By Unknown

Two important management lessons I learnt from a 500 Naira note.

1. It happened some time ago but . I was in an audience listening to a motivational speaker. The speaker got out his wallet & pulled out a 500 Naira note. Holding it up, he asked, "Who wants this 500 naira note?"
Lots of hands went up. Including mine. A slow chorus began to build as people began to shout "Me!" "Me!" I began to wonder who the lucky one would be who the speaker would choose. And I also secretly wondered (and I am sure others did too ) why he would simply give away 500 naira. Even as the shouts of "I want it" grew louder, I noticed a young woman running down the aisle. She ran up onto the stage, went up to the speaker, and grabbed the five 500 naira note from his hand. "Well done, young lady," said the speaker into the microphone. The speaker simply say "Most of us just sit and wait for good things to happen. That's of no use. You've got to make things happen. Make a move" 'Simply thinking about doing something is of no use and not gud enough'. Our lives are like that. We all see opportunities around us. We all want the good things. But the problem is we don't take action. We all want the 500 naira notes on offer. But we don't make the move. We look at it longingly. Get up, and do something about it. Don't worry about what other people might think.
Take action....

THE BRIDE(1)-BY ANTHONY MADUKWE

We were sitting at the dingy dining table about to eat. Everyone had his head bowed in the prayer before meal which father recited with anger-like vigour such that one began to visualize death eaters swirling all around our food. Mother was corroborating with amen’s like a backup singer, but the rest of us just sat in gloomy silence trying our best to keep our eyes very tightly shut. I was sure we would hardly enjoy our dinner if father was to catch me or any of my brothers with our eyes open when he was praying. It assured almost certain death, or pain that resembled it…after the prayer which seemed to have lasted for 2 straight hours, father opened his eyes, his bushy eyebrows lifting with such slow delicacy one would think he was trying not to distort the sanctity of the hefty prayer he had just delivered. Of course no one opened his eyes before father; you had to be sure he had done so first before you could follow suit. He placed his large hairy hands on the table and gave the very short nod which signaled permission for the rest of us to begin eating. Mother stood up and throwing her nylon veil over her left shoulder began scooping the potato mash into our china plates. I raised my eyes to stare at Hakim who was sitting across from me on the other side of our large dining table. The I-don’t-give-a-rat’s-ass look he gave me told me he had, like me, been sleeping or mind-wandering all the while father was praying. I gave him a slight smile only he could see. He gave me his signature snicker. 
In the midst of the gloominess which seemed to coat the walls of our house, my brother Hakim and I had found a way to excite ourselves, to transport our beings to a world that existed above the walls our parents had so discreetly erected to keep us in check. We pretended when they were there, became the perfectly tailored kids who worshipped Allah, greeted everyone around and rejected unauthorized gifts from strangers. But at other times, we were like every other kid on the block. We knew Beyonce, we listened to her music almost every day on the little iPod Hakim had bought with the money he made when he sold one of Father’s abandoned briefcases which he had dumped in the garage. He had told me about his plan to steal one of father’s old cases. Although I knew father would literally kill us if he ever found out about the theft, but I had completely supported him. There was something terribly satisfying about being disobedient; it meant some kind of freedom.
I pick at my food as father’s loud munching bounces off the walls of the dining room. Even though potato mash is one of my favourite meals, my mind is dwelt strongly on the nuts and kunu which Hakim had hid under my bed and which we would return to much later in the night when snoring sounds mixed with the cries of crickets. My other brothers, three of them,: Abdul, Shehu and Dino, are lined up side by side along my side of the table. They are all eating with some speed but trying hard not to make a sound from their plates and spoons. I was sure the tension on that table could be slit nicely through with a bread knife if someone felt like it.
All of a sudden, father’s deep baritone booms over our food, startling me
‘Hazizat!’
I take a while to answer, drawing a scowl from my father
‘Father’ I said, dropping my spoon to focus on the heavily bearded face staring at me.
‘Did I tell you…my friend Alhaji Dimka is coming tomorrow to see you’
I swallowed hard….
To see me?, I thought. I wanted to ask why….but I knew why. I’d known why for weeks now. It’d been almost the only thought on my mind 
I turn to stare at Hakim as I slowly reply
‘Okay…father’

Amazing Reunion

African American Rosalia Durante, 98, (left) served in Lagos, Nigeria in the 1960s and was the sixth grade teacher of Dr. Yele Aluko (right), in 1963. Decades later, back in Charlotte, USA, she recognized his name in the newspaper and brought him mementos of her time in Nigeria. Amazing story. Read after the cut...

From The Charlotte Observer

Because of his name and accent, it’s not unusual for Dr. Yele Aluko’s patients to ask where he’s from. But in the early 1990s, when he got the question from this new patient – a retired Charlotte principal and Johnson C. Smith University professor – Aluko asked one of his own: Where do you think?

Spencer Durante guessed correctly that his new heart specialist was from Nigeria, in west Africa. This rarely happened. In fact, when Aluko first came to Charlotte in 1989, one area hospital administrator suggested he change his name from Yele – pronounced yeh-lay – to Yale, so it would be easier to say.

As Aluko chatted with Durante and his wife, Rosalia, he learned they had lived in Nigeria from 1962 to 1966, when Spencer Durante was working on a U.S. project to build a college that would train Nigerians to be secondary school teachers.

Rosalia Durante said she had taught primary school in Nigeria. And she remembered having a student named Yele. Really? Aluko thought. And he asked the name of the school. When she said Corona International School in Lagos, his jaw dropped.

Aluko, who was born in Lagos in 1954, had gone to that school in the mid-1960s. What a coincidence.

The Durantes had seen Aluko’s name in The Charlotte Observer and made an appointment, both to confirm he was the boy at the Corona School and because Spencer Durante needed a heart specialist. They continued seeing Aluko for more than a decade, but the conversations focused on medical issues.

Class Picture
Spencer Durante died in 2003, at 86. Rosalia Durante remained one of Aluko’s patients, coming to his office once a year for an evaluation. At one of her visits, she brought Aluko a surprise. She had been digging through papers after her husband’s death.

She’d found an 8-by-10 copy of a black-and-white picture of her first class at Corona, for the school year 1963-64. That’s her, at 47, standing in the middle of 23 children – girls and boys, black and white, Nigerian, Asian and British, mostly dressed in white.

She asked Aluko if he saw anyone familiar.

Indeed, Aluko saw his sixth-grade self, legs crossed, sitting on the grass in the front row. He’s smiling at the camera, resting his elbow on his knee and his cheek on his fist.

“Oh my God, that is me,” Aluko thought. “How could this be?”

By what twist of fate did this Nigerian boy in Mrs. Durante’s class end up, half a world away and more than three decades later, becoming the heart specialist who cares for his former teacher and her husband in Charlotte, North Carolina?

Settling in Charlotte

The picture had been taken outside Corona, a private British-owned school that attracted children who could qualify academically and afford the tuition. Some were children of foreign diplomats. Aluko’s father was a civil engineer; his mother had been an English teacher.

Aluko remembered having American, Nigerian and British teachers at Corona. He got a good education, good enough to get him into Kings College boarding school and then medical school at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He came to the United States for medical residency at Columbia University in New York, where he met his future wife, Shirley Houston, also a doctor.

In 1989, they chose to settle in Charlotte. Aluko said he started a solo cardiology practice after he couldn’t find an existing group that would hire someone with his foreign education. His practice grew into the city’s second-largest group of heart specialists, Mid Carolina Cardiology, now Novant Health Heart and Vascular Institute.He often was quoted in the Observer, about new heart procedures, efforts to reduce health disparities or the community of Nigerian doctors in the Charlotte area.
As she got to know Aluko, Rosalia Durante continued searching through her scrapbooks. They bulged with keepsakes from Africa – maps of Nigeria, newspaper and magazine articles, pictures of her students and copies of their handwritten notes.

“I keep stuff,” said Durante, whose home is decorated with African art, including a carved ivory elephant tusk and a painting by a Nigerian artist.

She remembers her first day at Corona School: “When I first saw all the boys in that class, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m gonna have a terrible time.’” She had three “rambunctious” sons of her own. But these boys, from several countries, sat at attention at their desks, called her “Madame,” and raised their hands and stood before speaking.

“They didn’t have many books, but their books were well-used,” Rosalia Durante recalled. “…I enjoyed hearing how the languages criss-crossed. … And they had to listen to a Southern dialect from North Carolina.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/health-family/article30416385.html#storylink=cpy

My name is Yele’

Nigerian names were distinctive and stuck in her mind, Rosalia Durante said. It helped that she had asked her students to print their names in large letters on construction paper. For the first week, they held up their posters and announced themselves so she could learn to spell and pronounce their names correctly.
“My name is Yele Aluko,” she recalled him saying. He had bright, eager eyes and a “zest for knowledge. … He was inquisitive. You didn’t have to pull things out of him,” she said.
In 2011, Rosalia Durante read in the newspaper that Aluko was getting a lifetime achievement award from the Charlotte Post Foundation. She mentioned it to her granddaughter, who arranged for them to attend. During the ceremony, Aluko was surprised when organizers announced that his primary school teacher was in the audience.
By then in her 90s, Rosalia Durante stood at her table and waved. Aluko walked over and gave her a hug. She couldn’t hear well, but she had a keen memory of that year when he was beginning to find his path in the world. He vowed they would become more than just doctor and patient. They would be friends. 

‘With all my love’

He called her occasionally, and this year, he arranged a visit to her home off Beatties Ford Road. Aluko arrived with a bouquet of flowers. Rosalia Durante pulled a note on white paper from her scrapbook.
It read: “To the teacher I will not forget. And to the teacher who has helped me with my lessons.” 
Aluko recognized the tiny but clear and legible script – and thought how much better it was than his handwriting today.
He did not remember writing this note at the end of sixth grade to thank his American teacher. But she had saved it all these years. It had meant that much to her. 
It was signed: “With all my love. From Yele.”

Source: The Charlotte Observer

Game Time!!! What ifs

How well can you rhyme?
It is about that time...

Lets play a game called "What IF"
The winner gets featured in my next "what if"post + some airtime of your choice network..
This is how the game goes, give me three nice lines with the last words rhyming, your comment must start with a "what if"
An example is

What if there wasn't a token
What if our hearts are never broken   What if love was real not words spoken

May the best rhymer win!!!

Bitter pills

#Plagiarized
LETTER TO NIGERIAN PARENTS

Dear All- Let's be real.

I wish to start by adding the benefit of my time as a student and then resident in the UK. Living in Abuja now. The first thing that I discovered about UK-born, white, English undergraduates was that all of them did holiday or weekend job to support themselves – including the children of millionaires amongst them. It is the norm over there – regardless of how wealthy their parents are. And I soon discovered that virtually all other foreign students did the same – except status – conscious Nigerians.

I also watched Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Airline) speaking on the Biography Channel. To my amazement, he said that his young children travel in the economy class – even when the parents (he and his wife) are in upper class. Richard Branson is a billionaire in Pound sterling. A quick survey would show you that only children from Nigeria fly business or upper class to commence their studies in the Uk. No other foreign students do this. There is no aircraft attached to the office of the Prime Minister in the UK. He travels on BA. And the same goes for the Royals. The Queen does not have an aircraft for her exclusive use.

These practices simply become the culture which the next generation carries forward. Have you seen the car that Kate Middleton (the wife of Prince William) drives? VW Golf or something close to it. But there’s one core difference between them and us (generally speaking), they (even the billionaires among them) work for their money, most of us steal ours

If we want our children to bring about the desired change we have been praying for on behalf of our dear country, then please, please let’s begin now and teach them to work hard so they can stand alone and most importantly be content and not having to “steal” which seems to be the norm these days.

We have Nigerian Children who have never worked for 5 minutes in their lives insisting on flying “only” first or business class and using the latest cars fully paid for by their “loving “ parents.

I often get calls from anxious parents”my son graduated 2 years ago and is still looking for a job, can you please assist!”

“Oh really! So where exactly is “THIS CHILD?” is my usual question. “Why are you the one making this call dad/mum?

I am yet to get a satisfactory answer, but between you and me, chances are that the big boy is cruising around Abuja with a babe dresses to the nines, in his dad’s spanking new SUV with enough “pocket money” to put your salary to shame. It is not at all strange to hear a 28 year old who has NEVER worked for a day in his or her life in Nigeria but “earns” a six figure “salary” from parents for doing absolutely nothing

I see them in my office once in a while, 26 years old with absolutely no skill to sell apart from a shiny CV, written by his dad’s secretary in the office. Of course, he has a driver at his beck and call and he is driven to the job interview. We have a fairly decent conversation and we get to the inevitable question- so, what salary are you looking to earn? Answer comes straight out – N250,000.00. I ask if that is per month or per annum.

“Of course, it is per month”

“Oh, why do you think you should be earning that much on your first job?”

“Well, because my current pocket money is N200,000.00 and I feel any employer should be able to pay me more than my parents.”

No wonder corruption continues to thrive. We have a society of young people who have been brought up to expect something for nothing, as if it were a birthright. Even though the examples I have given above are from parents of considerable affluence, similar patterns can be observed from Abeokuta to Adamawa.

Wake up mum! Wake up dad! This syndrome – “my children will not suffer what I suffered is destroying your tomorrow. You are practically loving your child to death.

I learnt the children of a former Nigeria Head of State with all the stolen(billions) monies in their custody, still go about with security escort as wrecks. They are on drugs, several times because of the drug, they collapse in public places. The escort will quickly pack them and off they go. What a life! No one wants to  marry them.

Henry Ford said “hard work does not kill.” We are getting everything wrong in Nigeria now, including family setting. It is time to prepare your children for tomorrow, the way the world is going, only those that are rugged, hard working and smart working will survive. How will your ward fare?

DEFLOWERED!!!

A very good morning to you all, i woke up to find this in my mail, A reader wants to know "Are virgins always good wife material?".
So would you like to marry a Virgin? Why is this and how important is this virtue in choosing a life partner?
Please i would love to hear from both the males and females.

WHAT GIVES...

You know those days, those sort of days where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed just to find out that your service provider has deducted all the airtime in your account totalling about 2000naira which you intended to use in subscribing your phone for a reason which they claim they will investigate and get back to you in 48hours...hmmmm..
Those sort of days where you are called out of a church service to come attend to the pipe that just burst in your room back at home and you end up meeting a flooded room/paying for the unforeseen.
Those days when everything and everyone just seemed bitchier/annoyingly insane including your boss at work,your friends, your spouse even the roasted plantain(bole) lady.
Just when you thought it wouldn't get worst, your car is bashed by someone in traffic and you get home to find that the power is out because you didn't pay your bills Arrggghh!!
Those days that make you feel like why the hell didn't I just sleep through this day and probably try my luck tomorrow cos today's just not working.
Ever had a horrible day?
Just relax and thank God for life.
Tomorrow will be better.
As long as there is life there's hope.

N/B- you can share how your day went with us, mine was one of those days..lol

Tips for an interview

The idea of interviewing for a job is unsettling for a lot of people. It doesn’t matter if you’re currently unemployed or simply want to switch jobs – interviews are something you should take very seriously, as nothing is more important for landing a job than a good interview. Nevertheless, you’re guaranteed to ace an interview if you follow our simple tips.

1. Feel free to smile

Nothing says more about the candidate’s ability to relax and enjoy themselves during an interview than a sincere smile. A genuine smile and an open attitude towards the interviewers helps you stand out among the rest of candidates, considering that most interviewees are too nervous or anxious to let out a single smile. Feeling like an interview is a torture that you can’t wait to end is not a good mindset for a successful job interview. However, a laid-back attitude and simply enjoying the interview will undoubtedly leave a good impression on your interviewers.

2. Keep your body under control

Experienced HR specialists know exactly when the candidate is too anxious, aggressive or disconnected from the conversation – all they need to see is your body language. It’s difficult to control your body under stressful circumstances, which is why candidates can be often seen slouched in their seats with their eyes darting around the room, constantly scratching their heads or looking at their feet. If you don’t want your body to reveal your true feelings, simply make an effort: sit straight, don’t be afraid to move, use your arms to emphasise some points in your talk, and keep eye contact with the interviewer – it’s the fastest and easiest way to connect with people.

3. Don’t overthink the interview

Finding a job online is an important step, but giving a good impression during an interview is even more valuable. Among all of the things that can limit your ability to give a great interview, personal problems, doubts or anxiety are the ones that are the most harmful. Put this personal stuff aside for the interview, and you’ll do so much better. Consider the interview to be the place where both you and the interviewer want you to get the job. Nobody wants you to fail, so simply show your best traits and remember that everyone is on your side.

4. Use multiple directions in your interview

When you’re preparing for a job interview, you may think that the company is looking for one special skill, and this skill is all you talk about during the interview. However, this strategy can lead to you missing other important points in your CV and leaving the interviewee to doubt if you’re the candidate they’re looking for. Instead you need to demonstrate a range of skills, abilities and experience, and put emphasis on that one important skill. And don’t forget that a job interview is not just a way for the company to decide if you can work there, but also an opportunity for you to determine if that’s a place you want to work in. An interview is a 2-way process, and you need to make the most out of it.

5. Don’t downplay your abilities

A job interview is not the right place to appear modest and average. To successfully pass an interview you need to blow your own horn. Turn the interview into a presentation of your talents, skills, abilities and experience, as well as achievements at your past jobs. Since this is the first time the company meets you, they need to know exactly what they’ll get if they hire you, which is why the key to a successful interview is proving you’re the best candidate. Talk about your past achievements and how your skills and experience helped you achieve that, show off your capabilities and explain how those capabilities will help you if you get the job – this strategy has proved to be the most effective.

6. Avoid telling lies

When you’re anxious about an upcoming job interview, it may seem like a good idea to tell a few lies to leave even a better impression on the interviewers. In fact, lying in an interview is a strategy with devastating results. It doesn’t matter if you’re lying about your past experience, education, skills, personal qualities or anything else – the truth will always come out. Not only do you risk losing your job, but you will also be known as the liar around professional circles, which is very bad for your reputation. Instead of lying you should do your best to demonstrate your actual strengths and achievements, and leave your weaknesses behind.

7. Don’t land into the first chair you see

It doesn’t matter if you want to work in engineering, computing and IT, or are simply looking for an internship – the first few minutes or even seconds of the interview can be crucial for accessing you as a candidate. When you’re invited in the room, don’t rush to a chair – let the interviewer sit first. If there is an opportunity to choose your own seat, don’t sit on the side from the interviewer or opposite them – the best idea is to seat diagonally. This move will give you enough personal space and won’t make you feel overwhelmed.

8. Control your anxiety

It’s okay to feel nervous about a job interview, especially if you’ve been out of job for a while. Feeling nervous means you care about landing that particular job. However, find a better way to show you care. Turn that negative energy into a way to present your skills and abilities in a more effective way. Instead of worry and anxiety let interviewers see your energy, enthusiasm and ability to work and think under pressure. Remember that if you’ve been invited to a job interview, the company is already interested in talking to you and possibly give you the job, so it’s your task to let them know you’re the right candidate for the position. Accept the fact that even if you don’t land the job in this company, there are plenty of other job opportunities, and you’ll really shine during the interview.

9. Don’t over-prepare

Any job interview requires some preparation. In addition to being able to talk about your skills, abilities and experience, you need to know a bit about the company, its values, key products, market share and top employees. However, there is no way you can be 100% prepared for every question during the interview, and it’s okay, because what the company wants to see is a real person, and not someone who simply memorized their lines for the interview. Demonstrate your knowledge, but also be ready to think on your feet. Not all of your answers should be perfect – after all, we’re all humans who are just doing our best.

Culled from Jiji.Com

SWEET SOUR SWEET -a poem

Tears dripping down his eyes
His life has been a bunch of lies
Fairy tales of sex being paradise
When its hell in disguise
Nobody seem to realize
the smile from the pain as he agonize
No one to help him rise
As he falls death calls and no Jesus to pay the price.
Lies,Lies and more lies is all he cries
With flowing ocean in his eyes
Nobody was there to cross his T’s or dot his I’s
So his foolishness was appearing wise
Nobody was there to advice or chastise
So his “device” he baptized between many thighs
The feeling was sweet and nice
So he went in again and again more than twice
To every lady that complies
Hot guy he improvises not paying heed to the consequences that underlies
In a matter of time his health begins to compromise
He goes to see the doctor for advice
But to his dismay and surprise
The doctor says he should start counting his goodbyes
The once hefty guy drops in size
“To Your Tents Oh Israel” as his friends begin to stigmatize
He realizes the price for indiscretion he can’t pay as he faces demise.
With tears dripping down his eyes
He wishes he has another chance to be wise.
FRIENDS, COUNTRY MEN
If you must go between thighs
Make sure you condomize
AIDS is Real; Be Wise!
Abstinence is being Wise!    

NEW Single!! Red hot

Ambassador victor the president of uplifting worshippers, a crew which is 5 years today in the music industry, has just released a new song titled "Your Love". The Song is a song of Thanksgiving to God for his love over the crew and ambassador victor for all these years. The song was produced by Mikem records

Download and be blessed

http://tindeck.com/listen/qdyhi or 

http://www.trendnaija.com/music-ambassador-victor-your-love/

How can I forget??

Someone asked me a question this morning, he said "forgiving a wrong is quite easy but how can I forget a wrong,  because I want to forget but I can't"
In all honesty I don't have any response to this question because I know I am also guilty of not forgetting.
My question is "is it possible to forgive and forget? "

ANTICIPATE!! NEW SINGLE from THE AMBASSADOR.

Ambassador victor who is a gospel artiste and the president of uplifting worshippers, a crew which will be 5 years in the gospel music industry come17th July, and to mark this date, he released a new song titled "Your Love" which drops on that same day. The Song is a song of Thanksgiving to God for his love over the crew and ambassador victor for all these years. Watch out for this one!

Memoir of an evil brother by Anthony madukwe

*Please read with a spoon of salt in hand*

The long way we’ve come, my friend. The dangers we’ve crossed. The blood we’ve shared (shed) and the bones we’ve crushed into powdered crumbs. The cruelty we’ve dealt;.....oh! all the evil we’ve mindlessly dealt. All these, brother, prick the peace of my sleep and keep me seeping out in nightmares. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I can’t be. The memories, they come to me. They stand before my eyes and dare me to go to rest. I’m not strong enough to defy them…not anymore… I’ve lost my mettle; I’ve grown weak brother and have become, now, a slave to my sins. 

I miss you brother. I miss the devilish smile which you let dance on your face. I miss the handsomeness which you used as a mask for the darkness in your heart. I miss the swiftness with which you stabbed as you let out your signature high-pitched cackle. You remember the red-haired girl we cornered behind the school library; you remember how she raised her well manicured hands in defence and cried tears in protest as if it could have saved her from our blood-thirsty pen-knives. You remember the shock on her wrinkled face when she first saw the knives, how she begged and begged and promised us love; love she refused to give in the first place. I remember how you tickled her lifeless body with your bloodied fingers and wiped your knife on her flowered dress. You have no idea how much that made me respect you. The indifference with which you kill marvels me. I’ll be like you some day. I swear. I’ll kill like you some day. If it’s the last thing I do.

We did things brother. I know you remember. We did things many thought impossible. We killed my mother *laughs in a demented way*. Fuck motherly love. We defied all those marionette values of a deformed society and stabbed my mother to death in the back of her car. You remember how she kept saying ‘my children’ in that weak voice of hers even as we traced our blades through the thin skin of her throat. It really did look like she loved us…………….. but then, we loved blood more. That night, in that car, blood splattered all over us as veins squirted in all directions. You remember you were holding down her thrashing fat legs while I worked wonders with my knife. Oh! We made such a beautiful team.

I write you this letter from behind bars. 

The madness in this place is killing me, it strips me of my sanity and elevates me to somewhere between hell and Hades…Hades!…yes!...yes!... that’s the name of the prison where they’ve locked me up brother. The judge said it was for ‘devils’ like me who had gone beyond redemption. The judge, with his fat fleshy face looked at me like some sort of scum plastered on his immaculate white shirt and called me a ‘devil’…he didn’t care for my feelings. Of course, a devil I am…a devil I will be to him some day…very soon. They say I’m to be paroled before long for good behavior. In a few years I will be out. And then, on a day when the sun is down and the sky is as black as my heart, I will knock on his door and be a nice little ‘devil’ to him.

Brother, even though I am behind bars I have tried to keep making you proud. Two days ago, with a razor blade I carved your birth date on the ribs of an inmate here; a homosexual gay who, sadly, fell in love with me and my very innocent appearance. I still remember how he caressed my head and wished me well in my ‘doomed life’ praying I will die a peaceful death some day. I fell in love with him too…that’s why I did what I did. I watched him go and then I cackled like you…

I have also come to love God, brother….he talks to me every night and he tells me how happy he is for me and for who I have become. His voice is calm and soft like the feathers of those birds we used to slit open back then in kindergarten. I love him….but he does not help me when those voices come visiting. He does not help me.

Which is why I write you this day…

I hope you get this and I hope you read it…and I also hope you find a place in your heart to forgive me…if you don’t I’m doomed and no better than a devil as the judge said. I remember his words loud and clear like he repeats them to me now….stinging words fed out in that grave damning voice of his….

“A man who poisons his only brother, stabs him in the neck and then calmly sits to watch him die is to me, no more than a devil…fit only for places where evil congregates”

Forgive me….

It's my birthday guys!!!

Hello friends, I know I haven't been making posts of recent and there's no big excuse to that. I'm sorry if I kept you hanging aloof..
In other news it's my birthday today, and for this special day I am announcing the unveiling of the face of Glitmus contest.
All you have to do is send a nice picture of yourself to nancyenuks@gmail.com, telling us a little bit about u.  The winner of this contest gets #1500 airtime of his/her choice, this contest will run monthly..
Your picture will also be used on Glitmus side banner.
May the best face win.
Entry for june/july ends 11th July 2015..

HE CALLED ME "AUNTY"- by olivia dokubo

My job as a marketer takes me from one place to another all the time, i get to interact with all sorts of people, which can be fun, interesting, boring, and sometimes annoying. I boarded a bus today , that was around 3 in the afternoon and there was so much traffic and school pupils everywhere.When we got to a school bus stop, a little boy entered , he should be around 11 or 12 years old, from his uniform I could tell he was from the popular government craft school in port harcourt .He greeted everyone and I was shocked because the students from that school have the reputation of been rude,disrespectful and noisy,he just sat behind me and was very quiet only humming to the music from the radio.he recited every advert aired on wazobia fm with so much familiarity.
When we got to a junction,there was so much traffic we couldn't move,there was an italian tiles and furniture shop very close to the bus stop,they had transparent glasses so everyone could see what they displayed.The little boy suddenly shouted ''omoh eehh see bathtub, na to just enter dis place thief every single thing inside,waka commot'' . I was flabbergasted, I didn't understand why he thought stealing was the best, I decided to ask him ''why you go won thief am''.
he grinned ''aunty you no go understand,na dis kin thing big people dey enjoy na''.

I still didn't understand why he used the word collect instead of buy, i wanted to know, i was curious,why would stealing become the best option, and so i said ''if you work hard become big man you sef go fit buy am,no need to collect am '' he laughed and said '' na which time me go come become big man,get money to buy all this kind thing sef,na to collect am easy pass oh'' And i was shocked that this little boy would argue so strongly why''collecting it'' was better than owning it rightly.He didn't even believe he could work hard enough,earn honest money to buy the things he desired.This boy would be in the junior secondary level in high school and he had already made up his mind that ''collecting it'' was better.I couldn't say anything until he alighted "aunty bye bye"he said. I didn't know the elderly woman sitting close to me was listening to our little interaction, she told me "my dear,no be ur pikin,make u no worry too much for am,worry for the one wey you go born"But she didn't understand why i was worried,i felt i had failed to explain to that little boy,how much honest work pays,he had gone on with the mentality that "collecting" was okay,I should have at least told him that getting a bathtub shouldn't be his priority now,his books should be.I really feel guilty and i can't forget that he called me aunty.

quickie!!!!

mary's father has four daughters
the first is nene
the second is chioma
the third is faith
what is the name of the fourth daughter?

MEETING CHIM-AMAKA- part1

when I heard that my aunt had put to bed, I had mixed feelings, who wouldn't in this sort of situation,you see aunt G is my mother's elder sister , so as you can guess chim-amaka was a miracle baby. 
I was both happy and sad, happy because my aunt was so elated and one could sense how complete she felt, then i was sad because i would not be her baby anymore, my aunt was my second mother, there was such a striking resemblance between the both of us that people always assumed she was my mum as the daughter she never had or should i say now has.I LOVED spending my holidays at her house in Enugu, i kept her company and always remembered her birthday,mother's day and other important dates.
Then along came chim-amaka, who she named partly after me(my native name was nwamaka), i was in my hostel when the news of her delivery came, My mother was already talking of visiting the new mother and child, she was already talking baby gifts and inquiring if i would be available to visit aunt G with her. i immediately feigned too many classes,tests and approaching exams, i told her i will visit aunt G after my exams.
After my exams, it was one excuse after the other,the truth was i was practically jealous of a baby, i was jealous when my mother came home with pictures of her and announced her the most beautiful baby ever, i was angry at the way the world suddenly revolved around her,most of all, I was sad that my aunt did not call me as usual to check up on me.
chim-amaka was to blame for everything, i was going to pay her a visit soon enough....

THE NIGERIAN GIRL CHILD

The trend I have observed in our society is a rather funny one;the general lifestyle of most young females, the Nigerian girl child is beautiful, she is a gem, she is witty, she loves to dress, she likes the upbeat life, she loves church especially "praise and worship", all things beautiful are a must-have.

THE ACADEMICIAN:BY EWHORLU HACHITURU

Professor Longinus Ezekaku Agu was a well measured man of about 4 inches. He was endowed with a puny body and we guessed tiny veins and arteries as well. His petit nature was however not uniform with his five sense organs.
His eyes were great and saucer-like, bearing the intensity of a bird of prey. His lips were meaty and blackened around the edges by harmattan burns and well, his ears stood out evidently by the sides of his head like cocoyam leaves. Geez! we often wondered how he must have looked at birth.
"you have failed! virtually all of you have failed Equity!" he began as he embarked on a slow voyage round the lecture hall.
The class in its entirety was thrown into a state of hysteric laughter which was not as a result of what he'd said but because of his over-sized jumper and suspenders.
"hahahahaha!" he guffawed loudly like a native doctor at his shrine.
"e will do you like lightening. what is the doctrine of Election?...mhmmmmm...what is promissory Estoppel? creation story!" then he nodded his head pitifully.
"Excuse me sir!" a coursemate of ours said as he stood to talk.
" shut up and sit down! isi nkoko! what do you want to say? look at him, he's not even properly dressed. No tie, no belt. My friend get up!" all of a sudden, prof. Longinus was no longer interested in the mass failure that occured in his test.
"what is your name?" the prof. demanded
"Agu Secondus! i hail from Mbaise Local Government Area na Ala Imo state". the young man replied.
Like the sky on a sunny day, the rage on his face quickly dissipated.
the prof. smiled"Nna kedu?" his terribly spaced dentition became so evident.
"Odinma sa!" secondus replied.
"Emmmm...i think i saw your name. you scored 9 over 10." prof. Longinus quickly announced to him.
Hmmmmmm? my eyes goggled in wonder. Secondus was amongst the dick-heads in our class. How then did he manage to score 9?
"sir what about us?"the entire class was thrown into pandemonium.
"never mind my good students...unu ncha were A!" Prof quickly assured us.
Then we commenced our jubilation again"Equity! Equity!Equity!" we chanted in unison..

SEEING IS BELIEVING: BY EWHORLU HACHITURU

Prophetess:(rings bell) you will bring two pregnant mosquitoes...(she rings the small bell again and dances around in a circle) one cockroach eye...aye...aye...hmmmmmm...ho...ly! yes...yes! angels talk to me! (she blinks severally with a hand wedged at the back side of her right ear) okay! hmmmmmm...the fourth tooth of a lizard! aha! osuole o! the left eye of a chameleon! and fifty thousand!
response: (with a sour expression) ma but i don't have money.
prophetess:(in an enraged manner) taaarrrr! you have come to the wrong place!

ENGAGEMENT: EWHORLU HACHITURU

I watched as his little mouth danced around, trying to form words i had been anticipating for months infinite. He was perspiring profusely with his eyes dilating from time to time and his words tumbling out as mere whispering and stuttering. "you didn't go to a jewelry shop! why tell cheap lies?" i asked in furious pretence.his eyes turned sad "baby, you know i kneel before you in utmost truthfulness. do you want me to take you to the shop?" Collins was already up on his feet and had grabbed his car keys from the table."in the first place, what did you go to purchase from the jewelry shop?" i swept my gaze away from his and chuckled slightly. i knew what i was driving at. I wanted him to be bold and fearless when going after what he wanted."some earrings and necklaces for you." he replied in a shaky voice. a huge frown crept across my face but disappeared almost immediately. at this time of my life i didn't need earrings and necklaces anymore from jewelry shops. I'd had enough of them."alright then." i descended on the sofa and sulked a little. it was all good anyway. there was always gonna be another day for surprises. All of a sudden he knelt again in front of me and took my left hand."all this procedure for earrings and necklaces? seriously hon...?" and then he cut me off with the words "marry me!"i blinked twice to clear my eyes. perhaps i didn't hear well. no! i heard well. he just asked me to marry him. well, i just wore a hard expression and remained calm, not betraying any form of excitement.he picked up the glittering gold ring from the ring box and held it out, rolling it in between his thumb and forefinger "marry me!" he said again "bear my children!" he continued "i want you to manage me and our kids for the rest of our long lives! what do you say baby?"a slow smile began to spread like wildfire across my face and then after a long pause came my reply "did you honestly think i would let some other bitch manage you? yes i will marry you honey!" i screamed in elation to the top of my voice.the next thing i heard was "cut! cut! cut!"i knew i had gotten it right this time.

looooolllllzzz...i know i got your hopes spiking like that of a BP patient but never mind anyway...see it the way u want. 

MY APOLOGIES DEARIES!!!

hello dearies!!, happy new month everyone. I started this blog just as ordinarily as possible, it was just a hobby and still pretty much is
 what it fascinates me is the interest it has generated among my readers, never knew i had such a wonderful audience looking forward to every little post I manage to scribble, it is just a month since I started this little hobby of mine and surprisingly GLITMUS is almost grossing a total page-view of 1000. I am deeply grateful to you all for always taking out time to view this blog and i hope with time we learn to interact and make this blog a home, which is my utmost desire.
finally, I am deeply sorry for not making posts as frequently as I should, I will improve on that.thanks to everyone that asks why I have not made a post, you are my inspiration. love you all.

XENOPHOBISM!!!

It is almost impossible for any true African to ignore the recent ''killings'' in south Africa, yes!, that's what they are, it is cold blooded murder in daylight. i shed tears when i saw those pictures, it will be hard not to cry out against this monster that threatens to destroy the very essence of Africa .

.South Africa is a top travel destination for wealthy Africans because of its proximity and developed infrastructure of which Zimbabweans make up the largest of immigrants. 

sadly, this is not the first time such is happening in south Africa, XENOPHOBIA simply put means fear of the unknown or strangers, so what i if i may ask is strange about another AFRICAN?, Victims of xenophobic attacks have been from various African nations, including Nigeria, Somalia and Ethiopia.this is the handiwork of some hardhearted murderers and thieves, let us not give it names, this is crime against one's own race.

ALL HAIL THE AMBASSADOR!!!

Victor Obichiri AKA Ambassador Victor is a young fast rising gospel artiste based in Port harcourt, he attributes his music career to the fact that his birth is a miracle being the only child of his parents,

Victor likens himself to Samuel in the bible and states clearly that music is what he knows how to do best. The Ever-smiling Ambassador,who is currently a student of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology is launching his first ALBUM titled EVOLUTION on the 25th of APRIL,2015,Red carpet starts by 3pm at the KINGDOM LIFE GOSPEL CHURCH, Orazi off market junction, mile4,Port-Harcourt. The Ambassador is an artiste to watch out for!!!  download and listen to his song "ELU" by clicking on the link below .www.kingdomboiz.com/music/Ambassador-Victor---Elu._713.html

MR.HANDSOME: BY EWHORLU HACHITURU

Jake could swear she was staring right back at him. He quickly blinked and turned away, only to steal another surreptitious gaze at her. he caught her eyes again and looked away, chuckling quietly to himself. there was never a place he went without creating an impression.
Then a thought sprang up in his mind.
letting his towel fall to the interlocked floor, Jake ascended from the sun lounger he was seated and stood for a while facing the pool, giving her an unreserved view of his fine toned expanse of flesh. he was clad in nothing but a body-hugging soccer pant, leaving nothing to the imagination of women who had come to get immersed in the pool. he peered at the endowed light-skinned girl at the other end and smiled to himself when he saw how flushed her cheeks had become.
without further hesitation, Jake took a swift jump and launched himself into the clear water. water splashed so high that one would have thought a comet had landed at the base of the pool. he began displaying his swimming skills, employing both back stroke, butterfly stroke and all what not, still holding her gaze infinitely.

Moments later he emerged from the pool, dripping wet with water. pearls of the clear water glistened evidently on his skin and the manner in which his pants stuck to his well-formed butt was mouth-watering.
From his peripheral vision, he thought he could see somebody ambling all the way from the other end towards him. Jake could feel his bulge dancing violently inside his pants. He closed his eyes and nearly felt his heart burst when he discovered she was the one. she moved with such feminine gait that her thighs swung with such slow rhythmic movement that could drive a man nuts.
"hi" she greeted when she'd reached where he was.
Jake looked up just then with a sensuous smile "hi there." he replied.
she grinned ear to ear and extended her hand for a handshake "Susie Willis."
he took her hand and caressed it gently "Jake Brown." his gaze couldn't help but linger on her unblemished face.
"how often do you come around this place?" her voice was so soft. Jake could hear the thunderous gallop of his heart "very often."
she paused a bit and began blushing again "you're very good-looking. i couldn't help but notice." she couldn't help but chuckle.
Jake did same "and you're very attractive."
she shook her head in affirmation "yes. thank you." then added "would you like to model for our company?"
Jake felt his smile fade "wait you're an agent?"
she bobbed in the affirmative "yes and i think you are perfect for our next advert on briefs and condoms."
Jake forced a half-faced smile and he didn't know when he flopped down on his sun lounger chair.
She slipped her hand into her handbag and retrieved her complimentary card. "call me if you're interested. i really think you'll do great." she handed it over to him and smiled before swaying her thighs out of sight.
"o what i missed!" Jake exclaimed in red-faced disappointment.

IT'S MY GIRL!!

Little Matters Affecting Us..... And yes God first


In the spirit of easter kindly vote blog reader and my friend FAVOUR UZOSIKE as the face of prestige for the ongoing contest, voting ends on the 12TH of April 2015, you can vote as many times as possible but within an interval of two days, click on the link below to vote, thanks..such a beauty right?

PRIORITIES!!!!!!!

Little Matters Affecting Us..... And yes God first

Last Sunday, I was coming back from church with a friend( let's call her Z), it was mother's day and I recall telling her that I needed to call my mum, that was when it happened; the taxi we were in was passing through a street(single lane), and suddenly the car came to a halt, I looked out and noticed that a jeep was in a face-off with our driver, in the car was a woman with her kids(2) all dressed like they were also returning from church, cars were literally lining up behind us, everyone was begging this woman "madam, abeg reverse" because there were no cars behind her, someone even blurted out in frustration "shei, you from church dey come" but she remained adamant.
On a hot Sunday afternoon my people, this woman put off her car, parked right in the middle of the road, insisting that all the other cars reverse instead.
I didnt really understand her, what was this about? Was it about feminism? Or about proving who was right?, all I know is that we were sweating under that hot sun for almost 30minutes o, until a police van came along, never been happier to see the po-po. Abeg who understands what she was trying to prove???

THE PRICE- PART1

Little Matters Affecting Us..... And yes God first



"The sun is too bright" was all she thought about as walked down the ever busy east-west road,Choba, wondering if she had just heard the self acclaimed faculty officer; Mr Daniel correctly,  "you will not graduate" he had said,with such evil zeal and a smirk as if reminding her of all the times she had so politely turned him down.
"Here see your spreadsheet,your Ges400 is a missing script,we cannot clear you if it is not found",  she had pleaded remembering how well she wrote that last paper and reminding him that the papers were submitted to him being the examiner of the day, all he managed to mutter was "but Cynthia, you are  wicked oo,you know i can talk to Mr obi to just pass you in this course , you want me to help you but you are about leaving Uniport without doing something for me, you stingy sha".
Sir, pls help me i cannot have an extra year,I wrote that exam she said breaking down in tears,then like a predator who had finally cornered lunch he roared "get out of my office!! come back next year and write the course or if you want my help, you know what to do" and immediately feigned seriousness.
"The sun is too bright" she thought to herself while walking down the road,something had to be done and fast too..

THOU SHALL NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE NOR PROPERTY:

Little Matters Affecting Us..... And yes God first


Perhaps we are too familiar with these lines, when we were little we even said them in a sing-song way. It is THE 10TH COMMMANDMENT. usually this commandment is taken quite lightly by christians, some feel God maybe wanted to complete the commandments(right?) , we wonder why we would want our neighbour's stuff, we forget that he is GOD, infallible, never making a mistake. it wasn't until this evening that i understood the source of our problems in life; COVETOUSNESS, to COVET means to desire earnestly almost to the point of ENVY,its the reason why you wanted the denim jacket you saw on your friend and stole money to buy it, the reason why Paul sleeps with John's wife, it is the reason why the extra piece of meat is taken,it is also why you envy and backbite.. Let us take a pause; realise at this instant that the 10TH COMMANDMENT is everything, when we break it, it could lead to commiting any of the previous 9 COMMANDMENTS. God knows what we need, he gives us the needed tools to acquire that which is meant for you, the 10TH COMMANDMENT says it all, admire the good things in life but do not wish to have what is for the next person, as our faces are different, SO IS OUR PURPOSE. Do not be anyone else but yourself..

DO NOT WEEP

Little Matters Affecting Us..... And yes God first

I wrote this piece in memory of every loved lost one, you see sometime in 2013, i lost my elder brother he was just 24, the hurt is something we all might not be able to reckon with, but here goes,IN MEMORY OF ENUKOHA KAYITONNA ARTHUR. MISS YOU LOVE!!!!

DO NOT WEEP

I am gone, do not weep

My treasures,do not keep

Give to those in need deep

My memories please do not sweep

Do not look for me weeping

I lay still no more, not sleeping

Flying with the wind whistling

Dwelling in hearts, love guarding

Thinking of me does not warrant crying

Beautiful memories like mine are worth smiling

I should not have left so soon

But time is not a friend to my cocoon

In the waters flowing every morn

In the eyes of the tender newborn

Soaring,staring from above

Whispering "it is amazing being with God"

I was born many years ago, I do want to have a voice,most days i feel like a baby, smiling at everyone with all my words trapped inside... This is my voice. Scratch that its yours. Letting go of them now, one day at a time..Enjoy Reading..
God in little matters affecting us-glitmus