₦airaland Forum

MY LANDLADY AND I
MY LANDLADY'S BEST FRIEND
SHORT STORY: A RISK FOR LOVE


MY LANDLADY AND I
The piece you are about to read, is a true life story spiced with creativity to make it interesting, entertaining and memorable. Enjoy as you read.

Here is a true life account of my experience with Lady Roseline Ebunoluwa Olorunfemi. Her dear friend, Mr. Olorunfemi introduced me to her in the mid-80s. How long will he be staying she queried. I cut in and said Nine (9) months Ma. She helped me with my luggage and showed me to the guest room.

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While the negotiation ensued between her and her friend, I stole several looks at Lady Rose, she was a beauty to behold. Her kind of beauty is not one you find every day; she qualifies for the African queen described by Nigeria music sensation Tuface Idibia in his song AFRICAN QUEEN. Her dark skin glimmers. My eyes coined the adjective “Duduyemi” to describe her.

After her friend’s departure, she confirmed to me that she was not charging me a dime for the accommodation. In her words, it is my pleasure to have you under my roof.

Lady Rose, was exceptionally hospitable, I am yet to experience the kind of hospitality she showed me. I had hardly settled when she rushed into the kitchen, peeled a half tuber of yam, sliced them into small pieces, washed them and put them in pot. As the yam boiled on the gas cooker, she showed me to the bathroom.

While having my shower, I heard a sound synonymous to mortar and pestle, I mused in my heart; I hope Lady Rose is not pounding yam by herself. I do not expect a queen like her to put herself through all that stress.

Knowing that I was whole heartedly welcomed by my host, I felt at home naturally. After my bath, I freshened up and wore a causal look in a blue shirt and black jean trouser. I heard a soft knock at my door, who is there, I queried? The response I got was, “Your food is ready”. I was not expecting her to prepare my meals, after providing me with such comfortable accommodation. I will be asking too much to be a pest on her for nine months.

The aroma of her soup hit me on my nose, this left me salivating. Ma, don’t worry about food, you should not have put yourself through all that stress for my sake. You should have waited for me to pound the yam. Her face was lit with smiles, her silence spoke these words, “it’s my pleasure”.

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I took my place at the dining table, the sight of the food was one to behold - you find such on the banquets for nobles. My bowels emptied themselves. I ate with patience; I did not want to finish the food in a hurry. The soup was made from waterleaf and ugwu leaves, spiced with stocked fish, dry fish and other assorted meat. The soup reminded me of the menus I read about Calabar soups at “heaven bookshop”.

At nightfall, I retired to my room; I spent the rest of the night admiring the architectural master piece of its interior. Everything was just perfect, the paintings, the furniture, beddings e.t.c

On the wall hung a photo of Lady Rose and Mr. Olorunfemi. Another was one of her, Mr. Olorunfemi and two beautiful kids. She later introduced them as Ayodeji and Oluwatoyin.

Mr. Olorunfemi who introduced me to her was always checking on me, asking after my wellbeing and confirms if I am of good conduct. He worked with Nigeria Agricultural and Cooperative Bank, now Bank of Agriculture (BOA). His office was not so far away, I guess this afforded him the opportunity to visit her during his break hours.

As the months rolled by, I thought what will become of me at the end of nine months. I did not want to believe I will forgo the enjoyment that characterized my present accommodation. Food, light, water…. Just name it.

At the end of nine months, it was time to leave my accommodation; the thought of it saddened me. I worked up a plan. On the 16th of April 198?…., I locked myself up in my room. Madam rose screamed at my name but I did not respond to her call. She screamed help!!! at the top of her voice, this coincided with Mr. Olorunfemis visit. After she briefed him what was happening, he hurried to his car and drove off.

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In a short while, he was back with a Man wearing white clothes and 3 other women who I later learnt to be Doctor and nurses. The doctor and the others wore a finger like material on their hands. I watched all that transpired while peeping through the key hole. They were determined to force the door open.

The man in white was their lead; he shouted the word PUSH!!! Whenever he did, I felt a heavy force trying to pull down the door to my room. In the bid to have a clearer view of what was happening, I decided to peep through the opening between the door and the floor. Unfortunately, the Man in white was also nursing the same thought with me.

As soon as I put my head to the ground, our eyes meet; he quickly grabbed me by the head. The opening was just enough to force me out of my room. I could not hold back my tears, the tears took their source from two thoughts. The first, “is this how to pay mama Rose for her kindness?” The other, “I have to wake to the reality of self-survival”.

The doctor gently pulled me by the head, afterwards he held me in his arms like a warrior who had just overcame his enemy. He walked up to my host and presented me to her. The looks in her eyes were those of gratitude, excitement, joy and love. They seem to mean, “Thank God he is safe and alive”. Her screams, tears had made way for smiles that characterized her person.

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Having seen the look in her eyes, my fears melted away. She held me in her arms and feed me with pure milk which I was later taught in biology to be COLOSTRUM. The End – See how kind my Landlady was.

I dedicate this writing to the memory of my mother, Mrs. Remilekun Ebunoluwa Olorunfemi. 2013 makes it 10 years she departed this world. I have other creative writings inspired by her. I will put them together to create an online memorial for her.

TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER
Ten years ago, we grieved about your physical absence from us. We wore heavy hearts, teary eyes and sullen faces to register our displeasure with death.

Ten years on, we celebrate your life. A life best described by one word, “SELFLESS”. You came into our lives and showed us love. You loved and loved until it hurt. Many times, we wondered if you ever had time for yourself; you dedicated much time making others happy.

You are our definition of a virtuous woman, the good thing God blessed our lives with. You were the fruitful vine from which Ayodeji, Oluwatoyin and Oloruntobiloba sprang.

Your few but affirmative words continue to make huge imparts in our lives as they did in the lives of all those who crossed your path.

The memories we share evokes thankful hearts. We recognize your impart in our present lives and so reiterate, “To live in our hearts, is not to die”. Remilekun, Ebunoluwa Olorunfemi LIVES ON!!!

Continue to rest in the bossom of the Lord.
Fondly remembered by: Husband A.M Olorunfemi, Children, friends and relatives.


MY LANDLADY'S BEST FRIEND

I wrote this on my Dad birthday.

This is a continuation of a previous true life story “My Landlady and I”. In that account, I narrated the role Mr. Olorunfemi played in securing a place for me at Lady Rose residence. She turned out to be an exceptional landlady; she offered me her place for free.

During my first nine month stint, I caused her a lot of inconvenience; her cheerful and happy disposition remained. I got the greatest surprise of my life, 7 days after I caused a scene – Remember the man in white gloves?

On that fateful day, the house was packed full. Friends, family members and associates of my landlady gathered for an event I had no prior knowledge about, the gathering was presided over by a man in white robes, I later learnt he was a catholic priest. Exciting dance steps met the popular tunes streamed from the DJs stereo. There was plenty to eat and drink. I wondered what the celebration was about.

The party turned out to be a naming ceremony, organized on my behalf. It was at that party I got the names Babatunde and Oloruntobiloba.

The day after the party, I thanked Lady Rose for her kindness. She made me understand that the event was funded by Mr. Olorunfemi. I wondered why he had developed so much interest in me. At this point, I recalled their dance at the naming ceremony, how he held her by the hips with her head leaned on his chest. There was so much affection between them and I could tell they were no ordinary friends. It did not take long to discover his true identity.

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Later that evening, while having dinner, sucking natural milk, freshly served by my amiable landlady Mr. Olorunfemi walked in. He tickled my cheeks and planted a kiss on Lady Rose left cheek. How are you honey, he said. Lady rose smiled at him, then with her tender eyes fixed on me she said, Babatunde, say hello to your daddy. I stretched my arms towards him; he took me in his arms.

Today March 2 is my Dad’s birthday; Join me to wish him a prosperous year ahead. Also on this day 2003, I read the last letter from Lady Rose (My darling Mother). The letter was delivered by dad – on a visit to my boarding school, FGC Ugwolawo. Dads visit was a surprise, I was not expecting either of my parents, I had told them to send whatever gifts they have through other visiting parents – I was in Senoir Secondary 2.

I ran my eyes over mums note with joy; written in her typical curvy, slanting hand writing. In my reply, I thanked her for the enclosed naira notes and the cooked meal sent through dad. Also, I thanked her for the food flask, fried meat and money earlier sent in February through my friend Daniel Musa. To conclude my letter, I wrote the song titled, “sweet mother I no go forget you”.

The month of March brings me mixed feelings; a month in which my father, immediate elder brother, his wife and a great friend Taiye mofolorunsho celebrate their birthdays and one in which I remember the live and times of My loving mother Ebunoluwa, Remilekun Olorunfemi and My Darling Aunty Shola Adebudo.

SHORT STORY: A RISK FOR LOVE
At the end of a routine antenatal consultation with one of his patients, Dr Bassey cleared his throat and spoke in a mild tone, madam, from the scan and test results there is a high probability for complications during child birth.

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What exactly is the problem doctor? She stared on with a blank face as Dr Bassey made an attempt to simplify the medical terms associated with her condition; he also requested that she comes in the company of her husband during her next appointment.

She could not hide her concerns; her radiant face had turned pale. She had been married for 5 years now. A mother of 2 boys; Ayodeji and Oloruntoyin carrying her third pregnancy and hoped the baby will be her kind.

There is no love lost between her and Baba Deji, her husband, confidant, friend and lover. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she was worried. Darling, what is the matter? Was there a long queue of patients at the hospital? She told him what the doctor had said. Put your mind to rest dear, everything will be fine, Okay…….. He said assured.

On her next appointment, the couple visited the gynecologist as agreed. His final words, professional advice left them in shock, “Terminating the pregnancy is the best solution. Madam, your safety is my primary concern”. In his earlier analysis, he explained that the other alternative to terminating the pregnancy will put the mother, child survival at 50-50. The couples thanked Dr. bassey and promised to communicate their decision on the next appointment date.

They drove home in silence, until Baba Deji broke the silence, Darling, don’t worry, everything will be fine. For him, he had reached a conclusion in his mind, which was, to heed the Doctors advice. His decision was founded on the thought that losing the baby will be great pain but losing his wife or both is unbearable.

Later that night, after much emotional talks, surge, he spoke in an emotion laden voice; honey I can’t afford to lose you, our marriage is barely 6 years old. Think of our children Ayodeji and Oloruntoyin. It is in our best interest to take the Doctors advice. You are my support, my best friend, taking the 50 -50 alternative is too much risk to bear.

These words did not make her feel any better; he wiped her face as hot tears forced their way down her cheeks. Pulling her close, he whispered, “do this for us, I love you so much”.

Her mind was made up, to carry the pregnancy for nine months; it was not an easy decision for her. In her prayers she prayed that if the pregnancy will cost her life, God should spare the baby.

I had only known her for few months but the bond of friendship between us had grown strong enough to notice she was disturbed. She shared her concerns with me but did not seek my opinion. If she had, I would have taken the same position as her husband and the doctor – Men are created to think logically.
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She went into labour on the third week of April 198? , she was delivered of a bouncing baby boy Olorunfemi Babatunde who weighed 4 kg at birth.

The woman in this story is no other person than my amiable, loving, darling mother. She took a huge risk to carry me for 9 months daring all the consequence.

Dearest, darling mum,
3rd of March, 2014 made it 11 years you completed your course on earth. Thank you for the risk of love; for giving me a chance to live. What love can be greater than this; for a human to be willing to lay down his/her life for a fellow human?

The tears I shed at birth were in awe of your love, sacrifice and a way to show my appreciation. How could you take such a risk? What if you had passed out? What if………………. So many what if’s mum.

When (Late) Rev. Fr. Barnabas Anikoh visited my school on the 4th of March 2003, with the news that my attention was urgently needed at home, I feared that either of my maternal, paternal grandma had passed way. How could I have thought it was you? I still read a letter from you on Mar 2, 2003 – which was delivered by dad. I learnt you smiled, laughed when you read the concluding paragraph of my reply mail “sweet mother, I no go forget you for the suffer wey you suffer for me”.

I LOVE YOU MUM.

I remember you today as always. Thank you for believing in me and for showing me much love.
We would meet again to part no more.
Your baby – Babaiyere

Note: The statement of fact in this story is the doctor’s advice, the other accounts are imaginations - I was in my mother’s womb when it all happened.

photo credit:dreamstime.com

STAY TUNED FOR PART 4

READ OTHER STORIES WRITTEN BY ME.
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On June 25, 2014 I made the request below to my mobile telecommunications service providers

“As a subscriber to your network, I demand that you put up a Value Added Service (VAS) that will enable subscribers track their missing phones - particularly phones purchased at your sales outlets. I will like to have your response to this request as soon as possible. Failure to respond to this will be construed as neglect, insensitivity”.

I made this request through the message feature on their facebook portals and also published it on my facebook fan page requesting fellow Nigerians to join me in making this demand.

Find their responses below

MTN NIGERIA:"Thanks for the suggestion, Babatunde. We are already working on this and will announce to all customers when such a service comes on board. Thanks".

Glo World: glo: "Your suggestion would be forwarded to the management."

Airtel Nigeria:"thank you for this post. Please be informed that your feedback is highly appreciated and equally noted. Thank you for choosing AIRTEL."

Etisalat representatives are yet to respond.


I believe with our collective resolve, we can make these telecommunication service providers put up reasonable Value Added Service, rather than extorting Nigerians with VAS like love msgs, unsolicited services.

What Next? let occupy their social media pages with our request. If we do this, you will be amazed at the result we would get. Lets do this guys!!!!

Find their URL's Social media portal links below
FACEBOOK
MTN NIGERIA
Glo World
Airtel Nigeria
Etisalat .


TWITTER
@MTNNG
@AirtelNigeria
@etisalat_9ja
@GlobacomLimited

WHY "HE" DID NOT GRADUATE WITH A FIRST CLASS.

Lack of information! if only he discovered Knowbase in his first year. Are you a an undergraduate? Lucky you! The information on http://www..com/resources/ will help you greatly to achieve good grades and achieve your academic goals. if you are a graduate, share this information with your undergraduate friends.

Thank God for "HIM" he eventually graduated with a 2.1, so its not late for you as well. Enjoy your time on knowbase.

I have posted the comment in quote above before now, it was removed, I guess by a moderator... I hope there is no selective "witch hunting" going on here? I believe the primary duty of a Moderator is to verify the authenticity of information. links posted. If they are true and safe, pls do not delete. I ensure to include my comments in relevant post, the post above bothers on education, this explains why i am providing this information for the benefit of fellow Nigerians.

Moderators, my head dey hot for here o, make nobody try delete this post without a justifiable reason.

Happiness in a relationship is much more than luck; it takes a daily conscious effort to put into practice healthy relational habits. Let’s learn about some of the things that happy couples avoid and see how you can bring more joy into your own relationship.

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1. They don’t complain about their spouse to their friends or family - Happy couples know that it’s best not to involve others in their relationship. They talk directly to their spouse if they have an issue instead of consulting others who often may provide negative feedback that could hurt the relationship. There is nothing wrong with healthy ‘girl’ or ‘guy’ time but don’t use it as an opportunity to complain about your spouse.

2. They don’t compare their spouse to others - Happy couples accept and love their spouse as is. They know that comparing to others is unrealistic and unfair and will leave them feeling insecure about their marriage. If you do spend time with other couples and you even see better qualities in another spouse, stay confident and don’t second-guess your choice. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, even if it looks like it is.

3. They don’t play the victim - Blaming each other for their problems is not a habit of happy couples. Happy couples take responsibility for their feelings and their role in the relationship. They ask for what they need instead of wallowing in self-pity or blaming their spouse for their situation.

4. They aren’t too serious- Happy couples know how to be happy and have fun. They “date” regularly and laugh a lot. Even when life throws you a curveball and things are extremely stressful, keep things light and fun.

5. They don’t criticize- They look for the good in their spouse and when they are upset they learn how to ask for their needs in a sensitive way. Happy couples know that criticism only tears the other down and create a rupture in their relationship. If you’re spouse is doing something that you don’t like, pay attention to why it’s bothering you and learn how to talk about it in a safe way.

6. They avoid ignoring their finances- Happy couples know that financial stress puts pressure on a marriage. They stay on top of their money and are in communication about their financial goals so that they can make responsible decisions for their future together. If money is a topic you would rather not discuss, know that avoiding it will make money matters worse.

7. They avoid mind reading- We all know what people say about someone who assumes… Happy couples know how to communicate so that they both are aware of each other’s needs and feelings. No matter how connected they feel, they don’t expect their spouse to know what they want or how they are feeling. They spell it out clearly. If you are not getting the attention you need, tell your partner.

8. They avoid “dumping”- Happy couples know that sharing their frustrations are for the purpose of getting their needs met and achieving greater connection. They are intentional about when they share and ask their spouse if it is a good time instead of catching them off-guard, unleashing their upset, and fueling the fire of greater conflict. If you have something to get off your chest, first ask, “I’d like to share something with you. Is now a good time?”

9. They aren’t rigid about their roles- Even if they have stereotypical gender roles in their relationship, happy couples are flexible and are able to do what needs to be done at the moment, even if it’s not their forte. So even if your wife is typically the one to get dinner on the table, if she can’t tonight, you can easily step-in without a fuss and relieve her of her responsibility.

10. They don’t nag their spouse- Happy couples encourage each other instead of pressuring. They find ways to support each other and that support is a natural motivator as opposed to nagging which often backfires. If your husband is out of work, instead of nagging him to go on job interviews, try to raise his morale with your love and support, even if it seems scary. Your genuine encouragement and trust in him will motivate him to move forward.

11They ignore the Hollywood portrayal of marriage- Happy couples give no credence to the stereotypical putdowns of husbands and wives that are often featured in pop culture. They love each other and don’t seek to belittle, disrespect, or poke fun at each other like they may see on tv or film. If you’re not already aware of how common it is for marriage to be the brunt of many jokes, begin to notice the subtle and not so subtle message about marriage you may viewing on a daily basis.

Culled: http://goodmenproject.com/

Most of us step into marriage hoping for a lifetime of love and happiness, knowing far too little about what might give us our best shot at getting there. Many of us assume that because we’re in love, because we have common values and compatible dreams we’ve got everything we need to have a marriage that lasts.

Sure, lots of couples divorce. “But, honestly…” we think, “how hard could it be?”

The answer: much harder than any of us had imagined.

When my husband and I married, I assumed that, despite our lack of experience and the terrible role models we had — how’s this for blind optimism — we’d do perfectly fine. I was realistic enough to know that, like all couples, we’d face our fair share of difficulties. Whatever they were… I assumed we’d face them together, that we’d be an invincible team.

What I never considered was that one of our challenges would be each other!

Learning to live well with another is no easy task. It calls for patience and flexibility, a short memory for disappointments and a long one for good deeds. Fortunately, my husband and I eventually figured this out. But not without a lot of strife and struggle and occasional thoughts that we might not make it through.

With wedding season in full bloom, this post is my gift to those of you who are just starting out.

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Here’s the advice I wish I’d been given as a newlywed, rather than having had to figure it out on my own:

1. Don’t freak out when marriage turns out to be harder than you expected.
When you find yourself struggling, remember it’s not just you. Marriage is challenging for all of us, without exception. None of us come with all the tools we need for success, nor do we have a guidebook or a roadmap to make our journey easier. We simply hit the ground running, and despite our good intentions and optimism, for most of us, marriage presents challenges for which we’re flat-out unprepared.

But that doesn’t mean that something is wrong. It just means that marriage is a tough teacher and we all have plenty to learn.

2. Don’t expect sex to stay hot or interesting all on its own for the next sixty years.
Early on in our relationships most of us just have to show up in the same room as our sweetheart to be all atingle. With our brains swimming in feel-good brain chemistry, hot sex happens with little effort.

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Fast forward five years, add a few kids, a couple of stressful careers, and many people begin to notice that the thrill seems to be gone.

It’s true — the newness is gone. But that doesn’t mean sex is over or needs to be boring. Just that it shifts over time and you need to shift with it. The warmth and friendliness of your marriage will become the platform for desire and eroticism.

That extra ooh-la-la... you’ll have to do what’s needed to generate it.

3. The sooner you ditch the notion of fairness, the happier you’ll be.
Life isn’t fair and neither is marriage. All that stuff about things in a marriage being 50-50, the idea that couples need to meet each other halfway… while it’s a perfectly understandable wish, it’s a formula for unhappiness.

Who wants a life of constant ledgering, keeping track of who did what when and who owes whom?

A better approach: Strive to be generous. Offer support. When taking action, keep each other’s concerns in mind.

The happiest couples pay more attention to what they put in and less attention to what they get back. In the end, the giving and getting become one and the same.

4. Learn how to make up.
Simply put, both of you are going to make a lot of mistakes. You’re going to misunderstand, miscommunicate, overlook, and poorly consider. You’re going to raise your voice, ask impatiently, or use a judgmental tone. Sometimes you’re going to act like a full-flying jerk.

Rather than expect to someday attain a spotless track record (which you never will) you need to learn to apologize and forgive.

No, I’m not supporting the obnoxious notion of asking forgiveness instead of permission. I’m suggesting that while it’s a good idea to strive to be a kind and decent spouse, you’re bound to screw up.

Whether you sit down and talk it out, shake hands or have make-up sex, having a reliable repair strategy is essential.

5. Be prepared to make peace with your differences.
You can either flip out about your differences or you can learn to work with them. The third option — having your differences disappear — that’s not going to happen.

If you’re a filer and you married a piler, if you’re obsessively punctual and your spouse has never once in her life been on time — you’re going to have plenty of opportunity to either be driven nuts or to figure out how to calm yourself down.

The upside: differences add novelty, they take us out of our comfort zone and can help us become more flexible and tolerant people.

6. A lot of the stuff that bothers you is about you.
Have you ever stopped to wonder why certain things your partner does send you right up a tree?

His exasperated sigh. The way she stares into space. The fact that he already told you the story about the time he got stuck in the elevator and now he’s telling you again. Or worse, that he forgets every month to send in the rent check and blames you for not reminding him.

There’s no end to the way we’ll annoy each other as spouses. Yet, the question remains: Why do these particular behaviors make us see red?

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Often, it comes down to the meaning we make of them — the stories we tell ourselves about what our partner’s actions mean. Do you think his forgetfulness means he doesn’t care about you? Does her sigh or his eye-roll leave you wondering whether you’re worthy of love?

Not everything your partner does is about you, though it can sometimes seem that way. A good rule of thumb: the bigger and more intense your emotional reaction, the more likely your reaction is about your stuff from the past. The stuff you carried with you from childhood. The stuff that only you can resolve.

7. Marriage doesn’t mean you’re joined at the hip.
Sweet and romantic as it sounds for “two to become one,” it’s far healthier for two to remain as two.

Face it. You’re both full of opinions — whether you express them or not. You have your own likes and dislikes, your own hopes and dreams. Even as newlyweds you’re going to want and need some time for yourself, some time to pursue your own interests or just have a little space from each other.

Loving, happy couples have full, separate lives. They value each other’s wholeness, never thinking of the other as their “better half” or as someone who “completes” them. From that place of wholeness, the connection you make is deeper and sweeter than if you and your partner are hanging onto each other, so “close” that you cannot step back and appreciate each other for all that you are.

Though marriage is a challenging endeavor, there’s no reason two willing and motivated people can’t, with a little help, have a strong and satisfying marriage. It may not be easy and you won’t be a superstar on day one. But, if you’re open to learning (mostly about yourself) you will have done all that you can to have a loving marriage that lasts.

f you enjoyed this post, please share it with others!

Written by: Winifred M. Reilly follower her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/winifredmreilly

So tell me, what is your vision? If your vision is all about you, with all due respect, you may be short-changing yourself. As a woman, your vision should be ‘more’, bigger than you. Your vision should embrace your family. Yes, you must have what Oby Ezekwesili calls a ‘Family Vision’ When you have a family vision, it means you have fully embraced ALL your realities. Realities? Yes, thanks to this truly inspiring woman, I had an ‘aha’ moment as she clearly outlined the 5 realities of a woman. If you know me, you will see how come these realities resonated with me and I knew I had to share! Read on:

You are first and foremost a PERSON and uniquely so. Not man, not woman. PERSON. A person with equal human rights and abilities as any other person (male or female) out there. You should refuse to allow anyone put a limit or cap on what you can or cannot do in this world. So your vision must fulfil YOU as a person.

You are a DAUGHTER who must not forget that she did not drop from the skies. Remember your parents. Always. Take it from me, you WANT to do this because when they are gone, your mind will be consumed with this one thought: Did I do enough? Could I have shown more love? And no matter how much you actually did, you will still question yourself. So today, go tweak your vision so it fulfills who you are as a daughter.

You are a SISTER and even if you are an only child, not only do you have cousins, nieces, nephews, you have non-blood siblings by faith or by marriage. Plus you know in our culture, we always have many people who call us 'sista mi'. How does your vision, as it stands today take into account your siblings?

You are a WIFE (or will be) and even if you are not, will not, chose not to be, you are still created to help, love and nurture other people. Just like your PapaGod. So is there anything in your vision that shows that that you are conscious of this? I wish you been there to hear Dr. Ezekwesili talk about how much she loved being a wife. It gave me goosebumps. You could hear the sincerity in her voice. THIS woman whose resume made us all gasp in wonder said that in spite of all that, what she enjoys the most is being a wife. She loves it. Her vision to be at the top of her game in her chosen field did not stop her from making sure she fulfilled her role as a wife.

And finally you are a MOTHER. Yes, as long as you have a womb, you are a mother. You must bring forth children, ideas, inventions, wisdom. Does your vision currently embrace your children? As you purpose to reach out to and provide care and love to orphans, how are you reaching out to your own child/children? Dr. Ezekwesili shared about how someone met her son and could not help coming to ask her how she managed to bring up a son, in these days, that exhibits the same values she is known for. You would imagine that with all she has accomplished, all her many travels and work demands her kids would be rotten. They are not. Because, as best as she could, her vision embraced her role as a mom. May we not touch the world while our own 'personal' worlds rot. Tufiakwa!

I am still mulling all of this over in my heart but there is no doubt in my mind that if your vision for your life does not encompass all these your realities in some way or another, you might not really find true fulfillment at the end of your days. If there is anything that scares me is to live my life and die with the world leaving moving tributes about me while my husband, children and immediate family stand by wondering who on earth they are talking about! *cold chills*. I have gone back to my newly crafted 2014 vision and am working on it. Like I said, you don't have to agree with me but medoubts any success you find, that does not embrace your 5 realities, will be true success in the eyes of your Maker.

At least if you are a woman.

Written by Bola 'Salt' Essien-Nelson
She is an HR Professional, Blogger/Writer

WHY "HE" DID NOT GRADUATE WITH A FIRST CLASS.

Lack of information! if only he discovered Knowbase in his first year. Are you a an undergraduate? Lucky you! The information on http://www..com/resources/ will help you greatly to achieve good grades and achieve your academic goals. if you are a graduate, share this information with your undergraduate friends.

Thank God for "HIM" he eventually graduated with a 2.1, so its not late for you as well. Enjoy your time on knowbase.

WHY "HE" DID NOT GRADUATE WITH A FIRST CLASS.

Lack of information! if only he discovered Knowbase in his first year. Are you a an undergraduate? Lucky you! The information on http://www..com/resources/ will help you greatly to achieve good grades and achieve your academic goals. if you are a graduate, share this information with your undergraduate friends.

Thank God for "HIM" he eventually graduated with a 2.1, so its not late for you as well. Enjoy your time on knowbase.

WHY "HE" DID NOT GRADUATE WITH A FIRST CLASS.

Lack of information! if only he discovered Knowbase in his first year. Are you a an undergraduate? Lucky you! The information on http://www..com/resources/ will help you greatly to achieve good grades and achieve your academic goals. if you are a graduate, share this information with your undergraduate friends.

Thank God for "HIM" he eventually graduated with a 2.1, so its not late for you as well. Enjoy your time on knowbase.

TRUE OR FALSE?

Seun: Clicking the [all] link will execute the [Logout All] action, which logs you out from all devices and browsers in which you're currently logged in.

Example: if you browsed Nairaland in a cafe or someone else's computer and forgot to logout, you could use this to logout from those computers.

Nice feature. May I use this opportunity to ask about other questions i need answers to

1. How do you determine posts that get listed in the Trending section?
2. How do you you choose posts that make the frontpage?
3. How do Private Message (PM) work on NL?

Finally, I have a suggestion.

Is it possible to introduce sponsored posts on the home page. The number of sponsored post could be limited to 5. promoters of such posts could be required to pay a token, like 5000 Naira. This will be aimed at promoting entrepreneurs (NL contribution to supporting entrepreneurial spirit among Nigerians). Thank you.

I just visited your blog. Welldone!

https://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/p/3/005/071/316/1c54d34.jpg
Do you know the creation story? How God created the heavens and the earth? How He created something out of nothing? I can see you nodding your head, you know the story better than I do!

Why are you not applying the lessons of creation. Why are you not thinking like God.

God saw that the earth was dark, formless, empty and dark. He saw the need for light and said LET THERE BE LIGHT! He went ahead to create vegetation's, separated the water body from the land etc

He used his authority, power to create, make things better. He used his powers positively.

What do you make of the "powers" you have? For those in position of authority; what have you made of your position?.

When you see things go wrong, do you make an effort to make them right? Here is a typical example, It is a known fact that most of our streets, roads are littered with waste, do you contribute to this by dropping waste materials on the road? If you cannot pick the litters on the road, please do not add to them.

Lets join hands to make the world a better place; thats why we are here in the first place. If you cannot do anything to make the world a better place. Please do not make it worse through your actions.

When you see a friend in a near hopeless situation, what do you do to lift such an individual out of the situation? Lets learn from our maker - things, situations can always be better than they are. We can create something out of "nothing".

https://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bud.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/pointflower.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/thumbflower.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/fruitflower.png
https://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/pointflower.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bud.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bud.pnghttps://www.appswheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bud.png[size=16pt]Stay tuned for Subsequent thoughts inspired by the Creation account. Also be generous to share your thought as comments on this post[/size].

Did you say this post is meant for the religion page......? No it is not!

Ensure the accuracy of your CGPA - Built For students and Lecturers.
CLICK ON PHOTO BELOW TO CALCULATE YOUR CGPA
[img]http://www..com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/GPA.png[/img]
FOR UNIVERSITIES, POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.

You are a job seeker, you spend 90% of your time on facebook sharing photos, chatting, you do not have a linkedin account.You will get a job with you learn to use the online resources productively - #Appswheel.

The HR Manager of the company i work for has over 4000 Connections on http://linkedin.com/ He says his target is to make the number up to 10,000 direct connections in the next one year. I see him read his connections profiles regularly. My interaction with him revealed that he employs the linkedin platform to drive the companys recruitment process for entry level and management job positions.

If you are seeking to get a job, linkedin.com should be more important to you than any other social media platform. I "patronize" linkedin more than other social media plaftforms owing to the availability of insightful career, entrepreneurship article written by successful company managers, entrepreneurs like bill gates, Richard branson etc

For those who already have a profile on linkedin; It is not enough to be on linkedin.com, build your connection with people who can assist you. Make connection with human resource managers of company's you like to work with, and individuals who work with such company's.

Make your profile presentable by providing background information about your skills and capabilities. Also make time to read insightful articles on linkedin.com

Linkedin.com is more than a job search portal, it is also a platform to expand your business frontiers as an entrepreneur - if you sell products and offer services. All you need do is connect with decision makers in organisations that consume your product/service and demonstrate your capability.

Linkedin did not pay me for this, I wrote it for you, all I ask of you is to make the best of the opportunity that linkedin represents. Make the best of the tool available to you. Make the best of your time online, make the best of your internet data, your phone..... Thank you as you sign up on linkedin and make the best of the opportunities it represents.

You are a job seeker, you spend 90% of your time on facebook sharing photos, chatting, you do not have a linkedin account.You will get a job with you learn to use the online resources productively - #Appswheel.

The HR Manager of the company i work for has over 4000 Connections on http://linkedin.com/ He says his target is to make the number up to 10,000 direct connections in the next one year. I see him read his connections profiles regularly. My interaction with him revealed that he employs the linkedin platform to drive the companys recruitment process for entry level and management job positions.

If you are seeking to get a job, linkedin.com should be more important to you than any other social media platform. I "patronize" linkedin more than other social media plaftforms owing to the availability of insightful career, entrepreneurship article written by successful company managers, entrepreneurs like bill gates, Richard branson etc

For those who already have a profile on linkedin; It is not enough to be on linkedin.com, build your connection with people who can assist you. Make connection with human resource managers of company's you like to work with, and individuals who work with such company's.

Make your profile presentable by providing background information about your skills and capabilities. Also make time to read insightful articles on linkedin.com

Linkedin.com is more than a job search portal, it is also a platform to expand your business frontiers as an entrepreneur - if you sell products and offer services. All you need do is connect with decision makers in organisations that consume your product/service and demonstrate your capability.

Linkedin did not pay me for this, I wrote it for you, all I ask of you is to make the best of the opportunity that linkedin represents. Make the best of the tool available to you. Make the best of your time online, make the best of your internet data, your phone..... Thank you as you sign up on linkedin and make the best of the opportunities it represents.

C'MON GUYS LETS DO THIS.......

The world is said to be a stage with many actors, where every individual on the face of the earth is an actor……. Last night, I saw the world in a different light; as a football pitch where two teams battle for supremacy (TEAM GOOD and TEAM EVIL – honesty Vs. Lying, Self-Control Vs. Indiscipline, Sexual purity Vs. fornication, adultery, Love Vs. Hate etc).

By birth, you are introduced into the field of play; part of Gods tactical plan to win. Are you playing to instruction? Are you consulting your manual – The Scripture?

You must have observed how coaches react during football games? The excitement they feel when: they get results, their team play to instructions. You also see the anxiety, frustration that result when their team puts up a not too good performance.

What effort are you making to make your coach happy? To play to instruction? My Coach (God) extols
Forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, honesty, selflessness, team spirit, obedience, self-control.

If you are on Gods side, let’s play by the rules. Let’s win this game. Our coach deserves to be happy. He has put in so much resources, even his life to make things work. What else do you want as motivation?

C'mon guys! Let’s do this.... WIN THE GAME!!!

Like one of our great captain, Apostle Paul, Let’s put in a good fight to win this game, so we can get the crown of Glory that are for those who do the will of God. We can do it, YES WE CAN!!!

“Jonathan is not doing enough as the C-in-C of the armed forces, as the President of this country……..” “The government institutions are not working, nothing is working”.
“ICT can be employed to fight terrorism, our government is not doing anything ICT wise….”
I guess you are familiar with some of the quotes above.

While these arguments cannot be dismissed as untrue, my concern at this moment is what YOU as a Nigerian Citizen is doing, your contribution to end the scourge of BOMBING.

Our President and his government claim to be on top of the situation. Ironically, “The situation appears to be on top of the them”.

That said, I think individuals should make time to think about the things they are not doing right as citizens and make it an obligation to contribute to National Development.

It is true that the present government is under-using Information, Communication and Technology (ICT). But don’t you think the same applies to you? As an individual, are you maximizing the gains of information technology? You will agree that ICT is way beyond logging onto facebook/social media portals to chat, share photos. Are you making the most of Information Technology?

How many products have you purchased online using your Master, Verve, Visa Cards? Can you tell the difference between: a real and Scam eCommerce site, a Security protected payment portal and a non-protected payment portal?

Some of the individuals who died in the recent bombings may not have died if they had shopped for their products online and had such products delivered to their homes.

I advise those who have the means to shop online and have their products delivered to their homes to do so. I also advise business owners who are yet to take their business online to do so without much delay. If you do not know how to go about it, you can contact us at http://appswheel.com/ we are there to advise you for FREE! You can send a mail to mirthfemi@appswheel.com

Finally, my condolences to the families of all who have lost a dear one to the unfortunate happenings that plague our nation… Boko Haram, Ritual killers, Fulani herdsmen, Bad roads……….. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

I believe that we shall overcome someday…….. WE SHALL OVERCOME!!! It will not happen by magic, It will happen when we as citizens rise up to do what is right.

Dear friend, contribute your quota to make Nigeria a great Nation. We must not leave it all to Jonathan, lets do our bit……

WHAT WE MUST DO TO STOP BOMBING CULTURE IN NIGERIA.....
.......STOP BLAMING GOVERNMENT ALONE, DO YOU BIT.

WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!!!! Share this piece if you believe this assertion, “WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!”

@gboyex but i mentioned it. that this was todays game.... and that it as bn solved. visit every wednesday for a fresh game

There are 3 MTN Recharge cards in the Puzzle. the smartest and fastest persons wins. Just as a Cross Word Puzzle, the Recharge cards nos are
arranged vertically, horizontally and diagonally.

Hints: A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9 J=0
Card 1: ??II, ??BA, ??AA = ??99. ??21, ??11 (if you add all the numbers together, you will get 40)

Card 2: II??, FD??, ?AJ? = 99??, ??51, ?10? (if you add all the numbers together, you will get 50)

Card 3: ?BB?, ?AB?, ??FJ = ?22?, ?12?, ??60 (if you add all the numbers together, you will get 33)

This GAME SHOW is on every wednesday on http://neeksta.com

This Puzzle has been solved earlier today, play for the fun. To be part of the real game, stay tuned to neeksta.com every wednesday.

Supported by FUN FACTORY LTD NIG.

Prescription For Love
A lady walks into a drug store and tells the pharmacist she needs some cyanide.

The pharmacist said, Why in the world do you need cyanide?

The lady then explained she needed it to poison her husband.

The pharmacists eyes got big and he said, Lord, have mercy! I cant give you cyanide to kill your husband! Thats against the law! I'll lose my license, they ll throw both of us in jail and all kinds of bad things will happen! Absolutely not, you can NOT have any cyanide!

The lady reached into her purse, and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacists wife.

The pharmacist looked at the picture again and replied, Well, now. You didnt tell me you had a prescription.

I think both of them took things too far....... where is the place of forgiveness?? If you where in these shoes what will you do?

Lets laugh - Night Courses
During work, John and William were chatting:

John: William, I've been taking night courses for 5 months now and I have an exam next week.

William: oh!

John: For example, do you know who is Graham Bell?

William: No

John: He's the inventor of the phone in 1876; if you take night courses you would know this.

The next day, the same discussion took place:

John: Do you know who is Alexander Dumas?

William: No

John: He's the author of "The 3 Musketeers", if you take night courses, you would know this.

The next day, once again:

John: And do you know who is Jean Jacques Rousseau?

William: No

John: He's the author of "Confessions", if you take night courses, you would know this.

This time, William got irritated and said: "And you, do you know who is continue reading http://neeksta.com/funny/lets-laugh-night-courses

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.
Congress said," Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said," How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said," How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said," How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said," Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said," Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said," We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost." So they laid off the night watchman.

http://neeksta.com/funny/how-government-works/

6. No Debates
If you know that you and your mate have proven differences in opinion on certain subjects, avoid those subjects. As an example, if you are a Republican and your mate is a Democrat, politics should probably be avoided. As the two of you identify new topics that could cause a debate session, stop the conversation before it even gets started.

7. Filler Talk
If you are married, especially with children, break out of the habit of talking about nothing. Many times, families will be sitting around the dinner table and the conversation consists of, "Do you like your carrots?", or "I wonder what is on TV tonight?" Instead, change your strategy to include real questions, showing real interest. Replace the normal, "Did you have a good day at work?" with "Tell me what you did at work today." Even if you do not understand everything being said, listen with interest. It is not that you are so
much interested in the work, but your mate's life.

continue reading http://neeksta.com/editorials/101-steps-to-a-happy-relationship-steps-6-10/

8. Re-establish old traditions
If you and your mate had a tradition of some kind when you first got together, dust if off and breathe life back into it. Perhaps you met after work Friday at the local pub for a drink, washed your cars together every Saturday morning, or attended church together on Sunday. Whatever if was, re-establish the tradition.

While visiting the Oregon Caves National Monument, we hoped to get some rock samples--until we heard the following introduction from a cave tour guide: "I hope you enjoy our trek through the caves. I must ask you not to destroy or take any of the rock formations.

Actually, we have had very little trouble with this. I don't know if it's because of our visitors' great love for nature, their desire for the preservation of the caves, or their respect for the $500 fine."

Source: http://neeksta.com