Just Before You Go...



"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Proverbs (29:18)

The Arab spring was kick-started on the 18^th of December 2010 in Tunisia after Mohamed Bouhazizi’s self-immolation. Civil unrests spread rapidly through the Middle East and North Africa. Rulers were forcefully removed from power and there are still unrests in full swing in some countries such as Syria and Bahrain.

The removal of fuel subsidy in January 2012 led to a wave of #occupyNigeria protests. Nigerians inspired by the Arab spring took to the streets in order to demand for their rights. As faint as the line was, it was obvious that there were two different groups out in January – the ones who simply wanted to have the increase in price of PMS reversed and the ones who wanted to make their voices heard against corruption and the lack of accountability on the parts of our leaders.  There was a problem during the protests though – that faint line.

UNITY - Ogunyemi Bukola (Superblogger II Winner)

"Upon the conduct of each, depends the fate of all" Ogunyemi Bukola

Views from high towers,

Make others look smaller.

This is the illusion of ego,

The difference is mere distance.

All beings are tiny under the sun,

This is the reality of our worth.

From hills or valleys, the shortest man

Will clearly see the sunshine.

We have learned to fly the air like birds,

And swim the sea like fishes,

But we have not learned the simple art,

Of living together as brothers.

Faux Naija!

“Reality denied comes back to haunt.” Philip K. Dick.

One of my favourite words is ‘beautiful’. Proves I am Nigerian! Gosh we love beautiful and big things – gigantic houses and cars, dresses, shoes etc. Even when unaffordable, taking out a cooperative loan is not a hard thing for most. The need to have everything picture perfect has now resulted in what I call ‘under the carpet’ syndrome.

We do not mind living in denial as long as our issues can perfectly fit under the carpet. We hide the mentally challenged relatives in the boys’ quarters, hide the students whose parents cannot afford socks and books at the back of the classroom during inspection, hide poor citizens by destroying their shops and houses and we hide the suffering masses in gigantic places of worship.

Blatant hypocrisy!

Why I Am Nothing! - Japheth Omojuwa

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal"  Albert Pike

 

I have since come to the realisation that I am nothing. I am nothing by myself except when established in the reality that God made me. All that I am, He made. In that sense, everything I have and all I am belongs to The One who created me. That is the reason I am always taken aback when people say they are self-made. I am not self-made. I cannot be self-made. Nothing cannot make something. God made me and all I am, He made; all I seemingly make, He makes. The true me is God playing with a man. That consciousness means that I am always ready to give back.

I do not have much. In fact, I do not have anything. The little I seemingly have, I am always willing to give. When I look for opportunities to give, it is not because I have a lot. It is because I do not want to keep what someone intends for someone else. I am a channel to bless other people.

If I am a good writer, it is because God made me so. I have a responsibility not just to make the world a better place with my God-given ability but I must as a matter of responsibility replicate that ability in several other people. Every move I make to the top, I intend to take as many people with me. My business as a human being is to make more people see the reality of who they really are: that they can do a lot with what they have and only by doing much with little will they be able to do more.

You Dare Not Stop!

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society” Jiddu Krishnamurti

There was a warning from the US that another terrorist attack was imminent in Nigeria during the Easter period. I was not shocked and I read articles with the warning with a ‘here we go again’ attitude. I then woke up on Sunday morning to the news of a bomb blast in Kaduna. I simply locked my phone and got ready for church. I did not get teary for the lost souls, I did not go through the usual rants and I did not preach...I said nothing.

Midway through the service, it hit me - I had become 'them' (albeit outwardly). I had inadvertently become one of the people I see as uncaring; the ones I call ‘selfish’; the ones who would not bat their eyelids while their neighbours wept. I knew I was neither uncaring nor selfish. I cared deeply. Maybe even too much that it really hurt. I do not think that I can find the exact words to explain my frustrations but I know I was deeply angry. Was this how 'they' felt? Helpless?

My Easter

He is mine; I am his

He died,
He rose,
He is alive,
He won.

He made it
God Vs Hurt
God Vs Fear
God Vs Anger
God Vs Shame
God Vs Failure
God Vs Depression
God Vs Me

My Pastor (The Man, The Myth)

...it is of no value and only ruins those who listen... [NIV]

                                                                2Tim 2 vs. 14 - 19

Oh, forget about his being human. Forget that he is a teacher of ‘God’s word’ and not actually God. He is my ‘god’.  He is perfect or at least close to perfect. I must never hear of his failings or questions about his ministry as it reflects badly on me. Do you not realise that having an infallible pastor earns the church members bragging rights? What do you want people to think of me if they saw that my pastor is the one being talked about negatively in the news?

That bible verse, the one that says ‘by their fruits you shall know them’, well you should not really talk about his bad ‘fruits’ as it makes me look bad. It makes me feel judged like you are questioning my reasons for attending the church. You see, my pastor is a ‘god’ and he should not have to explain things to mere mortals.

Who says your judgement is right any way? Are you not judging his fruit by your own flawed fruits? I would never go to a church with a pastor whose fruits are as good as or worse than mine. Any news about my pastor’s wrongs is false. Like I said, he is a ‘god’ with a perfect relationship with his wife – they never argue or fight. His wife is perfect too – as gentle as a dove. You mean their children? They are straight ‘A’ and tongue-speaking children.

Interview with Oluwaseun Fakuade (BEACONS Nigeria)

BEACONS TEAM

        "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world" Anne Frank

Payme’s 2Cents is all about promoting citizens’ participation in the development of Nigeria. I am excited to introduce Oluwaseun Fakuade, the Project Director of College Board, Nigeria. He has been working hard to raise awareness about the power of the citizenry in improving the development of our communities as well as the political system of our country through his BEACONS Nigeria group. He has been really generous as he took some time out to answer some of my questions. I hope you get inspired. Enjoy!!!