SENTIMENT

The affiliation of being self evident, courageous, bold and truthful to one's profile can be jeopardized with a pinch of sentiment in the interplay of decision making and self satisfaction. Sentiment in a nutshell is an attitude,  thought or judgement prompted by feeling, an idea coloured by emotions, or an exaggerated and self indulgent feelings of tenderness, sadness or nostalgia.

'Ladies and gentlemen', this statement is often said in a gathering, event or an official meetings. The statement either initiated by sentiment or from the unconscious mind of the initiator has given a clue that men are gentle gender, while women could be gentle or not. In that context, men are often well appraised by this usage of glittering generality.

The saying; "A Mothers Love Lasts Forever" is an indication that the initiator of the saying is much more in love with his or her mother than the father, probably because the mother had in times shown some care and love. Looking at the saying glaringly, does that mean a father's love doesn't last? This can be said to have had a pinch of sentiment in the interplay of decision making and self satisfaction.

Jealousy is regarded to be an issue of the heart, and it is often said that this happens when two lovers are deeply in love,  but on the other hand, this can be regarded as sentiment which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else.

Gender inequality can be said to be a sentiment based ideology. A woman in certain places is forbidden to hold an official position in places of authority, and same is applicable to homes where women are not categorized to be entitled to educational needs as well as shares to inheritance. The preference attached to male child as against female child is noted to have been a result of sentiment which exists long time ago. Men are often tagged the head of the family in most religious settings and this has made most fathers to crave for male child than female child.

At the government level, sentiment is often in play whenever ministers and officials are chosen. People are not mostly chosen based on their capability, but their political affiliation which has however made some ministries to encounter hiccups. The biase, and subjectivity in the approaches of our day to day life can be categorized as set backs that wouldn't make our decision to be truly genuine,  but based on self and human satisfaction.

The Earth Planet

Bet whistles, competition at its peak,  a relay at it fastest track, jingling of the bell, and tempest moment. We wouldn't have started,  but as we did, it brought about the assumptions.

Life has never been fair,  and it can never be fair.  It had been like that from the onset,  so shall it be till man knows that earth is spherical in shape. This spherical like nature brought about the saying; what goes around comes around. We move in circles and so we have not realized that we are dancing to the tune of what made us, how we were made and what comes out of us.

This is earth planet, where some will always be rich without toiling, where some will only get rich while hustling, where some even after the toil will still sleep in the toilet, the set that gather the whole baggage and eventually turns to a dumping ground.

This is earth planet,  where some find their lovers at the easiest times and beautiful memories are recorded without breaking the arteries, where some will try different people before getting it right, where some will forever stay single, where some get divorced,  where some turn to gays and lesbians.

This is earth planet,  where social media is now the new means of communication, where letter writting has been pushed to extinction, where technologists are rated than postmasters, where most transactions are done online,  where files suddenly turned to burden,  where new born babies have hand set.

This is earth planet, where discrimination thrives, where apartheid exists,  where the margin between the rich and the poor is longer than the wires that connect electricity,  where the bullies are considered the godfathers, and the bullied are considered the morons, where we have first class, economy and business class in an aeroplane, where some clubs have membership,  where some set wouldn't dare to step into some clubs, where prostitutes have class.

Welcome to  earth planet,  where Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, where Cain killed his blood brother Abel, where the killings of blood relations is on the increase, where we keep eating the forbidden fruit, where we love to listen to lucifer's voice than our creator's voice, where some parts are thrown missile to and it becomes a routine, and above all, where nothing is impossible.

Pluto, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune  I have never stepped,  but the list of things that go round and round on earth are enormous and they continue. Infinity has no end,  so old school things will still come as what we refer to as trending. If we had started it well from the garden of Eden, good things would have been what go around, come around,  and the joy of the earth spherical like shape would have been reaped bountifully.

When Hunger Sets In....

It was never your office, it is my kitchen, says the angry woman to her husband who paces round the house complaining. Vicker who has reached the limit of starvation rushed back from work and tried to get his belly filled with food, but unfortunately the fridge was empty and no food to microwave. He got so furious at the absence of his wife and the emptiness of the fridge, and decided to put some grains of rice on the cooker.

As he deepened his hand in the cabinet,  a sound of knock hits the door. Vicker never bothered to ask who is at the door, he left the boiling water on the fire and opened the door. Amazingly,  she's here says Vicker as he opened the door for his wife.  The woman of the house is back from work looking tired. Yes, it seemed she had a stressful day.

Vicker barely welcomed her, he turned back to the kitchen looking for solution to his starvation. Bella dropped her kit on the couch and followed her husband anxiously. She screamed as she saw her husband with a full bowl of grains attempted to be poured in the boiling water put on the cooker. She quickly rushed to hold his hand,  ordering him to stop.

He waited for some seconds before heeding to her words. Afterwards, Vicker yelled at his wife for not making provisions for his lunch. Bella angrily replied that the kitchen is hers and not his husband's office. She never knew that Vicker was going to make it home before her. Vicker paced angrily throughout the period of their conversation, complaining that he needs his lunch. Why do we have water splashed on the floor, why do we have tomatoes on the floor, would you have poured so much grains in the pot? why is my cabinet so disorganized,  why are my things wrongly placed?  asked Bella. Vicker yelling back says; Are you the owner of the things in the kitchen, so why do you keep personalising the kitchen? "Because it is my personal office,  my kitchen and not your office!" says Bella

As Vicker tried to reply, Bella threw a question at him saying;  where is Jeremiah? Sudden silence took over the atmosphere. Vicker suddenly turned to a stammerer, and could barely construct a sentence. Eventually, he confessed that he didn't pick the little boy from school. Bella rushed out of the kitchen,  picked the car key and sped off to her son's school. Vicker was depressed, turned off the cooking gas and sat at the pavement outside waiting for his wife and son's arrival.

Be Careful Of What Your Ring Says About You

From time immemorial a ring has been an object that symbolizes different things, be it fashion,  marital status,  or class identity of man. A ring is a curcumscribing object,  circular and hollow usually worn on fingers, but some come as earrings, bracelets, and accessories. It is made up of plastic, gemstone, metal, wood, bone, glass, and also comes in different shapes, sizes and colours. We have gold, silver, diamond,  and other colours with ornaments.

Rings mean different things to different people and the general assumptions of ring placement on fingers is that ring is placed on the forefinger when one is searching for a spouse, the middle finger placement symbolizes engagement,  the ring finger is the wedding ring finger, while the pinkie finger ring placement means divorce or death. Far from the general assumptions of ring placement, here are some of the importance attached to rings as they are worn on different fingers,  especially the left hand fingers;

The thumb; Some people believe that a ring on the left thumb represents the quality of will, used to make a fashion statement and often said to be a sign of wealth especially for a man that wears it.

The Forefinger;  It is often known as the first finger and the second digit of a human finger, it is also called the pointer finger, trigger finger, digitus secundus amongst others. Some also refer to it as Jupiter, the index finger that stands for  self confidence,  ambition,  leadership etc.  Hundreds years ago it was said to be the most common location for a man's ring. In some parts of Europe, ring placement on this finger denotes family status,  and some people below certain rank were forbidden from wearing rings on the specific finger.

The Middle Finger; It is said to be the saturn,  sense of right and wrong, balance wheel, truth and self analysis. It symbolizes power, and responsibility.

The Ring Finger; This is called the ring finger because in many cultures,  the left ring finger is meant for weddings and engagements. It is also a sign of creativity and a ring worn on this finger symbolizes marital status,  betrothal,  promise and chastity.

The Pinkie Finger/ Little Finger; This finger is the smallest of all the fingers, and it symbolizes that one was married before. In the 19th and early 20th century,  the bottom ring was the wedding ring and the signet ring is worn on top. It's often times associated with organized crime, an example seen in the Sopranos drama.

However,  whatever ring, or finger placements one thinks is better must be done accurately,  in order not to be misjudged. Sometimes a single lady wears a ring on the ring finger,  and this often chase bachelors in search of a bride from such lady with the assumption of her being taken. Fashion is beautiful,  and placing it right and correctly is also appreciated.

A Letter Initiated By A Nigerian To President Muhammadu Buhari ( Prince Michael Nku Abuo)

The emphasis on good governance is vital, and the need for collective change and responsibility are germane as well. In this context,  here is a piece from the desk of a Nigerian citizen aspiring to see an effective change to president Muhammadu Buhari
Prince Michael Nku Abuo (JP) wrote;

Prologue
Funny as it may sound Your Excellency Sire, about two nights ago I had a dream where I met you at a function and told you I had solutions to most of our nation's challenges and begged for an audience to present these solutions, and in my dream you gave me a note to see you at the villa.

The other side of this dream will be and is a subject of another day. Why I had this dream is unclear to me but as a Christian and one with a flair for social re-engineering it is a daily responsibility I have to pray for two personalities whose paths carry the destinies of many dear to me: One is His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ayade Benedict and the other is His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, as well as for my state and country. Now to the subject matter.

On National Challenges
Your Excellency, I bring you tidings of peace, love and goodwill. I wish to commend your courage and strides in ensuring that our country remain united against forces that seek to tear her apart.

These forces like no other time in the history of this country is waxing stronger  by the day. From the perceived politicization of your fight against corruption, to the clash between pastoral herdsmen and the indigenes of various states and the devastating effect of Boko Haram on the people of Northern Nigeria and indeed Nigeria as a whole and its bad publicity on our nation.

Our economy too is facing serious challenges as evident in the downward movement of our Naira against the upward movement of Dollar. Several factors have played out to put our country and economy in very challenging circumstances, for example the states of our infrastructure, our "single" based export and multiple import economy, underutilized human resource capacity, corruption as seen across our nation's ranks and poor work ethics of most civil servants, etc.

Aside the above, all of a sudden power output has dropped, we are queuing to buy petroleum products at an average of about two-five times the approved price. The prices of products in the market have soared as a result of increase in transportation and the dollar price. Even government agencies involved in service provision like hospitals etc have increased the price of their services.

This has caused untold hardship to many. In the midst of all this, all we hear is there's no money and salaries across boards remain constant. How can the masses survive under this dire circumstance?

Salvation Path
Recently,there's a renewed verve amongst some group of Nigerians for the actualization of a sovereign state of Biafra. I intentionally refused to caĺl them by their ethnic nomenclature, for the categorization of our people by tribe and ethnicity has done us more evil than good. I believe we are first Nigerians before any other thing.

It is my believe in and for Nigeria, that has and is providing a guide towards my prayer and open letter to you. I am a patriot and a solution based critique. Irrespective of the fact that I voted for Goodluck Jonathan in the just concluded presidential elections doesn't mean that I should watch you fail or our country sink further in comatose.

I make these submissions out of love for our nation and uttermost respect for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am guided by conscience and a true sense of my responsibility as a citizen for the evolution of true nationhood.

It must be made clear that we are not the only country with challenges and I do not blame you for these challenges, for these happenings is deeply rooted in the history of our nation and only a deep rooted solution over time will see to its end and it must be driven by the people of this nation to bring it to an end. The president alone can't proffer and implement remedy to the situation on ground.

Government and citizens need to take a critical appraisal of the happenings in our Nation and individually and collectively play roles towards the salvation of our country -Nigeria, beyond tribe, ethnicity, religion or politics.

As a youth who has studied the history of our nation and the histories of other nations. I understand that the path to evolving true nationhood is beyond mere wishes or verbal rhetoric or sudden happenings from a magical wand. The efforts must be conscious and all inclusive.

Therefore, permit me to provide you with my humble advice on some of the pressing issues faced by Nigerians.

The question Biafra of Biafra
Your Excellency Sire, it may be embarrassing and more so annoying for you to face agitations for the realization of a sovereign state of Biafra, after the lives and properties lost during the civil war and the mass protest it has spurred in certain part of the country recently but we can not wish neither can we force certain problems away.

We must be truthful to ourselves as a nation and truth come from deep soul searching and answering questions that arise without biases. It is steps taken and implemented towards these answers and question that brings about peace.

Did we really burry the Biafra biases with the end of the war?Now the question of the Biafra biases includes the settlement and treatment given to the South Eastern and South South part of Nigeria after the war who made up the majority as victims of the war. Is there really government face across the states in these zones? Are the scars of the war truly healed or is it a smile out but hate-inside predicament?

Will the Nigerian state be willing to call for a referendum if need be to foreclose the possible re-emergence of these agitations? The current deaths caused by security  operatives during peaceful protests from Biafra agitators worth it and can it not be avoided?

If Nnamdi Kanu broke the law, should the law be broken to prove that he broke the law?(The question of innocence-until-proven-guilty must be taken into consideration)

Will this not all end in dialogue?Yes it will!

My take Your Excellency Sire on this Biafra matter is that a detribalized commission be set up to look into the remote cause of these agitations and recommendations according to its finding, which should be all inclusive and transparent, be fully implemented.

Secondly Sire, the trial of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu should be made open and done within the law to avoid perception of biase.

Thirdly, security operatives should be properly guided in ensuring that peaceful protests are not turned into blood baths by their actions. Let us not forget how Boko Haram metamorphosed into what it is today. Pictures and video of peaceful protesters gunned down across the country paints your administration in bad light.

This micro scene depicted above is driven by youths and these youths are supposed to be or are the custodians of our future as a nation. What future can we boast of if our youths and people will willingly die against a nation that they should die for or protect?

Your Excellency, if I say that all was well with and in the last administration then I will be a barefaced liar and hypocrite. Just like we had the bad, we also had the good. It is a well known and proven fact that government is a continuum.We will like to see you continue with policies and programs of the past administration that was pro masses such as the YOUWIN project, the SUREP program, the full implementation of the report of the National Conference as well as ensuring the passage of the petroleum bill into law, etc.

New areas we will love to see reform are in the areas of social welfare/developmental initiatives for the physically and financially challenged as well as our teeming unemployed youths. If the United State Government can provide social services to the vulnerable of their society despite their capitalist nature we can. Only one recovered loot is enough to handle this.

Exploring our potentials fully by utilizing our agricultural and other natural resources to create jobs and opening of more avenues for exports in order to boost our economy.

Deepening regional ties by maximizing trade and business opportunities within the African Union and ECOWAS. For example, in a recent survey by Green Peace, China is illegally exploiting our water resources and as a big brother in the region we can sway these exploited opportunities to our favour and provide more than enough animal (Seaproducts) for the region. This is an economic potential.

On Boko Haram
We want to know what is happening to our national satellite in space and we must launch a project for our presence in space. This will enhance our telecommunications and also help us in cyber security and in national and regional security. The utilization of the Russian Space Satellite recently to know the workings of ISIL/ISIS and its partners is something worthy of thought. Same can be utilized in ending the menace of Boko Haram with a focus of this Satellite in the North East.

More so, as regards Boko Haram, it was covered in the media that different countries like the United States, etc pledged support for the rebuilding of the North East due to the devastation caused by the insurgents...What is the latest on these fund and the rebuilding exercise?

Since the efforts of Boko Haram is focused on the rural areas aside utilizing satellite techniques, can the community ties(carefully selected and trusted) be deepened with our security agents for a more collaborative effort towards ending this menace? I belief that the rural dwellers' apt understanding of the terrain will be a plus to our security forces.

Besides with all the intelligence report and funds expended on information gathering do we truly not know those behind this terror group? If we do why have there not been prosecuted and these names made public? What is the driving force behind these people and their ideology? It is a known fact that one of the Abuja-suicide bomber was a physically challenged woman coerced into the act.

Prison reforms.
Our President, a selective tour across our prison system will expose the rot of this critical sector of our nation. A place where convicts are to be modelled has transitioned to where they are worsened. Dilapidated infrastructure, awaiting trial inmates now spend more time for even an offence that, if found guilty, will not warrant their staying that long, worst is over 70 percent are finally discharged and acquitted as innocent after years of pains and persecution, poor nutrition as against approved funds for ration, no international standard corrective measure etc. The prison system needs to be overhauled.

Petroleum
The price regulatory board in the petroleum sector has got to be overhauled and replaced with people of sound conscience as our economy depends on this. This is to ensure accurate pricing and sales of petroleum products. To balance the distribution of petroleum products, government should also own trucks to ensure adequate distribution and break the monopoly of independent distributors and also increase her filling stations across the federation (Proceeds from NNPC can adequately handle this)

Education
Funding for our educational sector should be improved towards result oriented research for patents and national interest focused areas/initiatives. For our primary and secondary school, it is possible for us to provide free meals and also totally free tuition. A country like Venezuela has achieved this and we too can.

On Infrastructure
I was elated to have heard of your special trust fund for infrastructural development across the country. This indeed is a step in the right direction but the federal government must not just stop at establishing these funds but ensuring that these funds are properly utilized for what it is meant to be used for and where it is meant to be used.

I was in Abuja recently and an idea struck. If it is possible for us to have federal contractors executing standardized jobs in the FCT, can we not have these contractors directly reconstruct our dilapidated road networks across the federation with the direct supervision of the federal government? What the citizens want is result and majority of those who voted for you are the ones worst hit by the deplorable state of our roads. So many have died due to this.

On Gender & Youth
While I commend your executive team as recently composed. I will like to say that gender balance is not reflected as well as the largest section of our polity the youths. It is also false notion to presume that a reduced executive team is tantamount to reduced corruption and leakage. It is not ministries, agencies or parastatals that steal monies, it is people that do and their pattern is known. The youths as the most vital component of our nation must be carried along in all spheres of governance from creating opportunities for the utilization of their potentials, through the creation of social security packages for the unemployed, vocational training and financial supports to build their businesses etc, scholarships and grants.

TSA
What we need is not just an effective mechanism of recovering stolen funds of which these recoveries should not be restricted to political rivals or opponents but mechanisms should be evolved to prevent stealing and diversion of funds by ensuring that the ICPC, EFCC, Servicom are equipped with individuals with impeccable characters and executive legislation sponsored and passage ensured to ensure a truly independent platform devoid of the redtape of governance and indeed redtape in governance and its system is something that must be addressed via the utilization of digitization of the processes.

It is also necessary to thank you for the implementation of the single treasury account which was initiated by the immediate past administration as well as moves to deepen the reach of Nigerian Railways. Across the federation fond words are spoken of your support for opposition party government by show of presence and approval of financial aids as seen in Cross River State through your support for the Super Highway Project, Deep Sea Port and environmental remediation funds to recover erosion sites and stop erosion across the state.

Before, I conclude this phase of our conversation I wish to join voices with the house of representatives to appeal to you to recall the 2000 recruits of the Nigerian Immigration Service unceremoniously dropped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while also appealing for fulfillments of various campaign promises which is possible with critical thinking, planning  and execution.

On Agriculture
I have developed a model that will see to the proper utilization of undeveloped plots scattered across the federation for agricultural ventures that will create over 20,000 direct jobs for youths, grow organic crops for exports and contribute to our nation food security as well as contribute to our IGR while also securing grazing fields for pastoral farmers and nomads and this will presented to  ministry of youths, finance and agriculture for inputs and implementation.

Epilogue
Be bold and encouraged Your Excellency Sire, it is no child's play to lead the country with the most populous black race and one so plundered by ethnic and religious sentiments. It is not easy to run an economy that has depends heavily on export of crude and with the fall in crude price. In all know that since power comes from God, God has your back and He alone has given you this singular opportunity at this very critical time to do His bid and as already known His bid is of good and not of evil to bring us to an expected end.

You have so much support both locally and internationally to achieve your "change" mantra. So much human and natural resources to galvanize to building a great, united and prosperous nation. So many may want you to fail but be assured that those with you are greater than those against you. Nigerians have got just one country and president. We must defend her with our all,if need be our lives. In this quest for true nationhood failure is not a choice.

Dear president, your quest for true change will be felt not from your promises or the usual heavy budgetary pronouncement or the reduction of ministries or agencies but that change will be seen by how many youths get jobs to build the Nigerian dream, when our mortality age changes to 80/90, when our hospitals are fully equipped with personnel and needed tools, when power improves, when we refine our petroleum  products and these products are ready and sold at pocket friendly rates, when our schools get the needed boost both infrastructure and quality educational output from qualified teachers, when pay is equivalent to prevailing market happenings, when death rates from poor road network is addressed and families can at least provide  meals and basic requirement to live securely in any part of our federation etc only then will we experience that true change. This is the change that the Nigerian in the street clamoured for.

It may sound impossible but it is possible to attain the above and more if you divide the wealth in this nation by our population it is enough to carry us for over ten thousand years individually  how much more if positively harnessed and utilized. To further prove the possibility of this assertion a critical  compilation of stolen funds since the founding of this nation and the figure it will give you will provide a clear guide to the practical scope of my postulation.

This change may all not come in your reign but framework and efforts must be put in place beyond party lines and politics to build a strong and undivided nation. That goal starts now and this realization will be made easier by all keying into same. The task ahead is beyond politics and we can only attain our goals by looking beyond politics.

Yours sincerely,

Prince Michael Nku Abuo, JP
Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigerians and National Facilitator Towards A More United and Prosperous Nigeria



 

The Rhythm And Rhymes Of Christmas

Is it a rhythm,  or a rhyme? It takes the place of the two. Songs are sang, the word is often said at the time, and different acrivities take place. It's a season where we have the festival at its peak,  a time of merriment and celebration of a new life and the well branded season is known as the Christmas season which aims at celebrating a king that was born in a manger.

What does Christmas stand to celebrate? It is a celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ,  incorporating various Christians,   pre christian, and secular customs. It is a period that the Son of God is remembered to have come to the world for a significant reason.
Some memories attached to his birth are mysterious events surrounding his existence. He was given birth to by a virgin known to be Mary, His birth took place in the manger, because of the search for his life by King Herod. King Herod was jealous of the new baby on a notice that he is the king of the Jews.  In the bible, the three wise men bearing gifts of myrrh, gold and silver for Jesus,  asked a question in Jerusalem of where they could find Jesus the newly born king of Jews, and that they have seen his star in the east and they have come to worship him ( Matthew 2:2, NKJV). The king was furious on hearing this message. He ordered for them and asked them to bring him the news when they find the newly born so that he could worship him. His motive was to kill the child in order not to have a competitor, but as fate may have it,  the three wise men never got back to him.

The season often comes with harmattan where the cold breeze passes the surface of the warm water and there is fog, but some people refer to it as winter season.
The festivity of Christians doesn't lie only in celebration, but the appreciation of the context in question. The widely believe is that Jesus came to the world, left his treasures to change man from his sinful ways. He is known as the son of God, and some movies have been done in his record, ranging from the (Son of God) produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey,  and directed by Christopher Spencer,to (The Nativity Story) which was written by; Mike Rich, and directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and (The Passion of Christ) which was produced by Bruce Davey and directed by Mel Gibson.

It is Christmas season! A season that recorded the most widely celebrated festival in the world. This is a season that cold is much more experienced in most parts of the world and it is usually celebrated in December. I have walked some miles, and all I saw were different decorations at the entrance of so many official work places, balloons, Santa claus in schools and different places. A season of seasoned chicken, turkey, beef, exceptional meals, assorted and local drinks, beautiful new clothes and shoes to accompany.

However, as  the the celebration continues, Christians shouldn't forget that it is also a time of thanks to Jesus, and intercession. We shouldn't forget that when the celebration is at its peak,  don't drink alcohol and drive because it is time for merriment, and not a time to mourn.

No Work Is Done Without Stress

The hot kettle, the smokey head, the hot pan, the torn flesh, the cold river, the foggy area, and the frozen chicken, all had passed through a rigorous time to maintain their usefulness.

The kettle is hot while trying to boil water, the head is smokey while trying to get a clue,  the pan is hot in its quest to fry the chops, the flesh is torn as it tries to pull the luggage, the river is cold because of the influence of  water, the area is foggy as the cold air passes over the warm water and moist land, and the chicken is frozen so as to maintain its savour.

Whichever way we try to make it in life,  sweat must be seen, either on the face or under the wears irrespective of the air conditioner attached to our working environment. Every job, or work has its little or big challenge.

Social Media: A space for the crude and the refined personalities

Technology has created a platform for easy actualization of tasks over the years, and it has added value to mankind with its ability to work faster than human energy could actualize per time. It created an awareness of easy interactions amongst people which is clearly seen as the social media sphere.

As much as the public craves for technology usage,It has however exposed the status, believes,  culture, etiquette, mannerisms, appreciation of beauty, and the opposite of its possessors, social media platform as an example. When social media is said,  we refer to the twitter, Facebook, BBM, WhatsApp, Instagram, 2go, and other related to the stated. The idea of all these applications is to connect the world, and not just a sect which is seen in the public's sphere theory by Jurgen Herbamas of how some are seeing at the coffee shop to discuss public germane issues. Taking a step further,  it is clearly seen that social media has reflected the true worth of each personality that familiarize themselves with the new information, communication technology and their take on public issues.
On each piece written by a participant, people often ignore the piece and move further to 'like' the razzmatazz, paparazzi of photographs posted. The illumination is that,  people in most cases choose to appreciate the colourful life over the importance of a discourse posted on walls, and the spaces. This appreciation of photographs has in large measure contributed to competition amongst some participants on the social media platform. My case as an example; I posted a piece accompanied by a photograph on Facebook, surprisingly, I got more than 30 likes for the photograph, and less than 14 likes for the piece, simplifies that people are interested in my looks than what I have to offer.

There are two personality categories identified according to a research done. We have the crude and the refined on the platform, and these two  sets have succeeded in their own bit. The refined are the ones that see the space as expression of their true form, without no injection of ego, but some level of objectivity,  while some that are referred to be the crude  are the ones that hide their true colours under picture collage, and project what the public want to know and not what they should know. Hypocrisy has taken over the media,  and what evolves is a fake identity painted to be the true identity of such individuals.

Social media has created the connection,  it would be an act of ingratitude to say its advent has polluted the generation on earth, but it should be addressed that the inappropriate usage of social media by the public is the issue to be tackled. Social media has turned to a market place where we have things of different grades, levels, sizes, figures misrepresented to be human,while the true humans are of  no relevance.

I

SOME MILES AWAY FROM TREASURE

The more I walk in the desert,  the less I have fear for my existence. My land is dry,  no water, no food, people are far away, and my soul thirsts for break away from the earth.

This is a fictional story of the poor and the sick. The poor often think about how to survive, and make ends meet, the sick grieves about how to pass the hurdle of diseases and break the barricades of plague. Often times these two segmented categories are always the victims of death, apart from the cases of home, automobile, and air crash accidents.

The poor suffer for lack of money, food, shelter and all, while the sick feels the pain of illness. I see a young boy picking foods from the bin, chews it and swallows it, the next day he cries of stomach upset, his poor mother gives him herbs because she can't afford to pay the clinic bills. The boy passes through this travail for months, until one day when a neigbour comes to call his mother where she begs for money that her little boy is dead. Unfortunately,  the boy died of typhoid.

The sick is lying helplessly on the bed,  waiting for a doctor to perform the miracle so that his health will be restored. He thinks in his mind that his life is a gamble if the doctors do not exist. Hopefully he says, that if his health is restored, he would eat all the meals he missed while bed reading.

The poor people are less privileged, and both the poor and the rich are also less privileged if illness sets in. I have heard of the rich die of illnesses, and the poor too. Money cannot buy life, so also poverty can short live a life.

There are people that are miles away from treasure,  but the treasured in treasures should help to treasure the lives of the people that are less treasured. Sow seeds in the lives of the less privileged,  and the souls shall never forget your good deeds.

IS TUNDE KELANI ON THE STARDOM LIST?

A photography expert,  movie engineer who is vast in almost every area of the Nigerian movie industry, the legend behind some movie productions nicknamed T.K which describes his name, Tunde Kelani paid an August visit to the university of Lagos mass communication department. The icon stated categorically that consistency and passion have been his strength behind the success of all his input and output.  It was a lunch of words amongst the masters students, the lecturers in charge of the course that triggered the invitation and the master of movies as he enunciated that he travelled outside the country to a movie academy,  but his passion has been the drive that made him to a stardom level of  being a television icon.

 Tunde Kelani narrated his ordeals as not being friendly, from the days he had to trek from home to where he was an apprentice, and how he had sacrificed some financial gains for better picture and story line quality. He never hid the onions as he emphasized that good story line is the secret behind a good photography which illuminates that the good picture quality of a badly sketched story wouldn't make the audience appreciate a well filmed picture. According to him,  the whole production crew are tasked to put in their effort for a better outcome of every production,  stating that a director shouldn't shoulder the abusive words when the whole production doesn't suit the viewing of its audience.

 Some of the movies that are associated with TK's record are some indigenous films;  'Maami' a movie that featured Funke Akindele, Wole Ojo and a host of special appearances, Saworoide,  and Agogo Eewo which is the second leading part of saworoide movie,  and a host of other movies. And some of the movies engineered by him have been nominated for different awards by different academies.

 Tunde Kelani was welcomed in a honourable manner by the head of the department of mass communication,  Dr Abigail Ogwezzy , Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, Dr Ifeoma Amobi,  and Mr Husseini Shuaibu for the visit to enlighten the students that are interested in the movie industry practice.

WHEN BONAPARTE LOST...

It was a long time ago some say, but it's still so fresh in the mind of some as it was relayed as a story. A tip of the story of a great warrior, Napoleon Bonaparte who was a military general who became the first emperor of France. He fought for military expansion, won some battles and lost some.

Bonaparte who was born on August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica, France, fought to a capacity of gaining international recognition, but when he was defeated at Waterloo Belgium on June 18, 1815 things were not the same for him. He relocated to the island of St.Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean where he died after brief illness. 

The military man wrote before his demise "I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, in the midst of that french people which I have loved so much. I die before my time, killed by the English oligarchy and its hired assassins" This simply implies that no man can fight what will kill him. 

General Sani Abacha would have fought the lady that made him to meet his waterloo by rejecting those apples, and Dora Akunyili was so close to wellness source as a director of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), she died of cancer which she could not fight with her wells of knowledge in the health sector. 

So many heroes have fallen, Femi Anikulapo fell, Obafemi Awolowo fell, Nelson Mandela fell, but they all died empty. The time must have been fast gone, but the legacies they left behind still live. 

The legacy of a tyrant lives, as well as a freedom fighter's. The legacy of a music legend lives, as well as that of a lover of the lowly. We can not fight death, but we can die empty and what we are giving to the world as legacy should speak better things than evil as the blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of Abel in the Holy Bible.

MORTAL SCANDAL

Martin Luther King Jr says he had a dream where his family will be judged by the content of their character and not the colour of their skin. He preached societal love, on the other hand, William Shakespeare in his words says;I always feel happy, you know why? Because I don't expect anything from anyone, Expectations always hurt. Life is short, so love your life, be happy and keep smiling. He preached self love. What is love literally? Love could be a strong affection for something or someone or to be strongly inclined towards something, an emphatic from of like. 

When I was growing, i grew up in love, felt some hatred out of my abode, shared love with some, hated some and indifferent about some. What is love I said to myself? Love is what you share with people that you love either they are good or bad, and not to the people that are not appealing to you. That was my initial definition of love, but as time fades off and the day tilts, and the growing speeds up, I started to get the true meaning of love. In recent times, I got to know that love is a natural gift that is sincere, pure, and embracing irrespective of the tribe, colour, age, class, religion, achievement, appealing or not, but as long as you are a living being, you deserve to be embraced. 

However, the act of loving is scarce in our society, but the word love is seemingly spoken often. Lovers say "I love you" even when they do not like at all, brethren in some gatherings hug and say they love one another even when one is envious of another for putting on dope outfit. Believers do what is not suitable in the presence of their God and post on their social media some graphics that carry how much love they have for their creator. Evil prevails, killings, kidnapping, greediness, and the likes and some say they love their country or religion. 

In the same vein, it is love we proclaim that we watch poverty go to an extreme, a state where some live in the slum, sleep under the bridge, feed from hand to mouth, beg and get crucified and dressed like mad people on the streets. 
This is a scandal against love, a knock on its head, I can see blood dripping on its face. 

How do we deal with the scandal that love is faced with, When will the reputation of love be restored and bear it's true cross? This is mortal and it must be erased, but only if we can embrace one another irrespective of our differences and scream out loud that the scandal against love is indeed mortal.

LIVE LIKE ALAMIEYESEIGHA

Once upon a time in the book of law, a farmer had enough foods, he stored many in the barns, he boasted of his increase,  saw no need to beg nor work for years. He was pleased within himself and wanted his heart to merry,  but his creator came and made him to know that he has no reason to live further because he will demand for his life before it's dawn. Some say a story for the gods,  but I say a story for the people that believe death doesn't exist.

A likened version of this is the history of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a one time governor of Bayelsa state in Nigeria. He was in wealth,  living in luxury,  enjoying the national cake until international was added and almost £1.8million was detected in his possession in the United Kingdom, and the saga that led to the charges heralded. It was never a soft feature,  it  was a hard news that got viral when the investigation started. Most Nigerians' hands were on deck to see how the whole drama would turn out to be, tragic comedy,  comedy,  or tragedy.

The smart man in his own way skipped bail in Britain on the charges and escaped from Europe. His disguise to achieve this escape left so many people surprised because it was a male transforming to a female.  A male with lipstick, woman's apparel, neck chain with his forged passport to make the drama line complete. All these were the things the late governor did to free up himself.

The man in his quest to forfeit a bail bond of £1.25m took a Euro star train from London to Paris and from there travelled to Douala a port city in Cameroon where he found his way to his home town. The Nigerian investigation body, The Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) was bent on investigating the matter, but the then governor was immuned following the position he held.

In October 2015, the death of Alamieyeseigha was announced, he was said to have died of cardiac arrest. The late is tucked in a body bag,  either taken to the mortuary or buried,  he never took a penny with him.

The farmer in the book of law probably would have worked tirelessly for his increase,  but late Alamieyeseigha could have worked a bit, but must have added the benefits meant for his citizens thereby making it an ill gotten wealth. Lesson to be learnt; We should not believe in the wealth that we embrace,  but appreciate the giver of life that made us to exist. Lovers of wealth are often worshippers of wealth,  and when wealth takes the position of your creator,  then calamity sets in with time.

BOKO HARAM, A SECT TANGLED WITH CORRUPTION

And when the drum of freedom was beaten, the tail of the viper was stepped upon. It was a sound of joy on the first day of October as Nigerians remembered the day they bid their British colonial masters farewell. Billions was spent, merriment took over, the green and white colours were flying over, but the joy did not last as a dreaded sect put a pin in the eyeballs of some family members in Abuja, the federal capital territory of the country. Death toll and cries could not make the leaders of the country rest following the incident that touched so many kind hearts. The bombings and killing over the years have been the event that got so many writers on their desk with their pen and paper, and it has also awakened panic in the country, as it seems not to be a safe place to reside.
 
A new government emerged in 2015, it vowed to save the country from the doom, but has the change been felt? Does it mean that the administration is weak enough? Do we judge in earnest the lack of result on the fight to rupture the insurgency? These are questions Nigerians should ponder upon.

The displaced victims are in pain, the family members of the dead are in sorrow, the vulnerable are scared, even the men cannot claim that their confidence is in place. Jack says; why are Boko Haram Sect killing people? If I will answer, Boko Haram doesn't know what it's fighting for, because no one knows its yearnings. Wickedness I say it is called, when a missile is detonated to end a man's life, when innocent girls were kidnapped only to be found in a forest called Sambisa, when matchet are used in slaughtering human beings, when some group are victimizing the security put in place by the government, and when a sect makes its leaders seem powerless.

Boko Haram Sect, if you say to the world what you are fighting for, a better understanding will be given. Negotiating with terrorists is like bowing to the devil and bargaining wrongly, because the devil will never want the best option for man. This is not a fight for another day, but a fight for this day and a time to put ethnicity aside and stand as one to live life to the fullest. 

Boko Haram Sect must go down, and when it goes down, peace will reign, fresh breath will be taken, freedom will be well said to have gained, but until then, corruption will also go down because it is also a Boko Haram sect that is set to make the country lag behind in its quest.

IT'S INDEED A RAPE CASE

Just like a rose, a well scented flower she shines through the neighborhood. Her ego was not that of a pride like a peacock, but a humble spirit like a sheep.
Softly softly, and gently gently she threads her path, and her songs travel even as far as to the door step of the peasant farmers. Who is the beautiful rose that soar like an eagle, clothed in a with linen that has no scarlet? A rose of Alaska, a beauty that radiates in the eyes of her suitors. A beauty bound to be submissive to her originators, and her associates.

Oh what can we call this? A white apparel has been stained, the beans is full of sand, the hair is tangled, the eyes are full of blood, the rose is shrinking. The Rose has been destroyed, shattered and nailed over and over again. The Rose bleeds and the ego has turned to fear, the apparel is no more white as snow, but it drips of blood that is red as scarlet. 

This is a rape case, a life shattering moment for the victim and a joyful moment for the actor. Why should evil prevail, why should the vulnerable be punished for being harmless, why should a lady that cherishes virginity be ripped off her flower, why should rose shrink at it's prime time of blossom? The actors must be punished, the law shouldn't pass over their heads, the iron called handcuff should be put around their wrists, the dock should be their place in the court of law, the prison should be their home at last, because it's indeed a rape case.

WISE WORDS

Wise words are like plants that are watered which never wither"
"I prefer a man that knows than thousands that are morons"
"The symbol of agriculture is green pasture, and the symbol of marriage is the bond"
"You can give so many things if you have the ability to order your steps without anyone altering it"
"The sound of a mighty warlord can never be compared to the pen of a journalist"
"In the middle of thoughts, when comes a sound, there is distraction"
"Lonenliness has the properties of evil and good, but little do we know that the time you are lonely is meant to wake up the mind to creativity, executing undone projects intelligently"
"I'm bold, young, beautiful and fashionable, you don't have to tell yourself, let people tell you because they are your mirror"

DEATH IS NOT THE ANSWER

The day he gave up was when his dream shattered, says the truck driver. This is a story of a coffee attendant who served in a coffee shop for some years and how he gave up on his dream.
 
Browny served his master for three years with the aim of getting himself to the high school, as well as feed himself and paying his bills. He grew up in an orphanage where at a certain age he decided to gain his freedom and worked to get a living. Day after day he worked hard and harder, until a gang bullied him where he worked and so the dark days showed up.

In his little room he sat and ruminated over what the boys said...." Big boys don't do odd jobs! They use whatever they have to get what they want! Think deeply boy" .Those words kept echoing and then he craved for more freedom.
 
The gangs visited the coffee shop another day, and Browny saw he would rather join them than beating them. After serving their coffee, he pulled a seat and sat close to them for a brief discussion. He noded his head after all, and pulled the sit aside to resume back to his duty. Later that night, he dressed in a black outfit and took a walk down the street. You know what? The news we got as his neighbours was that Browny was shot while trying to steal some money.
 
The corps came to the house to check his little room the following morning, so the neighbours sighted a man who claimed to be Browny's boss at work. He came to give him a cheque for the reward of his hard labour, but to his surprise, he couldn't pay his reward. Browny missed it at that point, and his death story was told instead of his success story. The truck driver says; difficult times are only mirage that should be ignored, but the good times are worth waiting for.

5 TIPS TO ENJOY LIFE

Stay to yourself: Reality is one of the spices to making life worth living. Reality should be faced than taking cover under the canopy of pretence and deceit. The right will always be right, while the wrong will always be wrong.

Do not hate: Hating is injurious as well hurting. When you hate, you get hacked and the mind goes on a speed of sorrow, the face wrinkles, the soul travels on a revenge tour, the good focus is lost and then what is the gain.

Eat right: Make your tummy a business that shows its profit on your skin. Your outlook describes you in a word and makes people feel comfortable around you.

Give to the needy: Giving is replenishing, and the watering will never dry without spouting up good seeds. Giving bring smile on the face of the needy and your face inclusive.

Pray: Prayer gives the best choice and quickens achievements. Every being believes in a creator and the creator is referred to as the brain behind good fortunes. Prayer holds the key to opening doors to be able to commune with your creator.

A suspect or a criminal?

I stole your money and you took a legal action against me, so the case is arraigned in the court of law. In the case there were no enough evidences the judge adjourned the case, so I became the song sang by journalists. Please! do not call me a criminal, else I will sue you.

It simply means, an accuser is not a criminal until proven guilty by the pronouncement of the judge in the court of law, so I am a suspect.  

GET ME

I labeled you with a price tag, you bring income often, you make them feel covered, you give a bony human a sense of belonging, you make the shy a confident being, make the religious leaders to be identified as holy individuals. You don’t only give distinguished disparity between a prostitute and an upright in the heart, but you also provide the sleeping place a cover and reduce the sun by keeping the rays in check.

Woman are given packaging comfort because of you, and you protect the wound from germs. You also make the bride and groom scream on their big day and raise the head while sleeping on the bed. If one will ask, what is the overrated “You”? The overrated “You” is the cotton.

Cotton has replace the traditional usage of leaves for body covering over the years. The clothes, window blinds, the decorating fabrics and other associated fabrics. It has made the religious leaders to be differentiated from the brethren by designing in a patterned way, made the prostitutes to be differentiates from the upright and used as a cleaner and bandage to protect wound from germs. Women are smart because their underwear’s are made of cotton that give them the confidence they need in public places.

In addition, cotton seed is crushed to make oil which is used for cooking and in products like soap, margarine, emulsifiers, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastic.

FREEDOM IS PERTINENT

The term dependency is a word that creates a heavy duty of channeled responsibility to the independency of the subject who shoulders the dependants weight by himself.

A clarity of dependency points a gun to the time when Nigeria was colonized by their colonial masters. The who burden of “Niger area” was on the British government, though the Nigerians were subjected to their masters.  In the days of the dependency of Nigerians on their colonial masters, the victims were the Nigerians, and the victors were the Britains.

In this context, the Nigerians were depending on their colonial masters for government rulership, but the Britains were depending on the Nigerians to do their odd jobs, some capital as slaves, but few were the opportuned.

In as much as the Nigerians depended on their colonial masters, the burden that was shouldered was minimal in comparison to that of Nigerians as regards the toil and lack of freedom. The likes of racism, apartheid, the colonization itself, freedom was restricted and other related excesses that were in place.

Furthermore, dependency is not limited to the upper level of the nations, it also cuts across different states, towns and homes. Some states depend on others for cash crops, some source for petroleum usage from the other. It is some what balance if one is giving x, and the other gives y, then it is a shared benefit, but in a case where one state is dormant, the reminant is packed by it, in otherwords, takes the peanut allocation.

Taking a large step across the ocean, dependency is also seen in some homes when a woman or man with no means of income in most cases pushes all his/her responsibilities on the capable spouse. The term liability is often attached to this when it concerns either the wife or the husband who is helpless. A liability is an obligation, debt or responsibility owed to someone who is helpless. A financially handicapped wife or is a liability for either of the two spouses with the capable hands.

As we have stated some related facts about dependency, there are some possible ways to live a life of freedom, thereby staring independent, and singing the tune of “I am free indeed”. Nigeria is independent, and the access to freedom was granted to her on the 1st of October, 1960. A day when so many homes drank the flowing water of peace and gained their true confidence. She never got independent by mere words, but some group fought for it. The likes of Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa were the figures in the picture that made the future of Nigeria glaring. It was not as easy tussles, but a victorious one at last.

Nelso Rolihlahla Mandela a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, and a philanthropist who served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 in his on bit to bring equal rights, and put an end to the discriminatory policy of racial separation used by South Africa from 1948 to 1990 was a battle to make the Africans free indeed. Though he tried in his own capacity; as apartheid has grossly reduced to the bearest minimum, but some indications cannot be totally wiped off.

In the same rein, a home that has the two parties involved should be independent financially, the two should be creative in making the financial stand of the home strong. Help is essential, but being totally dependent is aching because it points in bad colour. Every hand should work, fight, fight to gain independence in order to avoid the slare and master trend.

Welcome to Purple Thoughts

The ideas we bore for a long time, the thoughts that have not been shared over time, and the day to day events happening around us are translated into writing for human comprehension.

This platform creates an open space for shared opinions in diverse disciplines of life, as well as illuminate the day’s intelligence. The tour hinges on politics, lifestyle, health, women and men issues, fashion, education and all other discipline.

The story of a king that sent a letter through a dove to an ancient town depicts that royal thoughts are ideas translated through a medium that will portray the ideas in a glaring manner for total understanding. And so in this context, the royal thoughts come in a symbol which is colour purple, and the platform is the dove that conveys the message to the doorstep of its audience for proper comprehension.       

Welcome to Purple Thoughts!