In another five years do I still want to be putting on the generator? Do I want my son growing up shouting 'UP NEPA'. (He already does) or do I want to do something about it? I have a few options: Migrate to a 'civilised' country, retire early to a remote village or force the government to do something about it. Needless to say, I took the last option.
It's no longer enough to sit down and nag about NEPA or PHCN, it's time to act.
It doesn't matter if you don't live here or if you have three passports, as long as Nigeria flows in your veins either by birth or blood, then NIgeria is your home and is yours to build. Recently in the Birmingham, a friend of mine took me round the city in his car, there's a Nigerian flag there, he has a British passport but he flies the Nigerian flag. In the train as well, a white boy asks a Bengali girl, where she is from, she says London, and he says, nope, I mean where are you originally from?
The Enough is Enough campaign hits Abuja streets on the 16th of March,2010. If you cannot attend, can you at least sponsor someone? so that when Nigeria improves, we can all nod our heads in pride, saying, I was a part of that change.
These psychos in power will never do good except we implore them to, I am ready to, Are you?
It's 5am and a neighbour is screaming Igwe,Igwe. My first reaction is to lock all the doors as I think there may be thieves around, then I see red. There is fire in the building.
My neighbor went to top up his fuel and next thing, it went up in flames, we suspect he didn't put of the generator before pouring the petrol but I refuse to believe it, can anybody be that stupid? So everyone is running out of their flats, on my way down, I remember my Jimmy choo bag that cost me both arms and both legs, God forgive that it should burn, I run back and grab my bag abeg and my car keys. Please a girl is allowed her vanities.
The compound is filled with good samaritans, some with Omo, water, sand, all sorts, but the fire keeps spreading, we start to bring out fire extinguishers from our cars, there's one in the house too and that's the one that saves us. Fortunately, the neighbor who started the fire, just went through a fire drill at work so he is able to open all the extinguishers.
My generator is burnt, my net, my water pipes. Amazingly, no one else loses anything(apart from the culprit whose generator is completely burnt down), perhaps I should visit mountain of fire, only last week, my phone crashed.
Please everyone, get fire extinguishers and more importantly learn how to use them. Had we none, I wouldn't be here typing this as I would be wailing about the loss of all my books.
A few days ago, I blogged about this heat causing deaths, little did I know, that it could easily have been mine. Thank God for God.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord deliverth him from them all.
In the time that I was gone,Yaradua was also gone. Three months and counting and we still can't find the president? There is nothing more to say as everyone has said it all.
I have not exactly stopped blogging but I find that these days, I have less and less to say. I have become simply the observer, removed from my immediate environment.
A few months back,my baby was ill and my neighbor(fantabulous woman)took us to her place of work, LUTH. I'll admit, they probably have the best professionals but the environment, HMMMM. and it's got nothing to do with money, what's the price difference between a pedal bin and one you have to use your hands? Was I really expected to use my hands to uncover the bin and with the same hands touch my baby? There is no running water in the children's ward except at nurses' station and parents are not allowed near. The toilet is a no go area so parents use potties for their kids no matter the age and push the mess under the bed till the next morning. The mother beside me has no mosquito net for her baby, the nurses claim they have run out of nets, how do you run out of nets in a mosquito infested ward in a country where malaria is still the highest killer disease in children. Some good parent lends her one. Some mothers sleep under their children's bed to escape the murderous mosquitos. sleep is the last thing on my mind, my baby's temparature is at an all time high, I am constantly sponging it. I seek out a nurse who only follows me the third time, she feels his body and advises I pour water on him. As early as 5.am, we are woken up by a shrill voice that rings louder than a rising bell. She tells mothers to return chairs(most mothers sleep on chaiirs)and clean up their kids. I see some women with buckets and I join them,we follow a path and find a tank that has water. If there's water here, why can't there be water everywhere at LUTH?
The experirence at Luth leaves my stomach tight and my tongue tied. I am sorry for Nigeria, sorry for my countrymen. Is this life that we live here? what would it cost to have running water in hospitals so that people can at least have clean toilets? I bet the Director has been given enough funds to provide that but in true Nigerian style, he feels the money would do better in his pockets. Is the heart of the Nigerian man more desperately wicked than the heart of other men? Why do Nigerians like to amass wealth and more wealth at the detriment of the poor, the sick.
It's been so so hot lately-35 degrees and above- and I keep thinking of OBJ and other past leaders that have syphoned Nigeria's wealth. Wealth that should have generated electricity, wealth that could have saved lives,for I know that people will die from this heat, from generator fumes, from congestion, from frustration and while people are dying, some people will be depositing stolen millions in swiss accounts. On the last day, what will you say to God? That you stole money that people should have used to feed? That you sold your conscience for a car or two?
I am sorry for you, oh thieving leader, sorry for you oh Nigeria, for you are a country of many vagabondsssssss.
PS.
I didn't change my layout to this, it just happened.
Nigerians have been included on the list of Countries to watch out for and Prof. Dora says it is not fair. Can someone please tell me exactly what not being fair means? Dora goes on to add that she knows Nigeria will be de-listed by the GRACE OF GOD. Is this woman for real? By the grace of God? I have always believed that religion is a major reason Nigeria remains so backwards. If it is no ; pray for Yaradua's recovery, it is; pray for Nigeria to be delisted from America's watchlist. These leaders need their heads checked.
Let me first of all say that I condemn Umar Farouk's actions in particular and all acts of terrorism in general. But I think the way Nigeria has acted has been very shallow. The guy is a NIGERIAN. That should be the government's primary concern not what America would now think of us. Why are we so afraid of America anyway, the way I see it, America needs us more than we need them, they know that, unfortunately we don't. All sorts of groups and bodies spring up, disowning Umar. We may disown him all we want but the Nigerian blood runs in his veins like it runs in ours. Does a father particularly the African father throw away his son because of his sins? For those of us who are Christians does God feed us to the dogs because we have done wrong? Please do not get me wrong, Umar should be tried and punished but Nigeria should have at least attempted to make a case for him. We could have blamed it on insanity, on external influences, on peer pressure, anything at all but we were so quick to wash our hands off him, to distance our selves from him not because we hated his crime so much but because we rever America too much. God forbid that they should deny us all visas, where then will our poor run to find wealth and our rich run to spend their wealth?
I strongly believe that there is more to this than meets the eye. America MAy have stagemanaged this from the beginning. The boy had been reported by his father to America. America conveniently let this pass, it wasnt serious enough, they said and then he attempts to blow up a plane and does not SUCCEED and NIgeria's name is included in their watchlist. Come On!
Surely they must have a plan. I çan't imagine what it is but I doubt that it is far from wanting to establish a military base in Naija or unconnected to their oil interests in the Niger Delta Region. It may be my mind over working but I doubt.
I still don't have a laptop. I feel like a farmer without a hoe. so much for claiming to be a writer.
It has been reported that it was reported in PM News that Pastor Bimbo Odukoya is in Hell, some pastor made this declaration. I don't know if anyone asked him what he was doing there in hell himself. I have heard many ridiculous things but this must be the height. Who is this man? What is the relevance of this stupid information? Couldn't he have gotten his five minutes of fame without making such a callous statement?
Yaradua, dear president, what can I say? And Jonathan Goodluck, what can I say either? For once, I have no opinion. I'm just watching from my window.
I attended the experience and I loved the experience. Babatunde Fashola gave a short speech, that man, that man, oh that man....... I was particularly impressed with the prayer points raised. Before, Our pastors would be praying some very soft prayers but last night was fire. so much prayer for Nigeria. Finally, Nigerians are really getting fed up. I believe religious bodies have huge roles to play towards change in Nigeria. The people listen to them for one thing.
My life has been good. A few tough situations here and there but I shouldn't complain really, I still have things going on well and I am grateful for little mercies. The love and respect of a good man, the unconditional love of son, a job I enjoy, the bestest friends and God's faithfulness and infinite mercy, guidance and so much more.
I didn't see the robbers. There may never even have been any. But my laptop dissappeared from my laptop bag from inside my sitting room. Everything else is intact, the charger, the headphones. My baby has two minders. A 40something year old lady that leaves by 6pm and I have a young girl that returns from school by 2pm. The young girl(after much questioning)says some lady came to the house at about 6.30pm after the nanny had gone. Said lady asked for water and blue and yellow capsule, she said we didnt have, lady asked her to go check in the room, and SHE WENT. Now, I don't know what is blue and yellow capsule so it's not possible for us to have had it so? My laptop is always with me but was home that day cos I was out of town, Igwe went to take the kids to my sis at about 7pm. He didn't meet this strange woman.
The young girl has strict instructions never to open the door for anyone when we aren't home, so why did she open the door for a stranger who said she was looking for her Aunty? Can she be lying, she's an excellent liar but has never stolen from me. The Nanny is new, just about a month, can she be the culprit?The Story is very funny. Most people say send both of them packing but I've been through so many domestic help, I don tire. .
I hate being stolen from but more than that, I hate the intrusion. And all I kept thinking was they could very easily have taken my son. Thank God for God.
I am Nigerian with a green passport FACT1 I do not apologise for it. FACT2 It makes immigration officers hair stand. FACT3 For the love of me does not care. FACT4
THE NATIONAL PLEDGE
I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful, loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength
To defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory
So help me God.
For those of us who studied in Nigeria we must have recited the pledge at least a million times through primary and secondary school. Apparently, it meant nothing if anything to us. First it was district 9. The SA/Hollywood film that portrays Nigerians as 419’s prostitutes etc. I have not seen the movie but the reviews have told me all I need to know.
Now it’s the Sony advert. I think this is extremely cheap and irresponsible of SONY. For a whole team to come up with that, pass it through several people and still decide that the advert was perfect, then it’s a big big shame. Nigeria, a country where the product is sold in mass. But my grouse is not necessarily with SONY, it is more with Nigerians who don’t see anything wrong with it, and those who think that Dora has no right to ask that the advert be retraced and Sony offer a public apology.
When I read some of the comments on the issue, I almost gave up on Nigerians. How dare we say that it is okay for people to insult us? Yes, Nigeria has corrupt leaders, Yes Nigeria has yahoo, yahoo boys, Yes, Some Nigerians are stupid and foolish and docile and cowardly and just empty barrels but that does not justify another national calling us these names to our faces. If the security guy falls asleep on his post, does that justify the thief? Is a drunk driver justified because a pub was left open?
I don’t care that almost all our leaders are thieves giving us a bad name. Whenever I travel, I travel with my head held high. Yes, they scan and scan and rescan my passport but I don’t care, I will not apologise for being a Nigerian, they can’t never intimidate me. When they are done with their scanning, they hand me back my passport and I walk away, sometimes I can’t resist adding if they are sure they don’t want to scan some more. Being Nigerian is not a crime and one day, I swear, my child will stand proud that he is one.
My brother was initially refused a British study visa, they claimed that my mother, who sponsored him ,had forged her statement of account. My brother was livid. Being a journalist, he replied them immediately threatening fire and brimstone and demanding an apology. How dare them call his mother-who had served his fatherland in the civil service for thirty five years- a fraudster? If the embassy staff were not diligent enough to decipher what statement was false and which wasn’t, should he be made to pay for their irresponsibility. He raved and ranted and they called him up, apologised and granted him the visa.
What is my point?That it don’t matter that Nigeria is more bad than good(and that is debatable)It don’t give no one no right to insult us. And we have to learn to stand up for this country. If not for us, for our children. I believe that the older generation is lost and there is no saving them. Only us, the younger people can save this country, but how can we save a country, we have no passion for, we hold no respect for?
I don’t think anyone would pat another on the back for insulting our parents, our tribe or our religion, so why do we let them insult Nigeria? It doesn’t matter if we become the best country in the world, if we have no self respect as a nation, no other nation will respect us.
Finally, to all those thieving leaders who have contributed in bringing shame upon our nation. MAY THE FULL WRATH OF GOD DESCEND UPON THEM!
I want to live life to the fullest and assist if only one child to do same. My passion is for the african girl child to be free, to have several choices. In whatever way that I can, I want to make life better for her.
