Oh my...today has been one of the most trying days since my return to Nigeria. For anyone thinking of coming to work in Nigeria, please really think long and hard. When I post these things online, it's not that i'm trying to be overly dramatic, or unnecessarily negative, but I just want people to know the real of what I myself is going through. On top of that, I think i've said many times that coming to Nigeria for the time i've been here, has been an invaluable experience for me. I'd never take back the year. It's allowed me to learn more about myself and my personal and career goals than I would have if I had never moved here. There have been fun times, amazing times, but today is not one of them.
Many times, a lot of people in Nigeria, can not understand how a young person can be driven, ambitious, and successful in the workplace, based on hardwork and dedication, pure luck, and the right opportunities. I've been lucky in the sense that I found someone to guide me and whom I could look up to professionally without really searching for one. Right opportunities because they've been available and i've taken full advantage of them, and hardwork and dedication because I really poured myself into whatever project I've been working on. However as a young professional person in Nigeria, people expect you to be docile and quiet, to be a sort of shrinking violent, you know, the kind of thing that you are to be seen but not heard. And even as a woman, I can imagine that you certainly shouldn't be aggressive. I've essentially been told ALL of these today.
My problem is I don't know how to be ALL of that. And more importantly for me, I want my work to be what's important about me, not my accent, or my cultural attitudes, or gender, or even age. A friend of mine once said to me, "I can't work in Nigeria because I can't work in a country where you can never move ahead on merit." It's not a sort of glass ceiling issue oh, or even that you don't need some sort of "office politics" high IQ, but the fact that what you do almost always counts for nothing or can count for nothing at the drop of a dime. I never really understood how right that statement was until today.
However sha, I believe in the end, once you are confident about who you are, where you stand, what you've said, and your actions, the true story will always make way for you. You will always have the last laugh. Truly as I'm writing this i'm already feeling victorious because at the end of the day, I wasn't blown away by all the jealousy, envy, and maliciousness that was unleashed on me today. People can't understand why God continues to bless you so they try to cut you down. But sometimes God wants to show you just how great his promises in your life are and I'll leave it at that!
A lot of this may seem weird or disjointed, but shoo.........i saw that Tyra episode, I ain't about to give anyone an excuse to shut me down!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Wow, so it's that day yet again. You know my most memorable Valentine's was last year and it had nothing to do with romance. Orientation camp started Feb.14, and that is a day that will now be forever etched in my mind. For me it always be a special day to be celebrated.......i got out, i got out, i got out! Lol.Was watching E! News Daily 10 and Ryan mentioned something about Feb.15 being "Singles Awareness Day", how sad, lol. Us singles are not so bitter we want our OWN day, hell, we want what all y'all heffas have. Lol, don't mind me jare...
Anyway, I've been reading around blogville and i must say i didn't know we had so many romantics. Uzo has inspired me with her blog so here let me offer up a bit of what's going on through my mind:
Many of us are afraid of letting go
Afraid of feeling that hurt that someone else has left behind
Let go of that baggage
It's dragging you down and keeping others from seeing the beauty of you
What may come will come
But today's may be the one
thank you, thank you very much, i'll be here all night ladies and gentlemen. LOL. Nah, but to the special someone who may or may not be...you are a wonderful person, not because of what you can give, or because of the material things in your life, it's not because of who you know or where you've been. It's because you are a man who has managed to overcome those obstacles and managed to mold himself into something beautiful through hardwork, dedication, and faith.
Ok, enjoy lover's day y'all!
The Three Memes
I haven't done a meme in a little while so I found one on Daddy's Girl's blog and liked it so here u go!
Three things I do not want to experience:
1. A true heartbreak again!
2. Losing a sibling, or a child
3. Bad turbulence in an airplane
Three people who make me laugh:
1. Lanrie
2. C
3. Koko!
Three things I love:
1. Music
2. Photography
3. Going out to restaurants
Three things I hate:
1. Duplicitous People
2. Liver
3. Taking out the trash..lol
Three things I don’t understand:
1. Economics - seriously, how did i pass this class? i'm clueless!
2. Whitney? Ray J?
3. What is it that Ray J has?!?! what?
Three things on my desk:
1. Photo of my baby cuz!
2. Post Its
3. Files to "Pass On"
Three things I’m doing right now:
1. Wondering what the hell I left on my desk...
2. Typing on the comp...duh!
3. Praying that all goes well on friday!
Three things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to Seychelles Island
2. Vacation at St. Tropez
3. Grow old!
Three things I can do:
1. Take really nice pics
2. Give good business advice
3. Be on time for appointments, meetings, etc.
Three things you should listen to:
1. Contemporary Arabic music
2. The laughter of a child
3. 50s music
Three things you should never listen to:
1. People who belittle you and your dreams
2. Negativity and Pessimism
3. Hard Rock music......lol
Three things I’d like to learn:
1. Arabic
2. How to play the piano
3. A & I
Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Fanta Orange (i know, but that 36 degree weather ain't a joke!)
2. Water
3. Pineapple and Orange
Three TV shows I watched on NTA as a kid:
1. I don't remember any of this crap...
Three Books I read as a kid:
1. This book about some little people in their little village, it was weird!
2. Weirdly enough, a few years later, The Hobbit
3. Jane Eyre
Three things I do not want to experience:
1. A true heartbreak again!
2. Losing a sibling, or a child
3. Bad turbulence in an airplane
Three people who make me laugh:
1. Lanrie
2. C
3. Koko!
Three things I love:
1. Music
2. Photography
3. Going out to restaurants
Three things I hate:
1. Duplicitous People
2. Liver
3. Taking out the trash..lol
Three things I don’t understand:
1. Economics - seriously, how did i pass this class? i'm clueless!
2. Whitney? Ray J?
3. What is it that Ray J has?!?! what?
Three things on my desk:
1. Photo of my baby cuz!
2. Post Its
3. Files to "Pass On"
Three things I’m doing right now:
1. Wondering what the hell I left on my desk...
2. Typing on the comp...duh!
3. Praying that all goes well on friday!
Three things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to Seychelles Island
2. Vacation at St. Tropez
3. Grow old!
Three things I can do:
1. Take really nice pics
2. Give good business advice
3. Be on time for appointments, meetings, etc.
Three things you should listen to:
1. Contemporary Arabic music
2. The laughter of a child
3. 50s music
Three things you should never listen to:
1. People who belittle you and your dreams
2. Negativity and Pessimism
3. Hard Rock music......lol
Three things I’d like to learn:
1. Arabic
2. How to play the piano
3. A & I
Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Fanta Orange (i know, but that 36 degree weather ain't a joke!)
2. Water
3. Pineapple and Orange
Three TV shows I watched on NTA as a kid:
1. I don't remember any of this crap...
Three Books I read as a kid:
1. This book about some little people in their little village, it was weird!
2. Weirdly enough, a few years later, The Hobbit
3. Jane Eyre
Hola, y otra cosas......
ok.......so my spanish grammar needs constant polishing, lol! How are all of y'all doing out there in blogville? Good. I'm just peachy!
Gotta say my NYSC post got quite a few comments, online and offline. A few people told me "wait till NYSC catches you" lol and others were just grateful to have the info. I'm still happy to post it sha, sometimes, u just needs to know! lol!
I'm vacationing right now.........YAY!!!..........and boy is it COLD! I hope i haven't turned into one of those relatives that come visiting and complain (is that the right spelling? it's looking weird to me..) about how ilu oyinbo (white people's country) is cold! i'm always thinking at the time these people say that like.........uhm, yeah sherlock, it's north america, we have winter here....at least look up "winter" in the dictionary before your "big trip" lol! i'm so afraid i'm turning local...i mean my cousin went to prepare chocolate pudding for her daughter yesterday and guess what the first thing that came out of my mouth was??? "you're making her ogi?!?" LOL, i mean really. I see a dark paste and the first thought in my head was ogi! And then my phone needed to be recharged and as I was going to bed, i was thinking "i better charge that thing before they take the light"........'Nuff said.
I need detoxing fast ma people....anyway, wedding television is calling, i guess i'll blog tomorrow!
Gotta say my NYSC post got quite a few comments, online and offline. A few people told me "wait till NYSC catches you" lol and others were just grateful to have the info. I'm still happy to post it sha, sometimes, u just needs to know! lol!
I'm vacationing right now.........YAY!!!..........and boy is it COLD! I hope i haven't turned into one of those relatives that come visiting and complain (is that the right spelling? it's looking weird to me..) about how ilu oyinbo (white people's country) is cold! i'm always thinking at the time these people say that like.........uhm, yeah sherlock, it's north america, we have winter here....at least look up "winter" in the dictionary before your "big trip" lol! i'm so afraid i'm turning local...i mean my cousin went to prepare chocolate pudding for her daughter yesterday and guess what the first thing that came out of my mouth was??? "you're making her ogi?!?" LOL, i mean really. I see a dark paste and the first thought in my head was ogi! And then my phone needed to be recharged and as I was going to bed, i was thinking "i better charge that thing before they take the light"........'Nuff said.
I need detoxing fast ma people....anyway, wedding television is calling, i guess i'll blog tomorrow!
NYSC 101
Ok, so a lot of people ask me about NYSC. How I'm finding the process, etc. A lot of people are just scared to do it, and are curious about what exactly they'd be getting into. I remember when I was researching to come back to Nigeria I tried to scour everywhere for some info since I was absolutely clueless about everything, and I couldn't find a lot of it. But I know I would have benefitted from some of the things I'm about to expose about the NYSC so if anybody reading this is thinking of coming to Nigeria to do it, or knows someone who is coming to do it, you can just send them to this blog. Thanks to
Naija Vixen for reminding me to blog about this. So here we go:
1. Should you bother?If you've even thought about it then I would say yes. If to you, the possiblity of working/living in nigeria is even existent then you should just do it and get it over with. NO, you can't just come and work here as an expatriate. If you have a nigerian name, your company labour union/employee union COULD protest against the policy of hiring you without NYSC since it's against the law. It has happened many times over to the point that many companies now, especially multinationals will still require you have one or get one just to save the hassle.
2. What are my options? I'm being real here so let me lay it out. There are several levels of participation. Let's start from the obvious.
A. You can take your chances, submit your forms, wait to get posted, go there for camp, and work at whatever company you've been posted to.
B. You can pick the state you want to be posted, pay someone to make sure you get posted there, go to camp and work at whatever company you've been posted to OR pay someone to make sure you get posted to a company you want to work for.
C. You can pick the state, pay to make sure you get the state, go to camp, pay someone so you won't have to work after camp (many people take this option and go back abroad for the rest of the year).
D. Exactly the above but u don't go to camp, you just pay someone to post you to a place u want to work after camp.
E. Pay someone for everything (state posting, camp) you're posted to the organization you want to work. You don't really interact with NYSC at all, except to get a certificate in the end.
F. Exactly like E(state posting, camp, work) but don't work u just go back abroad immediately. You'll have a record of NYSC and that's all that really matters.
Option E&F, will cost you about N60,000-N70,000 naira. Option D will cost you about N30,000. Option C will cost about N20,000-N88,000. 88K because if you get the person to keep the totality of your monthly allowance (about N8,500), it'll end up costing you that much. Some arrange for the person to just keep a percentage of this.
What docs do I need to have with me for NYSC? I'm assuming you're a "foreign student" (studied abroad) through all this. You need the ORIGINALS, yes ORIGINALS, of your degree certificate, your transcript, your school id, your passport(s) with the page of your visa, if u needed one, your High School Diploma (yes). You need to have a valid Nigerian passport (will cost you anywhere between N10,000 and N15,000). You need to have your letter of admission into university/college. Yes, that's what I said. Make sure you do several copies of all these docs.
What do I do once I get to Nigeria? Take the above docs to NYSC Headquarters in Abuja to register. Plan a few days for your first trip to Abuja. You will have to return at least one more time. Ticket to Abuja costs about N10000-N14,000 one way from Lagos.
Ok, I have my posting letter to state You will now go to camp which will be the bane of your existence for three weeks. The first day is HELL on earth. Prepare for biting, scratching, yelling. You will learn the meaning of queueing naija style, which is NOT queueing at all, but mass shoving. You will hate yourself on this day and curse the day you were born nigerian. YOu might sleep under the moonlight.
What is camp life like? Much of this has regressed in my memory. No words on earth can do it justice. You wake up to horns at 4am when u go jogging till 6/7am. 9am u go for parade till 12noon. 430pm u do parade to 6:30pm. 10pm is lights out. They serve you "food". There's a "mammy market" area where they sell everything u would need for camp. EVERYTHING. they also have hairdressers and barbers there. Don't worry there's alcohol. There's mass for Catholics and services for other Christians. There's the equivalent for Muslims. They have bonfire night towards the end where your platoon (the group you're in) cooks, and does pagents. In the last 1 and a half weeks, there's sports. All these parts is hazy to me as I didn't participate nor cared remotely. Many people "escape" from camp within the required 3 weeks. YOu have to pay officials to do so. All levels of officials can do this for you so just find the right one and the right price. Recharge cards (for phone credit) are a popular form of payment. I will warn you, you have to have the liver OH! Better get comfortable with bribing, and bribing appropriately for this to work OR you will tay there. lol. You can also escape via the forest. No. This is not an overstatement, it's not a dream. It's a forest escape. Apart from the possible poison ivy on the way, you WILL face area boys on the outside and may have to bribe them. ALSO, you can scale the fence. This is the most hassle free way I think, but u must know how to scale a fence discreetly and the right time to do so. Goodluck!
After camp? You go to work. Once a week you have to do Community Development (CD). CD groups range from the truly meaningful - AIDS awareness with UNAID to the truly useless. Once a month, you have to go and do Clearance so as to get your allowance. This is the most important activity post camp. It is used to determine your eligibility for the certificate. That's the only thing you need to worry about really. You can pay someone so you don't have to do the weekly CD. Or you can beg to be put in Drama/Tourism group. Nothing much happens there.
Passing Out Congratulations! you are finished but not before some last grasps at making your life difficult. The only advice here is to make sure you fill the book of life. After you've done that, you're good as done. It's kind of like another registration (like the one you did in Abuja) so make sure you have all your docs as mentioned above again.
And that's it! NYSC in a nutshell, yes, you can thank me later lol. What do I think about NYSC? Well at least it's finished and I actually feel like I accomplished something, on that first day of camp, I was so sure I was never going to make it through, but I did. I have no kind words about NYSC. NONE.
To those who may have an issue with me telling it like it is, well, if you don't like it, I challenge you to do something about it to make it better. Because as ugly as all this may seem (paying off officials et al.) that's the way it is. And to those who may be concerned, I actually did all the activities INCLUDING staying in camp for the entire 3 weeks (minus two days). So don't start with me.
Enjoy!
Naija Vixen for reminding me to blog about this. So here we go:
1. Should you bother?If you've even thought about it then I would say yes. If to you, the possiblity of working/living in nigeria is even existent then you should just do it and get it over with. NO, you can't just come and work here as an expatriate. If you have a nigerian name, your company labour union/employee union COULD protest against the policy of hiring you without NYSC since it's against the law. It has happened many times over to the point that many companies now, especially multinationals will still require you have one or get one just to save the hassle.
2. What are my options? I'm being real here so let me lay it out. There are several levels of participation. Let's start from the obvious.
A. You can take your chances, submit your forms, wait to get posted, go there for camp, and work at whatever company you've been posted to.
B. You can pick the state you want to be posted, pay someone to make sure you get posted there, go to camp and work at whatever company you've been posted to OR pay someone to make sure you get posted to a company you want to work for.
C. You can pick the state, pay to make sure you get the state, go to camp, pay someone so you won't have to work after camp (many people take this option and go back abroad for the rest of the year).
D. Exactly the above but u don't go to camp, you just pay someone to post you to a place u want to work after camp.
E. Pay someone for everything (state posting, camp) you're posted to the organization you want to work. You don't really interact with NYSC at all, except to get a certificate in the end.
F. Exactly like E(state posting, camp, work) but don't work u just go back abroad immediately. You'll have a record of NYSC and that's all that really matters.
Option E&F, will cost you about N60,000-N70,000 naira. Option D will cost you about N30,000. Option C will cost about N20,000-N88,000. 88K because if you get the person to keep the totality of your monthly allowance (about N8,500), it'll end up costing you that much. Some arrange for the person to just keep a percentage of this.
What docs do I need to have with me for NYSC? I'm assuming you're a "foreign student" (studied abroad) through all this. You need the ORIGINALS, yes ORIGINALS, of your degree certificate, your transcript, your school id, your passport(s) with the page of your visa, if u needed one, your High School Diploma (yes). You need to have a valid Nigerian passport (will cost you anywhere between N10,000 and N15,000). You need to have your letter of admission into university/college. Yes, that's what I said. Make sure you do several copies of all these docs.
What do I do once I get to Nigeria? Take the above docs to NYSC Headquarters in Abuja to register. Plan a few days for your first trip to Abuja. You will have to return at least one more time. Ticket to Abuja costs about N10000-N14,000 one way from Lagos.
Ok, I have my posting letter to state You will now go to camp which will be the bane of your existence for three weeks. The first day is HELL on earth. Prepare for biting, scratching, yelling. You will learn the meaning of queueing naija style, which is NOT queueing at all, but mass shoving. You will hate yourself on this day and curse the day you were born nigerian. YOu might sleep under the moonlight.
What is camp life like? Much of this has regressed in my memory. No words on earth can do it justice. You wake up to horns at 4am when u go jogging till 6/7am. 9am u go for parade till 12noon. 430pm u do parade to 6:30pm. 10pm is lights out. They serve you "food". There's a "mammy market" area where they sell everything u would need for camp. EVERYTHING. they also have hairdressers and barbers there. Don't worry there's alcohol. There's mass for Catholics and services for other Christians. There's the equivalent for Muslims. They have bonfire night towards the end where your platoon (the group you're in) cooks, and does pagents. In the last 1 and a half weeks, there's sports. All these parts is hazy to me as I didn't participate nor cared remotely. Many people "escape" from camp within the required 3 weeks. YOu have to pay officials to do so. All levels of officials can do this for you so just find the right one and the right price. Recharge cards (for phone credit) are a popular form of payment. I will warn you, you have to have the liver OH! Better get comfortable with bribing, and bribing appropriately for this to work OR you will tay there. lol. You can also escape via the forest. No. This is not an overstatement, it's not a dream. It's a forest escape. Apart from the possible poison ivy on the way, you WILL face area boys on the outside and may have to bribe them. ALSO, you can scale the fence. This is the most hassle free way I think, but u must know how to scale a fence discreetly and the right time to do so. Goodluck!
After camp? You go to work. Once a week you have to do Community Development (CD). CD groups range from the truly meaningful - AIDS awareness with UNAID to the truly useless. Once a month, you have to go and do Clearance so as to get your allowance. This is the most important activity post camp. It is used to determine your eligibility for the certificate. That's the only thing you need to worry about really. You can pay someone so you don't have to do the weekly CD. Or you can beg to be put in Drama/Tourism group. Nothing much happens there.
Passing Out Congratulations! you are finished but not before some last grasps at making your life difficult. The only advice here is to make sure you fill the book of life. After you've done that, you're good as done. It's kind of like another registration (like the one you did in Abuja) so make sure you have all your docs as mentioned above again.
And that's it! NYSC in a nutshell, yes, you can thank me later lol. What do I think about NYSC? Well at least it's finished and I actually feel like I accomplished something, on that first day of camp, I was so sure I was never going to make it through, but I did. I have no kind words about NYSC. NONE.
To those who may have an issue with me telling it like it is, well, if you don't like it, I challenge you to do something about it to make it better. Because as ugly as all this may seem (paying off officials et al.) that's the way it is. And to those who may be concerned, I actually did all the activities INCLUDING staying in camp for the entire 3 weeks (minus two days). So don't start with me.
Enjoy!
Hello lovelies.....I'm copying this thing from Rose Tinted's. It's always a good way i think for people to find out more about the blogger so here it is!
In 2006
1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Definately blog!!!
2. Did you keep any New Year's Resolutions?
I don't make new year's resolutions, they're so stupid. Why would I hold myself to something I committed to in a haze of partying and intoxication? Blah...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few cousins..
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Dare Art Alade's mom - I had just missed her last visit and was looking forward to finally meeting her, then I heard from work that she had died...
5. Did you visit any countries?
I didnt visit any new countries...
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Loads of disposable income....a nice, committed boy wouldn't hurt!
7. Will any date from 2006 stay etched in your memory forever?
February 14 - the day NYSC camp (and much of my 2006 woes) started
8. What was your biggest achievment of 2006?
Hmm...successful integration to Naija and my nom from Future Nigeria!
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know.......2006 was a good year!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My eye infection (foreign object somehow penetrated my cornea), 2 dental surgeries, 3 cavity fillings....
11. What was the best thing you bought in '06?
nothing fab.....maybe my phone?!?
12. Did your behavior change over the year?
i think i'm a bit more aggressive, i mean I do live in Lagos where the popular slogan is "shine your eye" lol!!! (kind of a watch your back sort of thing) You become very "me-centric" here cuz a lot of people are trying to swindle you.
13. Where did you spend most of your money?
jeez.....restaurants, transportation, alcohol, and diesel (for my generator)
14. Are you happier than this time last year?
erhm........more content, yes.
- Thinner or fatter? a bit thinner
- Richer or poorer? Purchasing power parity, probably richer! lol
15. What song will remind you of 2006?
I'm sure something to do with Pussycat Dolls...
16. What do you wish you would have done more of?
travel.........south africa, maybe Ghana (though my interest in ghana has waned
17. What do you wish you would have done less of?
Don't know
18. What did you do for Christmas '06?
Was at home, feasting on some really good food and drinking champagne like it was water!
19. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes, and it was brilliant! though over now......
20. Did you get your heart broken in 2006?
Many times..don't think you can truly fall in love if u don't get your heart broken at least once...lol!
21. Favorite TV program of '06?
Hands down.......Grey's Anatomy.
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didnt hate this time last year?
Oh yes......
23. What was the best book you read and/or movie you saw?
Best book was Obafemi Awolowo's books, best movie was probably Syriana
24. What was your greatest discovery?
Blogger!!!
25. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
went to dinner with a few friends.........20 something lol!
26. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Erhm........
27. What kept you sane?
My girlfriends, old and new (awwww...)
28. Who was the best new person you met?
There are so many.......FSO, Lanre, B..etc
30. Who did you wish you did not meet?
George......some ghana boy idiot!
31. Who was your best friend?
Maybe Tayo..........i know he doesn't read this but if perchance he's one day drugged out enough, or bored enough to actually read this, then yes YOU! (forget it jo, i don't even think he remembers this link, lol!)
32. Who was your enemy?
i don't have enemies
33. Who do you miss?
I miss RICO!!!!!!!! I miss HC!!! I miss MY SIS!!!
34. Who will you never forget?
Zenga
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006: We can accomplish more than we usually think we can. The strength to be all you can be is in everyone of us, u only need to believe it. I'm learning the true meaning of faith, once you understand, everything else will fall into place.
36. What will you always remember about 2006?
I moved to Nigeria, I did my NYSC, I was fortunate to experience real, and true love.
In 2006
1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Definately blog!!!
2. Did you keep any New Year's Resolutions?
I don't make new year's resolutions, they're so stupid. Why would I hold myself to something I committed to in a haze of partying and intoxication? Blah...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few cousins..
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Dare Art Alade's mom - I had just missed her last visit and was looking forward to finally meeting her, then I heard from work that she had died...
5. Did you visit any countries?
I didnt visit any new countries...
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Loads of disposable income....a nice, committed boy wouldn't hurt!
7. Will any date from 2006 stay etched in your memory forever?
February 14 - the day NYSC camp (and much of my 2006 woes) started
8. What was your biggest achievment of 2006?
Hmm...successful integration to Naija and my nom from Future Nigeria!
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know.......2006 was a good year!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My eye infection (foreign object somehow penetrated my cornea), 2 dental surgeries, 3 cavity fillings....
11. What was the best thing you bought in '06?
nothing fab.....maybe my phone?!?
12. Did your behavior change over the year?
i think i'm a bit more aggressive, i mean I do live in Lagos where the popular slogan is "shine your eye" lol!!! (kind of a watch your back sort of thing) You become very "me-centric" here cuz a lot of people are trying to swindle you.
13. Where did you spend most of your money?
jeez.....restaurants, transportation, alcohol, and diesel (for my generator)
14. Are you happier than this time last year?
erhm........more content, yes.
- Thinner or fatter? a bit thinner
- Richer or poorer? Purchasing power parity, probably richer! lol
15. What song will remind you of 2006?
I'm sure something to do with Pussycat Dolls...
16. What do you wish you would have done more of?
travel.........south africa, maybe Ghana (though my interest in ghana has waned
17. What do you wish you would have done less of?
Don't know
18. What did you do for Christmas '06?
Was at home, feasting on some really good food and drinking champagne like it was water!
19. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes, and it was brilliant! though over now......
20. Did you get your heart broken in 2006?
Many times..don't think you can truly fall in love if u don't get your heart broken at least once...lol!
21. Favorite TV program of '06?
Hands down.......Grey's Anatomy.
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didnt hate this time last year?
Oh yes......
23. What was the best book you read and/or movie you saw?
Best book was Obafemi Awolowo's books, best movie was probably Syriana
24. What was your greatest discovery?
Blogger!!!
25. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
went to dinner with a few friends.........20 something lol!
26. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Erhm........
27. What kept you sane?
My girlfriends, old and new (awwww...)
28. Who was the best new person you met?
There are so many.......FSO, Lanre, B..etc
30. Who did you wish you did not meet?
George......some ghana boy idiot!
31. Who was your best friend?
Maybe Tayo..........i know he doesn't read this but if perchance he's one day drugged out enough, or bored enough to actually read this, then yes YOU! (forget it jo, i don't even think he remembers this link, lol!)
32. Who was your enemy?
i don't have enemies
33. Who do you miss?
I miss RICO!!!!!!!! I miss HC!!! I miss MY SIS!!!
34. Who will you never forget?
Zenga
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006: We can accomplish more than we usually think we can. The strength to be all you can be is in everyone of us, u only need to believe it. I'm learning the true meaning of faith, once you understand, everything else will fall into place.
36. What will you always remember about 2006?
I moved to Nigeria, I did my NYSC, I was fortunate to experience real, and true love.
The Future Nigeria.....and my new crush!
Oh wow, ladies and gents! it's been a minute hasn't it...gosh so much happening i think, it's been really hard to sit down and update. Everytime i think of something I DEFINITELY must blog about, life happens and then it'll get tossed to the side and the cycle continua. Where should I start?
THE FUTURE NIGERIA AWARDS
I have to say a big, big, big, congrats to the future nigeria...awards team, that event was fantastic and fabulous and the thing that made it for me was to think that it was all done by young nigerians like myself who are working very hard to manifest their own destiny. It's just absolutely beautiful. We danced, we laughed, we philosophized, we sang along, we listened intently and some of us even almost shed a tear while Segun Obe, Ego, and Essence took to the stage to render the national anthem. To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. Highlights for me:
Segun Obe, Ego, Essence - The Nigerian Anthem
This was just absolutely beautiful. You know when you have one of those moments when you just know that that moment was a very worthwhile moment for you, in your life. Like you'll look back and do it over and over, and over again. That was it. I was just enthralled by it all. Segun Obe's would knock ANY of our contemporary American singers out of the park any day, any time, any where. I'm talking Luther Vandross quality. Man, in nigeria we need to support our artists big time. I have always loved Ego so I wasn't surprised that she was fantastic. That is one artist I can't wait for her CD, i just hope the thing has the best of production we have to offer because that woman is talented. Essence I'd heard about before but hadn't listened to and she was great.
Infiniti - Olori Oko
My God, these guys were AMAZING. AMAZING. i can't say more, I was flabbergasted. They just owned the stage and took it away. It was like watching the Temptations. Anybody knows their management please, feel free to give their contacts.
Professional of the Year Award (my category!)
Ok, e'rybody knows I love Peter of P-Square. For some reason I don't send (don't care about) the other twin, but Peter is my dawg! Anyway so who comes out to read out the winner for my cat? no one but Peter. I see you baby! At that moment, I was wishing they'd just call out my name so Peter could roll it around in his tongue!!!! Oohhhhhhhhhh weeeeeee! So thanks to Emilia and the likes for that special gift, I know y'all must have done it for me (ahem, ahem.....)
Ok, so I didn't win and the award went to Modupe Adefeso from YDNX. Even though my special friend thinks that it's a big "diss" to my company, (I laff) but she's actually a nice young woman so I'm happy to know that another young lady doing her thing took the award. I actually thought Femi Olagbaiye from MTV woulda won, but alas........
Here's my one shout-out to any blog friends......any of you know Olaotan Coker of What's New..? magazine and PR? please help a sista out and put us in touch with each other. This is business oh! so don't no body write me about his wifey or fiancee or girlfriend or whatever. I'm a girl tryna work...........
Oh and before I even forget....who's this new crush? Well e'ryone knows I loved my Ebuka from Big Brother Nigeria but ladies and gents.......i've found a new love! WildChild/IK i'm coming for you, yes you!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh.....I swoon!
PS - Bella Naija..............thanks for all the love and shout outs!!! Sisterly love is a beautiful thing, keep doing you mama!
THE FUTURE NIGERIA AWARDS
I have to say a big, big, big, congrats to the future nigeria...awards team, that event was fantastic and fabulous and the thing that made it for me was to think that it was all done by young nigerians like myself who are working very hard to manifest their own destiny. It's just absolutely beautiful. We danced, we laughed, we philosophized, we sang along, we listened intently and some of us even almost shed a tear while Segun Obe, Ego, and Essence took to the stage to render the national anthem. To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. Highlights for me:
Segun Obe, Ego, Essence - The Nigerian Anthem
This was just absolutely beautiful. You know when you have one of those moments when you just know that that moment was a very worthwhile moment for you, in your life. Like you'll look back and do it over and over, and over again. That was it. I was just enthralled by it all. Segun Obe's would knock ANY of our contemporary American singers out of the park any day, any time, any where. I'm talking Luther Vandross quality. Man, in nigeria we need to support our artists big time. I have always loved Ego so I wasn't surprised that she was fantastic. That is one artist I can't wait for her CD, i just hope the thing has the best of production we have to offer because that woman is talented. Essence I'd heard about before but hadn't listened to and she was great.
Infiniti - Olori Oko
My God, these guys were AMAZING. AMAZING. i can't say more, I was flabbergasted. They just owned the stage and took it away. It was like watching the Temptations. Anybody knows their management please, feel free to give their contacts.
Professional of the Year Award (my category!)
Ok, e'rybody knows I love Peter of P-Square. For some reason I don't send (don't care about) the other twin, but Peter is my dawg! Anyway so who comes out to read out the winner for my cat? no one but Peter. I see you baby! At that moment, I was wishing they'd just call out my name so Peter could roll it around in his tongue!!!! Oohhhhhhhhhh weeeeeee! So thanks to Emilia and the likes for that special gift, I know y'all must have done it for me (ahem, ahem.....)
Ok, so I didn't win and the award went to Modupe Adefeso from YDNX. Even though my special friend thinks that it's a big "diss" to my company, (I laff) but she's actually a nice young woman so I'm happy to know that another young lady doing her thing took the award. I actually thought Femi Olagbaiye from MTV woulda won, but alas........
Here's my one shout-out to any blog friends......any of you know Olaotan Coker of What's New..? magazine and PR? please help a sista out and put us in touch with each other. This is business oh! so don't no body write me about his wifey or fiancee or girlfriend or whatever. I'm a girl tryna work...........
Oh and before I even forget....who's this new crush? Well e'ryone knows I loved my Ebuka from Big Brother Nigeria but ladies and gents.......i've found a new love! WildChild/IK i'm coming for you, yes you!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh.....I swoon!
PS - Bella Naija..............thanks for all the love and shout outs!!! Sisterly love is a beautiful thing, keep doing you mama!
Merry Xmas and Happy New Yar'adua
Let me first say I wish everyone a very merry xmas and a happy new year!!! This year has been fulfilling and challenging at the same time. I'm very happy to be where I am and I thank God and wish all of you (and your families!) reading this a very blessed holiday.
Okay, I had to say that upfront before I go into my angry Nigerian politics rant. How can?!? I mean how can?!?! seriously..........where did Yaradua come from? His brother is dead abeg let him enter his grave properly jare. what nonsense. I was one of the "Dukists" as it has now been coined. I truly believed in this man. He had vision, he was educated, he had exposure and most importantly of all, he had the one quality ALL nigerian politicians lack.....a sense of service to the nigerian country and nigerian people. This spirit is what I liked the most about Donald Duke. I think it's important for a new generation to experience what it's like to have a leader that believed, a leader that wants to serve. I can't explain in words how sad I am that we've all been robbed of this opportunity. There's a new generation of us who actually dared to dream and believe in this new election coming up. We wanted a new Nigeria and for once in a very very very long time, it really was remotely possible. Yes, very remotely but there was still that small chance. For me to even see the billboards for Donald Duke everywhere, to witness that was like a whiff of change. And that has been snatched from us.
"Our Fathers Have Failed Us" - so the PDP "primaries" rolled on and Yaradua's name is endorsed by the party, by the Governor's committee of sorts, signed, sealed and delivered. I'm not sure which i'm more angry at. This idiotic play of things or the evidence that this country is as far from "Democracy" as one can ever be. Nothing works. Everything is broken down. And the men up there could give a damn less. There has been fuel scarcity for the last week and the government and media have both ignored this. No reason has been asked for and no reason has been duly provided. This for a country who is the sixth largest oil producer in the world. Shame. Shameful. It's time people realized our fathers have failed us.
Okay, I had to say that upfront before I go into my angry Nigerian politics rant. How can?!? I mean how can?!?! seriously..........where did Yaradua come from? His brother is dead abeg let him enter his grave properly jare. what nonsense. I was one of the "Dukists" as it has now been coined. I truly believed in this man. He had vision, he was educated, he had exposure and most importantly of all, he had the one quality ALL nigerian politicians lack.....a sense of service to the nigerian country and nigerian people. This spirit is what I liked the most about Donald Duke. I think it's important for a new generation to experience what it's like to have a leader that believed, a leader that wants to serve. I can't explain in words how sad I am that we've all been robbed of this opportunity. There's a new generation of us who actually dared to dream and believe in this new election coming up. We wanted a new Nigeria and for once in a very very very long time, it really was remotely possible. Yes, very remotely but there was still that small chance. For me to even see the billboards for Donald Duke everywhere, to witness that was like a whiff of change. And that has been snatched from us.
"Our Fathers Have Failed Us" - so the PDP "primaries" rolled on and Yaradua's name is endorsed by the party, by the Governor's committee of sorts, signed, sealed and delivered. I'm not sure which i'm more angry at. This idiotic play of things or the evidence that this country is as far from "Democracy" as one can ever be. Nothing works. Everything is broken down. And the men up there could give a damn less. There has been fuel scarcity for the last week and the government and media have both ignored this. No reason has been asked for and no reason has been duly provided. This for a country who is the sixth largest oil producer in the world. Shame. Shameful. It's time people realized our fathers have failed us.
Whew.........
The last few weeks has been such a trying week! To say work has been kicking my butt is a bit of an understatement. I already knew that end of the year brought a lot of activities and books that need to be closed and workshops that need to be finished off, but man, I had no idea! And then to make matters worse, my company has been going through some very veru tough times. Which on the outside sounds very bad but you have no idea what it's like on the inside. Nothing sinister but to try and right wrongs in a company internally is very difficult work and involves all dedication from all those who do believe in the company. And I do believe in the company and i'm determined to be at least some part of a turn around. I can't say too much because of obvious reasons but it's been trying sha. Coupled on top of that is an intensive workshop that's coming up that requires a LOT of work!! Let me take a deep breath, hmmm.......
Ok,so unto other things that's been happening. Let's see.......there's a man who works for a service provider that I think is having an issue understanding that he has to deal with me, a young, female. He's about to get it from me I swear......
There's a man that I met through the weirdest means and we've been "communicating" and i'm finding myself a bit excited by it. I haven't been that in a long time so we'll see where that goes but I won't spill the beans just yet.....
Lastly but not least..............YAY!!! I was nominated for Professional of the Year by The Future Nigeria Awards. I'm so honored to be nominated amongst all these young people that are truly fantastic and working hard to make a way for themselves. Thanks to cool chick Bella Naija for shouting me out on her page!!!!! Stay tuned here to see if I win. My homegirl Ms.Minx is also nominated in the "On-Air Personality of the Year" category alongside Wildchild, Kemistry, Ronke Apampa, Denrele Edun, Kemi Adetiba, Gbemi of Cool FM, and some others! Very proud of her.....
Ok,so unto other things that's been happening. Let's see.......there's a man who works for a service provider that I think is having an issue understanding that he has to deal with me, a young, female. He's about to get it from me I swear......
There's a man that I met through the weirdest means and we've been "communicating" and i'm finding myself a bit excited by it. I haven't been that in a long time so we'll see where that goes but I won't spill the beans just yet.....
Lastly but not least..............YAY!!! I was nominated for Professional of the Year by The Future Nigeria Awards. I'm so honored to be nominated amongst all these young people that are truly fantastic and working hard to make a way for themselves. Thanks to cool chick Bella Naija for shouting me out on her page!!!!! Stay tuned here to see if I win. My homegirl Ms.Minx is also nominated in the "On-Air Personality of the Year" category alongside Wildchild, Kemistry, Ronke Apampa, Denrele Edun, Kemi Adetiba, Gbemi of Cool FM, and some others! Very proud of her.....
45 Facts about Lola
Whats your name spelt backwards?: alol
What did you do last night?: Nothing much, friday night reality show night on MNET...seeing my special eppy of I Want to Be a Hilton was all worth it! (I don't know about no frikis.........LOL, still funny!!!) Oh and seeing Vanessa win Survivor South Africa made me eye water a lil bit, just a lil
The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?: I wish my comp could connect to the internet but I refuse to pay $100/month for service, ain't happening.
Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?: Ehr.......no?!?! why?!?
Last time you swam in a pool?: High School when I thought i was drowning...
What are you wearing?: Black Skirt and Banana Republic top plus a white lab coat...don't ask..
How many cars have you owned?: In my dreams?!?!.....
Type of music you dislike most?: Heavy metal music
Are you registered to vote?: By the end of next week I promise...Donald Duke for 2007!!!
Do you have cable?: Dstv/Mnet
What kind of computer do you use?: Always a HP
Ever made a prank phone call?:LOL.......of course. With that robotic voice that'll call any number in US & Canada and spurt whatever you type online. I used to type freakish rants with cuss words per second and call random folks with it....lol!
You like anyone right now?: hmmm....that guy from Silverbird Entertainment I think...
Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?: Probably sky diving one of these days.
Furthest place you ever traveled?: Toronto to Boston.......on GREYHOUND!!! took 18 hours man...can't forget that day.
What's your favorite comic strip?: XMen
Do u know all the words to the national anthem?: Naija, Canada, American, South African, i think there's an African American one too that's hiding somewhere in my brain.
Shower, morning or night?: Morning of course...but these days with the dust and harmattan, you gotta do nights too.
Best movie you've seen in the past month?: As sad as it seems I haven't seen many movies lately.....maybe Devil Wears Prada?!?!
Favorite pizza toppings?: Green Peppers, Mushrooms, and Extra Cheese...hmmmm I'm sure Afia get's this!
Chips or popcorn?: Probably popcorn
What cell phone provider do you have?: MTN Nigeria
Have you ever smoked peanut shells?: Ehr...........?!?!
Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?: Ehr.......no
Orange Juice or apple?: Orange and Pineapple is the shit y'all
Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?: Sochi
Favorite chocolate bar?: Kit Kat (although I should probably be saying Dairy Milk?)
Who is your longest friend and how long?: just posted about this.....probably Sola in strict year terms but i'm not too close with her so I'll say Afia
Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?: don't know man...probably back in like 1990.
Have you ever won a trophy?: I'm sure I have but I can't remember.
Favorite arcade game?: Oh gosh i cant remember.
Ever ordered from an infomercial?: Nope
Sprite or 7-UP?: 7-up, I hate the Coca Cola company...
Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?: Yes in Nigeria and at work on mondays we have to wear this red shirt that's provided, it's compulsory so some people call it uniforms....
Last thing you bought at Walgreens?: My passport photo
Ever thrown up in public?: I'm not really the throw up type
Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?: Money...love is great but it don't pay the bills....unless it's love with a rich dude?!?!
Do you believe in love at first sight?: hmm, maybe. the first day I met who turned out to be the great love of my life, i was very very attracted...was it love? i don't know
SPONGEBOB OR JIMMY NEUTRON?: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
Did you have long hair as a young kid?: lol......no
What message is on your voicemail machine?: voicemail? in naija? who wan waste credit for that kin tin?
Where would you like to go right now?: St. Tropez
What’s the name of your pet?: Used to have a cat, Lulu. Her nickname was Chiquita. or u could call her Lulu Chiquita.
What kind of back pack do you have, and what's in it?: Dont own a back pack
What do you think about most?: God, Death, Success, Money, Friends, Family, Boys :o)
Funny thing happened today...I went to the local cybercafe cuz i couldn't leave the house for too long (i'm at work now but anyway..)so I get there and the guy there starts flirting in that stupid annoying way that all naija guys think they can so i'm irritated already. I sit down and he's like "you need to switch computers that one is for our stubborn customers..." i'm like ok, wharreva, is this one faster? he says yes. So I sit and log on and wait and wait and wait for like 10min for a page to open. At this point i'm exasperated and i'm like "is this the one you say is fast?" dude acts all stupid and says yes why? "Umm, i've been waiting for 10min for ONE page to load".....he now looks at me in the most annoying annoying way with that stupid dumb accent people try to return at me when I speak, he says "oh wow, you've been looking for a page? waiting for a page? that's something, looking for a page..." He then gets up to move unwantedly very very close to me and starts pressing F8 on the key pad. I just log out, grab my bag, get up and leave.
I mean what the F? can u fix the dumb computer u idiot dirty, local, playboy wannabe...jeez!
What did you do last night?: Nothing much, friday night reality show night on MNET...seeing my special eppy of I Want to Be a Hilton was all worth it! (I don't know about no frikis.........LOL, still funny!!!) Oh and seeing Vanessa win Survivor South Africa made me eye water a lil bit, just a lil
The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?: I wish my comp could connect to the internet but I refuse to pay $100/month for service, ain't happening.
Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?: Ehr.......no?!?! why?!?
Last time you swam in a pool?: High School when I thought i was drowning...
What are you wearing?: Black Skirt and Banana Republic top plus a white lab coat...don't ask..
How many cars have you owned?: In my dreams?!?!.....
Type of music you dislike most?: Heavy metal music
Are you registered to vote?: By the end of next week I promise...Donald Duke for 2007!!!
Do you have cable?: Dstv/Mnet
What kind of computer do you use?: Always a HP
Ever made a prank phone call?:LOL.......of course. With that robotic voice that'll call any number in US & Canada and spurt whatever you type online. I used to type freakish rants with cuss words per second and call random folks with it....lol!
You like anyone right now?: hmmm....that guy from Silverbird Entertainment I think...
Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?: Probably sky diving one of these days.
Furthest place you ever traveled?: Toronto to Boston.......on GREYHOUND!!! took 18 hours man...can't forget that day.
What's your favorite comic strip?: XMen
Do u know all the words to the national anthem?: Naija, Canada, American, South African, i think there's an African American one too that's hiding somewhere in my brain.
Shower, morning or night?: Morning of course...but these days with the dust and harmattan, you gotta do nights too.
Best movie you've seen in the past month?: As sad as it seems I haven't seen many movies lately.....maybe Devil Wears Prada?!?!
Favorite pizza toppings?: Green Peppers, Mushrooms, and Extra Cheese...hmmmm I'm sure Afia get's this!
Chips or popcorn?: Probably popcorn
What cell phone provider do you have?: MTN Nigeria
Have you ever smoked peanut shells?: Ehr...........?!?!
Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?: Ehr.......no
Orange Juice or apple?: Orange and Pineapple is the shit y'all
Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?: Sochi
Favorite chocolate bar?: Kit Kat (although I should probably be saying Dairy Milk?)
Who is your longest friend and how long?: just posted about this.....probably Sola in strict year terms but i'm not too close with her so I'll say Afia
Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?: don't know man...probably back in like 1990.
Have you ever won a trophy?: I'm sure I have but I can't remember.
Favorite arcade game?: Oh gosh i cant remember.
Ever ordered from an infomercial?: Nope
Sprite or 7-UP?: 7-up, I hate the Coca Cola company...
Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?: Yes in Nigeria and at work on mondays we have to wear this red shirt that's provided, it's compulsory so some people call it uniforms....
Last thing you bought at Walgreens?: My passport photo
Ever thrown up in public?: I'm not really the throw up type
Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?: Money...love is great but it don't pay the bills....unless it's love with a rich dude?!?!
Do you believe in love at first sight?: hmm, maybe. the first day I met who turned out to be the great love of my life, i was very very attracted...was it love? i don't know
SPONGEBOB OR JIMMY NEUTRON?: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
Did you have long hair as a young kid?: lol......no
What message is on your voicemail machine?: voicemail? in naija? who wan waste credit for that kin tin?
Where would you like to go right now?: St. Tropez
What’s the name of your pet?: Used to have a cat, Lulu. Her nickname was Chiquita. or u could call her Lulu Chiquita.
What kind of back pack do you have, and what's in it?: Dont own a back pack
What do you think about most?: God, Death, Success, Money, Friends, Family, Boys :o)
Funny thing happened today...I went to the local cybercafe cuz i couldn't leave the house for too long (i'm at work now but anyway..)so I get there and the guy there starts flirting in that stupid annoying way that all naija guys think they can so i'm irritated already. I sit down and he's like "you need to switch computers that one is for our stubborn customers..." i'm like ok, wharreva, is this one faster? he says yes. So I sit and log on and wait and wait and wait for like 10min for a page to open. At this point i'm exasperated and i'm like "is this the one you say is fast?" dude acts all stupid and says yes why? "Umm, i've been waiting for 10min for ONE page to load".....he now looks at me in the most annoying annoying way with that stupid dumb accent people try to return at me when I speak, he says "oh wow, you've been looking for a page? waiting for a page? that's something, looking for a page..." He then gets up to move unwantedly very very close to me and starts pressing F8 on the key pad. I just log out, grab my bag, get up and leave.
I mean what the F? can u fix the dumb computer u idiot dirty, local, playboy wannabe...jeez!
This and That
my mind's a little all over the place today..........have so much stuff mulling over in my heard and not much time to blog. My work is kicking my butt at the moment, it's very hard to be brilliant u know!!!! hehehe. but seriously thought i'm under pressure from my self and from "the big boss" to be exceptional at all times so the race is on...Anyway, this entry will be a bit disjointed sha.
First, something's been bugging me lately that i must blog about. It's that i've noticed that some people are so fake. Their relationships are largely periphereal, conditional type of friendships/relationships. As in, "ore asiko" (friend of the moment). When their moons change or their tides change, they quickly shed their skin and are on to the next thing. Some people tend to mistake that for being a "lean, mean" sort of go-getter. They misinterpret it as being focused but in reality it's more like tunnel vision and it's not a positive thing. I can't fathom living life like that. Me, i value the relationships in my life. If i don't like you as a person then I just ain't gonna bother with you but if I do then i'm a "ride or die chick", i'm with ya till the end. I'm a loyal friend and it just sucks that not everyone you meet is like that.
Which brings me to the second point, Friendships. Like I said anyone that knows me knows that i extremely value the friends in my life. They are absolutely my support system. People that love me and accept me for who I am, they know me and know that "the chick is a lil crazy" but it's alright u know. Let me shout out a few of them:
Afia - or 'Fifi or 'Fia. Afia is pretty much my longest running friend. I guess about six years now (i have friends for longer but we're not as tight as perhaps we were before so it's not the same). 'fia is a special babe on her own. She looks so small and timid but let no man be fooled, she packs a punch!!! I'm always amazed that guys always single her out and become very smitten with her very quickly cuz they think she's shy..........that girl is FREAKY y'all lol, lol. (Sorry Fia :o) ) One of the many cool things about Afia is that she's not judgemental and you can just call her and talk about ANYTHING. Nothing shocks this babe and she'll give you an objective point of view. She's also good at reminding you that "please, girl u can't do that ish....you broke!!!" yeah yeah yeah.
Enite - Enite is a party hard kinda girl. That's why there are many people out there who wouldn't believe that she's a more serious minded person than me! Her play time and her work time are very well delineated, she's a work hard, play hard sorta babe. Enite can be at the bar downing body shots of Vodka (i said body shots o!) but next morning she'd be very sad cuz one of her old patients is not feeling well or something. And she's a nurse! And a very hardworking and dedicated one too. She'll tell you the real too and is someone you can trust not to go gossiping cuz she really can't be bothered. Good peeps.
And then there's Dipo, Nicholas, Tayo et al. I would write blurbs on all of them but i just realized i'm tired so guess not...a simple shout out will do, sorry guys!
Thirdly, I've realized lately that i'm very proud of myself o! Very very proud of myself. A lot of people always ask me how I got my job, who do i know. And i'm like, no one. I did it on my own. Or who is the someone special that persuaded me to come to nigeria and i'm like, no one. I just did it. And there are many people that think and even convinced that the "big boss" and I have some sort of link, that's why he's shown confidence in me and i have to respond again. No. Nothing. It's my hard work and dedication and belief that nothing's impossible and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I really believe that. I've had so much opportunity come to me in the last year, that i have to wake up in the mornings and just give thanks to God. When I look at what i'm coming from, in the reality, and look at where things are now and how bright the future is, it's nothing short of amazing. Black Enterprise magazine used to have a feature on the top 100 businesswomen in America and everytime that issue came out, I used to read and read and reread every single profile. I even cut out the covers one time and pasted it in this book I had of what I wanted to acheive in my life. I remember that book and i'm happy cuz somehow, I can really see it. The path has actually cleared and it's not that far.
Finally, if one more ex of mine get married to the next girl they dated after me, I'm gonna SCREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!
First, something's been bugging me lately that i must blog about. It's that i've noticed that some people are so fake. Their relationships are largely periphereal, conditional type of friendships/relationships. As in, "ore asiko" (friend of the moment). When their moons change or their tides change, they quickly shed their skin and are on to the next thing. Some people tend to mistake that for being a "lean, mean" sort of go-getter. They misinterpret it as being focused but in reality it's more like tunnel vision and it's not a positive thing. I can't fathom living life like that. Me, i value the relationships in my life. If i don't like you as a person then I just ain't gonna bother with you but if I do then i'm a "ride or die chick", i'm with ya till the end. I'm a loyal friend and it just sucks that not everyone you meet is like that.
Which brings me to the second point, Friendships. Like I said anyone that knows me knows that i extremely value the friends in my life. They are absolutely my support system. People that love me and accept me for who I am, they know me and know that "the chick is a lil crazy" but it's alright u know. Let me shout out a few of them:
Afia - or 'Fifi or 'Fia. Afia is pretty much my longest running friend. I guess about six years now (i have friends for longer but we're not as tight as perhaps we were before so it's not the same). 'fia is a special babe on her own. She looks so small and timid but let no man be fooled, she packs a punch!!! I'm always amazed that guys always single her out and become very smitten with her very quickly cuz they think she's shy..........that girl is FREAKY y'all lol, lol. (Sorry Fia :o) ) One of the many cool things about Afia is that she's not judgemental and you can just call her and talk about ANYTHING. Nothing shocks this babe and she'll give you an objective point of view. She's also good at reminding you that "please, girl u can't do that ish....you broke!!!" yeah yeah yeah.
Enite - Enite is a party hard kinda girl. That's why there are many people out there who wouldn't believe that she's a more serious minded person than me! Her play time and her work time are very well delineated, she's a work hard, play hard sorta babe. Enite can be at the bar downing body shots of Vodka (i said body shots o!) but next morning she'd be very sad cuz one of her old patients is not feeling well or something. And she's a nurse! And a very hardworking and dedicated one too. She'll tell you the real too and is someone you can trust not to go gossiping cuz she really can't be bothered. Good peeps.
And then there's Dipo, Nicholas, Tayo et al. I would write blurbs on all of them but i just realized i'm tired so guess not...a simple shout out will do, sorry guys!
Thirdly, I've realized lately that i'm very proud of myself o! Very very proud of myself. A lot of people always ask me how I got my job, who do i know. And i'm like, no one. I did it on my own. Or who is the someone special that persuaded me to come to nigeria and i'm like, no one. I just did it. And there are many people that think and even convinced that the "big boss" and I have some sort of link, that's why he's shown confidence in me and i have to respond again. No. Nothing. It's my hard work and dedication and belief that nothing's impossible and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I really believe that. I've had so much opportunity come to me in the last year, that i have to wake up in the mornings and just give thanks to God. When I look at what i'm coming from, in the reality, and look at where things are now and how bright the future is, it's nothing short of amazing. Black Enterprise magazine used to have a feature on the top 100 businesswomen in America and everytime that issue came out, I used to read and read and reread every single profile. I even cut out the covers one time and pasted it in this book I had of what I wanted to acheive in my life. I remember that book and i'm happy cuz somehow, I can really see it. The path has actually cleared and it's not that far.
Finally, if one more ex of mine get married to the next girl they dated after me, I'm gonna SCREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!
My Darling Daddii
Today's my dad's memorial. November 24. I can hardly believe two years has passed. Time waits for no one indeed. This following is something I wrote last year September and I think it goes well here....
It's so weird when you have a parent die. Especially if you tie so much of your identity to that person. You lose that aspect of your life forever and are left wondering if all those aspects of your identity still exists if the person whom they stemmed from is dead. There's no day I don't think of my dad. None. Especially with me being in Nigeria. My Dad would have been soooo ecstatic to see it happen. He would have been OVER the moon. We always dreamt it together and when it came time for me to actually make that big step, he wasn't even around to see it. To be proud of it. Sometimes I forget that he's no longer here and want to rush to the phone to call him and gist about some of my experiences here. I can imagine we would have stayed on the phone for hours :o)! Or sometimes I think of some of those few last moments when even as it happened I knew I was going to cherish the moment forever. One of such moments was during Howard Dean's democratic "crazy rant"...........we were talking about it and my dad was like how crazy is that?!?!?! and he proceeded to re-enact the whole thing................."from here it's to Vermont, to OHIO, TO BOSTON, AND RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"................lol, all crazy like. lol, lol. Or when we finally convinced him to take the codeine pills he soooo refused to take, and he took it and within minutes just jumped up, and started joking around like his normal self. And my sis and I were joking that he's a druggie, he's high....................... :o) Man, if I were to write about my dad, my journey with him in this life, our journey with cancer et. al. it would take forever. But it will all sum up to this:
I love my Dad.
I miss my Dad.
Everyone was downstairs, gathered around the t.v mindlessly watching whatever 20/20 was feeding the nation. I walked upstairs. My dad was lying on the bed and the room was dark, as usual. It's like the further his health slipped, the farther hope was, the darker he wanted to keep his surroundings. So I entered, turned on the light and lay next to my father. He said "so u think we should do the Germany treatment." we had been discussing treatment options for the last two weeks. The family was divided. We all knew anything from now on would be palliative so the issue at hand wasn't how do we cure this but how do we keep him alive the longest. A doctor in Atlanta promised 6 more months with his immunotherapy which focuses on strengthening the immune system to battle the invasive effects of cancer. This treatment was costly. The other option was an Ukrain Therapy with a German doctor in ulm, germany. Ukrain was a new cancer treatment gaining momentum around the world but illegal in the United States mainly because of the pharmaceutical companies not being able to trademark it and making money off of it. Still, ukrain has been documented to prolong life for 11months. This treatment was extra costly. My mother and sister felt Atlanta is cheaper and more accesible to us, we'd be able to be with my dad the whole way while germany is largely a huge risk, costlier, and would take my dad away from the family for 3weeks. Time which really was running out. However as a researcher I read the graphs and the statistics and if Ukrain could keep my dad alive for 11 more months, then that is the way to go. My dad agreed with me so we were now just in a battle to convince the rest of the family. We talk treatment options. Just he and I in darkly lit room upstairs, on his bed. Then my dad bursts into tears. Starts crying in a very hopeless way. He said to me, "I don't want to die Lola, I don't want to die. I want to see you kids grow up, I want to see you get married and I want to see my grandkids. I don't want to die." I think at that moment we both knew that no matter how much he wished it, no matter what treatment, the reality is, he IS going to die and he IS dying. I want to cry too but I know that all my dad has left is hope. So I turn to him and tell him how proud I am of him. How proud I am of the way he is handling this whole thing, that I don't know anyone else who would be dealing with this with the same dignity and strength that he has been. I tell him that this is a hard thing for anyone to go through. how would anyone else react when their doctor says to them, you have at the most, 6wks left to live? I tell him at that very moment I respect and admire and love him not just as a dad but as a human being. I said he's alright. He stops crying and holds my hand. He always held my hand, and we just lay there, counting the moments. I knew that was going to be the most poignant point of my life.
I remember when I was young, my dadwas everything a little girl dreams of. To me he was strong, handsome, funny. He loved me and protected me. A smart, intelligent businessman who travelled the entire span of the world. I never got along much with my mother but my dad and I from day ONE were buddies...I remember being maybe 5/6 and we'd have guests and i'd still run into his arms and just sit there. whenever he was away on business and got back, I would run into his room and as he put his luggage away I would rat on every single person in the household and tell him everything everyone had been doing . I was his little secretary too when i was like 10. I'd help balance his checkbook, call his suppliers and tell them to "hold for your caller"..... he was a giant to me, a superman. From much younger he told me anything a man can do a woman can do so don't let anyone tell u because you are a woman blah blah blah. When I was older he said stay true to yourself and never let a man railroad you. The very first laptop I owned my dad had gift wrapped and sent it
to me in college for Valentine's Day. Always encouraged, always held my hand, there were times it felt like it was he and I against the world. The strongest man I knew and I had to stand and watch as literally he shriveled up and disappeared right in front of my eyes. I had a conversation once with my mother yesterday and she told me the day before my father died, he called her and said to her that for him, she has to really really take care of me and guide me, and support me. Even as he lay dying, he did think of me. At the morgue, I held his hand and even though it was cold, it felt familiar and it felt comforting and I just knew everything would be ok. And it is.
It's so weird when you have a parent die. Especially if you tie so much of your identity to that person. You lose that aspect of your life forever and are left wondering if all those aspects of your identity still exists if the person whom they stemmed from is dead. There's no day I don't think of my dad. None. Especially with me being in Nigeria. My Dad would have been soooo ecstatic to see it happen. He would have been OVER the moon. We always dreamt it together and when it came time for me to actually make that big step, he wasn't even around to see it. To be proud of it. Sometimes I forget that he's no longer here and want to rush to the phone to call him and gist about some of my experiences here. I can imagine we would have stayed on the phone for hours :o)! Or sometimes I think of some of those few last moments when even as it happened I knew I was going to cherish the moment forever. One of such moments was during Howard Dean's democratic "crazy rant"...........we were talking about it and my dad was like how crazy is that?!?!?! and he proceeded to re-enact the whole thing................."from here it's to Vermont, to OHIO, TO BOSTON, AND RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"................lol, all crazy like. lol, lol. Or when we finally convinced him to take the codeine pills he soooo refused to take, and he took it and within minutes just jumped up, and started joking around like his normal self. And my sis and I were joking that he's a druggie, he's high....................... :o) Man, if I were to write about my dad, my journey with him in this life, our journey with cancer et. al. it would take forever. But it will all sum up to this:
I love my Dad.
I miss my Dad.
THANKS YBF!!!!
Okay y'all......................I love YBF's blog and all, but for this........................................I'M IN LOVE!!!! how could she have known that this is Lola's "dream team". To me these two brothers are the sexiest brothas in The Hood for realz. I'm not one of those babes who likes pretty boys at all. I like me some rough rugged, African looking mo'fuckas. None of that primping, light skinned brotha bs. That thing ticks me off man! I have a few friends that have been amazed at who I think is attractive. Many a time we'll be talking and they'd name some guy who's all oiled down and mean mugging the camera and be like "Lola.........Lola.non? no? nada?" And i'm like yeah whatever. I mean who wants to get with someone who looking at the mirror is turning his OWN self on, like damn, i'm too sexy, I wish I could sex meself......AARGH! Which just brought to mind a friend of mine. MAAAAN, if y'all see this mudrucka, you'd be amazed. This man dances like he's in sex me video ALL the time, you just always end up feeling sorry for which ever poor girl he's dragged up from her seat only because he wants to show himself off. The girl is probably cowering in the corner and my friend who i'll call K.M. is just at it, working on a baby....................all by himself! There was this one time and I was completely amazed by what was happening in front of my eyes. KM was in one corner "dancing" frantically, sexing himself up, and his girlfriend was at the other end of the dancefloor doing the same thing, you just expect that any minute now, a baby would just plop out, roll to the middle and proceed to show off his own "too sexy for my neck moves" i mean completely amazing. it was just mesmerizing and intense to watch. I mean, HOW DID THEY FIND EACH OTHER?!?!?! and to think KM's bro does exactly the same thing....it's wild!
But anyway, let me just not digress further......so here's Idris Elba and dude from "Remember the Titans". Don't know homie's name, but ah well.......he fine, he don't need no name!
Blah.....................
I've just been in a sort of funky mood lately. Nothing much going on but the usual, and if there is, i'm not too much into it. Ah well, just the way the cookie crumbles I guess. I just don't go out as much as I used to do anymore, either it's work, or seriously, i'd just much rather stay home in my time off. Although there are a few places that are just cropping up that i'd love to visit. that place that's above St. Elmos on Awolowo Rd, Ikoyi, can't remember what it's called jare. I think there's another one on that road. Perhaps this weekend i'll venture out again.
Perhaps one of these day's i'll do a post on Eko Tourist Beach, which is like, my favorite place in Lagos I think. It's so beautiful there. If per chance.....very slim, very very slim one..........i get proposed to in Nigeria, it has to be there. It's just lovely. Ah well......long day, gotta head home now. thinking about buying diesel for the gen and paying cable bills.............arghhhh..........!
Perhaps one of these day's i'll do a post on Eko Tourist Beach, which is like, my favorite place in Lagos I think. It's so beautiful there. If per chance.....very slim, very very slim one..........i get proposed to in Nigeria, it has to be there. It's just lovely. Ah well......long day, gotta head home now. thinking about buying diesel for the gen and paying cable bills.............arghhhh..........!
Nigeria is DEAD!!!
Never has the opiatic, under-developing effect of religion in Nigeria been so clear to me as it was last night, watching NTA. There will be no major change in the way aviation is run here, so long as the crash is classified as an Act of God, and our response to it conditioned to be one of prayer. Religion Nigerian-style numbs every sinew of the body, freezes the brain, and erodes any possibility of rational response, and above all, transformative action. It is, at present, a malign force – a force which does not transform, which does not heal. It is, as Soul says, the most vicious colonial effect
Why is this country so.........so.....so....stupid?!?! I mean seriously. I was reading the above blog and the thing just hit me like a bus. I am one person that didn't really bother too much about the plane crash. Not because i don't feel for the ones that lost their lives, but i'm just tired of everything going wrong with the infrastructure and nothing being done about it. I guess i've just been resigned and complacent, and i guess that's just not good enough. I mean someone, somewhere's just gotta start fighting for the right things to be done at the right time. I don't know, this bug's just been awakening itself in me lately. I went to one of these dinners that i usually go to and someone said something quite interesting to me, she said "what's scary about nigeria is not that many people (qualified or not) want to run for president but that there's NO ONE that wants to run for the local council chairman. what's happening down there?!?!" Now that's a very scary thought with sooo many repercusions. For one, does it mean that people are just "placing their friends" in these positions? Does it mean that no one cares about the ordinary people? Or does it mean our top politicians are really unqualified and unproven? ALL very grim options my people. I have a friend who's running for House of Reps. Very young guy, maybe about 27. He has inspired me really. I think many other young people should start thinking about it. Start at the bottom level.
Now on to this airplane crash. This get's me so angry now. NOTHING is going to get done about this you know. We'll all gnash our teeth, and read newspapers voraciously in pity, but outside of that. NOTHING. Which kind of country is this were people won't lift a finger to even better their own selves. And we are all guilty.
ARIYA Redux...........
Ok, first before i go into anything else. I just read Minx's blog and that babe is looking for my trouble o............YO MRS MINX or wharreva una call yourselves.......take time o, what is this obsession with Ebuka?!?! lay off partna! You don't want no cyber WHA?.........GIRLFIGHT!!
whooo........ok. i'm good now. second thing. there are very specific moments where I just love my job. I've only been working for a few months but i've gotten to meet and interact with a few peeps. Relatively cool peeps anyway. Mrs. Remi Tinubu, First Lady of Lagos for one, quite unexpectedly, inspired me, i first met her a few months ago and she threw me with how much poise she has. Job is cool people, job is cool.
Ok to da main event....(drumroll please - for me sista abeg just do it!)..............
ok, it's a bit dark but i'll try and lighten it up and repost tomorrow.....but yup, i was at the King Sunny Ade birthday dinner yesterday. I was very excited and it was beyond my dreams. I didn't realize how much I myself loved KSA until he was right there in front of me. And you start thinking, "man, this man wrote and sang all those lovely songs....man, this man is GENIUS, and he's nigerian..." it was amazing. I felt really really proud to be a Nigerian then. The event was organized by Special Events which is owned and operated by this young girl, maybe about 26/27 and she did really well for herself. It was attended by the First Lady of Lagos State Remi Tinubu (have i said how much i love this lady?!?!?), the Oba of Lagos and a few other Obas, Florence Ita Giwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Dr. Kuku, and i'm sure a few other big girls and boys that for the life of me I wouldn't know about. When Jimoh Ibrahim came in and there was a huge rush of people, I was so clueless!!! Man..........these guys must really wonder where the hell I dropped from. For those who don't know, Jimoh Ibrahim owns Eko Hotel, Nicon Airways and some other things I can't remember right now.
Anyhoo...........I sha felt blessed to be there, just hope none of my pics end up in City People...(that's my fervent hope and prayer these days!)
whooo........ok. i'm good now. second thing. there are very specific moments where I just love my job. I've only been working for a few months but i've gotten to meet and interact with a few peeps. Relatively cool peeps anyway. Mrs. Remi Tinubu, First Lady of Lagos for one, quite unexpectedly, inspired me, i first met her a few months ago and she threw me with how much poise she has. Job is cool people, job is cool.
Ok to da main event....(drumroll please - for me sista abeg just do it!)..............
ok, it's a bit dark but i'll try and lighten it up and repost tomorrow.....but yup, i was at the King Sunny Ade birthday dinner yesterday. I was very excited and it was beyond my dreams. I didn't realize how much I myself loved KSA until he was right there in front of me. And you start thinking, "man, this man wrote and sang all those lovely songs....man, this man is GENIUS, and he's nigerian..." it was amazing. I felt really really proud to be a Nigerian then. The event was organized by Special Events which is owned and operated by this young girl, maybe about 26/27 and she did really well for herself. It was attended by the First Lady of Lagos State Remi Tinubu (have i said how much i love this lady?!?!?), the Oba of Lagos and a few other Obas, Florence Ita Giwa, Jimoh Ibrahim, Dr. Kuku, and i'm sure a few other big girls and boys that for the life of me I wouldn't know about. When Jimoh Ibrahim came in and there was a huge rush of people, I was so clueless!!! Man..........these guys must really wonder where the hell I dropped from. For those who don't know, Jimoh Ibrahim owns Eko Hotel, Nicon Airways and some other things I can't remember right now.
Anyhoo...........I sha felt blessed to be there, just hope none of my pics end up in City People...(that's my fervent hope and prayer these days!)
FAREWELL, LEBO......
I'm so saddened to write about the death of South African super sensation Lebo Mathosa who died in a car crash early Monday morning. She was only 29. Lebo had been performing most of her life and was part of the hugely successful South African group Boom Shaka. She released her first solo cd entitled "Dreams" in 2000, which went on to win her three South African music awards. She released her second solo album in 2004 entitled "Drama Queen". Lebo was asked to perform at Nelson Mandela's 85th birthday at which she was then handpicked to be the top act at the launching of MTV Africa. She's one of the most versatile and energetic singers in the African music scene and she was also an actress, appearing on several hit TV shows such as Backstage, Muvhango, and Generations (my favorite!).
Lebo was my absolute favorite African artist. She had so much presence and so much energy you couldn't help but be mesmerized by her and her voice was sooo big. To me, she symbolized a new African woman. In charge, and unafraid. She also reminded me of Brenda Fassie, the great singer who died a few years ago. But everyone saw that familiarity and always asked her about it. In an interview when asked about how she feels on taking over Fassie's throne, Lebo said that there's no way that could happen since Fassie is a legend and no matter what she does she will always be following the footsteps of the great singer. Somehow I liked that response. It sounded quite humble for this woman who is also fastly becoming a legend herself. And then on MTV base, i also heard her speak and she sounded so soft and her love for music and Africa just shone through so brightly. Immediately I identified with this woman. One of her songs, really has been a mantra for me from the moment I heard it, "Brand New Day". Seriously, everyday I get up, that song is always playing in my head and i just get that jolt of energy to get up and appreciate another day.
I'm so so saddened by this woman's death, i don't know, maybe because in so short a while somehow, her life touched me. And then i've just been thinking about death lately. How it grips us without our consent and some so young in their lives. It's very sad. My neighbour Tola Okoya-Thomas recently passed on from breast cancer and that death affected me so much. She was only 28 and she was so beautiful. She had just given birth to twins just two weeks before she died. I mean why are all these young ones dying so............young? what time is there in 28 years?!?! Life truly is short and we've got to live every single moment. I was also reading someone's blog where they were so saddened by the loss of a dear one, another blogger and that really saddened me as well. Young lives, young lives....... I always say one thing though, people, let's always be careful about the words that come out of our mouths. My mom always used to say you never know which kinds of spirits are passing by and will take your words up. Always be positive, talk positively about life, be full of energy and hope for the next day.
I'll leave with this quote from dear Lebo Mathosa when asked to comment after Brenda Fassie's death, she said "You can't deny death, you can't fear it. I'm sure God has a better place for us, if you're a believer". If you are a believer.
The Fours
FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE (the interesting ones!)
1. Lingerie Specialist - Plus Size Store (yup, proud of this one!)
2. Market Research/Focus Group Interviewer
3. Bingo Attendant (I called out the numbers of the card when someone yelled BINGO!)
4. Customer Service Rep - Insurance
FOUR FICTIONAL JOBS YOU WISH YOU HAD
1. Storm from Xmen
2. MTV VJ
3. Beyonce's job (wharreva it is!)
4. First Lady of Nigeria (yes, and i'm a feminist, u got something to say?!?!)
FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN
1. The Preacher's Wife
2. Shrek 2
3. Best Man
4. Kill Bill 2
FOUR CITIES YOU'VE LIVED IN
1. Lagos, Nigeria
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Ottawa, Canada
4. Boston, Massachusetts
FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH
1. Greys Anatomy
2. Survivor South Africa
3. Gilmore Girls - can't help it, i love Logan
4. Sopranos (i've recently fallen back in love with this show!)
FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION/TRAVELED TO
1. New York, USA
2. London, England
3. Abuja, Nigeria
4. Littleton, Colorado, USA
FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY
1. www.hotmail.com
2. www.naijarules.com
3. www.bellanaija.com
4. www.google.com / www.gmail.com
FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS
1. Tofu Stir-fry with Wheat Pasta (i really really like it, i swear!)
2. Spicy Salmon Sushi (again, anyone loves me wants to take me to Bonzai?!?!)
3. Eggs - anyhow
4. Chilli Prawns
FOUR THINGS YOU WON'T EAT
1. Red Meat
2. Amala
3. Dogs
4. "Bush Meat" - whadda hell?!?!
FOUR THINGS YOU WISH YOU COULD EAT OR DRINK RIGHT NOW
1. Pad Thai
2. Veggie Lasagna
3. Chicken Shawarma from Mango's
4. Greek Salad from Cosi
FOUR THINGS IN YOUR BEDROOM
1. My bed
2. Mirror
3. My magazines
4. My ankaras - yay!!!!!!!!!!
FOUR THINGS YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR BEDROOM
1. Walk-in closet
2. Someone to clean it
3. TV
4. Internet
FOUR THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. Black pants
2. Black bead bracelet
3. Peach Blouse
4. Livestrong band - yup, it ain't about fashion for moi!
FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. Seychelles Island
2. London, visiting with my cousin's baby!
3. Budapest (i don't know, almost visited there once and since it's been on the list of places to go)
4. St. Tropez
FOUR FICTIONAL PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. On Cloud 9
2. Visit that city where Gilmore Girls live...
3. Somewhere over the rainbow
4. Tony Soprano's house
FOUR PEOPLE YOU’D REALLY LOVE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
1. John Legend
2. Beyonce
3. Kanye West
4. Bill Clinton
FOUR THINGS YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW
1. Hillary Clinton would be snooty
2. I'm gonna have to work at some point today....i'm so lazy right now
3. Can the lady behind me read what i'm writing?
4. I don't know how to clear the damn items....(don't ask!)
FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS
1. My family
2. VI/Lekki Phase I (let's not say Lagos!)
3. My new ankara dress
4. "Upgrade You" - Beyonce (i'm loooooooving this song!)
FOUR PEOPLE YOU TAG
Jeez, I don't know, i don't even think i know that much people that blog!
1. Lingerie Specialist - Plus Size Store (yup, proud of this one!)
2. Market Research/Focus Group Interviewer
3. Bingo Attendant (I called out the numbers of the card when someone yelled BINGO!)
4. Customer Service Rep - Insurance
FOUR FICTIONAL JOBS YOU WISH YOU HAD
1. Storm from Xmen
2. MTV VJ
3. Beyonce's job (wharreva it is!)
4. First Lady of Nigeria (yes, and i'm a feminist, u got something to say?!?!)
FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN
1. The Preacher's Wife
2. Shrek 2
3. Best Man
4. Kill Bill 2
FOUR CITIES YOU'VE LIVED IN
1. Lagos, Nigeria
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Ottawa, Canada
4. Boston, Massachusetts
FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH
1. Greys Anatomy
2. Survivor South Africa
3. Gilmore Girls - can't help it, i love Logan
4. Sopranos (i've recently fallen back in love with this show!)
FOUR PLACES YOU'VE BEEN ON VACATION/TRAVELED TO
1. New York, USA
2. London, England
3. Abuja, Nigeria
4. Littleton, Colorado, USA
FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY
1. www.hotmail.com
2. www.naijarules.com
3. www.bellanaija.com
4. www.google.com / www.gmail.com
FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS
1. Tofu Stir-fry with Wheat Pasta (i really really like it, i swear!)
2. Spicy Salmon Sushi (again, anyone loves me wants to take me to Bonzai?!?!)
3. Eggs - anyhow
4. Chilli Prawns
FOUR THINGS YOU WON'T EAT
1. Red Meat
2. Amala
3. Dogs
4. "Bush Meat" - whadda hell?!?!
FOUR THINGS YOU WISH YOU COULD EAT OR DRINK RIGHT NOW
1. Pad Thai
2. Veggie Lasagna
3. Chicken Shawarma from Mango's
4. Greek Salad from Cosi
FOUR THINGS IN YOUR BEDROOM
1. My bed
2. Mirror
3. My magazines
4. My ankaras - yay!!!!!!!!!!
FOUR THINGS YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR BEDROOM
1. Walk-in closet
2. Someone to clean it
3. TV
4. Internet
FOUR THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. Black pants
2. Black bead bracelet
3. Peach Blouse
4. Livestrong band - yup, it ain't about fashion for moi!
FOUR PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. Seychelles Island
2. London, visiting with my cousin's baby!
3. Budapest (i don't know, almost visited there once and since it's been on the list of places to go)
4. St. Tropez
FOUR FICTIONAL PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1. On Cloud 9
2. Visit that city where Gilmore Girls live...
3. Somewhere over the rainbow
4. Tony Soprano's house
FOUR PEOPLE YOU’D REALLY LOVE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
1. John Legend
2. Beyonce
3. Kanye West
4. Bill Clinton
FOUR THINGS YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW
1. Hillary Clinton would be snooty
2. I'm gonna have to work at some point today....i'm so lazy right now
3. Can the lady behind me read what i'm writing?
4. I don't know how to clear the damn items....(don't ask!)
FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS
1. My family
2. VI/Lekki Phase I (let's not say Lagos!)
3. My new ankara dress
4. "Upgrade You" - Beyonce (i'm loooooooving this song!)
FOUR PEOPLE YOU TAG
Jeez, I don't know, i don't even think i know that much people that blog!
Yeah, it really IS Jigga
Ok, so I wasn't at the ThisDay Music Festival that held over this past weekend at Polo Club in Ikoyi. Which, let's be honest really sucks. The tickets were 25k per person or 100k per person VIP. I knew i didn't want to do the 25k thing, cuz if there's one thing i'm afraid of, it's nigerian crowds. Just my one experience at The Vault for the Big Brother eviction party, was enough to make up my mind. Pushing, shoving, too much "stushness", etc. So I wasn't gonna do that. Contemplated the 100k ticket for about a minute but then again, i came to the conclusion that it probably was a bad spending idea. I mean 100k could get me return tickets to europe, dubai, or south africa, definitely to ghana with some left over! Plus this is nigeria. After you spend your 100k they'll now tell you that there's a VIP extra and you can't go past that door (did any of y'all see that frasier episode?!)
Anywho, international artists were Beyonce, Jayz, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Missy, and En Vogue. Plus some local acts...Dare Art Alade, D'banj, Tuface, Weird MC etc. I am actually quite proud of this event as I heard that at least the first night (with the top stars) went ahead without any hitch. Everyone keeps saying it was well organized which is a very big deal for nigeria. Ciara spoke some Yoruba and Beyonce sang the national anthem, which everyone is saying is the BEST they've ever heard it, so it's ALL good! Seriously I still can't believe that they pulled it off. Y'all should have seen the pic of Snoop at Murtala, I just CRACKED UP!!!! the man just looked like he was sweating like a Christmas goat, he didn't look so sleek.............Lagos heat'll do that to ya! This is definitely another sign that Nigeria is on the up and up. I don't care what anyone says about Obasanjo, but his administration have seen a lot of development in the economy, opening up of the image of Nigeria, and confidence in the country the world over. At least those are good things. So keep it up Nigeria & Nigerians!
Sorry about the quality of the pic, but hey, it's a newspaper, whaddya want?!?!
To Date or Not to Date
Has religion ever played a role in whether you date someone or not? Like right now, i'm having an issue with this. Really, i've never really gave a second thought to it. You like a guy, he likes you, good. We'll start with that and the rest of the stuff will work itself out. Any human's fundamental right includes the right to choose one's religion i believe and to choose and practice it freely, without condemnation. But would you as a christian, date a man who asks you to cover your hair in public? can you fast together during Ramadan? can you celebrate Salar together? Can you be quiet and take a background when he and other men are talking?!?! Are these stereotypes?!?! I know there are varying degrees of this. Some take a strictly orthodox view and some are little more liberal in their interpretations, but i'm saying y'all, this guy is kinda on the strict side. It's scary. And he's here assuring me that all that matters is the relationship between the two............uhm....NOT SO SURE BUDDY! He's like "my own pops married an Ibo woman who's not muslim so my family and myself are not like that"..............right, but HELLOOO?!?!!!!! YOU ARE, which says a lot about which side of the religion coin was winning in that household. hmmm..........i don't know sha. If there are any Hausa ladies or guys reading the blog, pls drop a note! Have you dated outside the religion and how difficult or easy was it?!?!
Considering that right now i'm loving Hausa boys, I may need to delve further it all of this. Dude was telling me about some sort of a celebration involving an Emir, complete with horse riding and full turban wear and everything, and warning me that, hmm............"you can't wear all that spaghetti strap things oooo!!!!" I'm already scared! But i tell him that shebi all those oyinbo women film these things for National Geographic, that i'd be fine. He's like, "have you ever seen video footage of inside the Emir's palace?" which i really haven't so now i'm really really scared.......me, i don't want to offend anyone o!
Oh, and when someone says "May God save and keep us all"............can i say "Amen, in Jesus' name?!?!"
I need answers!
Considering that right now i'm loving Hausa boys, I may need to delve further it all of this. Dude was telling me about some sort of a celebration involving an Emir, complete with horse riding and full turban wear and everything, and warning me that, hmm............"you can't wear all that spaghetti strap things oooo!!!!" I'm already scared! But i tell him that shebi all those oyinbo women film these things for National Geographic, that i'd be fine. He's like, "have you ever seen video footage of inside the Emir's palace?" which i really haven't so now i'm really really scared.......me, i don't want to offend anyone o!
Oh, and when someone says "May God save and keep us all"............can i say "Amen, in Jesus' name?!?!"
I need answers!