I was at the cinemas last weekend. I had gone to see “The Greatest Showman” the 20th Century Fox musical starring Hugh Jackman as the main character. I had heard good things about it, and being a movie buff, it came first on my list of movies to see next. After going through the usual motions…
Verbal shots have been fired at some third world countries, not for the first time. But, perhaps for a first by a sitting president of one of the countries regarded as a superpower, and tempers are flaring. The countries at the end of the scathing comments have been reacting, and the African Union have demanded an apology. Even though the man at the center of the brouhaha, Donald Trump has denied making such unflattering remarks, no one can put it past him. For a man who’s infamous for his lack of tact, he appears to have outdone himself with this one.
It’s the start of a new year, and more than ever before, everyone is pumped to put their best foot forward, strive for success, attain new heights and be relevant in the scheme of things. People are on a high at this time, there’s that push that comes from wanting to achieve the goals set for the year. The memories of the unaccomplished resolutions from the previous year are all too fresh in the memory, and many swear that the present one will be nothing like the last. So we attack the year with fresh zeal and a consuming passion to right the wrongs of the previous, be on top of our game career-wise and generally make sure we are many steps ahead three hundred and something days later.
Happy New Year everyone!!
This year, I’ll be publishing a good number of flash fiction, a genre I have always found fascinating. And for starters, I am introducing “Daughters of Eve” – A story I entered for the JB Afenfia Flash Fiction Contest. Daughters of Eve was the 3rd runner-up out of 125 entries. I really hope you enjoy reading it. And of course, your feedback is always appreciated.
It happened last night. It was one of those Friday nights when my friends and I decided to have a few drinks over plates of pepper soup, and if we were lucky, get some feminine company for the rest of the night.
The latter only applied to Ken and Ayomide, however. I was the shy and reticent one who didn’t seem to have the “bad boy” blood in him.
In a few days, the year 2017 will wind down completely. In usual fashion, we will be wishing one another a happy new year. And like every other time when a new year is ushered in, many will be full of new hopes and aspirations. It’s a script that plays out every 365 days. It is constant. Unchanging. The truth is, at the end of the day, the Ist of January in any year is just another day, however, one can’t deny the sense of freshness and new beginning it elicits. Whether some of us downplay it or not, a new calendar year will always represent a good time to do a self-appraisal, and start afresh.
It’s the virtual space where we all get to express ourselves, air our views, display a little vanity (for those who are so inclined), exciting family life or lack thereof and keep in touch with family and friends. There have been arguments for and against social media and its use, and the general consensus seems to be that while the virtual community has reunited friends and family and built friendships, it has also done as much harm (if not more) to existing relationships.
Following yet another episode of allegations of sexual misconduct, an eight-year American congressman, Trent Franks, bowed to pressure to resign from office. It’s the new wave. A series of disgraceful revelations that have seen the high and mighty in the entertainment and political world accused of sexual impropriety. Highly respected men whom the average person looks up to as a mentor or role model are being exposed for the “fraud” they really are. High profile individuals are “falling” in their tens, and before the middle of next year, there may be hundreds of them biting the dust.
The Police Special Anti Robbery Squad, popularly called SARS has come under heavy criticism for a couple of days now. What started as a few complaints from one or two people has quickly morphed into a social media campaign that is expected to culminate in a street protest. Nigerians are calling for the section of the Nigeria Police Force to be scrapped. Numbers don’t lie, and the hundreds of thousands of people employing the power of the virtual community to register their dissatisfaction with the operating unit of the police force are enough proof that we just might have another “Occupy Nigeria” looming if the government of the day does not take appropriate steps to ensure the issue is adequately addressed.
I like people who do things their own way. People who are not afraid to be themselves or air their opinion regardless of what others think. I like them because I know that one of the hardest things to do, especially in these parts is go against popular opinion. Everyone wants to belong, everyone sees the need to jump on the next pop culture bandwagon. It’s safer to do so. You don’t stand out, you don’t stand the risk of being insulted, mocked, subjected to snide remarks, and sometimes, public criticism. You blend in nicely, and all is well with you and world around you.
A young man is allegedly stabbed to death by his wife on suspicion of infidelity, and there is silence in the land. Unsettling silence, apart from the usual run-of-the-mill reportage by the media and a smattering of social media posts from individuals. There hasn’t been any outcry over the shocking circumstances that led his death. The human rights activists are silent, “social media warriors” are taciturn, and feminists have lost their voice.