A lot has been happening…but then again, a lot is always happening in Nigeria. One minute there appears to be a flicker of hope that we just might be beginning to get things right…you know, news such as the emergence of ex-CBN Governor, Charles Soludo as the winner at the Anambra State polls, and most…
There’s always so much buzz about numbers. You know…” strength in numbers”, how numbers make the difference when it’s crunch time and other sundry claims that make you feel as though if you have a multitude behind you, you can hardly go wrong. And to a large extent, these assertions make sense. Manage to sell a commodity worth a thousand naira to ten thousand people, and you have ten million naira. Just like that! Harness the numbers within your locality to vote for you during election season, and you are on your way to winning. Organise a ten thousand man match and you are likely to get the attention of the authorities for one reason—numbers.
When it comes to matters of love, everyone has an opinion. People have varying views on how they would like to be shown love and even go one step further to attempt to dictate how other people should be loved. It’s why the relationship dynamic between two of the Big Brother Naija Season 6 ex-housemates, Saga and Nini continues to generate controversy among viewers. The majority find Saga’s undeniably enamoured self off-putting; those on the other side of the divide insist a man like Saga is every woman’s dream and critics are only being hypocritical with their condemnation of his approach.
Groups, especially within the context of social media and online platforms, in general, have come to stay. They are conduits for collaboration—tagged the new currency; and avenues for information sharing and building formidable relationships. And so today, we have all kinds of groups: professional, school, business, ethnic, religious, recreational and, of course, fun or gossip groups. The dynamics of each group vary in almost the same way they share similar characteristics; there are the active members who are vocal about their thoughts on every topic, Frankly, without them, the group would be dead.
I stumbled upon a post in a public forum where the writer opined it was better for adults to get married early in order to forestall the possibility of attending Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Meetings at the age of 50. As expected, the controversial viewpoint generated varying comments from members of the group.
I had just returned to my seat from a tea break at a formal event I attended recently. This fellow attendee had taken the seat next to the one beside me. COVID-19 prevention measures had prompted the organisers of the event to urge participants to leave a free seat beside them to ensure adequate spacing. The stranger said hello and I returned the greeting. As I settled in, he announced that he had watched me as I made my into the hall and thought I was pretty. I smiled and muttered a thank you. But the conversation did not end there.
I knew I had to dedicate a post to the thrilling exploits of the Nigerian woman and the recognition that has followed when the news filtered it about Elohor Aiboni’s appointment as the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). It was the latest in the series of glass ceiling shattering appointments of first female Managing Directors. Aiboni’s apex engagement had been preceded that of six of her counterparts in the banking industry. Of course, the fact that this latest feat happened in what can be termed as the cream of the crop of industries makes it extra special.
As we trudge through life sometimes and bound through it at other times, we are inclined to forget how far we have come on the journey of life. How the very things that almost drowned us now appear trivial.
Sometimes, I think we (living in these times) are the luckiest bunch of people since the history of mankind began. At other times, I am not so sure and long for the simpler times when the internet did not exist. Times when there weren’t so many opinions flying around cyberspace; when things were subtler and saner. It’s a ruckus these days; a big, fat whirlwind featuring compulsive showoffs, faux intellectuals, cantankerous characters, and relentless rabble-rousers jostling for prominence on and offline. And as exciting as it is, it gets overwhelming all too often.
The moans from the room grew louder as Ivan approached the side of the three-bedroom bungalow.
He shook his head as he let himself into the sparsely furnished living room and lowered himself into the sofa.
The sounds were louder now. The girl, whoever she was, had a shrill voice that was difficult to ignore.
He leaned back and shut his eyes. It had been a long day, but also a good one.
He needed to nap, but something told him he’d struggle to achieve that with the gymnastics going on inside.