The Agony Of Bus Conductors

The boy had gotten paled by the scorching sun that hit Nigeria recently, especially Lagos Nigeria. I saw sweat rolling down his cheeks to the tattoo on his arm. His lips looked like a skin painted with charcoal gloss and then the restlessness could make a new born baby cry with the loud noise that he echoed 'Obalende, CMS!' repeatedly.  I know you have guessed before reading the next line and your thought is right, our bus conductor in Lagos state here I meant to address.

Have you ever wondered on a day as a motorist or a passenger in one of these buses that how can a man wake up one day and decide to make life uneasy for himself? Every man wants that cold thing blowing him steadily and riding in one of the best cars in the world, and this takes us to the concept behind poverty. That boy you refer to as a crook because he collects fare from you without respect did not intentionally choose the life he lives,  life chose for him and he has to survive through such means. It takes the bold to inconvenience himself just because of the tip he will get after the day rolls over to face some calm, frustrated, or stressed Nigerians that patronize public transport on a daily basis.

The managing director of that firm is confident, cute and courageous, but do not forget that a less confident person wouldn't turn a bus conductor in the first place because it involves dealing with people, but he is not so opportuned to be in the position of that managing director. He collects fare from passengers, do the mathematics, sometimes fight over balance, deals with controversial people, echoes the bus stops,  and get to stand hanging over the bus or squeezing his body because often times his seat is not reserved.

I was coming from one of my masters classes, it was quite late in the night, but I kept enjoying the ride because I could have a view of everywhere from the window side I seated and some cool breeze was blowing on me for comfort. Suddenly, something just struck my mind saying; you see that bus overtaking you has a conductor as well as the one you are seated  inside, I said yes. I started feeling moody and the thought of 'why them' came to my mind.

A bus conductor is from a home as the son or a daughter of a rich man is from one too, they need to be treated well. I know you are saying those rude and reckless people? They are rude and reckless because they are not in one of the positions that they would have loved to be, life sharpened most of their images and thoughts. You will see some with torn or faded clothes, they are not feeling fulfilled because they are humans that want designers too, the louboutin, dolce and gabbana, Acube, and the likes. Some passengers abuse some of not taking their bath instead for them to thank God they are alive to coordinate the affairs in the bus, because some of them barely get conducive places to lay their heads. Most of these people are orphans, from a poor background, maltreated by step mothers and fleeing the house. A rich man's son cannot pick up a bus conducting job just for the fun of it because it is not fun at all.

In the end, all these people are vulnerable to drugs and some social vices because nothing is motivating them to think of building a good life. The stress and abuses they condone are like burden which they feel should be lifted through cigarettes, alcohol and the likes. I am not in support of the act,  but it is the reality.

He sounds rude, but yet he deserves some respect. He never prayed to be in that condition,  but he is helpless. Conductors deal with controversial people daily, and some attitude of some passengers have built up their minds which make them to act in certain manner. I wanted to weep on this day, because I thought to myself, even if I write,  98% of them can't read me, and if I have, how would it go round to make a better living for them all through their lives. Have you ever thought that if you talk respectfully to that bus conductor he might reciprocate?Nigerians should cultivate a habit of equal respect accordance. Respect is reciprocal,  not just to people you are answerable to,  but to everyone you deal with in the society.

TREND WILL ALWAYS END

The last three alphabets have murdered it, buried it and celebrated its funeral ( Trend), indeed it will end one day, overtaken by another crafted modernised version, and it will mar the success of the former.

Every trending thing has come to stay for a while, and it will be built on because innovation is not stopping by to say hi, but to keep radiating over and over again. At a time, radio was known to be the type that used waves. The development began in 1893 with Nikolai Teslas and it was wireless radio communication which was given birth to at St. Louis Missouri. Subsequently,  it was recorded that Guglielmo Marconi was the one associated mainly with the emergence of radio and was awarded in 1986 by the British government. Radio came all the way from a modification that is not mobile to the one that can be carried about for instant message of the media. The same thing is applicable to television, where the former black and white television was without remote control gained a superficial freedom by Peter Goldmark who brought colour to it as a sign of innovation on the then black and white TV.

When I was younger, my father would show us his university days pictures, and I was always wondering why he was always carrying afro and with a trumpet trouser when he no longer leaves his hair to grow a bit now, they call it skin. But I got to know that afro was the trend in keeping their hair at that time. There was a time men were keeping afro, a time skin, a time punk, a time gallas the style associated to a footballer, now another way of keeping hair is trending for men.

Taking a keen look at the controversial beings that are liable to change at any trendy thing pose to them,  the women. Damask is a clothing material that was trending in the olden days, but it went down the hill, until a time it was resurrected and people especially women took to its invention before it eventually buried itself. Weaving was trending for women in the olden days,  as well as afro, but the idea of hair extensions emanated from the White men which the blacks welcomed with smile on their faces. Hair extensions were formerly made with a rubber like material until recently that brazillian,  peruvian, human hair and the likes gainfully took over the women's world, thereby calling any old made material in the trending weaves synthetic.

It is operation go natural now,  and it is trending, spreading like an inferno taking over a city. Ladies are seen mostly with no earrings and accessories,  case that was rare at a time. Most of the ladies now carry dreadlocks to grow their hair to become natural again, born again virgin hair (winks). Almost every trouser tip is seen rolled up now,  indeed it is still trend. The initiators are best being given credit to, but most fashion initiators are not mostly recognized because one person must have done such in the past, but it never gained recognition until the time a known personality initiates it once again. And to the truest means, people are often driven by their most respected icons, and whatever they do becomes style for their fans.

Let's take baking for example, there was an old way of baking cakes and the likes until the advent of oven. Woods came, charcoal visited, sawdust peeped in, then stove stayed for some time,  though still alive, and then gas cooker for our food to be made perishable. Though some use solar,  but it has not yet become a trending take for people. A kettle was used to boil water at a time,  now electrical appliances have taken over manual way of processing.

The Post office gained recognition in those days, your love letters, letters to loved ones were always taking time to get to its destination, thanks to it anyway because it helped a bit,  but technology has taken over. I have my phone which will get me any instant information that I want. My BBM, twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and other media have shown me that my lover will be best communicated to easily without having to sleep at the post office for the arrival of his or my letter.

Music is a reflection of mood,  and it is often sang to soothe the spirit. We have different musicians with different genres of music. Reggae was trending at a point, afro, jazz, blues,  hip hop and the likes. They all gained prominence at the time each was trending, but glaringly, hip hop has taken over all,  though some still in existence, but hip hop has taken the larger audience. Angelique kidjo reigned, yet still reigning but not like before, Fella Anikulapo reigned, Michael Jackson did with his voice and break dancing steps, but he has bid the world farewell, now the Justin Bieber, the Jason Derulos,  the Adeles, the wiz kids, the Mafikizolos are the musicians trending.

Every trend will end to give a new innovation to earn its recognition, and all trend extremists should beware of how they celebrate all trending things. My sister bought a whole lot of lacra clothing because It was trending then,  but to her surprise, jeans material took over few months to her shopping, she was confused of what to do, either to sell her lacra materials, or to keep them. ( Trend will always end,  so tread carefully).

STATE AND CAPITAL

I was asked to teach a pupil during third term holiday. She's a very smart kid but her mother was tired of seeing her in second position consistently and she believed her daughter could get used to playing second fiddle and that might affect her in life...some educated rich parents could be funny. Cynthia's headmaster and class teacher commented on her report card every term that she's brilliant and could do more but she talked too much.

From my book shelf i picked Ben Carson, John Mason, John Maxwell, Myles Munroe. I drafted motivation curriculum, in addition to the routine learning to help her belief that greatness is possible and could be sustained . But i nearly ran into trouble when i asked her to recite Nigeria's state and capital.
She gave me you-think-i-don't-know look. I stopped her half-way, I was confused, half aloud, i said 'where is Gongola state'. She replied, 'Gongo what! Uncle there's nothing like that and my class teacher can't be wrong'.
From her bag, she pulled out an exercise book where it was printed and before i would disgrace myself further, i told her to forget it but her sanguine nature continued to push her as she whispered to me; 'you mean you don't know state and...' 'shut up and listen!' i barked.

Isn't it funny that many adults don't know ground had shifted beneath them and are due to un-learn and re-learn? Many can't beat their chest to have read any book in particular since their graduation: i wonder what separate them from my unlettered granny.

We always assume we know whereas, assumption is the lowest level of knowledge. We under-play our states and lay emphasis on capital. Mathematicians can't be proud of how we have misused approximation. We are far from being accurate about the capital because we don't really know our state.

'Oh, if i can just lay my hands on two million dollar,dirhams, cedis, or naira...' many would say. If you probe the dreamers, you would know that they had not done their home work on how the money would be utilised to better their lives.

I believe so strongly that power to attract capital or solution is in knowing your state. Your financial, health, marriage, spiritual state should not be joked with; they are states that can make or mar you and ascertaining their current levels and give your budget perfection.
CAPITAL IS NOT THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW OR SEEK BUT THE CURRENT STATES.

'One more thing' i said as she was packing her books. 'your mum must not learn about this 'she won't uncle, but can we close early on fridays so i can see my soap opera? 'Soap opera ko, lux soap ni.'

That's the kind of bargain life throws at us when we don't know our current states and forging ahead becomes climbing Nepal's Mount Everest: the highest mountain.

Odunmorayo Olalekan

United States of America, Leadership Or Rulership?

The race started before the launching into the year 2016, a race amongst the strong men and few women of the United States of America, the race of who takes the lead of presidency after Barrack Obama vacates the presidential seat of the country.

The United States has been known to have been a party to the two party system, a situation where the Democrats and Republicans parties take charge of who to run for the presidential election of the States. Initially, more than four candidates from the Democrats party declared their interest in running for the presidential post which some withdrew and others suspended during primaries, leaving Hillary Clinton a one time first lady of the united states and Bernie Sanders as candidates contesting in the Democrats party.

The Republicans party had gotten more than a dozen of candidates that declared their interest which some were however suspended and some withdrawn during primaries, leaving Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and one other contestant as candidates. The countdown of each each party descended and it will until the only one candidate needed to occupy the presidential seat is chosen through the votes of the citizens of the United States of America.

However, with the ongoing campaign speeches of the candidates, it is easier for the citizens to pick their most perceived vibrant candidate as their president.
Donald Trump, has declared in his speeches the walls he will build to block the boarders against the Mexicans and the Africans, and according to vox pop,  some citizens are tired of the rulership of the Bush's, while some would have prefererd Ben Carson and John Kasich as the only candidates in the Republican party and alas, citizens clamour for change as the Nigerians did.

Rulership is a position where one has sovereignty over a group of people, leadership;  the capacity of someone to guide, instruct or lead a group of people. The campaign speeches of each candidate is a skeletal drawing of how each candidate will perform when he or she is declared the winner of the election. There have been different hate campaign speeches made by contestants against each other and these have not portrayed some as good leaders, but some who are interested in rulership.

In the same context, 2015 marked the year when Nigerians got the change they clamoured for as it was a tug of war between the APC candidate and the PDP candidate,  Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan respectively, though other parties were included in the election,  but ignored by the citizens as Nigeria operates on a multi party system basis. Citizens were bent on making a new government emerged,  but never thought of the pros and cons of the new emergence. The same citizens that clamoured for change are weeping out complains against change about dollar that rises against naira, fuel scarcity and price hike, increment in cost of goods due to dollar increase in value. The same citizens got tired of the old body that governed, now another lamentation.

Some American citizens are against Barack Obama for legalising gay marriage, while some regard him as the best president ever. Some presidential candidates are thrown foul languages at for being racists, while some citizens applaud them. Every citizen cannot be pleased,  but the differences must be glaring (Rulership and Leadership).

A leader shows the way, directs,  instructs, guides,  but a ruler craves indulgence in having sovereignty over the people, wanting all the benefits attached to the position. It is not too late for the citizens of the United States of America to choose their leader and not ruler. This is a time that the contest is at its peak,  every candidate is tensed, and a period to know how desperate some are,  and how tactical some would be if elected as the president of the United States of America. 

The image of a mentor is often redeemed by the constant re branding of his/her personality

The word love is a rhythm,  many can get to sing it,  but few are opportuned to get its beat

The loaf of bread might be enough for the crowd, but the greedy can only take the bigger chunk, and leaving others to feed on the crumbs

A woman's heart is often drifted to yearn for her husband's love, and a man is to teach his hands to till the ground for increase in his productivity

Have you seen fire razing down the hut, and the owner decides to stay in it because he cherishes his fortune?

I live in a world where competition is at its peak, where money is valuable than human lives

The government is you; the products of your family, your son, my son, your daughter, his daughter, my brother, his brother, my uncle, your uncle, my sister, his sister, yet we still complain of bad leadership. If every parent played his own part, the whole world would celebrate a corrupt free government

It was never love if you have to let him/her out of your sight

Cleanliness, a habit, and the attitude that comes out of it is confidence

Children are mostly lovely when they were babies, because they never learnt how to be mischievous

Sweat can go back to its stream if you refuse to wipe it off.

PUSH!

At the instruction of the doctor on duty, my sister was strolling up and down the reception aisle before she would be called to delivery room.The additional instruction from my mum that she should pray as she strolled, made her to increase her pace. One would think she was to be a substitute for a red carded goal keeper against Messi led Barcelona; she looked so scared!

Would this doctor and my mum stop this drama, the reception had already been turned to 'ipade ayo' (a popular church service for pregnant women in my area).

Finally, the drama was over! I watched her departed for the labour room.
Alas! After what seemed like eternity, i faintly heard the doctor saying; PUSH! What brought about the word push after the warm up and the mini crusade, isn't it suppose to be easy?
Years after, having related with medical practitioners, i learnt that SELF-PUSH is inevitable to avoid complication.

You've got to push! It's for your own good: push!! That is the best way to save you and your brain child: push!!! Many destinies are tied to your push: PUSH! Permit me to be your doctor here: PUUSSHHH!
For how long will you be afraid of failure? Implement those ideas now, no time. Other pregnant people are waiting for your own push to motivate them.
Push that CV to appropriate quarters. Push your idea to the spotlight. Don't give another excuse why you've not executed your dream business.

Honestly, you are making effort but the fear of unknown or thought that you may possibly fail engulfed you. Unfortunately, we tied all our problems to raising capital for business; i know people who started life with money other than theirs simply by selling their ideas. Only that you're not pushing. Come on, push!

Yes! The baby was delivered. My sister smiled as they wheeled her out to ward, the delight of all perhaps with exception of those who felt hospital shouldn't be turned to mini church.
We are waiting to celebrate your success but first the labour room beckons...

Odunmorayo Olalekan

Linda's Thought

Linda has met this man for a month,  the conversation got going,  but she expected Albert to press the wooing botton, but he has refused to read Linda's mind. Linda's mind is not at rest because she is losing her confidence,  and her mind whispers to her to be smart and do the wooing by herself.

Linda, love is beautiful, but a man that loves genuinely does not need a magician to point a finger at the lady before he gets convinced about doing the right thing.  A man's love in every way is meant to overshadow a woman's love. The record book will have it that you started a relationship with him, not that he started it with you.

Respect your identity, your existence as a woman and possess what is rightfully yours. What is meant to be will be,  and whatever is worth waiting for is worth it. Possess what is rightfully yours without cutting corners, and ending up in mess. However, some courageous women had taken such steps and they ended up being happy with their partners. If the man loves you, he will be scared to lose you and the right thing will be done by him, but in a situation where by you need to remind him that you exist, he might feel disgusted and spit you out, the answer might be awful. And when courage is emphasised,  a woman that keeps how she feels to herself has shown that behind every smile,  there is a craving,  and getting what she craves for depends on fate, and she might be lucky to get what she wants,  and if fate may also have it, keeping it to herself might make her lose the opportunity.

Desire is what is wished for earnestly, what is wanted,  craved for and what relieves the body when gotten.  Fantasy is a wish from dreamland, it can also be what is craved for from within,  and the imaginary picture of it is painted clearly in our mind. We should often check if what we crave for is actually a desire or fantasy. A lady that is wise in her ways will always look like the luckiest, yes,  the most favoured.

All Red St Valentines Day

In favour and preparation for the St . valentines day which is often celebrated on February 14th of every year, and a need to recuperate from the hangover of the usual believe of self satisfaction on this day to the reality of extension of the well said symbol of the day (love), we shall assess certain rudiments that made February 14 up.

This day is known as the Saint valentines day or the feast of Saint valentine, a day separated for the celebration of love and affection. According to history, churches such as the Anglican communion, Eastern orthodox church, Lutheran Church are often caught in the act of the celebration of St valentines day.  This day is coined out as a remembrance day of the saints that fought for love and propagated the gospel, some in the face of persecution. The martyrdom accounts formed the basis of one of the most celebrated days on earth which is February 14,  the valentines day.

As we have seen above, the day is of the saints, but subsequently,  the celebration of this day has caused different uproar of cases of acts that are questionable. The youths are mostly guilty of this offence, and they are often caught in the web of misinterpretation of the day. Does a valentines day where a dead body is found in a pool having been raped seem filthy? Does a valentines day where bottles were found broken into pieces after a party following a fight ought to be re visited? These are some of those scenes that have been noticed over time and it calls for a recall of the initial meaning of St valentines day.

Love is beautiful and it shouldn't be misinterpreted while trying to celebrate it. I had seen couples with their children go to cinema, visit resort centres and have fun, and I had seen churches organising a love feast programme to equip youths and also remind couples of the effectual love that has to be pure without soils. When I was in the high school, I had seen people decorate their hair with roses, red scent flowers, bearing gifts for one another and also decorate classes with different flowers, but as I grew,  I started having another orientation.

St valentines day for some youths is a game day, where men are expectant of what ladies give away as gifts to them, and where ladies expect the best gift ever. And in some cases, some men want the body in return, and the ladies the money, gifts, and visitation to beautiful places. This is far above expectations. The season is about genuine love that is devoid of deception, and a season where little gift counts.

If the celebration of this day wants to achieve a good aim,  then the less privilege should not be forgotten. The orphans, widows, widowers, sick, poor, and the beggars should be shown love to for them to find joy in their existence. It's a all red valentines day, and we are painting the whole universe with love, and let your strength of love be felt genuinely and not with a hidden agenda to hurt.

It all started from the church and the church should as well not leave it to the public to celebrate. Though some have been celebrating the day in holiness, and the aggressive celebration should be done to further attract youths to the presence of God for the explanation of the real meaning of the day. Propagating the gospel is a means of showing love to lost souls that are roaming around and also intercession for one another is an act of revealing how genuine our love is towards one another. It's a all red valentines day, let's celebrate in love and purity.

CAN I EVER BE RICH? !

Getting rich is an idea,  working for it is an act, earning it is a result. Let's go on a short journey with a business oriented man,  Olalekan Odunmorayo who stepped outside the razzmatazz world of business to relate a story of how  people get rich in the mind, instead of drafting a plan, analysing, and actualizing it for the result which is getting rich.

Owolabi's name which means 'wealth was born' is very far from the reality dot com that he finds himself; perhaps 'poverty was born'.He could not just understand why and how things fell apart.
'Owoblow' as he had been nicknamed was standing inside a noisy public bus called 'molue' in lagos. Alas! The noise from co-commuters that have turned to political argumentators didn't bother him as his mind had travelled; his mother would call it 'emi iya alaro'. What was he thinking this time? Money!
He was not just making headway. Had it been he was the only one in this mess, it would have been better. He pitied his understanding, beautiful and submissive wife. But normally, no one would expect Darasimi, his only son to understand the economic situation of his dad when his belly ache for hunger.

Their situation had worsen of recent as there had not been toothpaste to brush their teeth. And his wife had to cut already used toothpaste tube for their son to use. Pathetic isn't it?

In our nation today, financial situation of many is not too different from this even the working class are included as many are involved in disguised employment  though they could manage to pay thier bills but what a life...living for the bills!
The easiest route many are taking, graduates included, is to blame the government, the rich monopolistic nature, lack of capital, corruption, everything except for oneself. Yes, there could be point in it but yet, it's a cheap score point.

It is quite unfortunate that people and things you are shifting the blame to can not do much to help you even if they are under obligation to do so; HELP YOURSELF! Then, when you must have done so that you will realise that people you're looking upto are even dependent on you. For instance, government would give sigh of relief when you are gainfully employed, at least you are out of their list of 'grown up dependent adult'.
Where to begin is taking time off your numerous worries and away from every form of noise from within and outside. Calm your nerves, think straight!
Many people could endure being trapped under a collapsed building for five days than shutting themselves off noises and think deep for proper planning for five minutes. THINK! Till you have solutions you can act on.

To be continued....

Do Not Get Depressed, Uncertainty Is a Tool for Discouragement

In Jide Olowookere's words; "In uncertainty, there is wisdom" I have learnt that life is just beautiful, but the challenges are numerous. Uncertainties sometimes come as doubts,  fear in the mind of the individual faced by some responsibilities, and sometimes the possible outcome of a deal. A beggar on the street depends on the alms given by passersby, and when passersby ignore the beggar, he feels downcast and he begins to wonder how to survive in this terrible world. Some wise beggars saw the uncertainty of humans in giving alms, and they found alternative by taking up some menial jobs, cleaning, truck pushing, bus conducting etc.

Amidst uncertainty of lovers in a relationship, so many hearts have been broken that some think of what is next as giving their hearts away to the devil. A wise man shouldn't forget that in all engagements in life, expecting the unexpected is paramount so as not to be worn out in cases of disappointment. You can put all your eggs in one basket, but be careful in your placement. When one begins to place eggs in different baskets when relationship is concerned, you might end up breaking those eggs in the process. Wisdom, they say is profitable unto men, and a wise man often seems like the most favoured when things turn out to be good

As an entrepreneur, so many fortune has been invested to build up a business, you think of the success and also the failure, but as you think about the two possibilities,  extend your tentacles by replicating your ideas. If business B fails,  business A will be successful, the need to have more than one source of income is emphasized.

A pregnant woman dreams of when she will go into that labour room, thinks of how the baby bump will come down, when the baby cries will be heard,  what the gender is,  how many it will be,  triplet, quadruplet, and how painful it will be in that room where fate and mankind battle for existence, but amidst all these uncertainties, the mother still needs to go on baby things shopping. There is wisdom in preparation for delivery and constant care of the body to avoid the guesses of uncertainty.

Above all,  whatever the lyrics of our song is,  we must make the beat rhyme with the rhythm so as to make all our efforts protruding, glaring, clearly stated that amidst the uncertainties, we have done our best to actualize the goal. Our efforts made positively is regarded as the wisdom applied when faced with uncertainty.

Never Start a Day By Procrastinating

We dream to wake up in the morning, clean ourselves up, run to catch a bus, trek, or drive to work or school. It ticks, it doesn't wait,  it is a universal tool,  a reader, a moderator, yes indeed! Time doesn't wait for no one,  not even a king.