One sunny day.

I sat in my little corner of the world thinking, thinking about everything, from music to food, to fashion to family, to friends that were still around, to friends that were now a memory, to Nigeria and to the sun which had blessed me with its presence that morning. I sat in my little corner of the world, thinking about everything, I sat in my little corner of the world, thinking about Nigeria.

Most of my thoughts lately have been about Nigeria. I think of the greatness Nigeria can achieve, I think of the changes that are coming to Nigeria, I think of this change that I am going to be a big part of. I think of a new Nigeria, I think of a better Nigeria. Each day my thoughts are filled with hope of 'the Nigerian Dream'.

How is this change going to come to Nigeria, how do we achieve this 'Nigerian dream', you ask. My answer is simple, it is a nine letter word, the key to all our problems, EDUCATION. I can see you going 'errmm, what is she on about again'. But yes the key to solving our numerous problems is that simple.


You are wondering how a room, tables and chairs, a blackboard and a teacher can solve our problem right? Well i am not referring to that type of education. What I mean by education is information.It holds the key to solving all of our problems. They people should be informed about the true position of things. They should know effects of their actions or lack of it, the effect of their words or lack of it. They should know that they can get the Nigeria they dream of, they just have to work for it.


I sat in my little corner of the world, not just thinking or dreaming of a better Nigeria. I sat in my little corner of the world, plotting my return to the motherland. I sat in my little corner of the world perfecting my little plan of educating my people back in my village. I sat in my little corner of the world, perfecting my plans for a better Nigeria.

Why do I want a better Nigeria?

I think my friends are getting tired of hearing me whine about a better Nigeria. LOL. Any time i say anything related to Nigeria becoming great again, they go, 'you have come again, madam better Nigeria'.
Well it was during one of my numerous lectures on how we can make Nigeria great again that i realized 'why I wanted a better Nigeria'.

Why do I want a better Nigeria? For my kids. Sounds strange right. All my life, most of the adult part that is, I have lived my life considering how my actions today would affect the lives of my children in the future. Its funny when I say this to others, they all seem to laugh at me for thinking of children that I am yet to have. And I don't blame them, heck I don't even have a boyfriend so where would the babies come from.
But seriously, I honestly believe that my actions of today in turn has an effect in my future, my children are a big part of my future so why would I want to do something that would jeopardize their futures? I strongly believe that the way my parents lived out their youth had an impact on the almost perfect life I have today. My parents are not the richest folks in Nigeria, but a lot of doors have been opened to me and my siblings not because they gave bribes on our behalf, but because when they had the opportunity, they impacted positively in the lives of those they met. It might have been as little as just listening to the problems of some stranger that stumbled into their offices, or just simply explaining to an applicant why he didn't get his dream job. I know I am digressing, but I am just trying to show how the actions of parent have an impact in the lives of their children.

So, why do I want a better Nigeria? I want it for my kids. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where, 'up Nepa' is just a part of the story mummy used to tell them. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where we can take road trips when we want to, not caring the time of the day or the part of the country we are headed for. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where I don't have to send my children abroad for a sound education. I have lived abroad for the past 7months for my masters and I have hated every minute of it. I want my children to have the choice of schooling at home or abroad, and upon graduation having the opportunity to compete for the best jobs in the world. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where strikes and corruption are a thing of the past. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where I know they are getting the same health care as any other kid in the UK or the US. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where they can be best friends with Hadiza, Oiza, Segun and Uwa. I want to raise my kids in a Nigeria where they would get nothing but the best.

My kids cannot get the best if I don't work for it today. It is not by getting the best job and making all the money in the world. It is not by putting in all those hours in the office just so I can make enough money to give my children whatever they want. I want to give my children the best of everything and the only way I can give them the  best is if I start working on a better Nigeria today. I want my children to have the best so I am going to play my part to ensure Nigeria is great again. Nigeria may never be great in my life time, but I would do my best to ensure my children and grand children grow up in a great country.

Lucky? In what sense?

Meeting new people I must admit is one of my favourite things. But getting to know them beyond the surface is one of the most annoying phases of a new friendship, I must admit. I remember meeting people and getting to know them. Then they realize that my hair is a beautiful mix of brown and gold, as opposed to their ordinary black hair. They first thing they blurt out is ‘you know you escaped being an albino right’? *And so, does that make me less human*. ‘Your colour is so different’,* duh, I have been asleep for the past 20 something years of my life that I dint notice, thanks for bringing it to my attention Einstein*.  And my personal favourite ‘mehn, you are so lucky, you escaped albinism’ *really? Why? I didn’t get the memo on them not being human*. These are my mental reaction to them. My physical reaction to them is just to smile and say nothing, let’s just say if I were to go into it, they would curse the day we crossed paths.

But really, who are the lucky ones, the albinos or these ‘normal’ coloured idiots? In my opinion, the albinos are the lucky ones; they were spared of this stupidity the ‘normal’ coloured folks seem to keep passing down from generation to generation. Really so what makes you, Mr ‘normal’ colour, more human than Mr Albino huh? What makes you better than him, ehnnn? What gives you the right to call him unlucky?

Funny how when I was young I used to let their stupidity get to me. I remember putting a lot of my dad’s youth hair in my hair once, just so I could have ‘normal’ coloured hair. When my mum found out, I thought I was in for it, I silently said my last prayers. Funny enough all she said to me was ‘you are beautiful the way you are, I remember getting you ready for school each morning, combing you golden hair was my favourite part, so never try to change it’. I was still in high school at this point. Fast forward a few years, I am in uni and my hair colour seems to be the rage. Everyone is trying to get their hair to look like mine; they keep asking where I get my colours done. ‘hehehehe’ I laugh to myself secretly  and simply say to them ‘from the chief stylist Himself’, they walk away confused.

In recent years, I have come to see what my Mama saw years ago when she gave me that advice. I have come to embrace my ‘lucky’ colour just the way it is and I love it just like that. I remember one of my uni friend used to tell me I always look tanned, ‘really’ I think to myself, ‘this is what these oyinbo people shell out money for and am like this naturally’. That’s a good thing right, lol. I love me just the way I am and I wouldn’t have me any other way.

The fact is, I would meet a lot of smart ass ‘normal’ coloured people in the years to come. But their comments would no longer get to me anymore. I would also meet a lot of normal ‘normal’ coloured people in the years to come, that see beyond my ‘lucky’ colour. But I wouldn’t let the stupidity of the smart assed ‘normal’ coloured people cloud my judgement. I love me the way I am, and I am not going to doing anything about the way I look, if you don’t like it, you can take it out with the Big Guy himself.

Advices and the pinchy shoes

Have you ever given advice that you thought was perfectly sound for the situation, only to have the person turn around and not take your advice? Remember going on about how the person is a fool and how he/she is stupid for deciding to go on with that situation? Remember going ‘it’s not your fault, it’s me that refused to keep my mouth shut, it’s me that gave you advice now, next time I would just shut up’?

Have you taken time out to ask yourself why he or she chose to go on with this situation? Have you ever tried taking your own advice?

Truth is when we find ourselves in similar situations, taking our own advice becomes a herculean task. It’s easy to give out advice especially when we have never been in those shoes, but it is very difficult to take the same advice. Especially when it comes to the matters of the heart, advices come easily, yet it is so difficult to take that same piece of advice. For instance, a woman whose husband has turned her into a daily punching bag turns to you for advice. As a good friend, your best advice to her is to leave the b*****d right? And when she ‘refuses’ to leave him, you tell her about how stupid and weak she is right? Sometimes we don’t always say it out but we sure are thinking it. Now imagine the tables have turned, your boyfriend hits you, just once let’s say. Taking your own advice becomes a herculean task. You start making excuses for him, remembering all the good times you both had together, using the good times to make up for the bad times. What about the girl with the serial cheat for a boyfriend? As a good friend your advice is, ‘leave him abeg, he is not the only fish in the sea’. Well the tables have turned, yet you are unable to same, unable to take your own advice.

I am not saying your advice is a bad one, far from that. All I am saying is, be gentle on your friends, loved ones or whosoever you are giving advice when they don’t take this advice. The truth is, until you have been in their shoes, you don’t know how hard it is to take this advice.

Next time, when giving advice, remember to be a strong shoulder to lean on during the implementation of your advice. Don’t get mad when your advice is not taken, just remember to be there for them through it all, that is what is important.