Hard to choose, but the first ones I ever saw were Match Point and Anything Else. Anything Else was offbeat (Christina Ricci) while Match Point was both commercial and sophisticated at the same time. Top Five, for sure.
I had a Woody Allen-watching binge in 2015, who knows I may have seen ten of his films in one year. The most arthouse of them, reportedly modeled after Ingmar Bergman, is Interiors. If you like capital F Film, you must watch this. If you can't stand sad reality, then avoid. Woody Allen has a few oft-repeated themes, one of them is what conservative people might tag marriage-bashing. See Husbands and Wives to continue the education. What's New Pussycat? to see Peter O'Toole join the fun. It's a very old film and took me several tries to stop falling asleep. Hollywood Ending if you want to see true love win in the end - no, you won't fall asleep.
Before the binge, I saw and loved Midnight in Paris. Then the binge gave me two related experiences that I love just as much: Magic in the Moonlight + The Purple Rose of Cairo. Mmua, all three of them. Mmua.
My binge started with finally getting to the end of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It's an interesting film because, this guy knows how to romance places - Barcelona in this case, because he knows what to do with Scarlett Johansson (or ScarJo just plain always knows what to do; be good, bad, dangerous, imperfect, and alluring on film), because Javier Bardem looks the way he does, because Penelope Cruz sounds the way she does, and because it's generally not alright in real life to share romance in the way this movie depicts.
I think I've seen Whatever Works in a theater, though I'm fuzzy on details like Anything Else. They must have been alike, with a very good lead actor playing a very jaded or rebellious character that makes untraditional choices for their sexual relationship(s). I almost forgot about Manhattan. It must have been like Husbands and Wives, but with less drama. A Russian student had his (Woody's) attention, I think. Love and Death had more colour and more Russian and more explicit humour; a very theatrical experience, even if the story line evades me.
To Rome With Love I think I saw without subtitles - oops. I ditched Take The Money and Run because it seemed super-stupid; not my genre. The critics always say Annie Hall is his greatest, guess I'll have to watch that again. It seemed funny, quirky, and romance-y enough.
Next, I'm going to see Fading Gigolo (I hear it's boring, un sympathique petit film as someone called it - which is often my thing), and New York Stories (I hope he's in his element in his city.) Then maybe Play It Again, Sam and Paris-Manhattan will be next?
Advertisement: Read my books.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Thursday, December 31, 2015
My top five music+video experiences of 2015
1. "untitled", by Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar performed an Untitled song on the Colbert Report, December 2014
just before completely owning the music of 2015
2. Awww, by Di'Ja
Puppy love, awww...
3. Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars)
Shake it, but please don't break it.
4. Adventure of a Lifetime, by Coldplay
A for effort.
5. Watch Me, by Silentó
This counts as gym time.
Have a brilliant year!
Bonus:
Kendrick Lamar on youtube with videos off the Butterfly album "i", King Kunta, Alright, For Free, and These Walls leading the way;
in stunning live performances on Stephen Colbert's shows, at the Kennedy Center, with Ellen DeGeneres, at the Grammy and BET awards;
and fairly stealing the show as a featured artist with Jidenna, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, and other friends.
Kendrick Lamar performed an Untitled song on the Colbert Report, December 2014
just before completely owning the music of 2015
2. Awww, by Di'Ja
Puppy love, awww...
3. Uptown Funk, by Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars)
Shake it, but please don't break it.
4. Adventure of a Lifetime, by Coldplay
A for effort.
5. Watch Me, by Silentó
This counts as gym time.
Have a brilliant year!
Advertisement:
Bonus:
Kendrick Lamar on youtube with videos off the Butterfly album "i", King Kunta, Alright, For Free, and These Walls leading the way;
in stunning live performances on Stephen Colbert's shows, at the Kennedy Center, with Ellen DeGeneres, at the Grammy and BET awards;
and fairly stealing the show as a featured artist with Jidenna, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, and other friends.
I'm done here #ToPimpAButterfly pic.twitter.com/nXRwMRxURA
— David McQueen ♕ (@DavidMcQueen) March 18, 2015
Friday, December 18, 2015
Wake me up when it's all over
This is what we've been going through:
Very dry weather, with humidity plumbing levels below 20% daily, which is more or less outside the range of experience according to this graph.
A lot of people
- feel cold, like in any desert, the temperature ranges wider now that it's dry - colder nights/mornings, hotter afternoons.
- can't stand the dust and pollution. Sometimes I can taste sand.
- have actually got colds, the flu or such. I have. I ended up taking medicine.
- feel super hungry. Last week was the worst - I just had to keep eating. It felt crazy to be hungry every hour or two, but what could I do? Some people just report feeling thirsty.
- don't want to get out of bed. I'm sure it's for times like this that our more organic-living brethren (including the burrowing crew) discovered hibernation.
Biologically, we would probably do well to shut it down and get back to the business of money and such in January. But we have calendars to run.
I feel lazy. I feel like King David, walking through the cold valley of the dark shadow of harmattan. In two weeks, I will break through to the other side. I fear no evil. This too shall pass.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Very dry weather, with humidity plumbing levels below 20% daily, which is more or less outside the range of experience according to this graph.
![]() |
| Climate data for Ikeja/Lagos, Relative Humidity in % Average Max (blue) and Min (brown) with percentile bands 25th-75th (dark) and 10th - 90th (light) |
- feel cold, like in any desert, the temperature ranges wider now that it's dry - colder nights/mornings, hotter afternoons.
- can't stand the dust and pollution. Sometimes I can taste sand.
- have actually got colds, the flu or such. I have. I ended up taking medicine.
- feel super hungry. Last week was the worst - I just had to keep eating. It felt crazy to be hungry every hour or two, but what could I do? Some people just report feeling thirsty.
- don't want to get out of bed. I'm sure it's for times like this that our more organic-living brethren (including the burrowing crew) discovered hibernation.
Biologically, we would probably do well to shut it down and get back to the business of money and such in January. But we have calendars to run.
I feel lazy. I feel like King David, walking through the cold valley of the dark shadow of harmattan. In two weeks, I will break through to the other side. I fear no evil. This too shall pass.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Charmed to be in the blog neighbourhood
People are still doing this blog thing.
This is what happened when I clicked the relic "Next Blog" link at the top of this blogger page: Blog 1, which led me to Blog 2, Next Blog 3, Blog 4, then Blog 5.
Their themes -
art: illustration, painting, photos, technique, babies and children.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
This is what happened when I clicked the relic "Next Blog" link at the top of this blogger page: Blog 1, which led me to Blog 2, Next Blog 3, Blog 4, then Blog 5.
Their themes -
art: illustration, painting, photos, technique, babies and children.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Friday, November 27, 2015
I'm Poe
Nigeria's very own.
Poe. Africa's finest. What - you don't like tall, dark, and handsome? Ok, hear him on this utterly adorable track: ADORE HER. Video coming soon, I bet.
Eye candy gigs: He's in that music video for Awww, with Di'Ja ; and Marry Me, with Falz and Yemi Alade starring as the hilarious couple at Poe's wedding.
Then he's in his own videos, like New Era and Ko Ye Won. What are the words to describe this rap style tho'? Calmly confident? Yeah, he's a Taurus kid alright.
He has this really smooth mellow vibe on mature tracks like Slow It Down and Feel Alright. Call it Palm-wine music. The dude real name Ladipo Eso, sometimes @Ladipoe online, is a poet, a bit like Edgar Allan hehehe. Besides music and flow, he also (apparently) loves the gym, the books, and healthcare.
He has a tiny bit of a naughty side "get in that Benz you Sexy Bitch"
but he's so smart and everything that your mother would completely approve of him,
or want him for herself ;)
No seriously. He's like Madonna's next protégé or something.
Poe. Africa's finest. What - you don't like tall, dark, and handsome? Ok, hear him on this utterly adorable track: ADORE HER. Video coming soon, I bet.
Eye candy gigs: He's in that music video for Awww, with Di'Ja ; and Marry Me, with Falz and Yemi Alade starring as the hilarious couple at Poe's wedding.
Then he's in his own videos, like New Era and Ko Ye Won. What are the words to describe this rap style tho'? Calmly confident? Yeah, he's a Taurus kid alright.
We Taureans Rule!
The Lord has blessed me with bars
but what he did with my patience? I don't know.
- in The Island (from the Icarus EP, long time ago)
He has this really smooth mellow vibe on mature tracks like Slow It Down and Feel Alright. Call it Palm-wine music. The dude real name Ladipo Eso, sometimes @Ladipoe online, is a poet, a bit like Edgar Allan hehehe. Besides music and flow, he also (apparently) loves the gym, the books, and healthcare.
He has a tiny bit of a naughty side "get in that Benz you Sexy Bitch"
but he's so smart and everything that your mother would completely approve of him,
or want him for herself ;)
No seriously. He's like Madonna's next protégé or something.
They say abeg do this
say abeg do that
Abeg, Guy, Fuck you! I'm above all that.
Advertisement: Read my books.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Wrestling in real life
“Those small boys beat you, and you are crying?” Aunt said,
then gave her permission to beat them back next time. “Let them also cry and go and tell their
parents.”
The boys did not disappoint; the next time she was down the
street one yelled “baby girl” in that accent, his brother said “my fine-fine
wife” and one of the two flicked an African almond fruit at her. It made contact, which was what she had been
waiting for.
She rushed at them with the fury of a creaking lorry.
“Pow!” and one of the boys was on the ground. The other she tripped with her knee to the
back of his leg – Taekwondo. He dragged
her down with him, but her free hand, then the other hand, went to his
throat. “Say sorry,” she said, between
massive gasps.
As the other boy landed blows on her back, she only pushed
down harder and repeated her demand, “say sorry!” in a voice now transformed
into a witch-like howl.
“Sorry. Sorry. Chi-hu-so sorry.”
The fighting stopped.
A lizard nodded. Before getting
up, Chibuzo wanted assurance. “Which one
of you will stone me again?”
“Just leave my brother alone,” said the younger, while his
brother caught his breath. “We will
never disturb you again.”
I wrote this fight last month and submitted it for a flash-fiction prize (the Etisalat prize), but it appears to have disappeared from the contest, so I'm posting it myself.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Wednesday, November 04, 2015
Be a clown, be a clown, all the world loves a clown
Musician Falz is a complete idiot. I can only aspire to such levels of, em, stupor.
Watch
Me
Try
in
These
Text
Skits
+ Day +One: In which I (tosinbird)
track down Folarin, the Barrister Lawyer, aka Falz the Bahd Guy, on social media
and proceed to make a fool of myself
#1 Storming instagram: In which I
1. cry and cry
2. let those floozies know that I am Senior Teacher, his Legally Wedded Wife.
#2 Home alone: In which I
recruit Michelle Obama to watch over my precious hubby while they're working in the Arabian desert.
#3 Couple's prayer:
In which I pour out my heart regarding my needs -
twins and the action required to get the twins,
gifts like flight tickets and an iPhone-with-camera,
and le good work, because h'am need it, hallelujah.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Watch
Me
Try
in
These
Text
Skits
+ Day +One: In which I (tosinbird)
track down Folarin, the Barrister Lawyer, aka Falz the Bahd Guy, on social media
and proceed to make a fool of myself
#1 Storming instagram: In which I
1. cry and cry
2. let those floozies know that I am Senior Teacher, his Legally Wedded Wife.
#2 Home alone: In which I
recruit Michelle Obama to watch over my precious hubby while they're working in the Arabian desert.
#3 Couple's prayer:
In which I pour out my heart regarding my needs -
twins and the action required to get the twins,
gifts like flight tickets and an iPhone-with-camera,
and le good work, because h'am need it, hallelujah.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Monday, November 02, 2015
The freedom to thrive, not merely to be, AND a fun-tastic analysis of freedom in marriage
"Negative liberty is the freedom from interference by other people. FREEDOM FROM..."
"Positive liberty is the possession of the power and resources to fulfill one's own potential. FREEDOM TO..."
Wikipedia / Google
States do both of these things:
1. help secure my negative freedom, for example by deterring rapists, robbers, and assassins from attacking me
2. reduce my positive freedom, with laws, laws, laws. This is forbidden, that is required, and the other is punishable by imprisonment.
This bargain I accept to some extent, realizing that nothing good comes free.
Not only states, but other authorities have dual impacts on my freedom.
For example:
Positive liberty postponed: School would sometimes give you future power in the form of knowledge in exchange for current boredom - restricted movement, restricted course choices, restricted hobbies/activites.
Negative liberty sacrificed: As a public figure, like a politician or a celebrity, strange people lay selfish claims to your time and personal space. You have to care or pretend to care about trivial things, pick up the phone, sign an autograph, endure gossip and slander. In exchange, you gain power.
Positive freedom is the freedom to thrive, not merely to be! (Poetic, huh?)
............
(Because the instruction says feel free to be creative with this post,) here's one more example:
Marriage can increase freedom in many ways:
- by providing food, home, peace, caring, and money, one feels "settled down" and no longer buffeted by a harsh world. In fact, mapping out one's own home-territory is the ultimate in negative freedom
- by supporting each individual's activities towards achieving life's potential
- by creating opportunities for collaboration between the married people, including the making of children, but also other social, spiritual, economic, and creative collaboration.
But marriage can take back what it gives:
- it is a possessive relationship in which people lay claim to each other - MY husband, MY wife , for LIFE !
- it may feel like unpaid labour and slavery for one or more parties (excessive cooking and housework, excessive scolding and abuse, excessive financial or other demands),
- it may restrict activities that can be carried on while married (cultural need to spend inordinate amounts of time together, less interaction with other people, can't learn new things and can't change freely without considering the effect on spouse, can't move to a new country without carrying family along, in some cultures you can't marry other people, in some others you can't freely befriend or relate with other people)
- it may take away your food (half if you share one income and are poor, more when you have children), home (when you lose it in a divorce), peace (when you fight), health (the stress of living with someone you can't stand, the sharing of diseases ), caring (jealousy makes your closest partner your deadliest foe) and/or money (costly marriage ceremony, large expenses in marriage, costly divorce proceedings)
Conclusion: choose wisely, and good luck ;)
Note: I wrote this for a quick assignment in Alexander Guerrero's Coursera + U.Penn. Legal and Political Philosophy course. Coursera can be so much fun! (And loads of work.)
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
"Positive liberty is the possession of the power and resources to fulfill one's own potential. FREEDOM TO..."
Wikipedia / Google
States do both of these things:
1. help secure my negative freedom, for example by deterring rapists, robbers, and assassins from attacking me
2. reduce my positive freedom, with laws, laws, laws. This is forbidden, that is required, and the other is punishable by imprisonment.
This bargain I accept to some extent, realizing that nothing good comes free.
Not only states, but other authorities have dual impacts on my freedom.
For example:
Positive liberty postponed: School would sometimes give you future power in the form of knowledge in exchange for current boredom - restricted movement, restricted course choices, restricted hobbies/activites.
Negative liberty sacrificed: As a public figure, like a politician or a celebrity, strange people lay selfish claims to your time and personal space. You have to care or pretend to care about trivial things, pick up the phone, sign an autograph, endure gossip and slander. In exchange, you gain power.
Positive freedom is the freedom to thrive, not merely to be! (Poetic, huh?)
............
(Because the instruction says feel free to be creative with this post,) here's one more example:
Marriage can increase freedom in many ways:
- by providing food, home, peace, caring, and money, one feels "settled down" and no longer buffeted by a harsh world. In fact, mapping out one's own home-territory is the ultimate in negative freedom
- by supporting each individual's activities towards achieving life's potential
- by creating opportunities for collaboration between the married people, including the making of children, but also other social, spiritual, economic, and creative collaboration.
But marriage can take back what it gives:
- it is a possessive relationship in which people lay claim to each other - MY husband, MY wife , for LIFE !
- it may feel like unpaid labour and slavery for one or more parties (excessive cooking and housework, excessive scolding and abuse, excessive financial or other demands),
- it may restrict activities that can be carried on while married (cultural need to spend inordinate amounts of time together, less interaction with other people, can't learn new things and can't change freely without considering the effect on spouse, can't move to a new country without carrying family along, in some cultures you can't marry other people, in some others you can't freely befriend or relate with other people)
- it may take away your food (half if you share one income and are poor, more when you have children), home (when you lose it in a divorce), peace (when you fight), health (the stress of living with someone you can't stand, the sharing of diseases ), caring (jealousy makes your closest partner your deadliest foe) and/or money (costly marriage ceremony, large expenses in marriage, costly divorce proceedings)
Conclusion: choose wisely, and good luck ;)
Note: I wrote this for a quick assignment in Alexander Guerrero's Coursera + U.Penn. Legal and Political Philosophy course. Coursera can be so much fun! (And loads of work.)
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Friday, October 09, 2015
Nigeria time (GMT +1)
Finally changed the time zones for publishing my blogs :) Three of five used to be stamped with Pacific/California time, one with local Lagos time, while this blog used to publish from Cairo. Took me how many years to switch?
You should check them all out: NewsBuka for Nigeria community and governance news and commentary. UpNaira for business and financial, money and development. REALbubbler for entertainment, arts, culture, and lifestyle. XBubbler for mathematics, analysis, and education. And this (LifeLib) for whatever I want, since 2004.
making the internet a better place.
You're welcome.
My fridge smells. There's an unopened pack of 'frozen' cauliflower in the freezer but who knows why there hasn't been electricity for the fridge for a day or longer. None of my business anyway, it'll come back. The inverter is doing its merry thing so I can still play music and live normal and there's water. Some people say when they hear of my beautiful life: it's like you don't live in Nigeria. Nna, no be me, na God.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
You should check them all out: NewsBuka for Nigeria community and governance news and commentary. UpNaira for business and financial, money and development. REALbubbler for entertainment, arts, culture, and lifestyle. XBubbler for mathematics, analysis, and education. And this (LifeLib) for whatever I want, since 2004.
- You should check them all out now and return regularly.
- I'm speeding up the metabolism on NewsBuka, trying to make it a debate-friendly space, that is, to build a community of hangers-out not just passers-through.
- Something's wrong with the format on UpNaira, the links are coloured too light and I can't find the right balance - to bold or not to bold, to contrast with the black font or contrast with the white background, to increase font size by how much - for readability.
- REALbubbler is as cheesy as you like, design-wise, but at least it's very bold and unique. In my view, it's not just a lazy entertainment feed, it actually trains you to be creative. Here's a guarantee - if you gorge on REALbubbler even half as much as I do for a few months, you will become a more competent creative mo-fo, or your no-money back.
- I'm addicted to REALbubbler: I smoke my own dope. In fact, I assembled it for myself first. 2011. Broke at work, had to do something before I killed someone. It was an inspiring job, a great time all around. That's how one of the key stories of my novel started too - I was angry and wrote a tale of a love triangle in which the annoying person was spurned for their 'subordinate', with me of course cast as The Center Of The Universe - Zuzu the nurse.
- I nearly ruined XBubbler because I made a klutzy address change six months ago that cost about 90% of traffic. If somebody else had done that to my darling math blog - fire. If the world really needs my math blog, the visitors will come back.
- You know, sometimes I read business/productivity articles about the need to delegate and um, guess that's not what I've been doing. I have instead a need to automate, to delegate to inanimate objects. Thank you, engineering school. Thank you, blessed congenital laziness. As for delegating to humans, well, I do have a need to inspire, motivate, and go home happy knowing that all these other people would do the right thing.
making the internet a better place.
You're welcome.
My fridge smells. There's an unopened pack of 'frozen' cauliflower in the freezer but who knows why there hasn't been electricity for the fridge for a day or longer. None of my business anyway, it'll come back. The inverter is doing its merry thing so I can still play music and live normal and there's water. Some people say when they hear of my beautiful life: it's like you don't live in Nigeria. Nna, no be me, na God.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Listening Party: Hear Ye!
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Deskgram
I decided to add instagram to the long list of stuff I use on the internet. Had to borrow my sister's cracked-screen phone to do it because, get this - while you can ogle nice photos on laptop/web instagram, you can't get an account that way.
Ouh-kay.
So I have an account. Today I decided to add a fabulous photo. Asked google how, since instagram wouldn't let me - my 'membership' means I can comment and like (heart), that's it. Found out about BlueStacks App Player in a comments section of a how-to article. The program works by creating a false phone environment on your regular computer so that you can run phone apps, including Instagram.
In the middle of installing that, I found another option in the same comments section - Deskgram.
It's the more intuitive answer - I just want to bloody post a picture and don't really need all the firepower offered by the general app player. I don't want the ability to also use the app stores to get any app in the world or whatever.
Deskgram also appeals to my need to not 'learn' Android. I mean, I just want to post a bloody picture.
I never learned to navigate an Apple Mac, or iPhone iPod iPad. I never learned the jumpy-screen Windows-after-Windows7 experiments. I think it was called Vista or something? Windows, then Vista. View through the window. Seriously.
Thankfully Windows 10 is bringing the 'Start button' back. Like seriously, you need to figure out how I'm using the computer and match that, or wait till I get round to testing your new UI idea pro bono.
It costs quite a bit of mindspace to learn a new interface like this phone thing with its scrolling swiping, autocorrect, and all that jazz. Even if the new interface is pretty. Very pretty. It's worth downloading BlueStacks just to see this prettiness: for example, instead of the status bar while you wait for your download (2.2% completed etc) you get a slideshow of gorgeous screenshots of the games (Angry Birds and such) you'll soon have access to. Time flies while you're having such fun.
But now I'm going to uninstall bluestacks. The application required my google password. Which makes me feel insecure. That's like, really private information. Like, would you 69 on a blind date? Deskgram only needs my instagram password. That's a handshake - I'd share that with anybody.
There are lots of other things to gripe about, but I'd better pace myself :) :D
Like, think:
How did phones become flat - whose idea was that? So we evolved from 3D serpentine to rectangular blocks? I find myself wishing for product design to take over that space.
And how many phone-makers put the typewriter-keyboard on the screen. Ouh-kay, I guess that works for some people. I like the classic/physical keypad a la Blackberry, so I can work.
I do love the fact that they now have colours. Loved that from the minute I saw it, Nokia-now-Microsoft.
Oh, and how useless are the banks in this country? Reliably useless. I constantly forget that.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Ouh-kay.
So I have an account. Today I decided to add a fabulous photo. Asked google how, since instagram wouldn't let me - my 'membership' means I can comment and like (heart), that's it. Found out about BlueStacks App Player in a comments section of a how-to article. The program works by creating a false phone environment on your regular computer so that you can run phone apps, including Instagram.
In the middle of installing that, I found another option in the same comments section - Deskgram.
It's the more intuitive answer - I just want to bloody post a picture and don't really need all the firepower offered by the general app player. I don't want the ability to also use the app stores to get any app in the world or whatever.
Deskgram also appeals to my need to not 'learn' Android. I mean, I just want to post a bloody picture.
I never learned to navigate an Apple Mac, or iPhone iPod iPad. I never learned the jumpy-screen Windows-after-Windows7 experiments. I think it was called Vista or something? Windows, then Vista. View through the window. Seriously.
Thankfully Windows 10 is bringing the 'Start button' back. Like seriously, you need to figure out how I'm using the computer and match that, or wait till I get round to testing your new UI idea pro bono.
It costs quite a bit of mindspace to learn a new interface like this phone thing with its scrolling swiping, autocorrect, and all that jazz. Even if the new interface is pretty. Very pretty. It's worth downloading BlueStacks just to see this prettiness: for example, instead of the status bar while you wait for your download (2.2% completed etc) you get a slideshow of gorgeous screenshots of the games (Angry Birds and such) you'll soon have access to. Time flies while you're having such fun.
But now I'm going to uninstall bluestacks. The application required my google password. Which makes me feel insecure. That's like, really private information. Like, would you 69 on a blind date? Deskgram only needs my instagram password. That's a handshake - I'd share that with anybody.
![]() |
| Now let me go and add this picture, abeg. - @tosinbird |
Like, think:
How did phones become flat - whose idea was that? So we evolved from 3D serpentine to rectangular blocks? I find myself wishing for product design to take over that space.
And how many phone-makers put the typewriter-keyboard on the screen. Ouh-kay, I guess that works for some people. I like the classic/physical keypad a la Blackberry, so I can work.
I do love the fact that they now have colours. Loved that from the minute I saw it, Nokia-now-Microsoft.
Oh, and how useless are the banks in this country? Reliably useless. I constantly forget that.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Friday, August 21, 2015
everybody's screaming Compton
...Stick a flag in my city - everybody screaming Compton - I should pro'bly run for mayor when I'm done, to be honest...
- Kendrick Lamar (King Kunta)
Veteran musician Dr. Dre has just released a music album and movie about that scary 'hood.
Compton, where Yetunde, big sister of Venus and Serena Williams was killed in a mindless drive-by shooting.
I remember when my little sisters wanted to go out to Compton for a New Year's party. Or was it Carson? They'll remember it as Fun December 2004. Anyway, no, anywhere but there, sweeties. Y'all 'bout to give me a heart attack :) so I shepherded them to a party in the whiter, bourgie-r, safer hillside town of Altadena.
Maybe I'll see the Straight Outta Compton film at some point, and try out the music too, but meanwhile here's the effect these hip-hoppers have had on media interest in "Compton"
For comparison, at the top (yellow) is Africa and in red is Nigeria, both of which spike in popularity for football and only for football - L and M coincide with the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa, while G marks the 2014 World Cup where Nigeria almost made the quarterfinals.
Right now, Compton (population ~100,000) is a bigger deal than Lagos (population > 20 million) and even Nigeria, and all because of a movie.
There's a lesson here: it's so easy to build a city. Keywords: Lekki. Ikeja. Oregun. dot-biz. Chambers of Commerce. I'm just saying, let's BE the local government we want to see.
Advertisement: Read Three Sisters, my novel #1 here ##
- Kendrick Lamar (King Kunta)
Veteran musician Dr. Dre has just released a music album and movie about that scary 'hood.
Compton, where Yetunde, big sister of Venus and Serena Williams was killed in a mindless drive-by shooting.
I remember when my little sisters wanted to go out to Compton for a New Year's party. Or was it Carson? They'll remember it as Fun December 2004. Anyway, no, anywhere but there, sweeties. Y'all 'bout to give me a heart attack :) so I shepherded them to a party in the whiter, bourgie-r, safer hillside town of Altadena.
Maybe I'll see the Straight Outta Compton film at some point, and try out the music too, but meanwhile here's the effect these hip-hoppers have had on media interest in "Compton"
![]() |
| Google Trends: Compton (in blue) is ten times more popular than, basically, ever |
Right now, Compton (population ~100,000) is a bigger deal than Lagos (population > 20 million) and even Nigeria, and all because of a movie.
![]() |
| Wikipedia: Compton is youthful 'working-class' and black, but has produced great musicians |
There's a lesson here: it's so easy to build a city. Keywords: Lekki. Ikeja. Oregun. dot-biz. Chambers of Commerce. I'm just saying, let's BE the local government we want to see.
Advertisement: Read Three Sisters, my novel #1 here ##
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Dance Party: Timbuctu Nights
Black Beat Noir Negro Alf Laila Leggo!
Tonight by Bigiano
Ewele by ShowDemCamp (SDC)
Crazy by Seyi Shay (ft Wizkid)
Advertisement: Read my books.
Tonight by Bigiano
Ewele by ShowDemCamp (SDC)
Crazy by Seyi Shay (ft Wizkid)
Advertisement: Read my books.
Friday, July 03, 2015
over-sharing highlights from one year ago
Tomorrow is July 4th, which means that one year ago we were in Barcelona for little sister K's wedding.
It was just this morning I finally "created" a virtual museum post on REALbubbler, so now, excited about the coincidence, I checked my little book and found that woah, indeed, on Day 6 of that trip, July 3rd, in the morning, among other things I'd hung out for hours at the Catalonia History Museum. Yep, the one I lovingly nicknamed The Museo Nacionale de Fake Shit. The one that inspired me more than anything else I saw in that town - I said, wow, these people make something out of nothing, every time, while losers make excuses. You know how in developing (or non-developing) countries, it's always blah blah due to the issues of inadequate this and non-availability of that and low funding and lack of capital... Now, these people made a museum with very few valuable artifacts; most of the exhibits were replicas or reproductions of the originals. Kudos to the can-do, get-it-done spirit. And I came back home and explored the idea of a virtual museum and found a few good examples.
If this was an anonymous blog, here would be more excitement. (I'll try not to edit too much.) It is incredible how much I saw and did in just seven days, I mean, I'm incredible, lol. If I had a decent camera, I'd just photograph the short pages of my notes to show you. Am I the only person left who doesn't carry a cracked-screen phone complete with video camera and Candy Crush?
Ok, here's the summary page at the end of my 10 pages of notes from the trip:
Highlights
You know I loved a boy.
My father loved our date.
The wedding was lovely.
The croquette at the wedding reception.
The kiss that sanctified air.
Lessons
I speak beginner to intermediate Spanish. Better than I thought.
You can charge admission to a museum of fake shit. Maybe even an online museum.
Wow, so much to explain all at once. Where do I start? No, I don't even remember what sanctifying air means, but it must have been really something :) That was Day 3. By Day 4, I'd been dumped but didn't know it until Day 5 or 6 when I'd been double or triple-dumped. Day 7, in the final hours, I got my boy back yaaaay, isn't it wonderful when love wins? We fled to his apartment for a quick chat during his 15-minute lunch break (work work work), the way we talked it technically didn't count [Clinton, 1998] because ehhn, time was short and he was Indian so I didn't see the point, but he was super happy and I was heart-happy and free to skip off to meet my peeps and duck into a bookstore and meet a gorgeous book guy that you already know and do lunch with my peeps and get to the airport.
I don't know what the croquettes were made of, but yum. That was Day 1, the wedding. Same day as checking out the local park, big lunch, grabbing something to wear because luggage gone. Loool because my stylish sisters' luggage gone too, so they couldn't upstage the bride. Wedding after-party and after-after-party, but I'm a human being after all, I was tired.
I'd actually got food-poisoning on Day 0 and emptied my whole gut in the plumbing at the connecting airport (practiced my Arabic with the cleaner lady who wanted baksheesh, oh dear, just like Nigeria) and hung out at night with the groom's crew from Bilbao right after, so I don't know where all the energy came from. Guess when you don't have too much money lying about and someone gets you a trip to wherever - thanks mama - you get in there and rock the hell out of it :)
Day 2, Sunday, I walked throughout Barcelona. Discovering downtown is like what I was born to do. In my notebook, I listed: Poblenou/Diagonal, past Torre Agbar and Glories Mall and Design museum, up by Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlo and great buildings with steel balustrade on intricate facades, the shops, outdoor dining, and street musicians on Passeig del Gracia, El Corte Ingles to change money ( $ gift from uncle ) and retrieve my red scarf forgotten yesterday, and down La Rambla. Don't forget Marilyn Monroe and the erotic museum. S wanted to see my chest, well, to determine my shirt size. Home by 11pm.
By Day 3 I was fit to work as a tour guide; fortunately, my father was willing to hang out with me, so I got to put my skill to use :) I put my high-heels on thinking it would be some mild walking, then we took public transportation everywhere, but lots of hiking - the park near the hotel, the zoo - sea lion show yippee, then Parc Guell, food and the Nigeria-France world cup match, then Camp Nou closing time. Then it was night and I sent papa to bed while I went to see flamenco and fall for a local (S from Day 2) and sanctify the air.
Day 5 my feet were finished, so I did nothing but rest and watch TV, but Day 4, I took a different cut across the town. An hour or two with my mother and lovely sister but we split up because I'd already seen the mall a couple of times - love you very dearly but no more El Corte Ingles for me, so now I did Barri Gotic, a church, the ateliers, got lost and ended up in a sort of rough area and Parc de la Ciutadella, walked the marina still lost, rushed dinner, late to the opera, waited for loverboy who of course had made a point of going out to the W hotel without me because he's an evil Las Ramblas dude lol, so instead I talked to a drunk likely minor drug dealer dude who explained the ecology of Las Ramblas nightlife - the prostitutes, the Nigerians, the tough guys, the whole scam repeating night after night. That day was the taxi union strike (against Uber) so I had to walk/bus home very late. Was thinking to go off to Paris for Day 5 but no money, no feet...I let everybody else have the fun for a change :)
Day 6, July 3rd, I had money again and dad said I had to buy stuff so I complied during my walk down to the center of town. Then as you know, I went to that national history museum. I didn't mean to go there, I'd thought this was the famed Catalonia Art Museum, was so sure I was an expert in Barcelona, all I needed to do was walk past the marina and the beach. So it was the wrong place, but it was the right place after all.
Afterwards I asked a local what I should do next because I'd already done everything, so I spent the afternoon at Laberinto d'Horta on the outskirts of town, then did some Gaudi (Casa Mila), went late to my sister's show at fashion week, hung out at this amazing musical instrument shop, and then as my little book has it "Unbelievable: ST stood me up again! ...I waited 2 hrs. Got drunk on half a glass of Sangria. Couldn't eat my dinner."
Day 7: First, to hospital with K (sister) and mum. Then to La Rambla to think, eat a perfect sorbet (my third - same flavour, same shop) and make up with my beautiful. It worked. (...camera fades...) Later, on the flight back, I was in dreamland because (...ok, this is too sappy...)
Advertisement: ###Three Sisters, my novel #1 here###
PS
Luggage returned Day 2 or 3.
Reason number three that I didn't go to Paris on Day 5? ST. As in, heartbreak.
I forgot about ST all these months :0
I was also going to write about the future of work - telecommuting (I'm about to try a full telecommute gig) and virtual workplaces (virtual reality, immersion in any place you choose). Well, now I have.
It was just this morning I finally "created" a virtual museum post on REALbubbler, so now, excited about the coincidence, I checked my little book and found that woah, indeed, on Day 6 of that trip, July 3rd, in the morning, among other things I'd hung out for hours at the Catalonia History Museum. Yep, the one I lovingly nicknamed The Museo Nacionale de Fake Shit. The one that inspired me more than anything else I saw in that town - I said, wow, these people make something out of nothing, every time, while losers make excuses. You know how in developing (or non-developing) countries, it's always blah blah due to the issues of inadequate this and non-availability of that and low funding and lack of capital... Now, these people made a museum with very few valuable artifacts; most of the exhibits were replicas or reproductions of the originals. Kudos to the can-do, get-it-done spirit. And I came back home and explored the idea of a virtual museum and found a few good examples.
If this was an anonymous blog, here would be more excitement. (I'll try not to edit too much.) It is incredible how much I saw and did in just seven days, I mean, I'm incredible, lol. If I had a decent camera, I'd just photograph the short pages of my notes to show you. Am I the only person left who doesn't carry a cracked-screen phone complete with video camera and Candy Crush?
Ok, here's the summary page at the end of my 10 pages of notes from the trip:
Highlights
You know I loved a boy.
My father loved our date.
The wedding was lovely.
The croquette at the wedding reception.
The kiss that sanctified air.
Lessons
I speak beginner to intermediate Spanish. Better than I thought.
You can charge admission to a museum of fake shit. Maybe even an online museum.
Wow, so much to explain all at once. Where do I start? No, I don't even remember what sanctifying air means, but it must have been really something :) That was Day 3. By Day 4, I'd been dumped but didn't know it until Day 5 or 6 when I'd been double or triple-dumped. Day 7, in the final hours, I got my boy back yaaaay, isn't it wonderful when love wins? We fled to his apartment for a quick chat during his 15-minute lunch break (work work work), the way we talked it technically didn't count [Clinton, 1998] because ehhn, time was short and he was Indian so I didn't see the point, but he was super happy and I was heart-happy and free to skip off to meet my peeps and duck into a bookstore and meet a gorgeous book guy that you already know and do lunch with my peeps and get to the airport.
I don't know what the croquettes were made of, but yum. That was Day 1, the wedding. Same day as checking out the local park, big lunch, grabbing something to wear because luggage gone. Loool because my stylish sisters' luggage gone too, so they couldn't upstage the bride. Wedding after-party and after-after-party, but I'm a human being after all, I was tired.
I'd actually got food-poisoning on Day 0 and emptied my whole gut in the plumbing at the connecting airport (practiced my Arabic with the cleaner lady who wanted baksheesh, oh dear, just like Nigeria) and hung out at night with the groom's crew from Bilbao right after, so I don't know where all the energy came from. Guess when you don't have too much money lying about and someone gets you a trip to wherever - thanks mama - you get in there and rock the hell out of it :)
Day 2, Sunday, I walked throughout Barcelona. Discovering downtown is like what I was born to do. In my notebook, I listed: Poblenou/Diagonal, past Torre Agbar and Glories Mall and Design museum, up by Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlo and great buildings with steel balustrade on intricate facades, the shops, outdoor dining, and street musicians on Passeig del Gracia, El Corte Ingles to change money ( $ gift from uncle ) and retrieve my red scarf forgotten yesterday, and down La Rambla. Don't forget Marilyn Monroe and the erotic museum. S wanted to see my chest, well, to determine my shirt size. Home by 11pm.
By Day 3 I was fit to work as a tour guide; fortunately, my father was willing to hang out with me, so I got to put my skill to use :) I put my high-heels on thinking it would be some mild walking, then we took public transportation everywhere, but lots of hiking - the park near the hotel, the zoo - sea lion show yippee, then Parc Guell, food and the Nigeria-France world cup match, then Camp Nou closing time. Then it was night and I sent papa to bed while I went to see flamenco and fall for a local (S from Day 2) and sanctify the air.
Day 5 my feet were finished, so I did nothing but rest and watch TV, but Day 4, I took a different cut across the town. An hour or two with my mother and lovely sister but we split up because I'd already seen the mall a couple of times - love you very dearly but no more El Corte Ingles for me, so now I did Barri Gotic, a church, the ateliers, got lost and ended up in a sort of rough area and Parc de la Ciutadella, walked the marina still lost, rushed dinner, late to the opera, waited for loverboy who of course had made a point of going out to the W hotel without me because he's an evil Las Ramblas dude lol, so instead I talked to a drunk likely minor drug dealer dude who explained the ecology of Las Ramblas nightlife - the prostitutes, the Nigerians, the tough guys, the whole scam repeating night after night. That day was the taxi union strike (against Uber) so I had to walk/bus home very late. Was thinking to go off to Paris for Day 5 but no money, no feet...I let everybody else have the fun for a change :)
Day 6, July 3rd, I had money again and dad said I had to buy stuff so I complied during my walk down to the center of town. Then as you know, I went to that national history museum. I didn't mean to go there, I'd thought this was the famed Catalonia Art Museum, was so sure I was an expert in Barcelona, all I needed to do was walk past the marina and the beach. So it was the wrong place, but it was the right place after all.
Afterwards I asked a local what I should do next because I'd already done everything, so I spent the afternoon at Laberinto d'Horta on the outskirts of town, then did some Gaudi (Casa Mila), went late to my sister's show at fashion week, hung out at this amazing musical instrument shop, and then as my little book has it "Unbelievable: ST stood me up again! ...I waited 2 hrs. Got drunk on half a glass of Sangria. Couldn't eat my dinner."
Day 7: First, to hospital with K (sister) and mum. Then to La Rambla to think, eat a perfect sorbet (my third - same flavour, same shop) and make up with my beautiful. It worked. (...camera fades...) Later, on the flight back, I was in dreamland because (...ok, this is too sappy...)
Advertisement: ###Three Sisters, my novel #1 here###
PS
Luggage returned Day 2 or 3.
Reason number three that I didn't go to Paris on Day 5? ST. As in, heartbreak.
I forgot about ST all these months :0
I was also going to write about the future of work - telecommuting (I'm about to try a full telecommute gig) and virtual workplaces (virtual reality, immersion in any place you choose). Well, now I have.
| What I would have seen at the other museum |
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Dance Party - the Arab Megahits edition
Monday, June 22, 2015
Understanding women
Last week in Nigeria gossip blogging was dominated by some circus about... - it's already this week so who even cares?
The same week, I finally watched the first Sex and the City movie and also encountered some circus elsewhere that got me thinking about women and their peculiar madness.
I want answers.
Here are some answers.
First let me get this off my chest: if you want to be beautiful in my book, starrrr, show me some inner beauty. All that drag-queen bizness may get you tagged as 'stunning', yeah, like he's stunning too.
To the point. Ahem. Here are some answers.
A chic who wants to understand men can do worse than learn to code. Honest. If you're already clever or mathy, jump right in with Coursera/RiceUniversity 's Python course. If not, here's a baby version. (But women are already right, so they don't need to learn no crude, male behaviour.)
A dude who wants to understand women?
At first I thought there is no formula, but the three women I studied helped me see one thing: CHIC EGO HUGE, BUT their flavour of selfishness is all about how they appear, not the food-clothing-sex-shelter-money they tangibly get. Understand "face" and you understand women. What is face? Watch Asian movies, get a Japanese roommate, or read chic lit. 100 hours to change your life.
You're welcome.
What else do you need to know to live a long and happy life? I'll let grandpa tell you -
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
The same week, I finally watched the first Sex and the City movie and also encountered some circus elsewhere that got me thinking about women and their peculiar madness.
I want answers.
Here are some answers.
First let me get this off my chest: if you want to be beautiful in my book, starrrr, show me some inner beauty. All that drag-queen bizness may get you tagged as 'stunning', yeah, like he's stunning too.
To the point. Ahem. Here are some answers.
A chic who wants to understand men can do worse than learn to code. Honest. If you're already clever or mathy, jump right in with Coursera/RiceUniversity 's Python course. If not, here's a baby version. (But women are already right, so they don't need to learn no crude, male behaviour.)
A dude who wants to understand women?
At first I thought there is no formula, but the three women I studied helped me see one thing: CHIC EGO HUGE, BUT their flavour of selfishness is all about how they appear, not the food-clothing-sex-shelter-money they tangibly get. Understand "face" and you understand women. What is face? Watch Asian movies, get a Japanese roommate, or read chic lit. 100 hours to change your life.
You're welcome.
What else do you need to know to live a long and happy life? I'll let grandpa tell you -
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Three Sisters, alternative cover images
At lunch yesterday, I was telling a group of my kids (former students) to get Three Sisters, and one of them (I'm pretty sure her name is Tope) said, oh, I think I've seen it about, then proceeded to describe this 2011 magazine cover.
Hmm, ok, now that you bring it up...it has three sisters like the novel. Monalisa would have to be Mona since she's the oldest, Neku the young adventurer would be Koko, and me zuzu.
Early feedback from readers: people really love Koko, want more Koko. My favourite is...I really shouldn't say. Mona. The one that makes me cry. And yes, TheRe WILL Be more Koko, maybe in an additional chapter, an epilogue, or maybe in novel #2 (she'll be in her twenties then.)
Read my books. You know you wanna.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here### Click on the title then download.
![]() |
| Monalisa Okojie (front), me, Uneku Atawodi(top) |
Hmm, ok, now that you bring it up...it has three sisters like the novel. Monalisa would have to be Mona since she's the oldest, Neku the young adventurer would be Koko, and me zuzu.
Early feedback from readers: people really love Koko, want more Koko. My favourite is...I really shouldn't say. Mona. The one that makes me cry. And yes, TheRe WILL Be more Koko, maybe in an additional chapter, an epilogue, or maybe in novel #2 (she'll be in her twenties then.)
Read my books. You know you wanna.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here### Click on the title then download.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Lyrics: Democracy, by DaGrin
Intro:
Corruption ti hit nation
Gbogbo wa la n live in desperation
Tori 'e n'mo se n drink medication
Fun protection against starvation pelu corruption
Tori generation yii, a need salvation
Through a strong constitution
Ninu studio, owo naa l'afi n book session
E joo e stop sensation
A need action ko n se prosecution
Free/Fair pelu alaafia ninu nation
E gbo nnkan ti mo fe so
eleyii 'o nse body vibration
(Clear throat)
1.
Nigeria ni mo ti ri t'olopa ma n toro bara
Nitori twenty naira won le fi ba e faa ya!
Agbero maa n f'agidi gba Gala lowo driver
E'e ri nnkan kan se si, eyin ijoba e n kaalara
Gbogbo owo ti e ti gbe mi l'awon omo omo yin maa bi
E'e ri bi awon ara ilu se n pariwo: Ebi!
T'oba ri life ti talika n live ni Birnin Kebbi
Gbogbo yin patapata ni Olorun maa da l'ebi.
A'a ran omo lo si school, ko ni si textbook
E de promise pe e maa fun wa ni free education
Ki l'on je bee? Owo nla ma l'a fi n s'admission.
E de ti ko gbogbo awon omo ti yin kuro ninu nation.
A ti igba ti mo ti n ko'rin, mi o ni money
E'e tie ki n soro rara nipa music industry
Economically, agidi l'a fi n ra bread
Ta lo so wipe President o ki n fine ninu telly?
E'e mo ju ki e so'ro petrol, pelu football
A ti igba ti a de ti n gba World Cup, a'a gba cup.
O ga o! Boya gan an l'atie gba second.
Awon yen naa, won a maa play ball bi alakan.
Graduate maa maa wa'se, gbogbo bata e a je,
a'a ye s'egbe, everywhere ko si employment,
Eni ti o ti n kole tele, ko le ra cement,
Increase ni rent, decrease ni salary payment.
Chorus:
Shey democracy leleyii abi crazy demo?
Oluwa shaanu wa dakun ma ma je ka jego.
Ba'a laju awon ijoba ko to di quarter-to.
Mo de pariwo titi fun yin 'pe kee ma dibo.
Se democracy l'eleyi abi crazy demo?
Oluwa s'aanu wa dakun ma ma je k'a je'go.
Ba wa laju awon ijoba ko to di quarter-to.
Mo de pariwo titi fun yin wipe k'e ma d'ibo.
2.
Awon eeyan n sise, won n gbe ninu ise,
Awon elo mii, nitori owo, won ti gb'ese.
Awon elomii n gb'owo ni ita, nitori won le ju ese,
Nigba to je awon ijoba gan an, won o p'ese ise.
Wo'a lo si university, wa se tan, waa gba pali,
Pelu pali re, wa tun maa wa'se ka kaakiri,
Gbogbo ibi ti o ba lo, won a ni kosi vacancies.
Gbogbo kini yen, o maa ma fun e ni headache.
Awon elomii n jale tori ko si ise ni igboro.
Economically, most obinrin ti di ashewo.
O ga o! Ko de 'n se ejo elomii ti e ba ro o.
Sugbon aso yellow ti di white, l'owo o lilo.
Ijoba, e wa na. (clears throat). E duro na.
O ga o. Eekan l'osu l'a ma n ni ina.
O n happen all over Nigeria, pelu Kaduna,
Minna, gbogbo yin ti e ba ilu je l'e maa gb'ina.
Aimoye titi ti o je'pe moto o le gba 'be.
Lo si under bridge l'Oshodi, gbogbo ibe ti baje.
Ti ojo ba ro, gbogbo ibe yen maa di kpenshen-kpenshen.
Ti o ba ya, a si maa gbe oko oju omi koja ni be.
Gbogbo promise ti e make, iro l'o wa n' be
Sebi eyin naa, e ma n travel lo si Yankee.
E'e ri bi titi won pelu economy won se ri?
Eyin kan n lo si be, e kan lo n se faaji!
Gbogbo nnkan l'awon ijoba yii fi ni wa l'ara.
Ko de ri bee nigba ti a koko gba ominira.
But nigba ti awon Big Bros ti take over,
Gbogbo owo wa patapata ni won fi n da agbada.
Nigeria, gbogbo wa l'a n fi ori f'aya
A t'omode a t'agbalaba, pelu t'oko t'aya,
Baba, mama, pelu awon omo mefa ma sun si inu yara
eyo kan. Bawo ni won o se ni maa l'alakala?
Chorus / Se democracy ...
3.
Awon eeyan maa n ni Nigeria, Giant of Africa,
Lo wo bi economy won se better ni South Africa.
Ghana celebrate ten years ti won ti ni ina, ti won o tan atupa.
Ti tiyin e'e mo ju ki e s'oge, ki e tun wo agbada.
Igba kan ni won maa n ko awon were l'oju titi,
awon were maa n rin kiri pelu awon eeyan gidi.
Ni isinyin, awon were, won o l'identity -
Local Government kan, o le pade were fifty.
Ki lo de? Awon olowo nikan lo n s'oge.
Awon omo yin, pelu awon iyawo nyin, won n gbe gele.
E n gbe fila. Democracy alagbada.
O ga o. Owo gbogbo wa l'e fin n yi ata.
National ID Card, owo l'a fi n register.
A o ri nnkan kan. E da passport wa pada.
E n waste time omode pelu agbalagba.
E se o. E ranti 'pe Olorun wa.
Igba ti a gbo National ID Card, inu wa dun.
Asee won n d'ogbon, won fe ki Oba wole.
Oba ti wole, agidi l'a fi n san'wo ile.
School ma n strike, ohun yen, se iyen la fe pe ni holiday?
E'e san owo awon osise, ranti pe awon naa l'omo n'le.
Awa l'a ni petrol, ki lo de ti petrol 'o flow?
E n gb'owo le e l'ojoojumo, ki lo se yin o?
Ti Olorun ba binu, gbogbo yin ni petrol maa jo.
Se democracy alagbada l'eleyii tabi shimi?
E ranti 'pe most people l'o te'ka fun yin
A'a le ra Maclean(s), pako l'a maa fi n fo eyin
Ki lo se yin? Eeyan sha l'awon Bill Clinton.
O'o le ji l'ojo kan, ki o so 'pe o fe je iyan.
Lai se ojo Sunday. Garri nikan gan an ti won.
Alagbara l'eni ti o ba ra rice De Rica kan.
O pay mi ki n kuro ni Nigeria, ki n sa lo si Abidjan.
Chorus / Se democracy ...
Chorus / Se democracy ...
Advertisement: Read my books.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
I have also translated the lyrics in the comments.
Corruption ti hit nation
Gbogbo wa la n live in desperation
Tori 'e n'mo se n drink medication
Fun protection against starvation pelu corruption
Tori generation yii, a need salvation
Through a strong constitution
Ninu studio, owo naa l'afi n book session
E joo e stop sensation
A need action ko n se prosecution
Free/Fair pelu alaafia ninu nation
E gbo nnkan ti mo fe so
eleyii 'o nse body vibration
(Clear throat)
1.
Nigeria ni mo ti ri t'olopa ma n toro bara
Nitori twenty naira won le fi ba e faa ya!
Agbero maa n f'agidi gba Gala lowo driver
E'e ri nnkan kan se si, eyin ijoba e n kaalara
Gbogbo owo ti e ti gbe mi l'awon omo omo yin maa bi
E'e ri bi awon ara ilu se n pariwo: Ebi!
T'oba ri life ti talika n live ni Birnin Kebbi
Gbogbo yin patapata ni Olorun maa da l'ebi.
A'a ran omo lo si school, ko ni si textbook
E de promise pe e maa fun wa ni free education
Ki l'on je bee? Owo nla ma l'a fi n s'admission.
E de ti ko gbogbo awon omo ti yin kuro ninu nation.
A ti igba ti mo ti n ko'rin, mi o ni money
E'e tie ki n soro rara nipa music industry
Economically, agidi l'a fi n ra bread
Ta lo so wipe President o ki n fine ninu telly?
E'e mo ju ki e so'ro petrol, pelu football
A ti igba ti a de ti n gba World Cup, a'a gba cup.
O ga o! Boya gan an l'atie gba second.
Awon yen naa, won a maa play ball bi alakan.
Graduate maa maa wa'se, gbogbo bata e a je,
a'a ye s'egbe, everywhere ko si employment,
Eni ti o ti n kole tele, ko le ra cement,
Increase ni rent, decrease ni salary payment.
Chorus:
Shey democracy leleyii abi crazy demo?
Oluwa shaanu wa dakun ma ma je ka jego.
Ba'a laju awon ijoba ko to di quarter-to.
Mo de pariwo titi fun yin 'pe kee ma dibo.
Se democracy l'eleyi abi crazy demo?
Oluwa s'aanu wa dakun ma ma je k'a je'go.
Ba wa laju awon ijoba ko to di quarter-to.
Mo de pariwo titi fun yin wipe k'e ma d'ibo.
2.
Awon eeyan n sise, won n gbe ninu ise,
Awon elo mii, nitori owo, won ti gb'ese.
Awon elomii n gb'owo ni ita, nitori won le ju ese,
Nigba to je awon ijoba gan an, won o p'ese ise.
Wo'a lo si university, wa se tan, waa gba pali,
Pelu pali re, wa tun maa wa'se ka kaakiri,
Gbogbo ibi ti o ba lo, won a ni kosi vacancies.
Gbogbo kini yen, o maa ma fun e ni headache.
Awon elomii n jale tori ko si ise ni igboro.
Economically, most obinrin ti di ashewo.
O ga o! Ko de 'n se ejo elomii ti e ba ro o.
Sugbon aso yellow ti di white, l'owo o lilo.
Ijoba, e wa na. (clears throat). E duro na.
O ga o. Eekan l'osu l'a ma n ni ina.
O n happen all over Nigeria, pelu Kaduna,
Minna, gbogbo yin ti e ba ilu je l'e maa gb'ina.
Aimoye titi ti o je'pe moto o le gba 'be.
Lo si under bridge l'Oshodi, gbogbo ibe ti baje.
Ti ojo ba ro, gbogbo ibe yen maa di kpenshen-kpenshen.
Ti o ba ya, a si maa gbe oko oju omi koja ni be.
Gbogbo promise ti e make, iro l'o wa n' be
Sebi eyin naa, e ma n travel lo si Yankee.
E'e ri bi titi won pelu economy won se ri?
Eyin kan n lo si be, e kan lo n se faaji!
Gbogbo nnkan l'awon ijoba yii fi ni wa l'ara.
Ko de ri bee nigba ti a koko gba ominira.
But nigba ti awon Big Bros ti take over,
Gbogbo owo wa patapata ni won fi n da agbada.
Nigeria, gbogbo wa l'a n fi ori f'aya
A t'omode a t'agbalaba, pelu t'oko t'aya,
Baba, mama, pelu awon omo mefa ma sun si inu yara
eyo kan. Bawo ni won o se ni maa l'alakala?
Chorus / Se democracy ...
3.
Awon eeyan maa n ni Nigeria, Giant of Africa,
Lo wo bi economy won se better ni South Africa.
Ghana celebrate ten years ti won ti ni ina, ti won o tan atupa.
Ti tiyin e'e mo ju ki e s'oge, ki e tun wo agbada.
Igba kan ni won maa n ko awon were l'oju titi,
awon were maa n rin kiri pelu awon eeyan gidi.
Ni isinyin, awon were, won o l'identity -
Local Government kan, o le pade were fifty.
Ki lo de? Awon olowo nikan lo n s'oge.
Awon omo yin, pelu awon iyawo nyin, won n gbe gele.
E n gbe fila. Democracy alagbada.
O ga o. Owo gbogbo wa l'e fin n yi ata.
National ID Card, owo l'a fi n register.
A o ri nnkan kan. E da passport wa pada.
E n waste time omode pelu agbalagba.
E se o. E ranti 'pe Olorun wa.
Igba ti a gbo National ID Card, inu wa dun.
Asee won n d'ogbon, won fe ki Oba wole.
Oba ti wole, agidi l'a fi n san'wo ile.
School ma n strike, ohun yen, se iyen la fe pe ni holiday?
E'e san owo awon osise, ranti pe awon naa l'omo n'le.
Awa l'a ni petrol, ki lo de ti petrol 'o flow?
E n gb'owo le e l'ojoojumo, ki lo se yin o?
Ti Olorun ba binu, gbogbo yin ni petrol maa jo.
Se democracy alagbada l'eleyii tabi shimi?
E ranti 'pe most people l'o te'ka fun yin
A'a le ra Maclean(s), pako l'a maa fi n fo eyin
Ki lo se yin? Eeyan sha l'awon Bill Clinton.
O'o le ji l'ojo kan, ki o so 'pe o fe je iyan.
Lai se ojo Sunday. Garri nikan gan an ti won.
Alagbara l'eni ti o ba ra rice De Rica kan.
O pay mi ki n kuro ni Nigeria, ki n sa lo si Abidjan.
Chorus / Se democracy ...
Chorus / Se democracy ...
Advertisement: Read my books.
###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Rapper DaGrin died in April 22, 2010 at age 22, just months after the release of his massive hit album C.E.O. (Chief Executive Omo-ita). I previously wrote about him here.
Democracy is from one of his earlier projects, I believe. I have it
(along with Ndigbo/Ndi Igbo, If You No Fit Fly, Kekere, Bounce With Me, and many more experiments)
on one of the bootleg CDs that was labelled brand new music and hawked in the streets mid-2010.
Listen to Democracy here.
If you have details or corrections, put them in the comments. Thanks.(along with Ndigbo/Ndi Igbo, If You No Fit Fly, Kekere, Bounce With Me, and many more experiments)
on one of the bootleg CDs that was labelled brand new music and hawked in the streets mid-2010.
Listen to Democracy here.
I have also translated the lyrics in the comments.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Brymo's Lines
Person wey dey take time, e go fit make time ...
Omo o, s'e ti gbo ohun mo so, ofo l'aye o, ofo l'aye o, ofo l'aye o, ofo.
I like to eat my cake and have it.
I sexed my girl, she liked it.
Ijapa o ni'bi t'o nlo...
Ko gba'gidi. O ro bii A, B, D.
Eni a yin'ni, aa yin'ni. Eni o ni yin'ni, ko ni yin'ni...
The poor man wants his space / The rich man wants the place ...
Everyone gets to die.
And those are just the subtle ones.
There are many more,
like the chorus from the Yoruba 'Ara mbe ti mo fe da. K'araye ma pa kadara da, o nbe, o mbe!' that always has me jumping.
'Prick no get shoulder' which is of course, well, yeah, you could check your prick, no shoulder, right?
The whole Se B'Otimo song (Ijapa o nibi to nlo...) is pure gold, and to be honest the entire MDS album.
Son of A Kapenta is his first 'popular' album (but really his second album, he says), and it's great but not mindblowing at first, the talents - songwriting, singing, storytelling - are a little smoothed out, then in my case getting used to his music in later albums made that first album shine more brightly.
Everybody says Tabula Rasa is a wonderful album, which it is, it's amazing, but Merchants, Dealers, and Slaves is beyond! O guitar. O voice. O that sick transition from track 1 to track 2. O wisdom, in English and Yoruba, in comedy and tragedy. O that voice - owo owo owo owo o, on Money (I dey think about money...if Adenuga come go broke). O how pure this album is - very light on production, very perfect.
The last Brymo concert, I asked my parents out to see it. (Nice! Lucky to have parents, you know.) I told them he was kind of a modern-day Jimi Solanke storyteller-singer. It was a cosy 'unplugged' session plus a keyboardist, guitarist, and conga drummer.
Another post, some other day, on how incredible it felt to be at Jazzhole learning the meaning of everything then dancing a bit, digging his weird arm-pumping dance that he does while singing, and his little life story that tells and shines; he does great with serenades and love (Good morning omoge, tell me how d'you do, or this beauty: Se o le se'be Pound kan, ayanfe mi gan gan, ... mo ni'fe re ni gan an) but I'm not joking when I say in one evening - in one minute - I learned the meaning of it all, of life, of 'energy', Jesus and Mohammed. But I'm not telling you.
Mum loved the outing and everything. Dad liked the music, he loves Brymo's most popular music, he loves a lot of stuff (Yaaay, daddy is 60 - so fast!) but what we found at the end of the evening - dad had chosen to believe that the guy on stage was some dude doing covers of other great people's songs because no way that simple young boy in jeans wrote Ara, sang Oleku, wrote the nice love songs and the deep sage songs. I gave dad the look, like, yeah, like I'd bring you to see some counterfeit joint, man ;) I'm becoming my father hehehe. I remember his Fela days and vinyl record days (Dolly Parton, but otherwise mostly black people with afros and stuff) and the disco tape I inherited from him in Primary Six (oh joy!)
Since we're on the topic of Brymo, what's your favourite Asa album?
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Omo o, s'e ti gbo ohun mo so, ofo l'aye o, ofo l'aye o, ofo l'aye o, ofo.
I like to eat my cake and have it.
I sexed my girl, she liked it.
Ijapa o ni'bi t'o nlo...
Ko gba'gidi. O ro bii A, B, D.
Eni a yin'ni, aa yin'ni. Eni o ni yin'ni, ko ni yin'ni...
The poor man wants his space / The rich man wants the place ...
Everyone gets to die.
And those are just the subtle ones.
There are many more,
like the chorus from the Yoruba 'Ara mbe ti mo fe da. K'araye ma pa kadara da, o nbe, o mbe!' that always has me jumping.
'Prick no get shoulder' which is of course, well, yeah, you could check your prick, no shoulder, right?
| The Son of a Kapenta; click on the images always :) |
Son of A Kapenta is his first 'popular' album (but really his second album, he says), and it's great but not mindblowing at first, the talents - songwriting, singing, storytelling - are a little smoothed out, then in my case getting used to his music in later albums made that first album shine more brightly.
| Tracklist: Merchants, Dealers, and Slaves |
| Tabula Rasa (the Gift) |
Another post, some other day, on how incredible it felt to be at Jazzhole learning the meaning of everything then dancing a bit, digging his weird arm-pumping dance that he does while singing, and his little life story that tells and shines; he does great with serenades and love (Good morning omoge, tell me how d'you do, or this beauty: Se o le se'be Pound kan, ayanfe mi gan gan, ... mo ni'fe re ni gan an) but I'm not joking when I say in one evening - in one minute - I learned the meaning of it all, of life, of 'energy', Jesus and Mohammed. But I'm not telling you.
Mum loved the outing and everything. Dad liked the music, he loves Brymo's most popular music, he loves a lot of stuff (Yaaay, daddy is 60 - so fast!) but what we found at the end of the evening - dad had chosen to believe that the guy on stage was some dude doing covers of other great people's songs because no way that simple young boy in jeans wrote Ara, sang Oleku, wrote the nice love songs and the deep sage songs. I gave dad the look, like, yeah, like I'd bring you to see some counterfeit joint, man ;) I'm becoming my father hehehe. I remember his Fela days and vinyl record days (Dolly Parton, but otherwise mostly black people with afros and stuff) and the disco tape I inherited from him in Primary Six (oh joy!)
Since we're on the topic of Brymo, what's your favourite Asa album?
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Area.
Discovery Channel should feature Oregun-area rats abeg!
They are majestic.
This one here has maybe a 12-inch tail, its nose flattens dramatically as it sniffs about, it's big and rotund like a Disney/Pixar rat. And don't get me started on the lineage. Blue Blood; descended from a long line of Olusosun Rubbish-dump negus (n-e-g-u-s.)
That's the outdoor scenery. Inside, these wall geckos...they're living well, making babies. The best thing is how happy they are when they're hunting and eating - their joy so infectious!
I keep wanting to do a phototour or walking-guide of this town. Tucked away somewhere between the Lagos State government buildings of Alausa and the old commercial districts of Allen Avenue and Ikeja GRA, the town has all this unpretentious food, pretty views, and diverse entertainment. It's known for the industrial estate and a lot of other industries, especially the faith industries (wink;) - the headquarters of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome's Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Okotie's Household of God, Pastor Sam Adeyemi's Daystar Christian Center are each within ten-minutes, walking, of the others. I've visited all these. Household of God has a gorgeous, almost Victorian yet over-the-top, frilly, beautifully lit interior. Divine music. High entertainment value. Sorry that I visit churches for entertainment. You really should see these places.
One day a friend took me to this marble edifice, Lord knows how many floors, that is some sort of religious center too, on some hidden street. There's a Mountain of Fire or two, and I guess all the usual church brands. I'm Catholic, and one Ash Wednesday, I went to the local Catholic Church. There's a Daystar offshoot - forgot the name - that grew very fast and then maybe stalled or moved; had the couples and matchmaking and career development and drive-for-success and all that stuff Nigerians like in their Sunday morning entertainment.
I remember when I lived next to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles' Yaba Headquarters. O wow. They prayed without ceasing, like the Bible says to do. First in the morning, last at night, for the fruit of the womb, for promotion, for annihilation of the enemy, by fire!
I don't know of any major hotel on its streets, but many motels and potels. One little place that sells decent rice is at Number 69 on the main street. 69 in black paint on the yellow and orange house. Inspiring, hard to forget. Rooms upstairs I hear. I don't know if they have girls on site or not.
I discovered a major theater company practically next door.
On Saturdays there are the famous event centers for weddings and owambe parties so lots of nice cars parked on the main road. For those who can't afford such, the schools serve as event centers. You can hear the MCs calling on the old people to dance to these young-people tunes. The kids screaming, having the time of their lives.
The straight-from-village people - and by this I really mean, buses full of villagers in brightly-coloured 'aso-ebi' uniform-wear come into town to leave the same day - feeling funky, following the same wedding format as island babes from Devonshire and Herefordshire, complete with 'catch the bouquet' , the music - Beyonce: All You Single Ladies / Put a ring on it. It all cracks me up.
Radio and press and magazines, media and advertising- 234next.com / NEXT News used to be right down the street. Lots of stuff I don't know but maybe will find out.
Back to food: I know a half dozen suya and so-called barbecue spots, some I wouldn't touch because my tummy, I don't know if that stuff's safe. The other day I saw my favourite suya guy who'd been gone for a year or more. I can't explain how likeable this dude always was. Apparently he's now been hired at this place (pounded yam / finger yam spot) where the suya guy died last year during Lagos' ebola scare, not of ebola, but that tale scared me from eating suya/bbq there for a while. I mean, they said he just dropped dead or something strange.
I'm hoping the idea of developing multiple 'areas' and their cultures and businesses takes hold in Lagos. It can't be all about overpriced Victoria Island, right? That's why I did up this events calendar. Maybe folks will use it.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Somebody outside just farted. A soulful uninhibited fart. It's the cleaning lady. Let me go say hi.
They are majestic.
This one here has maybe a 12-inch tail, its nose flattens dramatically as it sniffs about, it's big and rotund like a Disney/Pixar rat. And don't get me started on the lineage. Blue Blood; descended from a long line of Olusosun Rubbish-dump negus (n-e-g-u-s.)
That's the outdoor scenery. Inside, these wall geckos...they're living well, making babies. The best thing is how happy they are when they're hunting and eating - their joy so infectious!
I keep wanting to do a phototour or walking-guide of this town. Tucked away somewhere between the Lagos State government buildings of Alausa and the old commercial districts of Allen Avenue and Ikeja GRA, the town has all this unpretentious food, pretty views, and diverse entertainment. It's known for the industrial estate and a lot of other industries, especially the faith industries (wink;) - the headquarters of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome's Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Okotie's Household of God, Pastor Sam Adeyemi's Daystar Christian Center are each within ten-minutes, walking, of the others. I've visited all these. Household of God has a gorgeous, almost Victorian yet over-the-top, frilly, beautifully lit interior. Divine music. High entertainment value. Sorry that I visit churches for entertainment. You really should see these places.
One day a friend took me to this marble edifice, Lord knows how many floors, that is some sort of religious center too, on some hidden street. There's a Mountain of Fire or two, and I guess all the usual church brands. I'm Catholic, and one Ash Wednesday, I went to the local Catholic Church. There's a Daystar offshoot - forgot the name - that grew very fast and then maybe stalled or moved; had the couples and matchmaking and career development and drive-for-success and all that stuff Nigerians like in their Sunday morning entertainment.
I remember when I lived next to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles' Yaba Headquarters. O wow. They prayed without ceasing, like the Bible says to do. First in the morning, last at night, for the fruit of the womb, for promotion, for annihilation of the enemy, by fire!
I don't know of any major hotel on its streets, but many motels and potels. One little place that sells decent rice is at Number 69 on the main street. 69 in black paint on the yellow and orange house. Inspiring, hard to forget. Rooms upstairs I hear. I don't know if they have girls on site or not.
I discovered a major theater company practically next door.
On Saturdays there are the famous event centers for weddings and owambe parties so lots of nice cars parked on the main road. For those who can't afford such, the schools serve as event centers. You can hear the MCs calling on the old people to dance to these young-people tunes. The kids screaming, having the time of their lives.
The straight-from-village people - and by this I really mean, buses full of villagers in brightly-coloured 'aso-ebi' uniform-wear come into town to leave the same day - feeling funky, following the same wedding format as island babes from Devonshire and Herefordshire, complete with 'catch the bouquet' , the music - Beyonce: All You Single Ladies / Put a ring on it. It all cracks me up.
Radio and press and magazines, media and advertising- 234next.com / NEXT News used to be right down the street. Lots of stuff I don't know but maybe will find out.
Back to food: I know a half dozen suya and so-called barbecue spots, some I wouldn't touch because my tummy, I don't know if that stuff's safe. The other day I saw my favourite suya guy who'd been gone for a year or more. I can't explain how likeable this dude always was. Apparently he's now been hired at this place (pounded yam / finger yam spot) where the suya guy died last year during Lagos' ebola scare, not of ebola, but that tale scared me from eating suya/bbq there for a while. I mean, they said he just dropped dead or something strange.
I'm hoping the idea of developing multiple 'areas' and their cultures and businesses takes hold in Lagos. It can't be all about overpriced Victoria Island, right? That's why I did up this events calendar. Maybe folks will use it.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Somebody outside just farted. A soulful uninhibited fart. It's the cleaning lady. Let me go say hi.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
GOD!
After the elections in which General Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress defeated the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria,
one of the reasons that some youngsters rejoice is that this upset shows that the power belongs to the people.
So I laugh, because of course the power belongs to the people - that is what democracy means - and maybe it took some people all these years to notice.
In a December 2010 post, Le progrès, c'est chic at lifelib's sister blog UpNaira, I wrote: "Civil society is awakening; citizens stage the occasional protest, only to find that their voices DO count."
That is, as at December 2010, it was already clear (if surprising) to many Nigerian people that the power was in their hands. Their delight at this 'grand discovery' was perhaps understandable, after the trauma of military 'rule' - Abacha died only in 1998.
Still, sad to find human beings rejoicing in 2010 at simple freedoms: omg look i marched on the government and did not die, or in 2015 saying ohmygodunbelievable i voted out the ruling party. We pray that more and more people and nations can experience this.
Anyway, progressively Nigeria became more democratic since 1999 -
from General Obasanjo who had to be a cross between a strong man and a liberalizing leader and played his role exceptionally well,
through Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (RIP) who they called go-slow but who again found more institutional-based ways and freedom-loving ways to solve some knotty issues,
to the much beloved GEJ (don't worry if you're too angry with him now, it will come to pass that you will remember him with more respect and appreciation) Goodluck Jonathan administration where some more political baggage was thrown out in favour of development, and some more strongmanism was thrown out in favour of institution-building.
This is my attempt to amend our understanding of history.
My friends, when you write "Now they know it is the will of the people that will always prevail", sorry, this is not a new discovery. Still, go tell it on the mountain, so that those who don't already know will know.
If more people are today finding out that they are God and God is them, then I guess, wonderful. We are the government. Voting is only one small part of our duty as the government. WE have the power to fuck everything up. Absorb that. Process that.
But
we are Nigerians, we are special, intelligent, and wonderful, so we will not mess up, instead, we will build something beautiful. insha'Allah, in Jesus' name, by the grace of God. AAAMIN.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Download and share the book, it's free.
And listen to some Kanye here - that's free too.
So I laugh, because of course the power belongs to the people - that is what democracy means - and maybe it took some people all these years to notice.
In a December 2010 post, Le progrès, c'est chic at lifelib's sister blog UpNaira, I wrote: "Civil society is awakening; citizens stage the occasional protest, only to find that their voices DO count."
That is, as at December 2010, it was already clear (if surprising) to many Nigerian people that the power was in their hands. Their delight at this 'grand discovery' was perhaps understandable, after the trauma of military 'rule' - Abacha died only in 1998.
Still, sad to find human beings rejoicing in 2010 at simple freedoms: omg look i marched on the government and did not die, or in 2015 saying ohmygodunbelievable i voted out the ruling party. We pray that more and more people and nations can experience this.
Anyway, progressively Nigeria became more democratic since 1999 -
from General Obasanjo who had to be a cross between a strong man and a liberalizing leader and played his role exceptionally well,
through Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (RIP) who they called go-slow but who again found more institutional-based ways and freedom-loving ways to solve some knotty issues,
to the much beloved GEJ (don't worry if you're too angry with him now, it will come to pass that you will remember him with more respect and appreciation) Goodluck Jonathan administration where some more political baggage was thrown out in favour of development, and some more strongmanism was thrown out in favour of institution-building.
This is my attempt to amend our understanding of history.
My friends, when you write "Now they know it is the will of the people that will always prevail", sorry, this is not a new discovery. Still, go tell it on the mountain, so that those who don't already know will know.
If more people are today finding out that they are God and God is them, then I guess, wonderful. We are the government. Voting is only one small part of our duty as the government. WE have the power to fuck everything up. Absorb that. Process that.
But
we are Nigerians, we are special, intelligent, and wonderful, so we will not mess up, instead, we will build something beautiful. insha'Allah, in Jesus' name, by the grace of God. AAAMIN.
Advertisement: Read my books. ###Three Sisters, novel #1 here###
Download and share the book, it's free.
And listen to some Kanye here - that's free too.
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