SHALLY A.

The office was stuffy, the hot air stung to my skin, while I desperately tried not to look irritated. The lady looked at me with pleading eyes ‘bear with us, help us’. This place was the epitome of disorganization. I had called her, reminded her that I was coming to her office today, yet she wasn’t prepared for my visit. My duty was to come wherever my office sent me and make sure they were complying with the rules and regulations of the government. Her looks said she wanted me to bend the rules for her.   As I stared at her, I was reminded of January 9, 2012 when the NLC commenced a strike because of the increase in petroleum. Thousands of Nigerians I like to call ‘New Nigerians’ came out of their comfort zone, hit the streets carrying placards ’75 Naira or nothing”, ‘Kill Corruption, do not kill Nigerians’, ‘75 Naira or Jonathan must go’ . The opposing parties used the strike to their advantage or maybe they were fighting for a new and better Nigeria. Nigeria...

I was reading a book by Phillip Delves Broughton about his experience at HBS when I saw a quote that changed my life. I bought a big cardboard and pasted it on my room door. It said ‘“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt . Recently, I came across a woman who probably had read this quote too; her name is Susan Boyle (I know am a bit 2000 and late but…). Boyle became popular when she auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent at the age of 47. Her looks and lack of charisma got the audience laughing as she came on stage saying she wanted to become the next Elaine Paige.  Boyle who was diagnosed as having  learning difficulties and was employed only once in her life as a trainee cook got the audience inspired by amazing pe...

The elderly woman seemed frantic as she turned around and asked a million times, “Where is the Chief Brides Maid?” She was the entertainer, MC and comedian of the day – Alaga iduro for my cousin’s introduction ceremony. She hastily picked one of my cousins’ friends and crowned her Chief Brides Maid. Her goal? Lecture and make sure the CBM wasn’t slacking in her duties. This event is our way of saying ‘meet the parents/family’ and like most Nigerian events, it had to be extravagant. With a little trepidation from the Alaga iduro’s biting stare, I ran to my duty post of Chief ‘House’ Maid. It seemed I had a sticker on my forehead saying ‘ask me, and I shall give thee’. Suddenly, I was the assistant caterer. I was also the photographer making sure people took still moments with bride and the groom. I wiped the bride’s face while my own face was oily. I fanned her while I was sweating. I was chosen as a sign of love, for which I am grateful and I certainly do honou...

I'm obsessed…I keep checking how many views, comments, or whatever is on my blog page. I keep wondering when I will be a mad blogger/writer that makes a difference and wins so many awards.  On my birthday, thanks to the strike, I had a 24 hours lazy day and lots of time to be blog obsessed. I even gave myself a new goal; a blog goal (obviously) which is to have a thousand views by next month (don’t have that just a thousand views look or the Thomas never believing look either, anything is possible). Am sure you are wondering why the blog obsession? The real deal is I am an upcoming writer; a good blog could boast my ego and help achieve my dreams. I could move from level 5 to 100. You know nothing is impossicant. Besides, I need to know and feel like I am achieving something. The feeling of accomplishment, fulfillment and self actualization…  Don’t want to bore you with all my feeling and obsessions. My question is ‘what is your obsession or dream?' You can n...