorly venture into a relationship firstly because of the outward appearance and a need for the man to have the wherewithal to cater for the needs of the lady, and these make other attributes secondary in most cases, except for the preachers that have set moral as a major standard that cannot be excused in a relationship race.

As a man, I have engaged in different relationships which have been challenging, as well as profitable to my existence but in the end, some lucky men tapped in and I lost all. I deposited alot in a relationship, another man deposited his, but a man from no where ended up walking down the aisle with the woman. My firewood, your matches, cooked the soup, and unfortunately, a man owns the whole pot of soup. This is applicable to all gender, no gender is exceptional. Can I be tagged a fool after spending so much and not appreciated? I gladly say 'NO'! Lessons are meant to groom one in order to be aware of eminent dangers. LIFE TEACHES US TO TRUST PEOPLE, BUT NOT TO DEPEND ON THEM, BECAUSE HUMAN BEINGS ARE LIABLE TO CHANGES.

In every relationship, learn to care and cherish, but try as much as possible not to be immoral, and if it works, great! But if it doesn't, you have learned. Every trial is a step to achieving greater opportunity that leads to greater achievement, if properly used. SOON, IT WILL BE 'YOUR FIRE WOOD, HER MATCHES, AND MY OWN POT OF SOUP!' BECAUSE WE WILL ALL END UP GETTING MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE'S ADMIRER OR EX. REMEMBER IT MUSN'T BE JUST A POT OF SOUP THAT WON'T COMPLEMENT YOUR BOWL OF RICE OR GARRI.