Now That We No Longer Have Rules

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It’s 2015, we are well into the 21st century, and one important factor that comes with these times is that there are virtually no rules anymore. The phrase “Anything goes” is the unofficial slogan of the modern world. Gone are the days when there were generally acceptable standards of conduct and behavior. Today, any action or inaction, misconduct or impropriety can be explained away or defended. To question these things is to risk to being seen as overtly conservative or intolerant. The concept of having rules or laws is predicated upon identifying and separating good from bad, as well as put a check on people’s tendency towards excesses. In our current world, all appurtenances of caution have been thrown to the wind! The question is how far are we going to keep pushing moral boundaries in the name of being true to self or beliefs? Well, your guess is as good as mine.

The Rise And Rise Of Akinwunmi Adesina

Opinion Pieces, Stories

“Always put your best foot forward, you don’t know who’s watching” – Ololade Ajekigbe

If there was one minister who stood out for excellence in carrying out his duties during the much criticized Goodluck Jonathan administration, it is Akinwunmi Adesina, the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The 55 year old first class graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife was one of the few shining lights in an arguably forgettable era. As if to appreciate his giant strides in the Nigerian agricultural sector, just a day before the democracy day handing over ceremony of the previous government to the new one, the news filtered in that Adesina had just been elected as the next President of the African Development Bank (AFDB). A position he is due to assume in September,2015. Dr Adesina will be the eight president and first Nigerian to hold the post in the organization’s history.

Children’s Day: A Vote For Vernacular

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No doubt, children are a blessing to anyone who is lucky enough to have them. Oftentimes, parents talk about giving their children the best they can afford. Where matters concern the fruit of our loins, nothing is too much or beyond reach. Some even go the extent of borrowing or committing crimes just to satisfy the needs of their child, but many times parents and guardians forget that when it comes to raising children, money is not necessarily the most important factor. Inculcating the values of discipline, integrity, honesty, respect, self-confidence and an appreciation of their mother tongue (the focus of this piece) in our offspring doesn’t cost money.

…Of Silly Trekkers And Misplaced Priorities

Opinion Pieces, Stories12 Comments

If you are oblivious of the latest reality show going on in Nigeria, then you must have been hibernating under a rock or something. What started as the “ambition” of a young man to according to him “fulfill a promise” he made two years ago to trek from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate in solidarity with General Muhammadu Buhari should he emerge winner of the 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria has quickly escalated into a competition of sorts resulting in not less than eight other young Nigerians trekking from one part of the country to the other in order to show support for their political candidate. Like almost every other venture in Nigeria, the bandwagon effect has taken its full course on this trekking madness.

Thoughts On The Buhari Vs AIT Brouhaha

Opinion Pieces, Stories6 Comments

There has been an on going debate since the news broke that the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari barred the reporters of African Independent Television (AIT), a privately owned tv station from covering his activities citing security concerns over his family and ethical issues as reasons for the decision. Nigerians are divided over the expedience of this decision, with a section of the populace insisting that it doesn’t bode well for our democracy especially in the light of the fear among certain quarters that General Buhari who was a former military dictator cannot totally shed his military toga and embrace the ideals of democracy altogether. With a history of fiercely clamping down on the media and free speech through the enactment of the Decree 4 which forbade any journalist from reporting any information considered embarrassing to any government official during his first stint at the helm of affairs, some people are justifiably worried by the news of Buhari barring AIT.

Xenophobic South Africa: Why Nigeria Needs To be Fixed Fast!

Opinion Pieces, Stories5 Comments

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithi stoked the embers of discord and violence when he called for the deportation of foreign nationals living in South Africa, saying that it was unacceptable that locals were being made to compete with people from other countries for the few economic opportunities available. What’s with Kings and unguarded utterances in recent times? In the meantime, what started as a form of growing discontent and grumblings among the people living in the poor regions of South Africa has quickly escalated into a full blown massacre of other black Africans no thanks to the King’s statement.

How To Be A Lagos Big Girl

Satire, Stories27 Comments

Away from all things too serious, I am sharing an extra post this week. I will be writing on something that has always fascinated me…”The Lagos Big Girl Tag.” The city of Lagos is regarded as a land of opportunities where people come in search of the golden fleece that is often talked about. Everyone wants to be seen as “doing well” or “making it.” Now, the ways of achieving that aim differ from person to person. Today, I will be attempting to assist the ladies who aspire to be tagged “Lagos Big Girls.” Feel free to scratch Lagos and insert the name of your city of residence.

The Chibok Girls: One Year After

Opinion Pieces, Stories12 Comments

    “Chibok girls saga remains an open sore on the conscience of our nation” – Wole Soyinka

It’s my 50th blog post, and I am dedicating it to the missing Chibok girls. One whole year has passed since an entire set of teenage girls were forcibly taken from their school, the Government Secondary School in Chibok town, Borno State, Nigeria. 365 whooping days! Over 200 girls whose only crime was an ambition to make something of their lives by getting a western education were abducted from their dormitory on the 14th of April, 2014 by the dreaded Boko Haram sect. The Islamist militants have held the north eastern part of the country, and by extension the whole of Nigeria by the jugular for the past six years! However, the case of the kidnapped Chibok girls was the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back. Boko Haram hit our last nerve. It was and still is a bad dream…a terrible nightmare which has unfortunately dragged on for far too long.

Between Self-Expression And Privacy

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tmi

In 2013, a teenager in the USA was murdered while home alone. She had tweeted “Have the house to myself everybody gone” a few hours before she was found dead. This unfortunate incident might not be a common occurrence in this part of the world, but it certainly calls for some reflection on the amount of information we choose to share online. The truth is that quite a number of people share far too much information, especially on social networking sites. Once in a while, we are guilty of over-sharing information about our personal lives. You only need to visit the various social media platforms to be convinced of this.