₦airaland Forum

kernniejay:
You dont know how much the experience you shared touched me. I just thank God for your life. Who knows if you your call had come through that day and you asked for only one day, you could have lived only one more day and died. You were spared probably because you did not confess the one day out for somebody or others to hear. Just my own thought o. I pray long life of fulfillment and prosperity for you, by God's grace, amen.

I've honestly always wondered.
Glad you could relate. Thanks loads. Amen.

Is that better or worse

Brokeloser:
In a sane working country the construction company will pay heavily for damages but alas "This is Nigeria".

I swear. When we emerged from the bushes, there was no sign of the construction company. Just dead bodies and damaged vehicles.

Pure coincidence but then:

Let us be mindful of the kind of words we speak to ourselves and to others.

Let me share a personal experience (please pardon the length):

Many years ago, I drove my Dad from Ilesa to Lagos for an important business meeting. The discussion was kind of boring so I left the conference room and went to the car to chill. Still bored, I switched on the radio and kept tuning until I got to a channel (can't recall which). A call-in program was ongoing and the question was 'If God let you decide how much longer you want to live, how many years would you ask for and why?'.

Listeners called in and gave varying figures...100 years, 200, 80, 50. Most people's reason was that they still had a lot to achieve. Some said life was too good, one woman said she wanted to see her great great grand children.

I decided to call in and say something shocking, just for the fun of it. I wanted to say that I would ask God for one more day because life is stressful and boring. I tried and tried but my call didn't go through, probably because of the number of people trying to call. It finally connected just as the program was about to end but the presenter announced that they won't be taking any more calls. So I didn't get to air my outrageous view on radio.

The next day, we set off for Ilesa, I drove. Just before Ibadan, Ratcon Construction Company was fixing the expressway at a sharp bend, and their heavy duty vehicles occupied one lane. This generated traffic as all the cars on the road were forced to slow down and squeeze into the other lane. I negotiated that bend at about 80-100 kph, saw the traffic, slowed down completely and joined the queue.

Less than a minute later, I heard some shouting behind me, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a petroleum tanker bearing down on me. The tanker driver must have got to the bend at top speed like most vehicles, saw the traffic and lost control. The tanker was directly behind me and was definitely going to crush me. All I can remember was unconsciously whispering God please... God please.

Suddenly, a white inter-state commercial bus appeared, driving at break-neck speed and also lost control. The bus driver must have been trying to overtake the tanker at the bend with no knowledge of what was going on.(all these happened in split seconds)

Both the bus and the tanker hit me. The bus, a fraction of a second earlier than the tanker. The bus pushed me forward and took my original space. The tanker hit both of us but the bus took most of the impact. The tanker's blow on my vehicle was glancing so it sent me into the surrounding bushes. The bus was completely crushed. My Dad and I came out of the bushes and watched the bus driver die.

The tanker (fully loaded) had overturned and fuel was trickling out of one compartment. Luckily it was diesel so it didn't ignite.

The events of those two days will be vividly etched in my memory forever.

Now, I'm not a superstitious person. I'm very strong on facts and logic but at times, I can't help but wonder if the result would have been different if my call went through.

God will surely keep blessing Jazzy

dominique:
I didn't, I wouldn't mind reading both books today if I get my hands on them. My memory of the story is getting a bit fuzzy. I know it was set in northern Nigeria where Shettima was captured and sold as a slave where he became friends with the son of the wealthy owner. He grew older as a slave but enjoyed some privileges other slaves didn't enjoy since he's friends with the heir. The rich boy's sister started falling for him and that was where his troubles started. Very interesting story that you can read over and over again without getting tired of it.

Sorry about that. Yes that's the story Honestly we need many of those titles in ebooks so they don't disappear completely. I might still have them in my book box at my Dad's house. I'd let you know if I find them.

Carot:
is he still alive

No he's not.

spicyuzo:
These books made our childhood.

This Raliya-the Sugar girl for example, was my one time favorite.

Now that İ think of it, i didn't really need TV, ready books as a kid made you create the images and play the script in your head over and over, and in ways that prompted you to ask questions. İt kind of stimulated the thinking faculty.
On the other hand, TV is like watch someone's well scripted story, as a kid you can't really add your imagination to a TV show, you just watch and enjoy.

So now İ ask....What's better for kids....TV or Books?
Or a bit of both?

Yes, Sugar Girl was pure magic at that age. I think I read it in primary 3.
Adventures of Souza and the others, I read much later. Those books made my first few years of boarding school bearable. I practically read everything; Oxfords Past and present series, Macmillan Winners series, Pacesetters etc. God bless Kola Onadipe, Nkem Nwankwo, Cyprian Ekwensi, Achebe and other authors of JSS children's books of the 80s & 90s.

Both TV and books are good. More books than TV though. Books help build vocabulary and reading stamina while good TV shows help with pronunciations and diction. Books are easier to regulate though.

dominique:
This sequel to The Boy Slave, I looked for this book like my life depended on it back then. Memories...

Hope you eventually found it. It's a very good read.

ComputerOperato:
You are a legend.
I read all these too.

OG

Sugar Girl by Kola Onadipe.
Some of his other books I read then include:
Adventures of Souza
The Boy Slave
Return of Shettima

Those were the days.

Sometimes I wish I had. Growing up, I loathed school so much I was envious of kid-hawkers.

It will pass. Even wonders last 9 days.

Theesourcerer:
Dominique , darling I've been blocked do , unban me ❤

Wetin you do

Ajoke

Hate her/Love her, she's beautiful, popular and successful.

Goodnight Natty

This one Neva touch.

Congratulations.... you'll soon date and dump your soulmate for no reason

Her crying face be like portable normal face

Those were the days

Henceforth, my own is to watch and be entertained.


No more emotional investment in Super Eagles or EPL

That's the master spirit of a winning team.

If the federal government had been responsible all these years and fixed our refineries. This would have been a clear case of preparation meets opportunity and we would have saved up, diversified and cashed out big time.

Now we will sell crude at a high price and be forced to import/transport a few by-products at a much higher cost and still be the worse for it.

Nigeria's present political space is accursed.

Happy for Senegal & sad for Gabaski. Dude kept like his life depended on it.

HIGHESTPOPORI:
Malami is too powerful

One of Nigeria's main problems

....and the division continues to the North's advantage.

Southern Nigeria needs to wise up.